At the edge of the Arctic Circle, Ytrí (a name drawn from Old Norse, meaning 'the outer point') sits among the remote Træna archipelago, where low-slung buildings meet sharp, sea-cut peaks and an endless horizon. Drawing on fishing heritage, its design pairs weathered materials with clean lines and light-filled interiors. Summer days stretch long – spent island-hopping by boat, hiking to ancient caves or swimming in clear waters alongside seals and white-tailed eagles. Back ashore, a sauna, boathouse and seafood-led restaurant anchor this elemental retreat by the open sea.

Arranged as a cluster of small wooden cabins pared back to their essentials, the Arctic Hideaway certainly gives a new spin to the concept of luxury retreat. Life here is communal, with guests cooking together using what is available in the shared pantry (often local pollock, wild reindeer, and fresh bread baked on-site), alongside wood-fired sauna sessions, icy sea plunges, and evenings spent watching for the Northern Lights from the nearby hill overlooking the Lofoten archipelago. Pack appropriately for the elements, as even a short walk between the cabins would mean stepping into strong winds or snow, depending on the season.

Norway’s oldest fishing outpost has long offered shelter to weary seafarers, who braved icy waves to fish from Nusfjord’s bountiful waters. Sleep like sailors in traditional red-painted rorbuer, wooden cabins perched on stilts around the historic harbour. The boathouses, fish-packing warehouses and salt stores have new life as restaurants, an art gallery, and pizza tavern. Nordic bathing rituals are played out across the fjord-fronting spa’s wood-fired sauna and hot tubs, where treatments are infused with mineral-rich salt and hand-harvested seaweed.