Lying just inside the Arctic Circle west of Norway are the Lofoten Islands, a chain of fabulous mountainous islands with wooded hillsides and lovely white sandy bays. There are five main islands in the group: Austvagoy, Gimsoya, Vestvagoy, Flakstadoya and Moskenesoya and three smaller ones. Although the islands are so far north, they enjoy a fairly mild climate due to the Gulf Stream. Photo by: joepvanwyk

The islands are ideal for hiking and cycling. Lofoten also offer unique rock climbing with Alpine-style ridges, summits and glaciers. The islands feature some magnificent caves, awe-inspiring to even the most well-travelled visitors. At 50m high and 115 m deep, Refsvikhula Cave is all the more interesting because of the enigmatic characters. The oldest-known Stone Age settlement in Lofoten has been discovered here. Photo by: swissfotopia

Visitors also come to the Lofoten Islands for off-shore activities. The rich water support vast colonies of breeding seabirds, including puffins, kittiwakes, razobills, red-necked phalaropes and Arctic terns, as well as white-tailed sea eagles. The infamous Maelstrom, one of the world’s strongest tidal currents, lies just off the coast. The Maelstrom has been renowned and respected by seafarers for thousand of years. Nowadays boat trips and fishing expeditions pass through the area so visitors can experience the sheer thrill of it. Photo by: patrick_london

When to go: Late May to early July for the Midnight Sun; the best weather is from April to September. Population: 23,700. How to get there: By ferry or air from Bodo, ferry from Navil or by boat via Navik. You should know: The sun does not rise for weeks in midwinter. Photo by: little_frank