In the latest season of On The Road, took Alex Stead and I headed to some of the most remote and unique landscapes either of us have ever seen. We set out in early April this year and took a month to explore the incredible trio of Norway, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands.
Each of these countries has been at the top of my “must visit” list for some time, and they individually warrant a top 10 list of their own as they are some of the most photographed places in the world.
This isn’t a guide to the most popular or photogenic locations in each country, but rather a compilation of our favorite stops from an unforgettable trip in collaboration with Adorama.
1. Reine
Nestled in a fjord at the end of the Lofoten archipelago lies the picture perfect fishing village of Reine. Its shorelines are dotted with red fishing rorbuer and surrounded by massive mountains that seem to rise straight out of the Norwegian Sea. The iconic photo viewpoint is elevated above the village and looks almost directly north, making it the ideal location for many to shoot and view the northern lights, which we were lucky enough to see there.
2. Hamnoy
Minutes before you arrive in Reine, you’ll pass through the small municipality of Hamnoy. While it offers the familiar formula of cabins, mountains, and fjords, it was one of the most dynamic and unique settings that we visited on the entire trip. Sunrise and sunset were both incredible here and I absolutely cannot recommend this location highly enough.
3. Senja
Located halfway between Tromso and Lofoten, the island of Senja is truly one of the crown jewels of Norway. We caught the full force of an early spring snowstorm during our stay, which sadly prevented us from hiking the famous Mt. Segla trail. We did some local research while we were there and found a world-class beach that offered amazing tidal pool reflections of the surrounding seaside mountains. Senja was a late addition to our itinerary and I’m so glad we were able to visit — it’s easily one of my favorite places in all of Norway.
4. Nusfjord
A short drive from Ballstad in central Lofoten, Nusfjord looks like an oil painting brought to life. Its super small harbor shelters an amazing teak and holly fishing vessel and it is rung with red and yellow rorbuer that have been converted into luxury vacation rentals. We loved this place so much we ended up shooting here multiple times under different conditions, so be sure to go in the morning if you visit so you can catch the marina when it’s dead calm. Pro tip: the road in was one of the prettiest drives I’ve ever completed, and there were multiple photo opportunities around each corner.
5. Saksun
The Faroes are a network of 18 islands just bobbing along in the frigid waters of the North Atlantic. The landscapes are regarded as some of the most rugged and wild in all of Europe and I can certainly say that I’ve never been anywhere quite like it. Each island is a jigsaw of cliffs and fjords and there must be 20,000 waterfalls during rainy season, which is pretty much all year out there. Saksun is a magical little village about an hour from the Faroese capital of Torshavn. There are probably 20 grass covered homes above an ancient tidal lagoon and a church that’s been standing since the 1800’s. It felt like a time warp being there, standing on the same shores as the Viking warships did centuries ago.
6. Funningur
Located on the charming island of Eysturoy, Funningur is one of the oldest established villages in the Faroe Islands. We had passed through on a trip to explore Gjogv and decided to come back the next day to check out the hike above the fjord. After a short 30-minute hike, we found ourselves in front of a truly classic vista. We shot a ton of photos and video at the lower viewpoint, but I would recommend heading as high as you can go after taking in the view from the first ridgeline.
7. Sorvagsvatn
I had seen photos of the lake suspended above the ocean for years, but I couldn’t believe that it actually existed. It is real and it’s called Lake Sorvagsvatn. Located in Vagar, this wonderful geologic anomaly is accessed by hiking on the trail to Traelanipan, a more than manageable one-hour walk.
8. Torshavn
In terms of landscape photography, the capital city of the Faroe Islands is a bit under-the-radar in comparison to the rest of the country. None of our preliminary research turned up locations in or around the area that we wanted to explore. Between the dramatic highland roads and the historic old town in the city center, Torshavn unexpectedly afforded us some of our favorite moments of our visit.
9. Gljufrabui
Just a five-minute walk from the world famous Seljalandsfoss waterfall and tucked away in a fissure in the hillside, this waterfall is easy to overlook for most visitors. We arrived early for sunset and had some time to kill, so we decided to put on our rain gear and trudge up the creek to Gljufrabui. Depending on the flow, you’ll have to wade through calf deep water to get to this waterfall, and is it ever worth it! We were there for golden hour and saw incredible light rays through the entrance in the fissure. If you can schedule your visit around this timeframe, I highly recommend it!
10. Snaefellsnes Peninsula
We ended up exploring the peninsula towards the end of our trip to Iceland and it ended up being my favorite part of the entire country. The world-class waterfalls and impossibly large glaciers are amazing to see in person, but we found those spots to be too crowded to properly enjoy. Snaefellsnes offered many iconic locations to shoot including Kirkjufell and the black church of Budir. The crowds were noticeably more sparse out there, letting us experience nature unimpeded. The peninsula is a must visit and I cannot wait to go again.
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