LOFOTEN ISLANDS STAVE CHURCH FEATURED New Port of Call LEKNES (LOFOTEN ISLANDS), NORWAY It’s easy to envision being at the helm of a Viking warship as you approach the Lofoten Islands along Norway’s northern coast (further north, in fact, than the Arctic Circle). Stark, jagged mountains stand against the sky, and deep fjords drop to sheltered bays and long, windswept beaches. Small villages and sheep pastures appear as you near Leknes, a small town of under 4.000 nestled on the island of Vestvågøy. In this land of auroras in winter and the midnight sun in summer, wild nature abounds — watch for the rare sea eagles flying overhead. In town, admire the work of local artists drawn by the stunning surroundings and enjoy a taste of stockfish, dried cod that dates to the Viking days and is a staple of the Norwegian diet. See this new port on the voyage, A Northern Summer, located on page 139. NORDEUROPA | 127 THE ROAD TO LEKNES CITY CENTER