Bodø: Coastal Culture, Museums and Trails

Bodø can be explored through a wide range of themes: the coastal culture of Northern Norway, aviation history, sacred architecture and landscapes by the water. The experiences you want to shape your trip may also play a part in choosing your holiday apartment—whether you would rather visit museums, explore outdoor trails or combine both.

Coastal Culture, City History and Architecture

The Norwegian Jekt Trade Museum tells the story of how traditional jekts connected Northern Norway with the rest of Europe and the significance they hold for Northern Norway’s coastal culture. The museum houses the only original jekt from Nordland still in existence. If you would like to add a culinary touch to your visit, Vengen Skafferi restaurant serves dishes inspired by the history of the jekt trade. Restaurant operations and offerings may change, so check in advance whether both suit your visit.

Bodøsjøen Outdoor Museum complements and deepens the account of Northern Norway and the fishing-farming community presented at the Norwegian Jekt Trade Museum. It comprises 14 historic buildings. Bodø City Museum, meanwhile, is in central Bodø, in one of the city’s oldest buildings, built in 1903. Bymuseet i Bodø also has a historic dry aquarium in the basement. It was established shortly after the Second World War and is also a listed heritage site.

Bodø Cathedral also has some striking features: it was built as a Gothic-style basilica. Inside, a 12-metre-high stained-glass window, ten tapestries from Nordland and a rose window come together. A visit offers an impression of the building’s design alongside specific works of art and decorative features.

Aviation and Harbour Experiences

The Norwegian Aviation Museum explores Norway’s military and civil aviation history. Covering 10,000 square metres, it displays aircraft including the U-2, Starfighter and Spitfire. An interactive pilot exhibition invites visitors to try things out; visitors can also compete there with family or friends. If you would like to climb the old control tower at Bodø Airport and watch current air traffic from there, check access arrangements before your visit.

Pust Sauna is a unique building in Bodø’s inner harbour. It offers a place for wellbeing and socialising. Another highlight to add to a museum day or a stay by the harbour, it complements the city’s cultural and landscape themes.

River Trails and Views

The trail along the Bodøelv runs through flat terrain beside a river. The landscape shifts between broad, open farmland, tall trees, open meadows and undergrowth. The trail is suitable for cyclists, walkers and people with or without a pushchair. It offers a different way to experience the area around Bodø than visiting the museums in the city centre.

In the Bodø destination area, the Kyststien runs for 6.5 kilometres from Bodøsjøen to Mørkvedbukta. Along the trail there are viewpoints, picnic areas and benches; the Kyststien is designed to be accessible. For a wide view of the city and mountains, Keiservarden offers a 360-degree panorama. The starting point of the Keiservarden trail, at the car park by Rønvikfjellet, is about 3.5 kilometres from the city centre. These details distinguish access to the starting point from the view that awaits you at the top.

More Perspectives in the Bodø Destination Area

Kjerringøy and Saltstraumen also add to the range of themes in the Bodø destination area. Kjerringøy has steep mountains, white sandy beaches and protected natural areas. Its trading post is one of Norway’s best-preserved trading posts from the 19th century. Bus route 400 runs several times a day between central Bodø and Kjerringøy; the journey includes a ferry crossing. Check the current timetable before travelling.

At Saltstraumen, both the landscape and the history are remarkable: the channel is three kilometres long and 150 metres wide, and the current reaches speeds of up to 20 knots. Several cultural heritage sites from the Stone Age and the Viking Age have been found along Saltstraumen; some finds are estimated to be up to 11,000 years old. If you want to experience the current up close, one option is to go rafting in a RIB boat.

Getting There and Choosing Where to Stay

Bodø can be reached by plane, train, car, the Hurtigruten coastal express and express boat. Bodø Airport offers domestic and international flights; Bodø is also the northern terminus of the Nordland Line. The bus journey from the city centre to the Maskinisten stop takes about 15 minutes for the Bodøelv area. Buses to Bodøsjøen also run daily. Check current timetables and connections before travelling.

When looking for a holiday apartment, your planned priorities can be a helpful guide: city history and museums, trails by the river or destinations in the wider Bodø destination area. Consider which of these you want to include in your days away, and choose your location according to your own priorities.

Discover more destinations: Kjerringøy, Tverlandet, Ljønes, Saltstraumen, Skivika, Breivik i Salten, Løding, Skjerstad.

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