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Lofoten Islands

Countries in the atlas · Europe

Norway

Fjords, Lofoten and Svalbard: the northernmost beauty of Europe, from a rock above a fjord to polar bears.

Russian passport: closed to touristsprices ×2.6 vs Russia

Photo: Ximonic (Simo Räsänen) · CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Lofoten Islands
Photo: Ximonic (Simo Räsänen) · CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Nordland, Norway · World’s best

Lofoten Islands

Access 2/5 · fairly easyJFMAMJJASOND

Lofoten is a chain of islands beyond the Arctic Circle: peaks rise straight out of the water, and at their feet lie the fishing villages of Reine, Hamnøy and Nusfjord with their red rorbu cabins.

Summer brings the midnight sun and trails to summits overlooking the fjords; winter brings the northern lights and stockfish drying on wooden racks.

Getting there
Fly from Oslo to Bodø or Evenes, then a ferry or car; a single road, the E10, runs through the islands.
Sources (4)
Preikestolen
Photo: Svein Magne Tunli · CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Rogaland, Norway

Preikestolen

Access 2/5 · fairly easyJFMAMJJASOND

Preikestolen is a rock platform above the Lysefjord with a drop of about 600 metres. The trail to it takes about two hours each way.

Nearby are Kjeragbolten, a boulder wedged in a crevice, and the fjord itself, with ferries running along it.

Getting there
From Stavanger, about 45 minutes by car or bus to the trailhead.
Fees and tickets
Parking at the trailhead is paid.
Sources (2)
Svalbard
Photo: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen · CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Norway, Arctic Ocean

Svalbard

Access 4/5 · hardJFMAMJJASOND

Svalbard is an archipelago between the mainland and the North Pole. Longyearbyen is the northernmost town with scheduled flights; from here people head out to glaciers and ice caves, and by boat to the fjords.

Russian miners live in Barentsburg. In summer the sun does not set for four months, and in winter comes the polar night.

Getting there
Flights to Longyearbyen go only from Oslo or Tromsø; to Barentsburg by boat in summer or by snowmobile in winter.
Fees and tickets
The environmental fee is 150 kroner (included in the ticket). Outside the travel zone, independent tourists need insurance for a rescue operation — from 120,000 kroner.
Why it’s hard
Since 29.05.2024 Norway has not admitted tourists from Russia, and flights to Svalbard go only via the mainland. Outside the settlements there are polar bears: go only with a guide or with deterrents.
Sources (16)

Before you go

Norway: entry, safety, money, flights, laws and budget — with sources.

Entry

Since 29.05.2024 Norway has not admitted Russian citizens travelling for tourism or other “non-essential” purposes — even with another country’s Schengen visa. Exceptions are close relatives in Norway, work, study and residence permits.

Svalbard is outside Schengen and has no visa of its own, but flights go only via mainland Norway. There is effectively no sea route from Murmansk to Barentsburg at the moment: on 02.09.2026 a Russian vessel was seized on Svalbard.

Rules for any passport

Checked 2 November 2026. These are the rules for a Russian citizen with an international passport on a tourist trip. For other passports and purposes, see the official website — the button above.

Sources (5)

Safety

The Russian Embassy warns: if Norway is not named in your visa application, do not enter — the visa may be cancelled and you may be expelled. Tourists from Russia have been detained on suspicion of filming sensitive sites.

Sources (2)

Money and cards

Cards of most Russian banks do not work; UnionPay cards of banks not under sanctions can be used to withdraw cash at Nokas ATMs. Declare cash over 25,000 kroner.

Sources (2)

Flights

There are no direct flights: the airspace is closed to Russian airlines. The only land border crossing is Borisoglebsk — Storskog, and you cannot cross it on foot.

Sources (1)

Laws and bans

  • Russian citizens are banned from using any drones anywhere in Norway, including Svalbard.
  • Svalbard: keep at least 300 m from polar bears, and 500 m from March to June; outside the settlements carry deterrents, and a firearm is recommended.
  • Since 2026, independent travellers on Svalbard outside the travel zone have needed insurance for a rescue operation — from 120,000 kroner.
  • Pitch a tent at least 150 m from dwellings, and do not drive off the roads.
  • Russian-made tobacco and spirits have been banned from import since 17.06.2022.
Sources (6)

Budget

prices ×2.6 vs Russia · price level 0.96 (US = 1), 2025

Prices are 2.6 times higher than in Russia. The Svalbard environmental fee is 150 kroner (included in the ticket); from 2027 some municipalities will charge a tourist tax of 3% of the price of a night’s stay.

The price level is the ratio of purchasing power parity for household consumption to the market exchange rate (World Bank). These are national averages: resorts and capitals cost more, the countryside less. Flights are not included.

Sources (5)