With views of jagged mountain peaks forming a backdrop to the Lofoten Islands capital of Svolvær, I sat gazing out of the picture window of our modern rorbu suite watching life unfold in this harbour town. Fishing boats passed by on their way out to the Norwegian Sea, leaving ripples in the clear, still water. Modern apartment buildings sat alongside industrial units, hinting that this busy town was the heart and soul of the islands. We spent two nights at Svinoya Rorbuer, a centrally located historic accommodation, ideal for exploring the Lofoten Islands.
Positioned centrally in the Lofoten Islands archipelago, Svolvær is located on Austvågøya – the largest of the seven main islands of Lofoten. With great access both north and south along the E10 highway, Svolvær is a great base to explore the islands. Surrounded by mountains and water, it’s a popular location for hikers and lovers of water based activities, as well as having an urban feel and all the facilities that brings. The location of the Lofoten Islands in Northern Norway offer something special all year round. From the midnight sun of the summer season to the long nights of winter searching out the Aurora Borealis, this is an epic destination to visit for dramatic scenery.
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THE HISTORY OF SVINOYA RORBUER
Once forming the centre of the fishing village of Svolvær, Svinoya’s history dates back almost 200 years when the famous Norwegian painter Gunnar Berg developed the island including accommodation, wharfs and the first shop in the village (which now forms the reception area). Many of the original rorbu of Svinoya have been preserved and still form part of the accommodation options of the resort today. In the 1860’s, there were 81 rorbu on the island, accommodating up to 1200 fishermen who travelled to the area for annual fishing events.
With the town having developed considerably over the decades, the main centre of Svolvær is now focused on the mainland, across a bridge over the harbour. Work started on the major tourist development of Svinoya Rorbuer in the early 1990’s with the resort opening in 1995 with 13 rorbu cabins and a restaurant housed in the old trade wharf. Today, there are more than 50 rorbu cabins on the island dotted along the shorelines and in amongst other accommodation.
A LOOK AROUND THE ISLAND
With a wide range of accommodations dotted around the island, Svinoya Rorbuer has a distinctively community feel, very much like a traditional village. In fact, the accommodation options blend in seamlessly with private houses on the island, as well as industrial units used in the fishing industry. Amongst these buildings, the famous wooden fish racks of the Lofoten Islands can be found, towering in their triangular forms. Depending on the time of year, you’ll find these racks full of Stockfish, hung out to dry for 1 to 2 months. This unsalted Norwegian cod is split lengthwise but still joined at the tail, rinsed with water and hung to dry on the wooden racks. Travel anywhere along the coast of the Lofoten Islands and you’ll be sure to see these racks, they are part of the landscape, culture and industry of the region.
From the traditional rorbu cabins to historic houses, modern rorbu suites and apartment buildings, there are so many accommodation options at Svinoya Rorbuer. We wandered the island taking in the scenic mountain and coastal views, while crossing streams and exploring hidden wooden boardwalks amongst the rorbu. These striking bright red wooden cabins, many of which were suspended over the water, really provided a taste of the history of the area. With varying sizes, sleeping two people or more, the wooden decks outside provided a fabulous space to sit and watch the world go by.
The mountains and coastal islands provide the perfect backdrop for exploring Svinoya Rorbuer. With bridges crossing inlets separating the small islands, whichever way you turn there are stunning views and impressive scenery. The crystal clear blue waters create a perfect mirror to reflect the blue skies and bright red rorbu.
THE RORBU SUITES AT SVINOYA RORBUER
We hadn’t intended to spend the last two nights of our trip to the Lofoten Islands in such luxurious accommodation. Thanks to some construction work talking place at Svinoya Rorbuer, our pre-booked traditional rorbu cabin was not available so we were upgraded to a Rorbu Suite – a three bedroom, two storey accommodation with a sauna and fabulous views across the harbour. Having already stayed in a traditional rorbu cabin earlier on our road trip of the Lofoten Island, we made the most of this luxurious accommodation.
Located to the southern end of Svinoya Rorbuer, a row of modern rorbu suites sat next to the waters edge with views across to the centre of Svolvær and the snow capped mountains beyond. From the front, these buildings looked very much like two storey rorbu cabins with their bright red wood panelling and white wooden framed square windows. Stepping inside though, the differences became very apparent. Passing through a hallway providing access to one bedroom and a bathroom (with sauna) led into a beautiful open plan living space to the rear of the accommodation, featuring a double height section with a picture window overlooking Svolvær. This open plan space comprised a fully fitted kitchen and dining area, alongside a lounge space and fabulous armchair and footstool tucked into the window space – the perfect spot to sit and watch the world go by. A door from the dining area led out onto a wooden deck over the water with additional seating.
Heading up the stairs, the first floor featured a further two bedrooms, along with a bathroom, second open plan lounge area on a mezzanine and an office space tucked away in the corner. A further balcony provided additional outdoor space. The bedrooms were simply decorated with wood panelled walls, each room providing two single beds rather than doubles, for versatility. Sleeping six people in total, this spacious accommodation would have been the perfect spot for a large group of friends or family to use as a base to explore the Lofoten Islands. The majority of rorbu suites at Svinoya Rorbuer feature four bedrooms, sleeping eight people in total.
