14 Things to do in Henningsvær, Lofoten

One of the most famous fishing villages in Lofoten is Henningsvær and there are so many cute things to do in Henningsvaer.

The village of Henningsvær in the Lofoten Islands, Norway is the area’s hippest village.

Filled with coffee shops, a beautiful co-working/digital nomad hangout, and independent shops. and adventure outfitters, Henningsvær really has it all and is one of the best places to visit in Lofoten.

From its beginnings as an important fishing village in the Middle Ages with just a handful of people living there, Henningsvær quickly grew to become a popular fishing village with a B&B, a liquor license, and over a hundred Lofoten fishermen calling Henningsvær home.

Nowadays, there are over 500 people living in Henningsvær and this Lofoten town is one of the most popular places to visit on visitors’ Lofoten itinerary, especially with people looking to check off some of the best Lofoten hikes.

Henningsvær is made up of a series of islands joined by bridges and is surrounded by opportunities for hiking, climbing, kayaking, and more.

If you’re looking for the best things to do in Henningsvær, Lofoten, read on for a complete Henningsvær guide.

Have you got travel insurance? I’ve been using SafetyWing for a while and it’s incredibly easy, affordable and overall hassle-free! Make sure you check them out before your trip (or after, you can subscribe even if the trip has already started!). They offer subscription-based travel insurance which is great for digital nomads. It allows you to claim medical expenses, and you can add travel coverage to cover your for lost or stolen belongings or additional expenses due to delayed travel.

What to do in Henningsvær

It’s a small village but there is plenty to keep you entertained in Henningsvær year round.

Whether you’re staying in Henningsvær or just visiting as part of your Lofoten trip, here are some of the best things to do there.

1. Hike up Heia or Festvågtind

When it comes to Henningsvær hiking, Heia and Fesvågtind are the main objectives.

These two mountains look down onto Henningsvær.

Festvågtind is the taller of the two and they both start from the same trailhead so there’s no need to commit to it if you decide you actually want a shorter hike after all.

We hiked Heia in winter in Lofoten and enjoyed beautiful views out over the islands.

2. See the Henningsvær stadium

The Henningsvær stadium has become pretty famous over the years. In fact, many people know more about the stadium in Henningsvær than they do about all of the other things to do in Lofoten!

The Henningsvær football stadium is definitely one of the most scenic football fields in the entire world.

It sits at the end of the main islands and is surrounded by mountains, the sea, fjords, and, in the spring, stockfish drying on racks.

The football pitch in Henningsvær has been featured in Pepsi adverts and it’s the home to Henningsvær IL; the local amateur football club.

Most people get that Instagram shot with a drone but please pay attention to the drone rules in Lofoten.

In Lofoten, you cannot fly a drone over 150 m above ground level.

There is also a private house at the very end of the land and the family living here does not appreciate drones constantly flying over their house (and I’m sure you wouldn’t either).

If you’re set on getting that photo of the Henningsvær football field, then be respectful and pay attention to others and the rules so that drones aren’t banned for everyone else.

3. Attend a festival in Henningsvær

Henningsvær has a couple of annual festivals and, if your trip to Lofoten lines up with them then it’s wel worth attending them

First up, there’s Codstock in May in Henningsvær. At this festival, you can enjoy three days of music and fish and beautiful scenery.

Then, there’s Trevarefest in August held by Trevarefabrikken. This also lasts for three days and includes music and activities including yoga and running.

4. Galleri Lofoten Hus

Galleri Lofotens Hus in Henningsvær is a large museum right in Henningsvær harbor.

It has several floors and features over a hundred beautiful paintings and artworks from all over Lofoten and Northern Norway with a focus on the area’s fishing industry.

There’s also an enjoyable film you can watch in the museum’s cinema room. The film goes through photography from the previous owner of the museum and showcases Lofoten’s photography and how things used to be.

This is one of the best things to do in Hennignsvær and will give you a new appreciation for Lofoten.

5. Go kayaking in Henningsvær

Kayak Lofoten in Henningsvær offers kayaking trips and rentals around Henningsvær all year round; yes, even in winter!

You can do a 3-hour kayak tour including during the midnight-sun season in Hennignsvær which would be such a cool experience.

6. Try fishing in Henningsvær

Given Henningsvær’s fishing history, going out on a fishing boat in Henningsvær is a great thing to try.

