Itinerary
- Day 1
Arrival in Harstad
You'll fly north of the Arctic Circle and land in Harstad, where you'll pick up your rental car at the airport. The drive to your hotel takes a bit, so once you're settled, consider heading out to hike Gangsåtoppen if you have energy left. The panoramic views from up there are worth the effort before grabbing dinner.
Optional Activities
- Hike up Gangsåtoppen local mountain for panoramic views of Harstad
Landmarks Møysalen Møysalen National Park Gangsåtoppen - Day 2
Harstad
Start by walking through Harstad to get a feel for the Viking history here. Trondenes Church is your main stop, and it's been overlooking Vågsfjord for over 750 years, so there's real weight to the place. Grab coffee and a cinnamon bun by the water, then tackle some hiking. You could do Musvannet, Sætrtinden, and Hinnstein depending on your pace. Later in the evening, keep an eye out for Northern Lights.
Optional Activities
- Visit Trondenes Church
- Hike Musvannet
- Hike Sætrtinden
- Hike Hinnstein
- Watch for Northern Lights
Landmarks Trondenes Church Vågsfjord Musvannet Sætrtinden Hinnstein - Day 3
Harstad to Lofoten Islands
Drive south toward the Lofoten Islands on European highway E10, and the landscape starts changing as you go. When you arrive, you'll see the red fishermen's stilt houses right away, the mountains rising up sharp and jagged, and that deep blue water. Check into your accommodation and wander around to get oriented. Pick a local fish restaurant for dinner and try the bacalao if it's on the menu.
Optional Activities
- Dine at local fish restaurants and try bacalao
Landmarks Lofoten Islands E10 European Highway 
- Day 4
Lofoten Islands
Explore the Lofoten Islands on foot so you really take in the raw landscape and quiet of it all. Head to Henningsvær, which is this fishing village spread across eight islands connected by bridges, and it feels like stepping back in time. Browse the little stilt houses and pop into the cafés for coffee. After that, drive to Trollfjord, which spans 2.5 kilometers and has a real sense of drama to it.
Optional Activities
- Visit Henningsvær fishing village
- Explore Trollfjord
Landmarks Henningsvær Trollfjord 
- Day 5
Lofoten Islands
Head to Lofoten's beaches today. You can drive to Haukland Beach and Uttakleiv Beach fairly easily, or if you want something more remote, hike out to Kvalvika Beach. By evening, get yourself to Uttakleiv Beach for Northern Lights hunting. Bring a thermos of something warm, a blanket, and your camera ready because that's when the aurora might show up.
Optional Activities
- Visit Haukland Beach
- Visit Uttakleiv Beach
- Hike to Kvalvika Beach
- Aurora spotting at Uttakleiv Beach
Landmarks Haukland Beach Uttakleiv Beach Kvalvika Beach - Day 6
Lofoten Islands
This day is yours to move at your own pace around Lofoten. You'll notice the wooden racks along the roads where fish hang to dry, and there's an interesting story there. Stockfish is the local specialty, made possible by the strong winds and low humidity in the region. Try it at some local restaurants and you'll understand why this place has been fishing for centuries.
Optional Activities
- Try stockfish at local restaurants
Landmarks Lofoten Islands - Day 7
Lofoten Islands
Drive to Å, which has one of the shortest place names in the world and sits at the southernmost point you can reach by car in Lofoten. Walk around the village and stop at the museum oven, over 100 years old, where they bake fresh cinnamon buns. Then head to Reine and tackle the roughly 1,700 steps up Reinebringen. From the top, you'll see the fishing village spread out below in a way that photos don't quite capture.
Optional Activities
- Visit Å village
- Try cinnamon buns at the over 100-year-old museum oven
- Hike Reinebringen mountain (approximately 1,700 steps)
Landmarks Å Reine Reinebringen - Day 8
Lofoten to Narvik
Leave Lofoten and drive east, stopping at Nusfjord fishing village if you have time to spare. You'll arrive in Narvik, which sits on a spit of land between two arms of Ofotfjord and has that working harbor feel. Take the optional cable car up the local mountain if you want one more set of views. Dinner should feature local fish specialties since you're right on the water.
Optional Activities
- Visit Nusfjord fishing village
- Take cable car up local mountain (optional, payable on site)
- Dine at restaurants with local fish specialties
Landmarks Nusfjord Narvik Ofotfjord - Day 9
Departure from Narvik
Drop off your rental car at Harstad/Narvik Airport and head home with everything you've seen and done here north of the Arctic Circle. You've covered a lot of ground, from the Viking history to the islands to the Northern Lights if the sky cooperated.
