In Henningsvær itself you stay in rorbu cabins or hotels – lively, full in summer, everything on foot. A little outside, for example in Lyngvær about 15 minutes by car away, it is quieter and there is more space. From the middle of the islands, Kabelvåg, Svolvær and the beaches of Gimsøy are short drives.
Henningsvær is perfect at 7 pm, when the day-trippers leave. Staying 15 minutes away means you get that version every evening – and a quiet night afterwards.
Henningsvær itself
A fishing village spread over small islands at the end of a road, with galleries, cafés, a famous football pitch and a lot of visitors in summer. Staying in the village means everything is on foot, and you share it with everyone else. Accommodation is mostly rorbu cabins and small hotels.
The middle as a base
Henningsvær sits on Austvågøy, in the middle of the islands. From here, Kabelvåg and Svolvær are short drives, and so are the beaches and open skies of Gimsøy. The landscape is wider and a little softer than in the west, and the drives are shorter. If the west around Reine is the postcard, the middle is the part where you actually get around.
Rorbu, lodge or house
Around Henningsvær you will find three kinds of places to stay: rorbu cabins on the quay (atmosphere, often compact), lodges and small hotels (service, shared spaces), and whole houses outside the villages (space, privacy, your own kitchen). None is better in general; it depends on how many you are and how long you stay. More in Rorbu or private house?
Our house in Lyngvær
Full disclosure: we own one. The house in Lyngvær sits on the shore about 15 minutes by car from Henningsvær. It is part of a small holiday-home settlement and has the best plot in it – very private all the same. Three bedrooms, two bathrooms, up to six guests, a Finnish Harvia sauna and fibre Wi-Fi. Self check-in, so arriving late is no drama.
Planning longer? Stays of several weeks or more run on request – see long stays.
Good questions
Is Lyngvær a rorbu village?
Lyngvær is a small holiday-home settlement on the shore, not a historic fishing village. Our house there is a modern house with three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a sauna – not a rorbu. For the real thing, look in the harbours of Henningsvær and Svolvær.
How far is Lyngvær from Henningsvær?
About 15 minutes by car.
Is the middle of Lofoten a good base?
Yes, if you want short drives in every direction. The west with Reine is further away, so with a week or more many people split their stay.
