Andøya

Andøya is the northernmost island of Vesterålen in northern Norway's Nordland county. It is the country's 10th largest island.

Towns

• 1 Andenes – regional centre of Andøya.
• 2 Dverberg (Myre) – small village of 250.
• 3 Risøyhamn – the entry point for most travellers.

Get in

Andøy Bridge

By car

The 750-metre-long Andøy Bridge (Fv82) is the only direct road connection between Andøya and the rest of the Nordland road network, including all of Vesterålen's four other main islands. The bridge is roughly an 80-kilometre, 70-minute detour (one way) from E10 in Stormyra.

By ferry

There is a car ferry service from Gryllefjord in Troms, where Fv82 terminates, to Andenes. Visit torghatten-nord.no or call ☏ +47 90 62 07 00 for bookings and queries.

By plane

• 1 Andøya Airport (ANX  ^IATA). A small domestic airport next to Andenes. Widerøe provides year-round flights from Bodø, Harstad/Narvik, Stokmarknes and Tromsø. During high season, Norwegian Air Shuttle may also operate flights from Oslo Airport, Gardermoen.. (updated May 2024)

See and do

Lookouts

Lookouts are listed from north-south.

• 1 Kleivodden, Bleiksveien (Fv796). Few lookouts provide a serene picture-perfect view like this, yet simply be a roadside lookout. The northerly lookout provides views of the vast unspoiled Arctic Ocean with Bleik to your left and the cliffs on Bleiksøya. (updated May 2024)
• 2 Bukkekjerka, Nordmelaveien (Fv974). A roadside lookout with very lush greenery with a promontory nearby. The rock formation, Bukkekjerka, is an important traditional Sami sacrificial site. (updated Jun 2024)
• 3 Sandvika Viewpoint, Nordmelaveien (Fv974). Another roadside lookout just south of Bukkekjerka where an impressive array of mountains are in the backdrop of a beach view. Parking is available on the other side of the road; the trail to get to the beach is closer to the north end of the car park (you will need to keep your eyes peeled). (updated Jun 2024)
• 4 Sør-Stia Viewpoint, Nordmelaveien (Fv974). Close to Sandvika, where backdrop mountains meet lush green cliffs. (updated Jun 2024)
• 5 Gårdsfjellet Cliff Viewpoint, Nordmelaveien (Fv974). It's all in the name – cliffs + mountains. (updated Jun 2024)

Birdwatching

• 1 Marmelkroken, Bøveien 268 (Fv974) (next to Intercity bus route 930), ☏ +47 94 13 66 33. Andøya is an important birding area with plenty of rare birdlife. The Bird Walk contains 20 birdboxes and takes about 90–120 minutes for 80 kr. Also provides accommodation with 11 units and a local kitchen. (updated May 2024)

Other

• 6 Andøymuseet and Andenes Fyrtårn (Andøy Museum and Lighthouse), Richard Withs gt. 9, ☏ +47 900 76 332, +47 76 15 40 00, andoymuseet@museumnord.no. Daily 12:00–16:00. A museum and lighthouse, which are side-by-side. The museum highlights the region's rich and extensive history of fishing. You can also climb to the top of the lighthouse, which happens to be Norway's fourth tallest. Unsurprisingly, the lighthouse does not operate during the summer due to the area's high latitude. 100 krpp (lighthouse), 75 kr (museum). (updated Jun 2024)
• 7 Andøya Space (Andøya Space Centre), Bleiksveien 46, ☏ +47 76 14 46 50, spaceship@andoyaspace.no. M–F 11:00–15:30. Norway's only operational space centre with several VR games on-site. Due to its northerly location, this space centre's primary specialty is studying the Northern Lights, including Earth–Sun interactions. 95 kr. (updated May 2024)
• The Northern Lights is visible from most of the island. If you don't want to leave Andenes during the night, it can be viewed from 8 Viewpoint Andenes Fyr.

Eat

• 1 Andenes Pizza, Sjøgata 19, ☏ +47 76 14 15 00, cianomeroglu72@gmail.com. Daily 13:00–22:00. Budget pizza place. (updated Jun 2024)
• 2 Lysverket Kafé, Kong Hans Gate 1b, ☏ +47 468 91 300, lysverket@arresten.no. Mid-range cafe with an amazing range of desserts. (updated Jun 2024)

Drink

• 1 Mea Pub, Sjøgata 20, ☏ +47 47 32 53 92, +47 980 57 830. Not wheelchair-accessible. (updated Jun 2024)

Sleep

Lodging

• 1 Andenes Suite Hotel, Roald Amundsensgate 17, ☏ +47 41 41 55 50. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. (updated Jun 2024)
• 2 Hotell Marena, Storgata 15, ☏ +47 90 08 46 00, info@hotellmarena.no. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. Mid-range hotel with modern-looking rooms. Breakfast and coffee available. (updated Jun 2024)
• 3 Kristina Apartment, Sjøgata 38A, ☏ +47 97 76 00 20. Low-end apartments, which tends to be one of the more affordable ones in this area. Coffee and tea available. (updated Jun 2024)
• 4 Risøyhamn Sjøhus AS, Withs vei 69, ☏ +47 980 70 777, risoyhamnsjohus@gmail.com. Check-in: 15:00. Idyllic waterfront sea houses with plenty of modern facilities. Apartments minimum 1950 kr. (updated May 2024)