{"id":36245,"date":"2026-04-27T16:46:22","date_gmt":"2026-04-27T14:46:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/naturetravellab.com\/niet-gecategoriseerd\/vesteralen-the-quiet-little-sister-youll-never-forget\/"},"modified":"2026-06-21T09:53:57","modified_gmt":"2026-06-21T07:53:57","slug":"vesteralen-the-quiet-little-sister-youll-never-forget","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/naturetravellab.com\/en\/norway\/northern-norway\/vesteralen-the-quiet-little-sister-youll-never-forget\/","title":{"rendered":"Vesteralen: the quiet little sister you’ll never forget"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Vesteralen: Northern Norway’s best-kept secret<\/h1>\n\n

I have to admit, I hardly knew anything about Vesteralen before this trip. You always hear about the Lofoten. Vesteralen is the archipelago that lies just beyond it. Less prominent on the map, less prominent on Instagram. And that turned out to be exactly the reason to go there. <\/p>\n\n

The mountains here are gentler and more rounded than in the Lofoten Islands. They may be less dramatic in photos, but they get under your skin more deeply when you spend a few days here. It\u2019s quieter, more expansive, and more authentic. And it\u2019s the best place to truly understand northern Norway. <\/p>\n\n

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\"Martha<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Stokmarknes<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Lofoten<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n
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“I was expecting the Lofoten Islands, and they were beautiful. Vesteralen surprised me. That’s exactly how it should be.”<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Our Complete Slow Travel Tour of Lofoten and Vesteralen<\/a><\/p>\n\n

From Lofoten to Vesteralen: the ferry<\/h2>\n\n

We took the ferry from Fiskeb\u00f8l to Melbu on the island of Hadsel\u00f8ya. You can also drive through the tunnel. Vesteralen begins here, northeast of the Lofoten Islands. The atmosphere changes immediately. More open space. Less traffic. Fewer people crowding the same viewpoint. <\/p>\n\n

Are you coming from the Lofoten Islands? Read about what that leg of the journey is like in our article on the Lofoten Islands. <\/a><\/p>\n\n

\"Lofoten<\/figure>\n\n

Stokmarknes: the city of the Hurtigruten<\/h2>\n\n

Stokmarknes has a population of about 2,000 and is the birthplace of Hurtigruten, the coastal route that has connected Norway from Bergen to Kirkenes since 1893. A visit to the Hurtigruten Museum is highly recommended. Not only because of the enormous ship around which the museum is built\u2014and which you can explore in its entirety\u2014but also because it helps you understand what the Hurtigruten has meant for the culture of Northern Norway. As a postal service, a supply route, a lifeline. Part of the ship\u2019s first-class men\u2019s lounge was rediscovered in the Netherlands. Now it stands here. <\/p>\n\n

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\"Stokmarknes<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Stokmarknes<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Stokmarknes<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n

Richard With Hotel: Nordic Sustainability by the Water<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n

I stayed at the Richard With Hotel, named after a former Hurtigruten captain. It\u2019s a very good hotel, larger than the typical NTL standard, but it has a Nordic Swan ecolabel<\/a> and a serious goal: to be climate-neutral by 2030 and reduce food waste by 50%. <\/p>\n\n

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\"Stokmarknes<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Vesteralen<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Stokmarknes<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n

Restaurant 1893 (named after the year Hurtigruten was founded) was the biggest surprise. Chef Iver Denis-Petrie is 29 years old, has a youthful, student-like appearance, and passionately conjures up the most delicious dishes\u2014mostly using local ingredients. He personally and carefully selected the accompanying wines. I wish I could have spent more evenings there. <\/p>\n\n

Norheim Gard: Wine That Goes Against the Wind<\/h2>\n\n

On Vesteralen, Anna and her husband make organic non-alcoholic wine: \u201cSnille Bergitha\u201d (Sweet Birgitta). But she also makes an \u201cAngry Bergitha,\u201d the stronger version. At Norheim Gard<\/a>, they operate on a fully circular business model, and 20% of their proceeds go toward sustainable projects. <\/p>\n\n

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\"Vesteralen<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Vesteralen<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Vesteralen<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n

The wind here can be relentless. Garden benches are bolted to the ground so they won\u2019t be blown away. You can see from everything that people here live in harmony with the elements of nature\u2014and with a passion for nature. You can taste that passion in the delicious wine, too. <\/p>\n\n

Martha Haugen Gard: the best carrot cake I’ve ever had<\/h2>\n\n

Martha Haugen Gard<\/a> is located on the island of Lang\u00f8ya. It\u2019s an organic sheep farm that also serves as a farm-to-table restaurant. The charming Maya greets us enthusiastically just as a few sheep are giving birth. <\/p>\n\n

She makes her own natural cosmetics, displays handmade Sami clothing, and talks about the history of the farm and the surrounding area. There were once Viking and Sami settlements here. <\/p>\n\n

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\"Martha<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Martha<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Martha<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n

Lunch is simple yet special: soup made with ingredients from their own garden. And then there\u2019s that carrot cake. The best I\u2019ve ever tasted. Seriously. <\/p>\n\n

Maya took over the farm from her parents in 1988 and has since converted it to fully organic farming, driven by the conviction that caring for the planet is not a choice but a matter of course. Martha Haugen Gard is also a member of Hanen<\/strong>, the Norwegian quality network for rural tourism and local products. <\/p>\n\n

