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Travel + Leisure
15-07-2025
- Travel + Leisure
These European Islands Have 24 Hours of Daylight in Summer—and Sit Just Above the Arctic Circle
At some point on my second night in Norway, I stop checking my watch. Not out of laziness or an act of rebellion, but simply because it has stopped mattering. It's 11 p.m. I am standing on Reinebringen, one of Norway's most famous peaks, gazing out across the fjord below. Golden light spills across the water, casting lengthy shadows and catching the wings of gulls circling beneath. In this moment, I feel something rare: a quiet, expansive joy I haven't found in any other place I've traveled. This is my first encounter with friluftsliv . View from Offersoykammen hiking trails in Lofoten, Nordland, Norway. RolfSt/iStockphoto/Getty Images Friluftsliv— loosely meaning 'open-air life'—is a Norwegian concept rooted in finding meaning and joy in being outdoors. First coined by playwright Henrik Ibsen in 1859, it's contagious: 77 percent of Norwegians get outdoors at least once a week, and a quarter do so daily. This is perhaps one reason why Norwegians are some of the happiest folks in the world. Few places offer a better setting for exploring friluftsliv than the Lofoten Islands. North of the Arctic Circle, the seven main islands stretch across more than 100 miles of wild, pristine landscape. Mountains rise suddenly and everywhere, reflected perfectly in the still fjords and inlets beneath, as if replicating the Game of Thrones intro. They inescapably frame every village and road. The beaches, though, come as a surprise. Haukland is a perfect example and a regular entrant on lists of the best beaches in Europe: sugar-white sand, royal blue water so clear it looks tropical—until you dip your toes in and realize you're at 68 degrees north—and a silence broken only by the waves and breeze. A dog walker passes us with a cheery wave. 'Welcome to the Caribbean,' he says with a grin, barely breaking stride as we stand open-mouthed at the sweep of white sand and turquoise surf. His dog doesn't pause, either. Clearly, it's heard this line before. For beginners, it's easiest to embrace friluftsliv on Lofoten between mid-May and mid-July, when the sun never sets but lingers on the horizon like a guest reluctant to leave the party. Locals make the most of it—kayakers get out on the water before breakfast and colleagues share office gossip on after-dinner hikes. Even the Norwegian royal family is frequently spotted on Lofoten's hiking trails. 'We were slightly nervous about overtaking them' a local guide tells us. 'I mean, is curtseying a requirement halfway up a mountain?' In such lofty company, our challenge becomes how to fully embrace friluftsliv during our five days on Lofoten. The simple answer is to take advantage of the freedom of a world unruled by clocks and get outside at all hours of day and night. We start our day hiking Offersøykammen, our local hill; 10 hours later, we set out to climb Reinebringen, Lofoten's best-known trail. The 1,972 stone steps, installed by Sherpas to combat erosion, are brutal, but the summit view is breathtaking, in the most literal sense. Both hikes offer relatively short (one- to 1.5-hour) ascents, steep drops, and full panoramas revealed only in the final steps. The sun hovers low on the horizon, softly illuminating distant ridgelines, while the sheer cliffs expose the villages below: churches, football pitches, and harbors, all teeming with friluftsliv -infused Norwegians. The author kayaking with Lofoten Arctic Adventures. Travelers are catching on to the unlimited potential of 24-hour daylight and tour providers are adapting fast. Lofoten Arctic Adventures is the first tour company to offer midnight-sun kayaking on the islands. Our booking is rescheduled to mid-afternoon due to stormy weather, but in a land ungoverned by time, it hardly matters. Run by a Belgian-Czech couple, Hannelore and Jan, the tour is rich with water-bound history, from edible seaweed