Vågan municipality encompasses most of the islands of Austvågøy and Gimsøy in the northern Lofoten archipelago, along with a scattering of smaller islands including Henningsvær and Skrova. Its main town is Svolvær, the de facto capital of Lofoten and the busiest entry point for the islands by ferry, express boat, and air.
Svolvær (population around 4,500) has a working-harbour atmosphere and is well set up for visitors — several good fish restaurants, gear shops, and the starting point for most boat tours into the surrounding fjords and sea stacks. The famous Svolværgeita, a pair of rocky peaks above the town, is a classic mountaineering challenge; the jump between the two summits has claimed a number of would-be daredevils. The Lofoten War Memorial Museum covers the German occupation during World War II in detail.
Kabelvåg, 5 km west of Svolvær, is the oldest fishing village in Lofoten and feels more peaceful and historic. It's home to the Lofoten Regional Museum at Storvågan, which runs ongoing archaeological excavations on the site of the medieval trading centre of Vågar, and the Espolin Gallery showing works by the much-loved northern Norwegian artist Kaare Espolin Johnson. The Lofoten Aquarium is also here.
Henningsvær, accessible by a dramatic causeway across rocky islets, is the most picturesque of the fishing villages — a tight cluster of painted wooden buildings around a small harbour, with a handful of cafes and galleries that make it a popular stop on any Lofoten itinerary.