Bodø sits just above the Arctic Circle on Norway's northwest coast, the largest city in Nordland county and the northern terminus of the Nordlandsbanen railway. It is the main jumping-off point for the Lofoten islands, with daily express ferries, Hurtigruten coastal voyages, and frequent flights connecting the archipelago to the mainland.
The city itself was almost entirely rebuilt after World War II — German bombing in 1940 destroyed most of the old centre — so the architecture is utilitarian rather than picturesque. But the setting is spectacular: the Bodøhalvøya peninsula is ringed by fjords, the Lofoten Wall dominates the horizon to the west on clear days, and the surrounding mountains are laced with well-marked walking trails. Keiservarden, a 366-metre plateau above the city, is the classic local hike and draws well over 100,000 visitors a year.
Bodø is also one of the best places in Norway to see the midnight sun (in summer) and the northern lights (in winter). The Saltstraumen tidal current, about 30 km southeast, is the strongest maelstrom in the world and worth a detour. Within the city, the Norwegian Aviation Museum and the Nordland Museum fill half a day between them.