Lillevik is located near Vik at Gimsøy, “in the middle” of Lofoten. It’s super quiet, yet central. The perfect base for exploring the Lofoten islands.
Lillevik is a great “home away from home”: Stay in one place and spend your time on experiences, not moving in and out of different houses. There is no need to “travel through Lofoten”, or stay in different places, since everything is within easy driving distance anyway.
See the Gallery with photos of Lofoten sights and the distance from Lillevik.
Remember: Every drive is a scenic drive, so the trips themselves are nice too – there’s so much to see! The main road E10 is an official Norwegian Scenic Route. See Travel for links to local rental car companies.
If you miss people and tourist crowds, Henningsvær and Svolvær are just over half an hour away, and Leknes maybe 45 minutes. It’s nice to be able to go “back home” to Lillevik, where you are alone even in peak season.
Nearby grocery store, café, beaches
- Groceries and café: Gimsøy Landhandel, 7 km. Always open. We encourage buying as much as possible of the things you need here. The café is nice, with lunch every day, dinner on Wednesdays, and cakes on Saturdays. Outdoor seating too.
- The second closest grocery stores: Joker Henningsvær or Kiwi Osan in Svolvær (both ca. 30 km)
- Closest mountain: Hoven (368 m), 1 km.
- Private beach: 100 meters.
- White sandy beach: Hov, 1.5 km. The much larger Vinjestranda (Vinje beach) is near the grocery store.
There is a 150+ page binder with lots of information in the house and Lofoten in general, with our best tips and recommendations for getting the most out of your stay. You can also download it: Lillevik house book (PDF).
Lillevik’s address
Address: Årstrandveien 663, 8314 Gimsøysand.
Google Maps knows the place Lillevik, so just search for that. There are very few roads on Gimsøy, and it’s super easy to find the way.
GPS coordinates: 68.330081, 14.091728
Google “plus code”: 83JR+2M
Weather and temperatures in Lofoten
Lofoten benefits from the Gulf stream and is much warmer than one might think, considering it is above the arctic circle and on the same latitude as Greenland, and north of Iceland. Lofoten has a coastal climate, with varying weather. Be ready for pretty much anything!
For more details: Lofoten weather: Seasons, forecasts, when to go, and how to prepare.
Getting around in Lofoten
We strongly recommend having a car. See Travel. Below are some popular places in Lofoten, with driving distances. All drives in Lofoten are scenic, and we guarantee you will not be bored. Don’t worry if a drive is 30 or 90 minutes: There will be so much to see along they way.
Henningsvær
A must. Visit places like Kaviarfabrikken, Lysstøperiet, Klatrekaféen og Trevarefabrikken. Festvågtind is a classic hike with fantastic views.
Unstad: World class surfing, population: 15
Unstad is world famous for surfing, all year round. The water is cold, so you need proper gear: Both Lofoten surfsenter and Unstad Arctic Surf has everything you need, including courses for all levels of surfers.
Hauklandstranda and Uttakleiv beaches
Two long, white sandy beaches with great view quite near each others. See: Lofoten’s most scenic beaches. There are some spectacular nearby hikes too, see Adventures.
Kvalvika beach, and Ryten with the famous view
World famous, very popular. There can be a line of people waiting to take the “classic” photo of someone hanging on the rock above the beach. Go early or late to avoid crowds. See: Kvalvika beach hiking guide.
Nusfjord fishing village
The world’s best preserved fishing village, with a cod liver oil museum, some cafés and a tiny, cozy bakery. Please note: Nusfjord is an open air museum, and there is an entrance fee to limit crowds and to finance the preservation of the village.
Reine and Reinebringen with the iconic view
Reinebringen (448 m) offers Lofoten’s most spectacular views. There is a stone stairway almost to the top. Some think it’s a tough hike (it’s not, kids do it), and others run up in 15 minutes. It’s very popular, and sometimes crowded, but worth it anyway. Go early or late to avoid crowds. Be careful – several people have died here. A day trip by boat to Vindstad and Bunes beach (Bunesstranda) is also recommended.
Sakrisøy and Hamnøy
Both these two small islands are near Reine, and you drive across both when driving on E10. The classic Hamnøy photos are taken right on the E10, on the bridge.
Moskenes (Å), with the ferry to/from Bodø
There are ferry connections to Bodø, Værøy and Røst. You can bring your car. See Travel for everything about getting to Lofoten by plane, ferry, car, etc.
