Bodø, latitude 67°17'N, is the administrative centre of Nordland county. With its 43.000 residents it is the second largest town in Northern Norway, with excellent communications and fully modern facilities. The town is surrounded by beautiful nature, including the Børvasstindene mountains to the south, and Landegode island and the Lofoten Islands to the north. Each year, more than 1.5 million people travel to and from Bodø by air, railway, bus, express boat or coastal steamer.

The people of Bodø are known to be cheerful, pleasant, straight to the point, and very hospitable. We enjoy entertaining guests, and it is difficult for us to hide our pride when we take visitors to the Saltstraumen Experience, to Kjerringøy Old Trading Post, to the Norwegian Aviation Museum or to the many other sights and attractions found in the Bodø area.

The logo of Destinasjon Bodø AS displays the sea eagle. No other town in the world has a larger population of this majestic bird - proof that this choosy, majestic bird thrives in our area. We are sure that you will too. We hope you take the opportunity to experience what Bodø and its surrounding has to offer, and that you will enjoy the hospitality of those who live here.

Sights

10 000 m2 of Norwegian aviation history! From the main road into Bodø, the Norwegian Aviation Museum resembles a gigantic propeller. This modern building has a unique form, in grey and black, and with huge surfaces of shiny glass.

But the real excitement begins once you're inside. From the entrance, which comprises the light and pleasant Café Gidsken, you move into the Rotunda, a tall and spacious exhibition about mankind's ancient dream of flying.

On both sides of the Rotunda, there are monumental exhibition halls - one for civil aviation and one for military aviation history. Together, they form a virtually inexhaustible source of insight and information, experience and wonder. Here you can see the Junkers Ju-52, the U-2 spy plane, Spitfire, Mosquito, Vampire and Starfighter.

From the museum's control tower, we see a spacious and wild landscape, full of contrasts and with a climate that has provided many challenges for aviation.

You are quite welcome to try the museum's flight simulators. It will feel real enough to make you perspire!

The Norwegian Aviation Museum offers regular guided tours during the summer, and group tours by appointment the rest of the year. Easy access for wheelchair users.

You can experience the world' strongest maelstrom, just 33 km from Bodø. Visit when the tide is at its highest and marvel at the forces of nature. Every six hours, 400 mill m3 of water at speeds up to 20 knots rush through the 150 m wide and 3 km long sound connecting the Saltenfjord and the Skjerstadfjord.

The powerful whirlpools can be up to 10 m in diameter and 4-5 m deep. Tide table for Saltstraumen is available in the menu on the left side of the website.

Saltstraumen is famous for its abundance of fish, including cod, saithe, wolffish and halibut. The world record for saithe caught with a fishing pole was set here, an impressive 22.7 kg! Saltstraumen offers a wide range of activities and exciting experiences. If you want to try your luck fishing you can either rent tackle for fishing from the shore, or you can fish from one of our boats. You can hire a boat on the spot, or join a group going out on one of the deep-sea fishing charter boats.

This is also a great starting point for rambling and trekking in the beautiful mountain wilderness, such as Børvasstindene, or for wandering through areas rich in archaeological remains. Traces of 10 000 year old human habitation have been found here.

The small island of Landegode lies just outside Bodø. It is a scenic jewel, whether you are bathing under the midnight sun in the summer or watching the dramatic dance of the northern lights above the lighthouse rock in the winter.

In this island realm we find the world's largest and most dense population of sea eagles, and this majestic bird is a magnificent sight as it takes off from its nest and plunges into the fjord in its quest for fish.

Landego Lighthouse was built in 1901 in order to secure the seaward approach from Lofoten to Bodø. Today, it is automated and in full operation. It is possible to spend the night in the lighthousekeeper's and the assistant's houses. It takes a good hour to reach Landego lighthouse by boat over the choppy sea.

This is an old bailiff's farm, 8 km north of Bodø by trunk road Rv 834. A worthwhile destination in itself, it can also be visited on the way to or from Kjerringøy. A Danish bailiff lived on the farm during its days of prosperity in the latter part of the 18th century. The farm actually dates from 1651 and was in use until about 1970.

It is now owned by Bodø municipality and run by Salten Museum. It has been restored, particularly the main building where original furnishings and wallpapers are preserved. In the summer, the distinctive café is open, and weather allowing you can choose to have your meal served in the beautiful garden. Near the old farm, there are a several interesting monuments from the Iron Age.