ALL ACCOMMODATION STYLES CAN BE FOUND ON THE SVINOYA RORBUER WEBSITE
DINING AT BORSEN SPISERI
Staying at Svinoya Rorbuer, you’ll be lucky enough to have one of the best restaurants in the Lofoten Islands on your doorstep. The fabulous Borsen Spiseri restaurant is located in one of the original quayside warehouses dating back to the 1820’s, and during the renovation process, great efforts were made to retain the original features and style of the building. With dark wood panelling to the walls and ceilings, the two storey dining space was atmospheric, the walls adorned with murals and historical prints of the area. With a heavy emphasis on local fish, meat and fresh ingredients, there menu was creative and varied and the food packed with wonderful flavours. The service was great, even during the busiest of times.
It’s worth noting that booking tables in advance is preferable. As Svolvær is one of the stopping points for cruise liners in the area, Borsen Spiseri forms one of the more popular land excursions from the ships. We dined on the upper level of the restaurant and during our meal we saw several coach parties stop off at restaurant at scheduled intervals for a quick three course meal, before leaving and making way for the next. The efficiency of the restaurant to deal with these quick turnovers whilst not impacting on the regular diners was quite impressive. After dinner, we retired to the cosy bar area for a nightcap. Once again, the bar area, with it’s low lighting and dark wooden panelling provided truly atmospheric surroundings.
THINGS TO DO DURING YOUR STAY AT SVINOYA RORBUER
Being a great base for an adventure packed trip to the Lofoten Islands, Svinoya Rorbuer’s location also gives you the opportunity to explore the capital of Svolvær and all it offers. Where most capital cities are large sprawling metropolises, in contrast, Svolvær has the feel of a small but modern harbour town. The waterfront developments are sleek and modern, lined with glass fronted apartment blocks with restaurants and bars tucked in among them. The main centre is focused around a square on the harbour, with shops, cafes and restaurants in abundance. It’s also the starting point for many of water based activities and boat cruises on offer. At only a short fifteen minute walk from Svinoya, we made sure to allow time to explore Svolvær while we were there.
THINGS TO DO IN SVOLVÆR | Whether it’s exploring the gift shops, visiting one of the local attractions or heading out onto the water, there are plenty of options in Svolvær. Families should be sure to visit MAGIC ICE LOFOTEN on the harbour, a large indoor ice gallery documenting the history of Lofoten. There’s also a great little war museum in the centre with a host of memorabilia from World War II that is worth a visit. A must do trip out onto the water from Svolvær is the BRIM EXPLORER Silent Trollfjord Cruise, a three hour cruise along the coast to the majestic Trollfjord with an opening of only 100m and towering mountains of 1000m to the sides. If your lucky you’ll see Sea Eagles along with a host of other wildlife, as well as getting epic views of Svolvær and the Lofoten landscapes from the sea.
EATING AND DRINKING IN SVOLVÆR | Venturing away from Borsen Spiseri at Svinoya Rorbuer, there are plenty of dining and drinking options across the harbour. Another fabulous dining option is RESTAURANT KJØKKENET at Anker Brygge – another rorbu hotel in the area. This restaurant, hailed as another one of the best in Lofoten, is very traditional in its styling with a fabulous menu of local and seasonal dishes. For a more modern restaurant and bar, BACALAO on the harbour is a great space with harbour views and the perfect spot for a drink or lunch. Coffee lovers should head to KAFFEBRENNERI BRENT, a modern coffee shop serving great barista coffee and equally great cakes and pastries. Finally, for fans of craft beer, the LOFOTPILS brewery is located on the harbour and offer tours and tastings.
USEFUL INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR STAY
GETTING TO THE LOFOTEN ISLANDS FROM THE UK | There are several ways to reach the Lofoten Islands from the United Kingdom, such as flying or taking a ferry. The islands are home to numerous ports and airports. With no direct flights to the Lofoten Islands from UK airports, finding an option with connecting flights (in Oslo) on the same day, in both directions was a little challenging. As a result, reservations for departing and return flights were made with different airlines. We took SAS out of Manchester Airport and Norwegian back, with same-day connections and convenient flight schedules. We flew into Harstad Narvik airport in Evenes, located to very eastern end of the Lofoten Islands and just across onto the mainland. With direct access from the airport to the E10 road, it was ideal. The drive from the airport to Hattvika Lodge is approximately 3 hours, 45 minutes.
The E10 road through the Lofoten Islands
GETTING AROUND THE LOFOTEN ISLANDS | Driving is the most convenient way to explore the Lofoten Islands. Picking up a rental car from SixT was a simple and quick process from Harstad Narvik airport. It takes approximately four and a half hours to travel the 295 km from the airport to the village of Å at the southernmost points of the islands without stopping. We made pour journey south across two days, and returned back via the islands for the rest of the week. Another way to get to the Lofoten Islands is by ferry. Cruise ships that are travelling the Norwegian coast frequently stop off at the islands, and the Hurtigruten cruise ships that are on the Original Coastal Express route visit many ports in Lofoten every day.
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Looking for further adventures on the Lofoten Islands?
A RORBU STAY AT ELIASSEN RORBUER: THE ICONIC RED FISHERMEN’S CABINS OF THE LOFOTEN ISLANDS
HIKING IN LOFOTEN: CAPTURING AMAZING BEACH VIEWS FROM THE RYTEN HIKE
MIDNIGHT SUN AND HILLSIDE CABINS AT HATTVIKA LODGE
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