Northern Norway had always seemed unreachable for me. I was told that Lofoten is the jewel of Norway and that given a chance I should visit. Tall, steep mountains cut into the freezing ocean. Eagles soar over arctic beaches whilst puffins perch on the cliff-side. This is one of the best locations for viewing the Aurora Borealis. The tiny island of Værøy is the ultimate location to experience the Lofoten archipelago at its finest. With a small population and limited access to the island, it was exactly the adventure I was looking for. When a local couple accepted my request to stay with them for a few days, I couldn’t believe that my dream of Northern Norway was going to come true.

Bodø

A frozen landscape nestled inside the arctic circle, Bodø is a city that seems to function perfectly well given its location. In the city center it is like any other European city; coffee shops, clothes shops, supermarkets — nothing apparently different from the rest of the world. It’s not until you step outside of the city that you appreciate the harshness of the landscape.