Northern Norway Road Trip Itinerary: Tromso and the Lofoten Islands

Located above the Arctic Circle, Northern Norway is known for its stunning landscapes, beautiful beaches, and outdoor adventure. Our Northern Norway road trip itinerary covers 7 days exploring Tromsø and the Lofoten Islands. This is a trip you won’t forget.

When to Visit Northern Norway

Deciding when to take a Northern Norway road trip is entirely dependent on what you want to see and do. If you want to experience the Northern Lights, you’ll want to plan your trip around October to March when daylight hours are shorter. If you want to go whale watching, you’ll want to plan your trip for late October to late January. Keep in mind that Northern Norway experiences the polar night from the beginning of December to the beginning of January. Peak winter season for cities like Tromsø is from December to February.

If you want to experience the midnight sun and be able to access all of Northern Norway’s amazing hikes, you’ll want to plan your trip around June to mid-July. This is a popular time to visit, so expect crowds and higher prices.

So, when exactly is the best time to visit Northern Norway? We recommend visiting between the months of March and May. As this is considered the low season, flights, rental cars, and hotels tend to be more affordable. We wanted to see the Northern Lights and be able to do some hiking, so we planned our Northern Norway road trip for mid-March.

How to Get There

For this itinerary, you’ll want to fly into Tromsø International Airport. You’ll spend a couple days exploring Tromsø before driving to the Lofoten Islands.

Car Rental

As this is a road trip guide, you’ll need to rent a car. We rented an electric vehicle from Hertz and had a great experience. Norway is considered to be the EV capital of the world, and we didn’t experience range anxiety once. If you want to read more about renting an EV in Norway, you can check out our earlier blog post here.

Norway Travel Tips

-Be prepared for all types of weather. Additionally, weather forecasts are not always the most accurate in Northern Norway, so keep your plans flexible.

-If you’re renting an electric vehicle, download and set up charging apps like Elton before your trip. Also download parking apps like EasyPark.

-Download all driving routes as some areas don’t have the best signal.

-Purchase an eSIM with unlimited data before your trip. We love using Holalfy eSIMs on all of our international trips. You can use code MCMILLANS for 5% off any Holafly eSIM.

Northern Norway Road Trip Itinerary: 7 Days Exploring Tromsø and the Lofoten Islands

Tromsø (2 Days)

You’ve made it to Norway! We recommend spending two full days in Tromsø, so you can see and do as much as possible.

Gateway to the Arctic

The city of Tromsø has been nicknamed the Gateway to the Arctic and is marked by this beautiful mosaic arch. It was created and hand-set in 2024 by Norwegian artist Marit Bockalie. It is located near the Tromsø Bridge and is a stunning piece of art to admire and photograph.

If you visit in the early morning hours, you might have this spot all to yourself, but expect to wait in line for photos later in the day.

Fjeillheisen Cable Car

Round-trip Tickets: about $70 USD

The Fjeillheisen Cable Car takes you up to Storsteisen and offers one of the best views of Tromsø. If you take the cable car up around sunset, you’ll be able to watch the city light up during blue hour. This is also a great place to see the Northern Lights.

Unfortunately, the cable car was closed for construction during our visit, so we decided to hike the Sherpa Stairs. Deep snow kept us from going all the way to the top, but we were able to reach a viewpoint of the city that was pretty too. We would not recommend attempting this hike unless you are visiting between May and October.

Arctic Cathedral

The Arctic Cathedral is a landmark in Tromsø with stunning architecture and a glass mosaic window depicting a work called “The Return of Christ”. If you want to enter, it is about $10 USD per adult; children can enter for free. We did not tour the inside, but we enjoyed seeing this cathedral lit up at night.

World’s Northernmost McDonald’s

While McDonald’s is not our favorite restaurant choice, the one in Tromsø is the world’s northernmost location, and we had to visit. This is definitely a touristy stop and it’s like any other McDonald’s. But you don’t even have to eat here; you can just go in and get a souvenir postcard to say you’ve been.

Raketten Bar

The Raketten Bar in Tromsø is famous for its reindeer, beef, and vegan hotdogs. If you’ve tried hotdogs in Iceland and loved them, the hotdogs here are a close second. It’s a popular spot, and there was a long line of customers every time we passed the little yellow and red kiosk.

We both got our hotdogs with all the toppings: pickled onions, crunchy onions, beetroot, ketchup, and mustard. If you’re not up for reindeer, they also have great hot chocolate.

Prestvannet Lake

Pretvannet Lake is a peaceful escape from downtown Tromsø, but it is also a great place to view the Northern Lights. If you’re visiting during the winter months, we would recommend checking the aurora forecast and spending an evening here.