Marmelkroken on And\u00f8ya: saving the best for last<\/h2>\n\n

At Marmelkroken<\/a><\/strong> , our wonderful trip is slowly coming to an end. And I have to say: they saved the best for last. Most of the rooms and cabins overlook the sea, while a mountain rises up on the landward side. <\/p>\n\n

What I found most beautiful and soothing was the large tree with a round bench surrounding it\u2014a symbol of the circle of life. In the morning, I walked over to that tree with a cup of coffee in my hand. The sense of connection with nature was immense. <\/p>\n\n

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\"Vesteralen<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Marmelkroken<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Marmelkroken<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n

Owner Lisbeth has created a place here that has been sustainably cultivated, resulting in wild biodiversity. Birds flit about the grounds. In the evening, we enjoy a delicious meal at the restaurant. We sample the rare and healthy mountain blackberry for dessert. And just as we\u2019re getting into bed, Lisbeth sends a message: \u201cIt\u2019s starting.\u201d <\/p>\n\n

Stay<\/strong><\/td>Marmelkroken, B\u00f8 in And\u00f8y <\/td><\/tr>
Rooms<\/strong><\/td>8 studio apartments, 1 apartment, 1 cabin<\/td><\/tr>
Restaurant<\/strong><\/td>Yes: local products, ocean view; breakfast included with double rooms<\/td><\/tr>
Network<\/strong><\/td>Hanen member<\/td><\/tr>
Books<\/strong><\/td>Directly <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

Everything you need to know about accommodations and booking: Marmelkroken on And\u00f8ya<\/a><\/p>\n\n

Northern Lights over And\u00f8ya – in April<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n

After an hour of peering into the sky and shivering in our pajamas, we\u2019re standing on the porch in the middle of the night, cheering ecstatically as the Northern Lights put on a magnificent show. April is pretty unusual for the Northern Lights, but this spot is so dark that it\u2019s possible. I hadn\u2019t expected it. It was the highlight of this trip dedicated to nature and slowing down. <\/p>\n\n

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\"Marmelkroken<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Marmelkroken<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Marmelkroken<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n

Atelier N\u00f8ss: Art in the Sheep Barn<\/h2>\n\n

Near Marmelkroken, we drive past Atelier N\u00f8ss. Siri (an artist) and her brother Espen (a photographer) have turned their father\u2019s old sheep barn\u2014their father being the well-known Norwegian artist Gunnar Tollefsen, who passed away in 2022\u2014into a studio. All of their work is inspired by the nature of And\u00f8ya. Beautiful bird drawings, paintings, photographs, sculptures, and textiles. I couldn\u2019t resist Siri\u2019s lovely bird drawings. I went home with a blue tit. <\/p>\n\n

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\"Vesteralen<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Vesteralen<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Hanen: Quality with a Story<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n

Marmelkroken\u2014just like Martha Haugen Gard and Norheim Vingard on this route\u2014is a member of Hanen. That means a verified, authentic standard of quality, rooted in the local community. You\u2019re not just choosing a place to stay; you\u2019re choosing a story. <\/p>\n\n

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\"Vesteralen<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Hanen<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Vesteralen<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n

Puffins at Bleik: Thousands at a Time<\/h2>\n\n

At the end of April, we were in awe at Bleiks\u00f8ya, the cone-shaped bird cliff near Bleik. We were in luck: thousands of puffins had just arrived and were swimming around the island. Father and son enthusiastically talk about the puffins, the birds of prey that hunt them on the bird cliff, and how they conduct their puffin safari tours<\/a> with respect for the animals\u2014always keeping a safe distance. <\/p>\n\n

\"Vesteralen<\/figure>\n\n
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A puffin<\/a> can carry more than 80 fish in its beak at once. In winter, the orange color on their lips fades, and they live solitary lives at sea. They return annually to the exact same spot to breed\u2014monogamous and punctual. A puffin lays one egg and lives to be about 50 years old. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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And\u00f8ya Space and the rocket that awaits<\/h2>\n\n

We drove further north and passed And\u00f8ya Space, Norway\u2019s only permanent rocket launch site and one of the few in Europe capable of placing satellites into Earth orbit. Among other things, research on the northern lights is conducted here. The previous launch had failed, our local guide told us. Now they were waiting for the Earth to be in the right position for launch. That\u2019s how casually they talk about space travel here. <\/p>\n\n

\"Vesteralen<\/figure>\n\n

The Whale in Andenes: A Look Ahead to 2027<\/h2>\n\n

On June 3, 2027, The Whale will open in Andenes: an architectural experience center dedicated to the biology and culture of whales, designed by Danish architect Dorte Mandrup. It features eight themed spaces. In one of them, you\u2019re literally inside the whale and can feel its heartbeat. The roof can support 2,000 people and is an integral part of the experience. From a distance, I was able to catch a glimpse of the building, still under construction but already spectacular. <\/p>\n\n

It wasn’t a random choice: you can spot whales year-round in the Andenes area. It’s a great combination with The Whale. I can’t wait. <\/p>\n\n

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\"The<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n

Hiking and Biking on Vesteralen<\/h2>\n\n