clinging to the rocks (surprisingly spinachy) to the social hierarchy of house colors. The iconic red rorbuer (fishermen's cabins) seen all over Lofoten once housed the thousands of fishermen who flocked here each winter for cod season. The cabins' deep red hue is down to a mix of iron oxide and fish blood. Wealthier residents marked their homes with costlier whites or yellows, a tradition that has continued for the past century. When interlopers deviate from these colors, it makes the newspapers. To Hannelore, friluftsliv means the freedom to be outside every day—on foot, on the water, wherever the light leads. They run family hikes, camping trips, and kayaking tours, and say the shift in people is almost always the same. 'Once they stop checking their watches, they start smiling more' she tells me. 'It's like their hearts have slowed down.' Jan nods, adding, 'Even the kids eventually stop asking what time it is. The parents usually thank us for that.' After multiple activities and nursing sore calves, we decide to indulge friluftsliv in a less active way. We join a RIB safari from Svolvær harbor in search of sea eagles, racing across mirrored fjords in a black inflatable boat that feels more spy novel than sightseeing. The eagles, with a wing span approaching eight feet, can spot fish from a great height and swoop in, talons outstretched, to pick up their dinner. They circle above the cliffs, unbothered and precise, leaving everybody feeling thoroughly insignificant. Oldenvatnet lake seen from the Mount Hoven skylift. estivillml/iStockphoto/Getty Images On our final evening, we take another late-night hike, choosing the over 1,200-foot Hoven, which towers above Lofoten Links, a contender for most scenic golf course in the world. The steady trail upwards is empty and, at the summit, we stand alone. Midnight comes and goes without fanfare—no darkness, no noise, just the soft crunch of boots on stone, the slow drift of gulls, and perhaps the odd sea eagle in gold-edged flight. On another trip, this hour would have found me on a subway platform or nursing a beer in a dim bar. But here, somewhere between the sea and the sky, I've stumbled into a rare kind of freedom—the kind that doesn't care what time it is or where you're supposed to be. A plane from Widerøe airlines in the sky. Reaching Lofoten is easiest by air or sea. The appealing town of Bodø (a 1.5-hour flight from Oslo) is the most convenient mainland base. Air: Widerøe operates eight daily flights from Bodø to Svolvær (Lofoten's largest town), and a similar number to Leknes, a smaller central town. Flights also run once daily from Oslo and Tromsø to Svolvær. All routes take around 30 minutes. Sea: Car ferries run up to four times daily (just over three hours) between Bodø and Moskenes at the southern tip of the archipelago. Book in advance or arrive at least two hours before departure for a walk-up fare. The views as you approach Lofoten are nothing short of spectacular. Foot passenger-only ferries also depart daily from Bodø to Svolvær (about 3.5 hours). Car: A private car is by far the best way to explore. While rentals are available in Leknes and Svolvær, it's usually much cheaper to hire in Bodø and bring the vehicle over on the ferry. Bus: Public buses are run by Reis Nordland. Download the app and view timetables. Just don't expect them to follow the midnight sun. Svolvær has the widest range of accommodations on Lofoten. Scandic Svolvær on the harbor offers simple rooms with stellar views and breakfast included. Thon Hotel nearby gains high praise for its waterside restaurant and floating sauna. Accommodations are cheaper outside Svolvær. We stayed in this delightful Airbnb close to Leknes in the center of the archipelago. It was quiet and comfortable, and within an hour's drive of all sun-chasing activities. Modernized rorbuer have become a popular self-catering accommodations. Fjord-side Lofoten Rorbu Lodge, about 10 minutes from Leknes, is an excellent choice for larger groups, accommodating up to eight travelers.
