The scream is still important. As fantastic food, fresh or dried, and as a carrier of culture to an entire world. But the Middle Ages is historically only a youth here with us.

Settlement back to the last ice age

In the forest behind Nyvågar Rorbuhotell is a 9,000-year-old cave. During the last ice age, this cave was located on an island. But when the heavy ice melted, the land rose and now the cave, which has two entrances, is on land. The cave is full of mythical petroglyphs and cave paintings and these drawings tell us that there were people in Nyvågar who hunted and fished here even before the ice retreated after the last ice age. When you stay with us at Nyvågar, you sleep on historical grounds.

Next to Nyvågar Rorbuhotell is an archaeological excavation site of settlements dating back to the 8th century. Today, only 1% of the field has been excavated and more than 100,000 objects have been found. The excavations show that already in the Viking Age, Vágar was an important meeting place for trade, consultation, exchange of goods and conflict resolution for the chieftains in the north. The market, the fishing and the people formed a commercial export and cultural centre. This caused King Øystein I Magnusson to be the first to build rowboats here in Storvågan as early as 1100. In the years that followed, the area became a well-known trading center in the north. In the 14th century, dried fish accounted for over 80% of Norway’s national exports, and Vágar had extensive trade and cultural exchange with Europe. “Alperosen” Lofoten’s oldest robu is located in this area today.

The Black Death turned things upside down

In the period after Svartedauen in the 1350s, Vágar gradually lost its central administrative functions, and the primary sales of dried fish were moved from Vágar to Bergen. Around 1400, Vágar had thus played out its role as a city and regional capital, but the excavations show great fishing activity in the centuries that followed.

Grab the treats while you’re here

Today, Nyvågar is a cultural treasure for those interested in history and culture. Here is the Lofoten Museum where you can learn all about Lofoten’s history, cultures and traditions, the Lofoten Aquarium with an exciting selection of everything that lives in the sea outside the rorbuen and Gallery Espolin with strong images of people, life and work in Lofoten. In addition to history and culture, we also offer culinary experiences in our restaurant Lochstua at Rorbuhotellet. At Lochstua, we cook so that you will have a unique taste experience of Lofoten while you are visiting and you will be able to enjoy the lovely meal in a cozy and good atmosphere in our restaurant right down by the sea.

Whether you want to hold your meeting or conference in a place with an important cultural and historical setting, with excellent meeting facilities, good beds and excellent food, or whether you want to take family and friends on a rorbu holiday in Lofoten. With Northern Norwegian hospitality at Nyvågar Rorbuhotell, we encourage activities and experiences that give you a taste of the real Lofoten in every way.