Municipality · Nordland
About Hamarøy
Steven Holl's tower-like Knut Hamsun Centre at Presteid, Lule Sámi culture at Árran in Drag, and the sheer rock walls of Hamarøyskaftet.
What to do and where to stay in Hamarøy
Places to stay are run locally, with no hotel or campsite chain behind them.
1Hamsun Centre (Hamsunsenteret)History & culture
Steven Holl's tower-like building at Presteid, opened on Knut Hamsun's 150th birthday in 2009, with a new main exhibition from summer 2026 on his contested life and books.
Vestfjordveien 1464, Presteid · 1.5–2 h · all-year (check hours); main summer season
2Knut Hamsun's childhood home, HamsundHistory & culture
The small farmhouse where Hamsun grew up, shown on guided visits with coffee and stories in the living room, where his father Peder's sewing machine still stands.
Buvågveien 14, Hamsund, about 5 km from the Hamsun Centre · 45–60 min · 2026: 1 Jul–9 Aug daily 11–15; groups by arrangement
3Árran Lule Sámi CentreHistory & culture
The Lule Sámi centre in Drag (Ájluokta), founded in 1994, with a museum and shop alongside a Lule Sámi kindergarten, a language centre and Sámi Parliament offices.
Njárgga 33, Drag (Ájluokta) · 45–60 min · all-year, Mon–Fri 09–15 (per whichmuseum; check)
4Skaftheia and HamarøyskaftetHike
An easy marked 2.6 km return path climbs to Skaftheia at 400 m, right below the rock spire of Hamarøyskaftet, with views to Straumsvatnet and the Lofoten wall.
Mølnbukta, by Fv17 on Hamarøya · 1–2 h (2.6 km return) · June–September
5Landstrykerstien and the Sørdal film villageLocal oddity
A demanding 9.5 km loop from Vasseng below Hamarøyskaftet to Straumvatnet, with a side path to Sørdal, an empty village where grey houses built as film sets still stand.
Vasseng, off the Halsen road, Hamarøya · 5 h (9.5 km loop, 563 m ascent) · June–September
6Hellmobotn by boatNature
A summer express boat from Drag runs up the 33 km Hellmofjorden to the abandoned village at its head, where mainland Norway is only about 6.3 km wide.
Hellmobotn (Vuodnabahta), head of Hellmofjorden; boats from Drag · full day; hike to the border 19 km return (8 h) · summer only (check the current Reis Nordland timetable)
7Tranøy sculpture walkLocal oddity
Sculptures and galleries dot the old pilot village where young Hamsun clerked, from a rock-pool show at Heimerhamna to a Kraken about sea pollution by the lighthouse.
Tranøy, north-west tip of Hamarøya · 1–2 h · all-year outdoors; galleries mostly summer
8Naustet Mat & Drikke, Tranøy lighthouseFood & drink
Restaurant in the lighthouse's old boathouse serving fish soup and waffles at lunch and grilled dried cod, bacalao and elk meatballs at dinner.
Tranøyveien 1286, Tranøy · 1–1.5 h · May–October daily (lunch 12–16, dinner 17–21); Sept–4 Oct 12–20, dinner pre-booked; winter groups only
9Hamarøy Church, PresteidHistory & culture
A white concrete church by Nils Toft, consecrated in 1974 after the 1885 church on the site burned in 1969, with altar textiles woven by Eva Henna Aalto.
Presteid, near the Hamsun Centre · 15–30 min · all-year (exterior); interior at services
10Hamarøy Folk Museum at BreidablikkHistory & culture
A merchant farm at Oppeid where Jens Pedersen ran a trading post from about 1845 until 1963; you can walk the yard among the farmhouse, barn and storehouses.
Vestfjordveien 1595, Oppeid · 20–40 min · grounds all-year; buildings open only for events
Book something local
guided walk
Guided coastal walk at Tranøy ↗
A 2–3 hour guided walk along the Tranøy shore from the lighthouse for 4–12 people; a longer guided trip to the Nesstraumen tidal current is also offered.
Tranøy Fyr · Tranøy lighthouse
climbing
Guided climb of Hamarøyskaftet
A guided rock climb to the 612 m spire of Hamarøyskaftet near Skutvik, with abseils on the way down, for people with no or some climbing experience.
Nordland Turselskap · Hamarøyskaftet, Skutvik/Oppeid