Condé Nast Traveler
08-07-2025
- Condé Nast Traveler
Harvesting—and Tasting—Norway's Wild Landscape While Sailing Up the Coast
The mottled landscape of the Lofoten Islands is essentially an enormous collection of tidal pools, as if the waves had only just departed, leaving behind a tumble of seaweed-covered rocks interspersed with puddles. I can see two figures in the ocean, their petrol black skin glistening. They look like seals but wear bright beanies on their heads. When they stand up, they hold aloft tresses of saw-toothed kelp, which they bring back to shore along with a strawberry pink sea urchin. We take turns holding it, as carefully as one would a Fabergé egg. The pair are Angelita Eriksen and Tamara Singer, who together run Lofoten Seaweed. They use their harvest to supply top restaurants and to make seasoning, pasta, chocolate, and skin lotions. Back at their small store in the village of Napp, we sit down to a feast of sugar kelp tempura, as crispy as popadams, that are embedded with pearls of algae; pickled dulse and seaweed-cured trout; and halibut wrapped in kelp. The butter has been whipped with truffle seaweed, a red algae with a similar flavor to its landlubbing namesake. Lofoten Seaweed's seaweed salt atop flatbread Eva Trifft Fotografie Hurtigruten culinary ambassador Máret Rávdná Buljo at work Mariell Lind Hansen My host for the trip is the Norwegian cruise line Hurtigruten, which is taking me behind the scenes of Norway's Coastal Kitchen, its long-running culinary program that highlights local farmers. In the past few years the company has developed a network of around 70 farms and artisanal producers that provide its ships with up to 80 percent of their ingredients—from king crab, arctic char, and cured wild game to sauerkraut, berries, herbs, and, of course, seaweed. It's an approach that makes practical sense, given that Hurtigruten's various itineraries visit 34 ports along Norway's shores, enabling cruise ships to pick up fresh supplies as they go while creating dishes that best reflect the places they visit. Guests on board ships such as the MS Richard With—which takes us part of the way along its northern route—can dine on dishes like barley risotto with baked celery and blackcurrant mousse with brown-cheese ice cream. But on this journey Hurtigruten's F&B directors are exploring ways for guests to get their boots muddy and experience ingredients at their source. 'With more and more foodie travelers discovering Norway and with our ongoing relationship with these farmers and producers,' says Øistein Nilsen, Hurtigruten's culinary director, 'it felt like a natural evolution of the Coastal Kitchen concept.' One of these producers is Gisle Melhus, a screenwriter who once wrote a rom-com set aboard a Hurtigruten ship but flipped his own script to move to Myklevik Gård, his small farm in Lofoten. There he raises pigs and ducks with his partner, Åshild, and grows crops using compost made from the cruise line's leftover food. Ingredients from Melhus's farm appear on the menu in a baked root vegetable salad and a green pepper sauce used as a condiment in meat dishes. Lofoten Seaweed founders Tamara Singer and Angelita Eriksen Morten Munthee It's dark when we arrive at the farm. Candles lead the way to a cozy dining room with a table laid with pickled vegetables and foraged morels, which are soon joined by crisp-skinned pork barbecued over charcoal outside. Melhus has a strong sense of the mythic, talking about how women worked this land during Viking times, and how the skrei fish that swim here were once so plentiful they could be scooped right out of the water. 'We live not only close to nature, we live in nature,' he says. 'When spring arrives in May, we forget about the seven cold, dark, and extremely windy months that we collectively cursed and agree we live in the most beautiful place on earth.' Scallops as seen aboard a Hurtigruten ship Agurtxane Concellon Catherine Thoresen at work in the greenhouse of Kvitnes Gård Kristian Dale It's a view shared 110 miles north by chef Halvar Ellingsen, who moved back to the islands from Oslo to open a restaurant with rooms at his great-great-grandfather's farm, Kvitnes Gård. Using only ingredients grown within the Arctic Circle (save for flour, seasoning, and oil), his team assembles a 20-course tasting menu that includes halibut on a bed of seaweed; a leg of lamb with blueberries; and blood pancake. As a culinary ambassador for Hurtigruten, he devises seasonal recipes for cruise menus such as cured halibut with smoked potatoes, sour milk, and dill. 'The limited larder and season force us to be creative,' he says. 'Phrases like 'local' and 'sustainable' are so overused. I wanted to see just how far I could stretch them.' He leads us past turf-roofed outbuildings to a cellar made of stone, where vegetables ferment in jars and boxes are filled with carrots, salsify, and potatoes. On the way back, a herd of young goats surrounds us. As I bend down to photograph one, another jumps on my shoulders and stands there, crowning me with hooves and horns for a short moment—a fitting symbol of my experience in this wild Nordic landscape. The Lofoten Islands are one of our Best Places to Eat in 2025. For the full list, read here. This article appeared in the July/August 2025 issue of Condé Nast Traveler. Subscribe to the magazine here.