You can go fishing in Henningsvær with Henningsvær Havfiske who runs seasonal tours and charter boats all year round.

They say they almost guarantee a catch. Though the main season for fishing for the skrei is from January to April, you can find good fishing in Henningsvær all year round. You could be catching pollock, mackerel, halibut or haddock!

In the summer fishing tours in Henningsvæ run daily at 10 am (15th June 15th August) and if you’re visiting outside of this, you can charter a boat for a private fishing trip from Henningsvær.

7. Go climbing in Henningsvær

Lofoten is famous for its climbing yet Henningsvær is the only town in Lofoten with its own climbing school.

Nord Norsk Klatreskole offers guided climbing trips of the Svovlærgeita, Presten, Stetind, and other climbing objectives in Lofoten.

They also have a great outdoor gear shop if you’re an experienced climber who forgot to pack something you need!

8. Visit Rørvik, the Henningsvær beach

Just as you turn off the main road (E10), and head down to Henningsvaer, there’s a small beach with beautiful turquoise water, white sand, and amazing mountain views.

It’s one of the best beaches in Lofoten and is a popular spot with locals in the summer.

9. Walk around Henningsvær harbor

Henningsvær’s harbor has had some changes here and there now that the town isn’t just a fishing village, but it’s still worth walking around the harbor and the town itself to admire its beauty.

There are remnants of the fishing culture all around and it’s well worth taking the time to walk about.

10. Visit the Kaviar Factory

The Kaviar Factory is an art gallery that used to be a caviar factory!

You can’t miss the factory as you drive into Hanningsvær as the white building with black letters stands out.

Fun fact: the three missing letters spell out ART!

These missing letters were filled in with A-W-W for Ai Wei Wei during our visit which was the most recent exhibition at the Kaviar Factory in Henningsvær.

11. Experience Henningsvær at Christmas

If you’re visiting Henningsvær in December you’re in for a treat from Wednesday-Sunday when the town comes to life to celebrate Christmas.

Henningsvær’s ‘Pre-Christmas Adventure’ sees all the shops open up to visitors and locals, twinkly lights everywhere, Christmas trees all through the village, visits from Santa, and kicksleds for you to use.

It makes Henningsvær look even prettier!

12. Go shopping in Henningsvaer Norway

Henningsvær has lots of cool shops and one of my favorite things to do in Henningsvær was to wander from shop to shop, admiring all the beautiful things.

Some of the best shops in Henningsvær are detailed below.

Engelskmannsbrygga: Art and ceramics

Engelskmannsbrygga is both an art gallery and a shop selling glass, ceramics, and pottery. They sell art from local artist Cecilie Haaland and the ceramics make a great Lofoten souvenir.

Haddock: Knitted headwear

We saw so many Lofoten locals wearing a hat that said ‘Haddock’ on it and it turns out they got them from the shop Haddock in Henningsvær.

The shop sells beanies and headbands that’ll keep you warm while you’re out exploring Lofoten.

Designed in Lofoten and made in Nepal, this headwear comes in so many different colors!

The shop also sells other knitted items and clothing from outdoor brands.

Olivers & Co – Olive oils

Olivers & Co in Henningsvær sells everything olive oil-related.

From olive oil for cooking, to skin and body care products using olive oil, you’ll find some unique gifts and souvenirs from Olivers & Co.

Lysstøperiet Henningsvær: Candles

Available both in Lysstøperiet Cafe and from their own factory and shop, you can buy Lysstøperi candles in almost any colour imaginable and in many different styles.

I love lighting candles, it just makes everything seem so much cozier.

These candles will remind you of your trip to Lofoten and make great Norway souvenirs.

Mors Hus: Scandinavian interior design

Mors Hus sells beautiful homewares and kitchen pieces from popular Scandinavian brands.

If you’re a fan of Scandi-design then you’ll definitely find many things to like in Mors Hus.

Catrine Linder Jewelry

Local jewelry designer, Catrine Linder makes beautiful earrings, bracelets, and rings in a classic Scandinavian style.

During the summer, her tiny shop opens up and you can get a piece of Lofoten to take home with you.

MIN: Clothing

Min is a clothes shop in Lofoten that sells clothing from large outdoor brands including Patagonia, as well as smaller local designers.

