Discover Havnnes: trading history, museum and fjord

Havnnes is located on Uløya in Nordreisa. The village combines a preserved historic trading centre with a museum, a photography exhibition, and activities on the fjord and by bicycle. When planning your trip, it helps to consider whether you would like to spend more time exploring the trading history and exhibitions, or cycling and enjoying activities on the water. The different themes give your stay distinct focuses.

Trading history and historic buildings

Havnnes Handelssted is a preserved historic trading centre that is still in operation today. Gammelbrygga was built in 1893 and was a central part of the trading operation. In 1942, Norway’s Directorate for Cultural Heritage, Riksantikvaren, protected five of Havnnes’s 15 old buildings. You can explore the numbered historic buildings at your own pace. The trading centre, Gammelbrygga and walking route bring together the history of the operation and the buildings on site.

Museum, photographs and technology

Havnnes Museum is located in Gammelbrygga. It displays ship models, antique cash registers, original shop fittings and packaging for goods once sold at the trading centre. The exhibits combine maritime themes with tangible traces of the trade in goods in the past: alongside the models, the shop fittings and packaging are a focus. The exhibition may change over time.

The Annie Giæver Photography Exhibition documents people, landscapes and traditions in Nord-Troms. It also offers the chance to see one of the earliest colour photographs taken in Norway. While the objects in Gammelbrygga tell the story of trade and goods, the photography exhibition turns its attention to the people and landscapes of the region. A preserved 90 hp Bolinder semi-diesel engine from 1928 adds to the historical insights. It is displayed in the old shrimp factory on the opposite side of the harbour, about a two- to three-minute walk from the museum’s main building. The engine display may change.

Stockfish, cycling and the fjord

Another glimpse into local trade can be found at the stockfish warehouse by Havnnes Handelssted. Visitors can enter the warehouse and see large quantities of stockfish destined for the Italian market. Confirm that visits are possible before your trip.

There are cycling routes on Havnnes and Uløya that you can choose according to duration and difficulty; you can also download an offline map. Electric bicycles are available for rent in Havnnes, allowing you to explore Uløya on day trips. Confirm rental availability directly. For trips on the fjord, 19-foot Kværnø aluminium boats are available for hire, for example for fishing trips or exploration. Availability may change here, too. The considerations differ when planning: for cycling routes, duration and difficulty matter; for boats, it is the purpose of the trip.

Getting there by car ferry

Car ferries connect Havnnes with Rotsund on the mainland, by the E6, and with Uløybukta on the eastern side of Uløya. Check departure times before your trip.

Discover more destinations: Storslett, Sørkjosen and Rotsund.

Go to the main travel overview: Nordreisa.