Forbes
25-06-2025
- Science
- Forbes
SKA Radio Array To Spot Habitable Exoearths Via Their Magnetic Auroras
Two people admiring the green light of Aurora Borealis standing on the wild Skagsanden beach, ... More Lofoten Islands, Norway Radio astronomy has long been unsung and underappreciated, largely because it's never been able to cough up the kind of jaw-dropping visual images that are routine with large optical telescopes. But that could all change when the 1-billion-euro Square Kilometre Array Observatory comes online in Western Australia and South Africa in 2027. The SKAO was primarily funded to unravel the mysteries of dark energy, the evolution of galaxies through cosmic time and to further constrain Einstein's theory of relativity. But at least one Netherlands-based radio astronomer is using that country's know-how in the low-frequency radio spectrum to look for emissions from far flung earthlike extrasolar planets. We really need all the sensitivity SKA-Low can get us as this will be a very faint signal of around a 100 MHz, Joe Callingham, Head of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) Science Group at ASTRON, The Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy, tells me in his office at the University of Amsterdam. That's basically the same frequency as the FM dial on your car radio. If you ever go hunting for auroras in Norway or Antarctica, you want the Sun to be pumping out radiation, preferably a coronal mass ejection that hits our atmosphere and causes those big, beautiful lights, Callingham tells me. But if you could turn your eyes into radio receivers, they'd also be incredibly bright in the low frequency spectrum, he says. Like a shield, Earth's geomagnetic field protects us from solar activity, so we really think having a geomagnetic field is super important for habitability, says Callingham. And without a geomagnetic field, even if astronomers find an earthlike planet in the habitable zone of a nearby red dwarf star, these M-type red dwarfs pump coronal mass ejections daily. So, most likely, you've got a barren rock sitting in a Goldilocks habitable zone, says Callingham. Because without a magnetic field a planet will lose its atmosphere, and its oceans will be boiled away, he says. So, we really think the magnetic field is vital piece of this puzzle, and radio is the only real way to detect and measure that, says Callingham. Remote Desert Location From a remote site in Western Australia, SKA-Low's antennas are divided into 512 stations, with 256 antennas per station, notes SKAO. From a central compact core measuring 1km across, with a maximum distance of 74 km between the two furthest stations, they note. How does it work? SKA-Low is a "mathematical" telescope that works by filtering out what is not desired from the observable sky, says the SKAO. Its antennas see the whole sky, and through data processing astronomers can "point" in different directions even though the antennas have no moving parts, SKAO notes. As for what the SKAO will bring to the data processing table? The big thing that's changed is professionalization of the software; we've hired software engineers to really help us because it's very computationally expensive radio astronomy, says Callingham. But Callingham and colleagues already have lots of experience in the low frequency regime since The Netherlands has built and has been operating their LOw Frequency ARray (LOFAR) since 2010. A Great Legacy Radio astronomy in The Netherlands has a very long tradition dating back to World War II and we've capitalized on that expertise, says Callingham. Without the algorithms we've developed here and the engineering skills we've built over time in The Netherlands, the SKA wouldn't be possible, he says. A Planet Hunter This radio method will also be a new way to discover exoplanets, says Callingham. M-type red dwarfs are the best spectral type to survey for these auroras since they host largest number of nearby planets (and have strong magnetic fields), he says. The Bottom Line? The SKA is going to revolutionize our understanding of the universe, largely because it's going to have a sensitivity and the resolution that's unparalleled by any other radio telescope that has ever been built, says Callingham. And I think it will find the first auroras on other planets outside of our solar system, he says.
