Andøy between wildlife, culture and scenic route

On Andøy, nature experiences, maritime history and special excursions come together: you can explore a lighthouse on a guided tour, see a historic fishing boat at an open-air museum, or head to Bleiksøya in a traditional fishing boat. The Norwegian Scenic Route Andøya is another highlight, and it is also of interest to cyclists. When choosing your holiday apartment, you can consider whether cultural visits, activities by the sea or inland exploration should be the focus of your trip.

Discover history and space travel

Andenes Lighthouse can be visited on a guided tour via the stairs. The tour includes an exhibition, the history of the lighthouse and views from the top. At the open-air museum in Risøyhamn, the large Fembøring Haakon is housed in the boathouse. The vessel was built in Helgeland in 1880. The open-air museum comprises five buildings in total; the historic boat collection and the other museum buildings offer different points of interest for a visit. Andøymuseet has departments in Andenes and Risøyhamn.

Space travel is also a theme on Andøy. At the Andøya Space visitor centre, you can learn more about aurora research and the history of Andøya Space. A virtual journey to Mars is also offered there. Spaceship Aurora offers activities for space enthusiasts of all ages. If you like to include a range of interests in your holiday plans, this gives you a space-related theme to add to your trip alongside the lighthouse and museum.

Routes, sea and activities

The Norwegian Scenic Route Andøya runs between Andenes and Bjørnskinn. It is part of National Cycle Route 1 and also follows EuroVelo 1, the “Atlantic Coast Route”. This means you can consider different ways of getting around when planning your trip: cycling the route or travelling along the Scenic Route. Telltur lists 32 routes across Andøy. Andøya also offers opportunities for sea kayaking. Which of these activities suits your stay depends on whether you would rather spend your time on routes, on the water or visiting sights.

Bleiksøya is a natural attraction in its own right. More than 80,000 pairs of puffins breed on the island. Bleiksøya is a protected area in Andøy; to protect its wildlife and birdlife, access is prohibited at certain times of the year. Puffin Safari takes visitors to the bird cliff at Bleiksøya in a traditional fishing boat. Eagles are observed on every trip. An excursion like this therefore focuses on both the bird cliff and eagle watching. When planning your visit, keep the protected area’s seasonal access restrictions in mind.

For a wellness break, Stave Beach Sauna is just a few steps from the sea at Stave Beach. This offers a different focus from a route or museum visit: here, the sauna by the sea takes centre stage. In Nøss, meanwhile, you’ll find Atelier Nøss, an artist-run gallery and studio in a small village on the island of Andøya. These different destinations can help you choose the places that best suit the focus of your planned trip.

Getting there and places to include in your travel plans

Hurtigruten calls at Risøyhamn twice daily throughout the year. In summer, there is also a daily ferry service between Andenes and Gryllefjord on Senja. These two connections differ in their arrival point and season: Risøyhamn is served year-round, while the ferry between Andenes and Gryllefjord is a summer service.

Risøyhamnmartnaden is also part of the local annual calendar: held every July, it features stalls, food and drink, and an open museum. If your trip falls during this period, the market adds a cultural highlight alongside the arrival connections described as operating year-round and the various sightseeing and nature attractions. You can also include the pages for FiskenesFiskernes[[/MAXTD_MANDATORY_CHILD_01]], AndøyAndøy[[/MAXTD_MANDATORY_CHILD_02]], RisøyhamnRisøyhamn[[/MAXTD_MANDATORY_CHILD_03]], DverbergDverberg[[/MAXTD_MANDATORY_CHILD_04]], NøssNøss[[/MAXTD_MANDATORY_CHILD_05]] and AndenesAndenes[[/MAXTD_MANDATORY_CHILD_06]] in your further explorations.

For the overarching travel overview: Lofoten.

More destinations

More places in the same destination:

Vågan, Hadsel.