Your entry to the Arctic Circle region is Bodø, a cultural hub and home to Bodø/Glimt, one of Norway’s most resilient football teams. Bodø is the biggest city of Nordland county, which will be the European Region of Gastronomy 2028. Your culinary journey starts here. Enjoy a soft landing with one night at the Wood Hotel, overlooking the ocean.

In the evening, we'll make sure you're booked for dinner in one of our favourite restaurants, before kicking off into mythical territory.

Spend the next day discovering Norway's second-largest glacier. Using a high-speed RIB boat from Støtt to Svartisen you get to encounter possibly the most special glacier Norway has to offer! Svartisen is the lowest glacier in mainland Europe, making it easily accessible for hikes and nature-based experiences. With our local insiders, you’ll get close enough to feel the ancient chill of the ice.

That said, Støtt is a perfect base for quiet leisure time. Enjoy a final day free for slow exploration before you’ll embark the ferry onwards in the afternoon. You may practise your kayaking skills along islets and reefs, go for a bikeride or walk, or simply practise the art of doing nothing.

The afternoon ferry will take you to Træna, a remote group of islands located 60 kilometres off Northern Norway’s coast.

Looking around, you’ll understand why this region is home to myths, marvels and folklore. If you didn’t believe in trolls by now, Træna’s iconic silhouette will convince you. Stay at Ytri, an impressive Relais & Châteaux property beautifully integrated in the local environment, far out at sea.

Ytri is Norway’s most remote island retreat. The name is drawn from Old Norse, fittingly meaning “the outer point”.

Every detail here is deeply rooted in the island's soul. The architecture and interiors mirror the colors of the surrounding landscape, from the custom furniture to the local botanicals in your glass. Even the team is unique; each member is handpicked for their skill, warmth, and a genuine commitment to becoming a part of the Træna community.

Træna is the perfect place to connect with nature on nature's premises. We invite you to embrace a slower pace and let the rhythm of the ocean and light, shape your experience.

While here, we invite you to explore the Kirkehelleren cave, a natural cathedral on Sanna island, as well as the quirky distillery island of Myken, where Arctic whisky is matured under the midnight sun.

From the outer islands, you head back towards the mainland for a choice of two distinct finales:

Til Elise fra Marius

The culinary choice. Experience the "pasture to table" philosophy along the beautiful coastline of Norway. The owners, Marius and Elise, have created a sanctuary where the forest, sea, and farm converge. It is a masterclass in rural sustainability and high-end Nordic flavours, where the best possible produce is harvested from Mother Nature.

For those interested in the native heritage of the region, we recommend a visit to a local sami family. Around the fire in a peat-covered ‘gamme’ hut, you will enjoy a Sami lunch consisting of traditional reindeer meat and bread cooked on the fireplace. The Samis will share stories from their lives and introduce you to their traditions and local sagas, which blend in with the Helgeland myth.

Alternatively: Lovund

The birder's choice. If you want to see puffins, the island of Lovund is a haven for birds. Lovund can easily be identified by its towering bird mountain. The island community of around 500 people is here for the same reason as the puffins who outnumber them: the fish. Arctic salmon is one of Norway’s most important exports, and you will be introduced to a forward thinking society that thrives thanks to it.

Your journey concludes with a scenic train ride from Mo i Rana back to Bodø. Crossing the Arctic Circle by rail, you’ll pass through a landscape full of majestic mountains, fjords and waterfalls. Enjoy the magical scenery of beautiful and wild landscapes as the train takes you back where the journey began, leaving the wilderness exactly as you found it.