There have been people living on these islands for several thousand years, thanks to the great natural resources of this region.

Hunting and farming has been important to the inhabitants, but what's made Lofoten so special is the great quantity of fish in the sea surrounding the islands. This has formed the basis for the well-known Lofot Fisheries lasting from January to April each year.

Vestvågøy municipality consists of the island Vestvågøy, situated in the middle of the Lofoten islands. In between the tall mountains Vestvågøy has also got a large area of fertile land.

This has been important for the inhabitants, since they could make use of the great riches of both the sea and the land. Combined with Lofoten's central location along the Norwegian coastline, this region was also an important area during the Viking era. On Vestvågøy archaeologists have found the remains of a large chieftain seat. There's now a museum on the location of the chieftain seat, where it's been built a reconstruction of the grand Viking banquet hall.

Situated north of the Arctic Circle, the Lofoten islands have a rough and varied climate. In wintertime you can experience the tremendous nature forces in an intense storm, with violent waves and heavy blizzards. While in summertime you can walk along sandy beaches, enjoying the warm breeze and the beautiful light of the midnight sun.

The magnificent and varied nature makes Vestvågøy and Lofoten an interesting holiday destination. You can challenge yourself with surfing, snowboarding and mountain climbing, or just relax and hang out on the beach or hike in the mountains. There's also a wide range of in-door activities, such as museums, art galleries and concerts.

The Vestvågøy tourist information-office is situated in the middle of the Leknes city-centre. 
Here is also the location of main departures and arrivals of buses in Leknes.