Places to stay and things to do in Andenes

At the northernmost tip of picturesque Andøya in Vesterålen is Andenes, known as one of Norway’s largest fishing villages.

From the midnight sun, northern lights and whale watching to mountain hikes with spectacular views and beautiful beaches, here you’ll find everything you need for a memorable holiday in Norway. You can experience the island on foot or by bike – or even from the sea in a kayak.

Here is some useful information for visitors to Andøya and Andenes:

Sea safari and whale watching in Andenes

Did you know that Andøya is one of the best places to go on an Arctic whale watching trip? Vesterålen is located on a narrow continental shelf that, only a few kilometres from land, steeply slopes down to a depth of ten thousand metres – to a nutrient-rich sea where whales feed.

Vesterålen is actually Norway’s only year-round whale watching destination and you can take a tour from both Andenes on Andøya and Stø, located on Langøya further south. The most common species that can be seen are sperm whales, but if you’re lucky, you may also spot pilot whales, minke whales, humpbacks, dolphins and orcas. An unforgettable experience!

Hiking to the top of Måtinden in Andøya

A little south of Andenes is Måtinden, one of Vesterålen’s most visited mountains. The summit is 408 metres above sea level and offers spectacular views of razor-sharp and dramatic mountain peaks, white sandy beaches, the sea as far as the eye can see and beautiful Bleiksøya, Nordland’s northernmost bird cliff.

There are three trails to the top, but the easiest and most popular is 3.8 kilometres each way and runs from the car park at Baugtua in Stavatalen between Stave and Bleik. The steepest part is at the very beginning, after which you hike on a flat plateau along a clearly marked path – while enjoying views of Bleik and Andøya’s western coastline.

Andøya Space 

Always dreamed about visiting space? Five kilometres southwest of Andenes in Oksebåsen is Andøya Space, Norway’s only operational space centre.

Since the launch of the first research rocket in 1962, Andøya has been the centre of an exciting part of Norway’s space history and Andøya Space has launched almost a thousand research rockets and scientific balloons. They continue to launch research rockets, satellites and balloons, and also have a space teaching centre. 

At their visitor centre, Spaceship Aurora, you can launch your own rocket, take a virtual trip to Mars, experience an escape room and watch films and exhibitions about space and the northern lights.

Andenes Lighthouse

At the very northwest tip of Andøya is the more than 160-year-old Andenes Lighthouse, at 40 metres one of Norway’s tallest and most beautiful lighthouses. You can go all the way up to the top and walk on the balcony that stretches all around. Here you enjoy the best views in Andenes, where on a clear day, you can see well over 20 kilometres – as far as Senja and Bleiksøya.

And while you’re in the area, make sure to visit the Andøy Museum near the Andenes Lighthouse. There are several exhibitions, one about the unique geology of Andøya and the other about the polar regions, with a focus on the fisherman Hilmar Nøys. 

Popular eateries and restaurants in Andenes

Behind a 150-year-old cell door and windows with wrought-iron grids is the Arresten restaurant. But bread and water have now been replaced by appetisers and three-course dinners, with a menu featuring the best of the season and local ingredients. Rumour has it that it's haunted! At Alveland Butikk & Café, 30 minutes south of Andenes, you can enjoy local food and pastries in a farmhouse café. Here you can also buy handmade soaps with such ingredients as cranberries, blueberries, lingonberries, stinging nettle and goat’s milk from Andøya.

If you want to explore the island further, you can stop by Marmelkroken on Bø on the far side of Andøya, where the food is prepared with local ingredients, often fish and seafood. At the Andøy Friluftssenter, you can enjoy the taste of game and fish prepared in both traditional and modern dishes using the farm’s own products, as well as moose and cloudberries and ingredients from other small-scale producers in Vesterålen.

Centrally located in Andenes is Thon Partner Hotel Andrikken. This is the perfect location along the island’s main street of Storgata – only one kilometre from Andenes Airport. The hotel offers a delicious breakfast buffet and can prepare meals for groups and conferences on request. The hotel also has serves simple meals in the Lobby Bar.

You can fly to Andenes from Tromsø and Bodø, and directly from Oslo during the summer. You can also drive there from Sortland or Harstad/Narvik and there are daily buses from Sortland, Leknes, Å and Narvik. If you want to take a boat or ferry, Hurtigruten stops at Risøyhamn in Andøya twice a day all year round, where buses depart to Andenes and Sortland.

Interesting facts about Vesterålen, Andøya and Andenes

• Since the mid-1980s, Andøya has been known as the 'whale kingdom' due to its proximity to the areas that are home to large sperm whales.
• Andøya is the only place on mainland Norway where coal and dinosaur fossils have been found.
• As the northernmost municipality in Nordland, Andøya has 24 hours of sun and daylight in the summer. The midnight sun period starts on 22 May and ends on 20 July.
• In Sløyken, with the Andenes lighthouse as its closest neighbour, the experience centre The Whale is under construction. Innovation Norway refers to it as a 'reason to go' to Norway. 
• Andøya calls itself the 'Northern Lights Municipality' and between September and April, there is a good chance of seeing the northern lights dancing across the night sky.