Lofoten is fantastic in the winter, both if you are an avid outdoor enthusiast or a nature lover that wants to enjoy the spectacular nature. While Lofoten is most popular as a summer destination, it is in the winter that Lofoten truly unveils its unique beauty. And there’s the northern lights, of course.

Lillevik’s location on the west side of Gimsøy may be the best in Lofoten. The view of the mountains and the oceans is among the best in Lofoten, and it’s so peaceful. It’s so quiet that you can hear the faint sound of waves on the beach on the other side of the island, two kilometers away.

View from Hoven (368m). Lillevik is in the lower part of the photo, just left of the middle.

The mountain Hoven is 368 meters high, and takes a bit less than an hour to hike. You can start at Lillevik’s doorstep. It’s mostly visited in summer, but popular in winter too. We have snowshoes that you can borrow when you stay at Lillevik.

Hoven. A small mountain with a great view.
Vinje beach, just a 7 minute drive from Lillevik. See also: Gimsøy’s beaches in winter.

When Lillevik was completely rebuilt in 2018-2020 we made sure to install large panorama windows. You see sea eagles, otters, porpoises (similar to dolphins) and other animals. We have some good Nikon binoculars that you can borrow.

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The panorama windows in the living room. You can see both sea eagles and northern lights.

You can also see the northern lights from the couch, and since there is no light pollution Lillevik and Gimsøy is among the best places in Lofoten for it. See also: Northern lights at Lillevik Lofoten.

Northern lights above Lillevik.
Hoven rises behind Lillevik.
Lillevik’s boathouse and small, private beach is just 100 meters from the house.
Lillevik’s beach in winter.
The view from Hoven after a snowshoe hike.
Close-up of Lillevik (the white house on the left is also ours, but not for rent).

Winter in Lofoten can of course also be very rough, with severe snowstorms, closed roads and cancelled ferries and cancelled flights.

Winter storm. Good thing the house is very well insulated, cozy and warm.

When that happens it’s nice that Lillevik is a warm and cozy house, with triple glazed windows and excellent insulation, and a fireplace too.

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By the way: The polar night does not mean that it’s dark all the time. Even on the darkest day of the year (winter solstice on December 21 or 22) it’s daylight from around 10 to around 15. See our webcam for an example.

Lillevik in soft winter light in late November, during the polar night.

When it’s dark you can see the northern lights, even without leaving the house.