Forbes
07-06-2025
- Forbes
Norway Confirms Phased Introduction Of Tourist Tax In 2026
Norway's Lofoten Islands will soon become more expensive for international tourists to visit. getty While cities like Venice, Barcelona, and Amsterdam have long imposed tourist taxes to manage the burdens of overtourism, Norway has been slower to act. But that's about to change. After years of political debate and mounting pressure from local communities, Norway's lawmakers have agreed to allow municipalities to implement a 3% 'visitor's contribution' on overnight stays and cruise ship passengers. The new tax is expected to come into effect in the summer of 2026. The move comes as Norway's natural highlights such as the Preikestolen cliff and the rugged Lofoten Islands continue to draw record-breaking crowds. In 2024, Norwegian accommodation providers recorded over 38 million guest nights, with many of the country's most scenic regions struggling to maintain basic infrastructure under the strain. The new tax will not be imposed nationwide by default. Instead, local municipalities must apply for approval by demonstrating significant strain on public resources. If approved, they can levy the 3% tax on hotels, guesthouses, and short-term rentals like AirBnB. Cruise ships are also included, but camping vans, recreational boats, and tents are exempt. The aim is twofold: to generate funds for essential local infrastructure such as toilets, trails, signage, and parking, and to ensure the costs of tourism are not borne entirely from taxes paid by local residents. 'This is a great victory for Lofoten,' said Vidar Thom Benjaminsen, mayor of Vågan in Lofoten, to NRK. Together with five other local mayors, he traveled to Oslo to lobby for the measure, citing the lack of public facilities and growing pressure on roads and hiking trails. In some towns, the number of cruise passengers arriving in a single day can outnumber the local population, while cars used by keen hikers can often block or make access more difficult for local drivers and emergency vehicles. Tourism officials in Tromsø, another northern destination feeling the pressure, were equally enthusiastic. The city, which has become a hub for northern lights tourism, plans to use the funds to improve services for both visitors and residents. Norway's decision mirrors a broader trend across Europe, where destinations are increasingly charging visitors to offset the impacts of mass tourism. But in a high-tax country like Norway, where locals already fund generous public services, the idea of taxing tourists has been politically sensitive. Norway's right to roam, known as allemannsretten, allows free access to nature for hiking, camping, and exploring uncultivated land. It is a deeply held cultural value, and lawmakers were keen to protect it while introducing the tourist tax. The growing strain on trails and public facilities continues to test the balance between open access and sustainable tourism. Earlier proposals for a flat nationwide hotel tax were met with resistance, particularly from the hospitality industry. Kristin Krohn Devold, a former minister and current head of Norway's travel industry association, expressed relief that the final version of the tax targeted cruise and overnight stays, avoiding a blanket tax on domestic hotel guests. The compromise structure reflects political realities and Norway's unique travel habits. Domestic tourism is strong, and many Norwegians travel by camper van or boat, especially in summer. Exempting these forms of travel was seen as necessary to maintain political support, while still allowing key tourist regions to collect much-needed revenue from international visitors. To gain approval to implement the tax, municipalities must present a clear plan outlining the pressures tourism places on local infrastructure and how the tax revenue will be used. The funds must be spent on travel-related projects and not in general municipal budgets. Some opposition politicians say the scope is too narrow or fear it could deter spending. But while the measure is not without critics, the general consensus among politicians and industry is that it's a long-overdue step toward more sustainable tourism. 'The local population shouldn't be paying the price for mass tourism,' said Kari Elisabeth Kaski of the Socialist Left Party, one of the bill's backers. Whether other parts of Norway follow Lofoten and Tromsø in adopting the tax remains to be seen. But the precedent is now set. As international visitors continue to flock to Norway's pristine fjords and dramatic mountains, they'll be asked to contribute a little more to help protect what they came to see.
