6 Best Sights in Trondheim to the Lofoten Islands, Norway

Hidden on the northern side of Moskenesøy, the only way to reach this beautiful beach is by walking. Wedged between the mountains, this golden-sand beach is a gem. Once you are parked, the hike here takes around 45 minutes. Amenities: parking. Best for: walking.

This imposing granite mountain rising up from the Torget Island is pierced with an enormous hole dead center. A famous landmark in Norway, the mountain's soaring interior—which measures nearly 250 feet high, 525 feet long, and 90 feet across—is reached via a 20-minute walk on a well-marked path and can be easily explored on foot. Torget Island is about 9 miles from Brønnøysund center and is connected to the mainland via the Torghatten bridge. The mountain can also be seen from the southbound Hurtigruten coastal ferry.

Part of Nazi Germany's coastal defense system, this massive naval gun was originally built to be used on a ship during World War II. The "Adolph Cannon" is now part of an interactive museum where you can explore its inner workings and see examples of the different types of missiles it could have fired. The gun is the last of its type left in the world, and is a reminder of the country's tragic history.

If you're an art lover, you can plan encounters with Artscape Nordland, an art project involving artists from 18 countries. The idea behind the project was to collect modern art and place one sculpture in every municipality in Nordland, with the landscape as the backdrop to the art. Sculptures—including Uten Tittel by British artist Tony Cragg, which is on the breakwater in Bodø—are in beautiful locations along the coast in 33 Nordland municipalities.

One of the most photogenic beaches in northern Norway, Uttakeiv Beach is 12 km (7 miles) from Leknes. This beach has unmatched aurora shows during winter and a spectacular midnight sun in the summer. Amenities: parking. Best for: walking.