Travel Guide To Norway

26/05/2026

Did you ever think to put «Lofoten» and «surfing» in the same sentence?
Well, you should.
The Lofoten Islands in Norway is perrrfect for anyone loving hiking, kayaking, fishing, northern lights, even for foodies - but it is also a haven for surfers!
And not just in summer, you can dress up and surf here year round. Imagine heading out, waiting for the waves, and finally catching one, getting up on the board - all while you are in freezing cold water pouring in from the North Sea, surrounded by snow capped majestic mountains, while riding back to the white sandy shore under the blue winter light.
Magic? Yez, but maybe magic is real you know. You see it when you believe it 🩵

25/05/2026

Subscribe to: 68° North: Lofoten, Unfiltered, on Substack!
Love, Hege 😎

Lofoten Islands travel, written by a local. Practical guides, insider knowledge, and honest takes on Norway's Arctic archipelago through every season. Click to read 68°North: Lofoten, Unfiltered, by Hege Jacobsen, a Substack publication. Launched a few seconds ago.

25/05/2026

Finally, I am on Substack, sharing the small, the big, and the incredible from the Lofoten Islands above the Arctic Circle in Norway - my home 😎

Starting with something Ultimate, and we'll take it from there!

Everything you need to know before you go — from someone who actually lives there

25/05/2026

Talking to many visitors in Norway, one thing I have noticed that comes as a surprise to many travelers is our alcohol laws.
Usually very late on a Saturday.
Specifically, the system with Vinmonopolet (the wine monopoly), which is the only shop (or chain of shops) where you can get wine or liquor in Norway. But Vinmonopolet is not everywhere.
And Vinmonopolet is not like normal shops.
Here is everything you need to know if you plan to have a holiday with wine with your dinner!

Norway's alcohol laws are stricter than most visitors expect. From a local, here's exactly where, when, and how to buy alcohol in Norway, and what to remember.

16/05/2026

Can we trust that spring has come to Lofoten? 😬
This morning, a quiet, slow Saturday morning in the Reine Harbor by the west fjords, it certainly seems so.
Finger Scorsese, for a beautiful 17th of May celebration tomorrow as well🌸🌺

13/05/2026

There’s a fishing village in Lofoten that you actually have to pay to enter.

And before you roll your eyes… wait a minute. Might this be justified?

After visiting Nusfjord multiple times — under the Northern Lights and the midnight sun — I get it now.

This TINY place is one of Norway’s oldest and best-preserved fishing villages. It’s quiet, atmospheric, and just a little bit magical… even if you’re not alone there in summer.
In fact, it is so popular there now that there is an entrance fee (but dont worry, it is actually quite modest, and it is necessary to conserve this historic place in a responsible way).

So the real question is:
👉 Is it actually worth the entrance fee?

I break it all down for you here — what to do, where to eat, where to stay, and whether you should go at all.

Nusfjord Lofoten is Norway's most preserved fishing village — and yes, you pay to get in. Here's exactly what you'll find inside, from a Lofoten local.

11/05/2026

Beyond first impressions🫶
When you travel, are the locals in your destination extras in your holiday experience or potential new friends?
Do you bring your own food, or do you go all in and try everything in your path?
Do you marvel in the so very different views and normals, or are you slightly annoyed that things are not as they are supposed to?
I had a chat with Mathia from Wander Norway, an Italian guy who has somehow found his way to Vesterålen, about these things and more🤓

Photo: Hege Jacobsen / www.epicnomadlife.com

03/05/2026

The place in the world where everything gets even more powerful and breathtaking with fierce elements pitching in! 🩵🩵
Coming to the Lofoten Islands in Northern Norway in the spring, the time when the seasons change, can be a risky business. If you are looking for guaranteed blue skies and smooth sailing, this might not be your shoulder season destination 🫠
However, if you love being reminded who is in charge, really, and think like Norwegians (there is no bad weather, only bad clothing), Lofoten in the spring might be the most memorable, stunning place you have gone to surrender to the forces of nature 🥰
Maybe you find your way all the way west, to Å in Lofoten, the very end of the road 👌

02/05/2026

Sauna in Lofoten is not just about the heat and sweating. It is very much also about the view from the windows, the wind and breathtaking surroundings, and the dipping in the Arctic waters - for those who have the guts! 🔥💪
A spectacular sauna experience in the Reine Fjord in western Lofoten on a day where the weather was changing every 15 minutes😎🔥
The real Lofoten Islands experience 🩵

01/05/2026

Summer season is approaching in big leaps, and if you are one of the many thousands of people considering a Coolcation to the Lofoten Islands this year, AND you are planning it as a road trip, this is for you! 😎
I hereby share my 10 " commandments" again for driving along the narrow, curvy E10 along the Lofoten Islands.
Thank you for reading and sharing!
Lots of love ❤️

Do We Really Need 10 commandments for driving in Lofoten? Pfffff, weeell, I am inclined to say yes. I am in my second year of living in Lofoten (I aspire to become a true local. Mind you, some say you have to provide documentation of a long line of generations of "Lofotværinger" to truly be

29/04/2026

With 90% certainty, I can promise that a vacation in the Lofoten Islands this summer will be a Coolcation! If that is what you are looking for, here is everything you need to know (and if you are not looking, you might change your mind after reading this!) 😎

While Europe's Mediterranean beaches swelter under 40°C heatwaves and the Acropolis closes its gates to protect visitors from overheating, we are still chilling quite comfortably up here in the Arctic during the summer months. So much so that the Lofoten Islands in Norway have become a top-rated su...