Svinøya is the oldest district of the town where the first trading activities began in 1828. During the early 19th century, a row of cabins were built to accommodate the visiting fishermen during the Lofoten winter cod season. These cabins have been restored to perfection and all have three double bedrooms, a well-equipped kitchen cum lounge, and a modern bathroom with shower and toilet. One of these 30 cabins could potentially be your home during your stay in this exotic part of the world. Located between the fish landing station, quayside buildings, fish racks and other traditional, local buildings, here you can enjoy the sea on one side, and the spectacular Lofoten mountains on the other.

The peak season to visit this wondrous place is during the summer but Anders Lovik and his colleagues have focused on attracting visitors during the winter time. "Coming to Lofoten in the wintertime is a different experience altogether and is recommended for the advanced traveller, it requires research and experience as the climate can be challenging, as well as the adjustment to the limited hours of daylight. Anders Alvik, is in charge of the late winter activities, which commence in March and end in April. This is the time when snow is a guaranteed, there is no secret that Lofoten is a the one stop destination for alpine skiing, and a much loved passion for Mr Alvik who will guide you down the peaks, if needed. "Visiting Lofoten in the winter time is very much more relaxed than in the summertime as it's less crowded and you will pretty much have the mountains to yourself", says Mr Alvik.

Foto: Ronny Nilsen

British actress Joanna Lumley recently pursued a lifelong dream and experienced the northern lights for herself. This publicity resulted in a boom in the amount of new visitors. People travel from all corners of the world to experience the famed aurora borealis, often with a great longing wishing to see what is said to be one of the world's most stunning spectacle.

Basecamp Lofoten welcome large groups of up to 500 people, there are excellent conference facilities and events packages available for companies. Brits, Germans, Italians and French are the predominant nationalities who come to Lofoten.

Fishing is another big part of the activities during the late winter and a must is to test the traditional cod fishing experience. The fisheries are still of primary importance of this area, and the Lofoten Cod Fishery has always formed the basis of existence for the people here. Having the opportunity of observing these activities at close quarters in Svinøya and of course, try the dried codfish, is an unforgettable experience.

For more information visit: www.svinoya.no

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