This diverse archipelago combines the epic and the intimate in a relatively compact footprint of 1,200 sq km. Mighty mountains and sheer-sided fjords drop down to sheltered harbours and pretty fishing hamlets, their red clapboard cabins perched on stilts above crystal clear waters. Bridges link the larger islands, with a single road wiggling down to the village of Å near the tip. Gleaming white sand beaches pepper the coast, while spiky Moskenesøya is an island out of Tolkien. The silky Arctic light has long drawn artists here and galleries showcase their work, while a handful of museums celebrate the area’s fishing and Viking history.
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Take a thesaurus to the Lofoten Islands - you may overuse 'wow!' Its epic peaks, glacial fjords, fishing hamlets and rich wildlife demand superlatives.
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With wildlife as abundant as the days are long in summer, cyclists, hikers and photographers are in their element and, if you brave the Arctic winter, you may see the Northern Lights, rippling across pitch black skies.