Lofoten Islands (5 Days)

The drive from Tromsø to the Lofoten Islands is about 6 to 8 hours depending on where your first stop is. We stayed in Ballstad throughout our time in Lofoten, and we would recommend it as a great base for exploring.

Haukland Beach

Haukland Beach is a gorgeous white sand beach with turquoise water. The Haukland Beach Cafe sits near the parking area and serves a variety of drinks, sandwiches, and homemade desserts.

Haukland Beach is one of the best places to watch the Northern Lights as well.

Mannen Hike

Distance: About 2 miles round trip

Difficulty: Moderate

The short yet steep hike to Mannen begins across from the Haukland Beach parking area. You’ll follow a paved road for a bit before heading up the mountain path. When you get to the top, you’ll have 360-degree views of Haukland Beach and Uttakleiv Beach below.

This hike is best from May to September, but we were able to hike it in March. It was quite the adventure with strong wind gusts and lots of mud. Be sure to check the weather forecast and wear hiking boots.

Offersøykammen Hike

Distance: 1.6 miles round trip

Difficulty: Easy to Moderate

Offersøykammen is a very short hike with some of the best views we’ve ever seen. The sun was out for this one, and it was one of our favorite days of the whole trip.

Park at the Skreda rest area and walk towards the red cabins. Once you pass the cabins, you’ll cross the highway (be careful) and find a trail. While researching this hike, we read that there was a trail marker, but we couldn’t find one. We would recommend downloading the trail on AllTrails for the most direct route.

This short hike is easy to moderate with some steep sections. Once you clear some wooded areas, you’ll have a clear view of the surrounding mountains. As you reach the summit, you’ll have a panoramic view of the surrounding islands and the turquoise Norwegian Sea below.

Ramberg Beach

Ramberg Beach is a quiet beach in Flakstad and the perfect place to relax or take a walk. We took a morning walk here and spent our last night in Lofoten here taking in the beautiful sunset.

If you’ve seen photos of the Instagram famous little red shed, you’ll find it here.

Nusfjord

Nusfjord is one of Norway’s best preserved historic fishing villages. Not many people live here, but you can stay in a traditional rorbuer (fisherman’s cabin) or stop in Nusfjord to explore the old salt house, blacksmith shop, and other historic buildings. As Nusfjord has become an increasingly popular place to visit, you’ll have to pay an entrance fee of about $10 USD.

Sakrisøy

Sakrisøy is famous for its picturesque yellow cabins and historic charm. You can even see old stockfish drying racks. While you probably won’t need to spend much time in this small fishing village, it is worth a stop. The widely photographed little yellow house is located in Sakrisøy, and you can even stay here! It has the cutest interior design and a beautiful view. See availability here.

Hamnøy Bridge

The view from Hamnøy Bridge is a famous photography spot. You can park along the road before the bridge and walk to the viewpoint. Here you’ll find red fishing cabins with a dramatic mountain backdrop making this a postcard worthy shot. This view is especially beautiful in the winter when the mountains are covered in snow.

Reine

Another scenic fishing village, Reine has some of the best things to do in the Lofoten Islands including hiking the sherpa steps of Reinebringen, kayaking through the Reine fjord, and trying some of the best cinnamon buns in Lofoten.

Bringen Kaffebar

Bringen Kaffebar is one of the coziest coffee shops we’ve visited, and it was the perfect place to start our day in Reine. We highly recommend ordering a cinnamon bun with your morning coffee.

Reinebringen Hike

Distance: About 2.5 miles round trip

Difficulty: Moderate

One of the most iconic hikes in the Lofoten Islands is the Reinebringen Mountain hike. You’ll walk up almost 2,000 steps to reach the viewpoint. This hike is best from May to September, and it is not recommended in winter or with snow on the trail.

Kayaking the Reine Fjord

You can find many guided kayak tours in Reine, and depending on when you visit, you might even spot orcas on your trip.

Ryten Mountain Hike

Distance: About 4-5 miles round trip

Difficulty: Moderate to Hard

Ryten is another hike to add to your Lofoten itinerary. Begin your hike at the trailhead in Innersand. Here you’ll find a large parking area ($10 USD for parking) and signs directing you to the start of the trail. You’ll walk over wooden bridges as you cross a field before you get to the start of the trail.

When you reach the top, you’ll have an amazing view of Kvalvika Beach below. Unfortunately we made the decision to turn around on this hike because of snow. Keep in mind that the weather in Lofoten can change quickly and the weather forecast is not always accurate.

Once you end your time in Lofoten, you’ll head back to Tromsø to end your time in Norway. We hope this Northern Norway road trip guide is helpful as you plan your trip to one of the most beautiful destinations in the world. You can check out our other Europe road trip guides here. Enjoy your trip!