Svolvær is the center of Lofoten and the largest town on the islands. It is not for nothing that artists were drawn to this town then as now, and from here they put the dramatic landscape on canvas in winter as well as summer. From here also starts their journey into an impressive natural landscape. From our base, we head into the Vestfjord, which separates the 80 or so islands from the mainland.
Climate: moderate with temperatures between 7 and 15 degrees
Sailing season: June to August
Yacht charter Svolvær
With 4500 inhabitants Svolvær is the largest town in Lofoten. Already in Viking times there were settlements in this region and the former village has a long tradition in fishing. Today's town also extends to neighboring islands and the mainland. Although Svolvær has an exposed location, it is connected to the important traffic routes in the region, including the European Road 10 and as an access point for Hurtigruten ships. The journey from Germany is usually by plane, mostly via Oslo to Bodø and from here to Svolvær. Alternatively, you can take a speedboat from Bodø.
Already Svolvær lies imposingly between high mountains and the sea and on one of the hiking routes you can enjoy beautiful views of the bay. High above Svolvær you can already see the town's landmark, the Svolværgeita, a rock on whose top two rocks stand together like grasping index finger and thumb. The town can be easily explored on foot, along the harbor promenade you can take a nice walk, there are also cafes and pubs, and in the town there are various shopping opportunities.
You can learn about the history of the area, for example, in the Viking Museum in Borg on the island of Vestvågøy. The region around Svolvær has been continuously farmed since the Viking Age and there are always finds from that time, such as the largest longhouse to date, which can be visited here. About the fate of the inhabitants during the Second World War informs the Lofoten War Museum with many exhibits. The islands were occupied by the Germans at the time and liberated by British forces in Operation Claymore in 1941.
Lofoten also inspired many artists who made the landscape and the life of the inhabitants the subject of paintings and photographs. Some, such as Gunnar Berg, came directly from here, while others, such as Otto Sinding or the Swede Anna Borg, traveled here frequently and staged nature on canvas in various light and weather conditions. Exhibitions of these paintings in other European cities sparked interest in this region. Therefore, in Svolvær there are still many galleries, studios and an art center where you can find exhibitions on local themes.