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The Independent
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Simon Reeve: ‘Travel helps us to question who we are and where we're from – that's how we learn'
'I left a little bit of my heart in Norway,' says Simon Reeve, speaking between shows on his current UK tour. 'I think a lot of Scandinavia is proper, jaw-droppingly gorgeous. I was in a sports café by the coast in the Lofoten Islands in Norway, and I sent my family a video saying, 'I really hope we'll make it here someday,' ideally in an electric campervan. That would be my nerdy green dream,' he says. Reeve recently released the three-part series Scandinavia on BBC, which charts his journey through pockets of Denmark, Sweden, Norway and its honorary Nordic members Finland and Iceland to discover what drives the region's reputation of being so happy, organised and successful. 'I think we've been dragged into the divisions of the United States. Of course, it's interesting and there are big characters,' says Reeve. 'But if we look at areas of the world where people are happiest and the most content – it isn't the United States, it is Scandinavia. 'We met lots of great characters there who were changing lives and trying to change the world. We've stuffed it all into three programs.' Looking from the outside in, the Scandi countries seem almost utopian-like, with the levels of trust in society demonstrated through honesty shops and leaving babies outside in prams, pioneering green technology such as wind farms and carbon capture machines, and a deep connection to outdoor 'Friluftsliv' living and a love of nature. Unlike the United States, Scandinavian countries stay relatively out of the world's headlines. Yet what Reeve discovered is that the region is also full of surprises, from Finland's large investment in military at NATO's longest border with Russia, the constant threat of volcanic eruptions in Iceland, to the wave of gang violence using improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in the Swedish suburbs. While no part of the world can claim the title of a perfect utopia, free from challenges and injustices, Reeve did encounter almost fairy-tale-like landscapes throughout his journey to the land of snow, picturesque fjords and colossal glaciers. Yet, there was one location that left him spellbound, and that was Norway. It has the second longest coastline on the planet; ludicrously jagged and broken up with thousands of tiny islands.' Cities such as Stockholm and Malmö were featured in the series, but the main focus was Scandinavia's magnificent rural vistas, which show us why so many people are be drawn to off-grid escapes over urban mini-breaks. 'Stockholm is often rated as the most beautiful city in Scandinavia, admittedly, mainly by the Swedes,' Reeve recalled himself saying during one episode. 'That was a little cheeky, because [Sweden] is gorgeous and it was breathtaking to film there. 'I'm not undermining the beauty of the cities either, but I do think that the countryside in Scandinavia is glorious. They've got much more space than we have on our crowded little islands. 'But of course, people there don't take the p*** the way people sometimes do in the UK. They don't wander about having spontaneous festivals or fires on other people's land. You can walk and camp almost anywhere in Scandinavia, which is an amazing freedom.' The lure of the Arctic has previously seen travellers head to Scandinavia for winter sports activities and adventure tourism, and Reeve explains that the region is now more accessible than ever. 'In the past, it wasn't easy to get hold of the kit you needed to visit, and the clothing wasn't as readily available either. And in truth, it is a bit cheaper now as well. Whether it's Lapland, Svalbard, or Iceland, oh my goodness, the sights you'll see, the experiences you'll have are intensely memorable, and that surely is one of the best things about travel.' Flying out into colder landscapes calls for more preparation than just throwing your swimsuit and flip-flops into your carry-on, as Reeve explains: 'Follow the advice I was given by an elderly woman selling vegetables outdoors at a market in Siberia. She said, 'You need to dress like a cabbage', that is the key to dressing for the cold.' Reeve recommends getting to know the area through a local. 'I think you always want a guide if possible. We've been taught for a while now to do things spontaneously,' says Reeve, 'which you can do, but you'll miss out on that local knowledge. It doesn't have to be horrifically expensive.' 'A lot of people want to share their area with you. We just had a guide when we were in Laos as a family, and the experience we had as a result was so much richer.' During Reeve's journey through Scandinavia, he was led by several guides, from a Sami reindeer herder in northern Sweden to a young volcanologist in Iceland, and he explains how these encounters with local communities were enriching. 'My favourite form of travel is when wealthy folk take their hard-earned money and spend it in parts of the world that need it; giving back to local communities and helping to support wilderness areas,' he adds. 'Scandinavia is an ethical place to go on a holiday, if you do it carefully. You can travel cleanly and greenly on public transport, much more so than you can in many other parts of the world. It's not guilt-free travel, that doesn't exist. But I certainly think, because they've made great strides towards becoming cleaner and greener, we can benefit from that as travellers.' While Reeve's series uncovers that not all is paradisiacal in this region, he also took a lot from the way Scandinavians live their lives. 'It made me question where I'm from, and the direction of travel that we're [the UK] on.' 'Maybe we need to take inspiration from how they're living in Scandinavia and consider how that way of life could benefit us. 'Travel helps us to question who we are and where we're from. That's how we learn.'
