Lovund, Norway: The Most Charming Island

Get ready to be utterly charmed by Lovund, Norway one of many islands you must visit along the Helgeland coast.

Fun fact about me: sometimes I arrive at a new destination, and I immediately put it on my mental list of “places I’d like to write a novel at.”

Another fun fact about me: my dream since I was little to be a novelist. I want to be the exact kind of writer who disappears for months at a time to finish my work all while developing a dire tea addiction.

That means since I’ve first started traveling, I’ve be collecting which places I’d want to disappear to. You know, the kind of quiet, comfortable towns or islands with few distractions, beautiful landscapes, and friendly locals who soon know me as the lady who keeps odd hours and somehow finds all the cats on in the neighborhood.

When I was little, Bar Harbor in Maine definitely made that list. Off the top of my head, I’ve also loved visiting Segovia in Spain and Mayne Island near Vancouver for those exact reasons.

And now I have another cozy, little place to add to that list: Lovund

Northern Norway Tips

The Geography: As the name suggest, Northern Norway takes up the northern third of the country. It begins at the border between the counties of Nordland and Trøndelag. If you look at a map, it extends over Sweden and Finland, sharing a little border with Russia. Most of it also lies in the Arctic Circle.
Getting in: There are a number of airports depending on where you go. Most will have a layover in Oslo, and I know all my flights to Tromsø have had one in Helsinki.
Getting Around: While Norway has cruise options, a train line, and some cities have bus transportation; this is definitely a country you’re going to want to rent a car in especially up north which sees a lot less tourism.
Major Areas to Visit: the Helgeland Coast for the islands; the picturesque Lofoten Islands; Tromsø for the Northern Lights and access to the fjord, and mountains super far north.
Must-Brings: Cramp-ons and Heattech undershirts in the winter. Norwegians can walk on ice in tennis shoes, but chances are you were not rasied in Scandinavia. In the summer, bring a solid sleep mask to combat Midnight Sun and actually supportive hiking shoes for the hikes. Learn from me!

For more on Northern Norway, check out my friend’s guidebook

A Little Bit About Lovund

So Lovund is one of the thousands of islands along the Helgeland coast in Northern Norway. It easily has to be one of the tiniest! The village is only about .53 km2 with less than 500 people.

The island is most known for its puffins. In the summer, you can see up to 300,000 puffins as they get ready to nest. However, we were there in the winter, so, of course, there was not a single one in sight. Your best bet is to come in either the spring or summer if you want to make sure you see them.

However, if you’re looking to escape any sort of crowds and really get some peace and quiet, then I highly recommend coming in the off season! The coast is pretty mild since it’s in the Gulf Stream. You’re still able to go for a bit of a hike and over all enjoy walking around the island and taking in the sights.

The big hike you can do is up Lovundfjellet, but we did a smaller hike that still had some gorgeous views and a fun surprise (more on that below)!

Lovund Hotell: Where to Stay & Eat

Without a doubt, the hotel you’ve got to book a room at for your stay is at the Lovund Hotell. Given how tiny the island is, there are pretty much no accommodation options. I only found two on Airbnb, and for those prices, you might as well enjoy Lovund Hotell’s amenities and views instead!

Plus the owner is such a fantastic host and very passionate about the island, you’ll get plenty of unique tips and advice, including a hiking map and evening trip to see the puffins. The hotel is close to the ferry dock, but if you have a lot of luggage, just ask them if they’re able to pick you up!

The Rooms

Ummmm, check out those views! I stayed in the SYN Standard double room while Sher and Silvia shared the Superior Double Room down the hall. The superior is only 400 NOK more, so if you can, I’d definitely splurge on the superior double room since it has bigger windows and a little porch you can walk in.

But don’t worry if you can’t book the superior because the view from the standard is still pretty incredible. Plus, you know, you can still explore the hotel for some more views…

Just head up to the terrace on the top floor or walk out on the deck to the cabins on the first floor, and you’ll see stunning views to Lovundfjellet and all the pretty red cabins surrounding the hotel.

The Cabins

Speaking of the cabins, Lovund Hotell has a few you can stay in if you’d prefer that instead of a hotel room. They have cabins for two people and for four people available.

Dinner at Lovund

Okay, but here’s the real highlight of the whole hotel (which is kind of crazy because Lovund Hotell without food was already one of the loveliest hotels I’ve stayed at) is their dinner offering. Hands down, our four course dinner was the best meal I had the whole trip.

Each dish came with a wine pairing (or in my case a fancy non-alcoholic drink), and the menu is based around local produce and Norwegian food culture. I couldn’t even tell you a favorite dish because all of them were so good.

Breakfast

No matter which room option you buy, you get a breakfast buffet in the morning! Norway definitely knowns how to spoil with breakfast. Plenty of food, perfectly made bacon, and different salmon dishes. Not to mention the bread section and the coffee/tea selection!

Hiking (and Golf!) in Lovund

So after going to the edge of where everyone lives in the village, we started a little hike out to the one side of the island. It’s not the main hike, so if you want something a little easier, just ask Lovund Hotell for this one.

You’ll know you’re because there’s a little hut, a picnic bench, and… golf tees! The owner of Lovund Hotell (more on that below) came out here and decided it’d be a fun place to do some outdoor golf, so he built these little platforms and found golf balls made of fish food!

This would be such a nice area to bring a packed lunch, your book, and some golf clubs to practice your swing!

Don’t Miss the Sheep

Okayyyy so not like the biggest things to do in Lovund, but if you’re exploring the village, ask if you can visit the sheep! They’re so cute, and they’re kept around to keep the grass levels low. You can’t touch them, obviously, but it’ll be fun to see how goofy they can be with people around.

More Tips for Visiting Lovund

Getting to Lovund

The only way to get to Lovund, of course, is by sea! We got ours at Stokkvågen (driving from Mosjøen). You can leave your car at the ferry terminal for free!

Getting Around Lovund

It’s very easy to walk around Lovund; seriously the island is tiny and the inhabited part is even tinier.

There’s also a boat trip you can take around the island, which we weren’t able to do. Your best bet is to ask your hotel to help you arrange it (or to see if it’s available).

For more Norway travel, read these posts next:

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We were guests in Lovund and at Lovund Hotell through Visit Helgeland. I was not compensated for this article or required to write it. All opinions, as always, are my own.

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Lovund, Norway: A Charming Island Escape