There’s both Min, which sits in a large pink house, and Min Vintage next door to Trevarefabrikken. You’ll find it hard not to come away with something!

13. Hang out at Trevarefabrikken

We spent a couple of days hanging out at Trevarefabrikken and using their co-working space which, in the winter, is completely free and you just pay for the coffee or tea you drink.

The building is from 1948 and used to be a factory for cod liver oil production and also a carpentry shop.

In 2010 the building was bought by two pairs of brothers from Bergen who ended up designing Trevarefabrikken which is now a super popular spot for locals, digital nomads, and adventurers.

Trevarefabrikken is now a coffee shop, restaurant, yoga studio, and hotel has a beautiful sauna, and even holds a music festival in August.

In the summer they’ve got a huge outdoor space right on the sea where you can play games, meet new people, catch up with friends, or just enjoy the view.

Even over winter, when much of Lofoten shuts down, Trevarefabikken held quiz nights, live music, and events.

They do a great brunch at weekends too and I recommend booking so you don’t miss out!

14. Take a Lofoten road trip from Henningsvær

Whatever time of year you’re visiting Lofoten you definitely need to plan a road trip in Lofoten.

Wherever you drive you’ll be wowed by the beautiful scenery with bridges, tunnels, turquoise beaches, and mountains everywhere you look.

Plus, the closer you get to Å, the prettier the villages get with the classic red buildings (Rorbuer).

Make sure you visit Hamnoy, Reine, and Nusfjord but there are plenty of other beautiful places to stop in Lofoten too.

The best places to eat in Henningsvær

For a small town, there is no shortage of great restaurants in Henningsvær. Below are some of the best places to eat, get coffee, or find cinnamon buns!

Henningsvær Lysstøperi & Cafe

The candles mentioned above are sold in a cute coffee shop that does great lunches, dinners, and cinnamon buns!

We stopped in here a couple of times it’s a large space with lots of seating and even has a room where you can see where they make their candles.

The walls are lined with candles in all sorts of colors that you can buy to take home with you too.

Fiskekrogen Henningsvær

Fiskekrogen is one of the best restaurants in Henningsvaer and they specialise in fish dishes but have plenty of other options if you’re not a fish person.

The restaurant is right on the waterfront with great views and it’s such a lovely space inside too.

The food is prepared in an open kitchen and you can watch the whole process as your food is prepared. Really cool!

Klatrekafeen

We loved spending an afternoon in Klatrekafeen during our 6-week trip to Lofoten.

It’s the most famous cafe in Lofoten and its name means “The Climber’s Cafe”.

The space is super cosy with two fireplaces (perfect in winter!), and mountain and climbing photos and items all over the walls. They have plenty of climbing guidebooks and photobooks from around Lofoten too.

We got lunch here, the bacalao and burger and they were delicious! They also have sandwiches. and pastries as well as coffee and other drinks.

The cafe sits right on the waterfront and has outdoor seating in the summer. It’s also right next door to the climbing school and shop which I recommend visiting.

In the evening, Klatrekafeen becomes a pub and they have live music or a DJ on some weekend evenings.

Restaurant Lofotmat Henningsvær

Restaurant Lofotmat serves local food to a high standard. This Henningsvær restaurant has a seafood-heavy menu and gets great reviews.

Best Time to Visit Henningsvær in the Lofoten Islands

The best time to visit the Lofoten Islands depends on what you’re looking for.

We visited Lofoten for 6 weeks from November to December and we loved this time of year. There were hardly any other tourists, enough shops and cafes were open, the hiking trails were empty and we had the most incredible weather! Though I understand the weather isn’t always so good!

I’d highly recommend a trip to Lofoten in winter if you’re looking for skiing and the Northern Lights as you can only get those in winter.

If you want to go hiking, kayaking, and mountain biking under the midnight sun then the best time to visit will be in June-August.  

Where is Henningsvær?

Henningsvær, which is located 25 km from Svolvær, consists of several small islands that are connected by bridges like pearls on a string.

Here, the southwest wind blows in the winter, while the tropical colors are reflected in calm waters in the summer.

Henningsvær is in the Lofoten Islands of Northern Norway and sits above the Arctic Circle. That means that in the winter you get Polar Nights where the sun doesn’t rise above the horizon, and in the summer you get Midnight Sun where the sun never sets.

