"Henningsvaer- Great Lofoten homebase" Henningsvær by Lauki

I think it's safe to say that Henningsvaer is the most scenic island in the immediate vicinity of Svolvaer, the main island.
This gave us the feel of staying in a small, remote fishing village while still being a relatively short drive (12 km) away from the convenience of the main island with it's restaurants, shops, the airport, etc.
This way we spent days in the beauty and quiet of Henningsvaer while most nights we ate, shopped, drank, etc. back at Svolvaer.

Center of Henningsvaer from a hilltop

We stayed at the Henningsvaer Rorbur (not the most original name in the world) and it fit the bill exactly. We went for standard room which means it's a little bigger than my closet No big deal though, it's all part of the charm. The cabins are bright red on the outside and all natural wood on the inside.
With nice weather you can easily spend a day just taking pictures in Henningsvaer. While watching out for the slippery spots, you can get up a nice hill to grab some shots of the town. You can also hike the large mountains overlooking the island. We hiked up a mountain in a different village instead but I bet the view over Henningsvaer was something else.

View from our rorbur's dock

What esle...
There's an outdoor adventure type place right at the base of the island (within walking distance from the hotels). We kayaked on the ocean and loved it. They also had other kinds of boats, guided tours, ATV's, etc.
One standout shopping spot (for the ladies) is a store where a woman sells multi-colored hats, scarves, etc. that she makes herself. They are very artsy. Not something you'd see in a Gap catalouge. My wife walked away with a hat that will never cost justify itself since we live in Dallas, TX.
Overall, Henningsvaer is a great base for exploring the islands because of the marriage of location and view. For a long visit in Lofoten it might be more worth it to stay deeper into the chain but for a short visit this is the perfect spot.

• Pros:Scenery, proximity to the main island
• Cons:None that wouldn't apply to the other islands
• In a nutshell:Perfect blend of isolation and convenience