LILLØY LINDENBERG

Want to See the Northern Lights Without the Crowds? Visit One of These Private Island Retreats in Norway | Vogue

"On the wave‑battered islet of Midtøyni just off Norway’s west coast, going off‑grid doesn’t mean going without—especially when the Northern Lights dip south. Check into the Main House’s trio of rooms or claim the standalone Boat House and you’ll find a beautifully crafted toolkit for slow living: a herb‑infused sauna built from shoreline stones, an outdoor pool for cold plunges, and a self‑serve shop curated by chef Antje de Vries, stocked with natural wines and plant‑based ingredients ready for your pan. Original timber has been meticulously restored, mattresses are stuffed with local seaweed, and gardens fed by compost and rainwater supply most of what Antje cooks over the Aga and serves in the wood‑paneled dining room. Days drift between kayaking, foraging walks and seaweed hunts, and the island’s popular Kelp Club suppers where locals and guests trade stories over season‑led plates—set against fjord‑framed horizons that glow at night—while 360‑degree sea‑to‑sky vistas offer wide‑open viewing territory in a year of unusually far‑south aurora." - Chloe Frost-Smith