While Polar Night sounds like it would be super dark, you still get around 5-6 hours of daylight. And, on a sunny day, the skies are a beautiful pink color.

In summer, you can enjoy adventures at any time of day, under the sun which makes Lofoten perfect for outdoor adventures in the summer.

Henningsvær is about a 30-minute drive away from Svolvær, the capital of Lofoten, and is around a 10-minute drive off the main road through Lofoten, the E10, down a narrower, windy road.

How to get to Henningsvær Norway

Most people arrive in Henningavær by car having driven from elsewhere in Norway, or from the airports in Lofoten at Leknes and Svolvær.

Skyscanner is what I use to find cheap flights.

The Svolvær airport is the closest airport to Henningsvær (about a 30-minute drive), and the Leknes airport is about an hour’s drive from Henningsvær. You can get a bus from Svolvaer to Hennigsvær or from Leknes.

There are also airports at Narvik and Harstad which might offer cheaper flights and from where you can rent a car or take a bus to Henningsvær and the Lofoten Islands.

Alternatively, you can fly to Bodø, rent a car in Bodø, and then take the ferry across. Or just take the ferry as a foot passenger from Bodø to Moskenes and bus or drive from Moskenes to Henningsvær.

I use comparison sites like DiscoverCars and RentalCars to book my car rentals as it’s easy to check prices and compare the best deals!

Parking in Henningsvær

Henningsvær is a busy place in the summer, as is the whole of Lofoten. There are several car parks in Henningsvaer with the largest one just outside of the town but easy walking distance to the best things to do in Henningsvær.

All parking in Henningsvær is pay parking and the best way to make paying easy and to find car parking throughout Lofoten is to download the EasyPark App.

On the app, you can see all the Henningsvaer parking lots, find out how much they are, and easily adjust the parking time you need from your phone.

There is a large car park for Henningsvær just after crossing the second bridge. It’s off to your left before you reach the Art Factory and can be found here.

If this is full, then there is more parking, a little further away, on Engøya between the two bridges, here.

Where to stay in Henningsvær

There are plenty of great hotels in Henningsvær and many have views of the water and the surrounding mountains too.

Here is my pick of the best places to stay in Henningsvær.

Trevarefabrikken Henningsvær Lofoten

Trevarefabrikken is the coolest place to hang out in Henningsvær. It has a great cafe, yoga space, restaurant, and sauna and they also hold a festival in Henningsvær in the summer.

We spent a couple of days working from their co-working space during our trip to Lofoten and even got the chance to watch a talk by a woman who’d skied the entire length of Norway!

Trevarefabrikken has rooms too that sleep from four to six people. And, as you’d expect from Trevarefabrikken, the rooms ooze style!

Tobiabrygga

Tobiasbrygga in Henningsvær is another awesome Henningsvær hotel choice. They have seaside apartments with beautiful views and full kitchens so it’ll be just like your home away from home.

Waterfront Apartment with Panoramic Sea Views

This Henningsvær apartment has the most amazing panoramic views. The wide wall-long window in the living space looks out onto the sea and the design of the apartment is just so beautiful!

Henningsvær Guesthouse

You get free breakfast at the Henningsvær guesthouse as well as free parking and cosy rooms with ensuite bathrooms. The price is also very reasonable for accommodation in Lofoten.

Henningsvær Camping

There is some camping available near the trailhead for Heia and Festvågtind.

Read this post for other great places for camping in Lofoten.

Final thoughts on what to do in Henningsvaer Northern Noway

These Henningsvær things to do include a mix of the best things to do in the whole Lofoten Islands including cafes and baked goods and adventure from famous Henningsvaer hikes to kayaking and more.

Whether you decide to base yourself in Henningsvaer or in another town in Lofoten such as Svolvaer where we were, you’re sure to visit this cute village in Lofoten at some point during your trip.

Though parking Henningsvaer can be limited, you should be able to find a spot just out of the center of the town and then you can walk to these places to visit in Henningsvaer pretty easily.

If you’re looking for more Lofoten travel guides, be sure to check out these hiking guides to the Djevelporten in Svolvaer, the Tjeldbergtinden hike, and Reinebringen.

If you’re doing a Northern Norway road trip, check out these things to do in Senja, as well as what to do in Tromso and these Sommaroy things to do.

Last Updated on September 15, 2023 by Hannah