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11 photogenic places that are still inexplicably undiscovered

lofoten islands photogenic places - Shutterstock
lofoten islands photogenic places - Shutterstock

The slim crust of a new moon and the starry sweep of the Milky Way arcs above us. Slowly, wisps of cloud start to streak across the sky. “Here they come,” whispers Geir Notisnes, our photography guide. We raise our cameras in readiness and snap a long exposure at the sky. On the screen appears ethereal ribbons of emerald silk.

“The Sami say you can hear the northern lights sing,” says Geir. He has spent the last 20 years pursuing aurora borealis in the Lofoten Islands, one of the most reliable places in the world to see the natural phenomenon. “I still haven’t taken my best picture, so I keep chasing,” he smiles.

Some 95 miles north of the Arctic Circle, and reachable by a 3½-hour express boat or a half-hour flight from Bodo on the Norwegian mainland, the Lofoten Islands serve up Arctic scenery on a staggering scale. Picture red-roofed rorbuer (fishermen’s houses) dwarfed by sword-sharp mountains that spear into glass-clear fjords. Broad smiles of sandy beach, skies patrolled by eagles, waters wriggling with cod that bring whales and, of course, night skies dancing with northern lights.

Few places still relegate humankind to its wild fringes, but the Lofoten Islands are such a place. Here Nature is a fiery mistress with quickly changing weather that makes for dynamic landscape compositions and distinct seasons that bring unique photographic opportunities. Arrive in the clutches of winter (December to March) for snow-dusted scenes, frozen lakes and the best chance of photographing the aurora borealis. Plus, as an added bonus, the sun never rises far above the horizon, so the light remains soft for extended shooting hours.

Autumn (September to December) ushers in a painters’ palette of fall hues and summer (mid-June to August) heralds the arrival of the never-setting midnight sun, bringing long sunrises and sunsets, a riot of wildflowers in the mountains and the most favourable weather for hiking to those hard-to-reach peaks for some envy-inducing aerial photographs.

Look out for the archipelago’s quirks – from roads that run on water, to the world’s most oddly placed football field in Henningsvaer – and remember it is not all about scenery either. Besides tourism, the Lofoten’s staple industry is fishing. Coincide a visit between the months of January and April, the main netting season, to train your lens on locals stringing up vast racks of skrei (Arctic cod) to dry. Just brace yourself for the stink and the seagulls. From day one, the Lofotens will – pardon the pun – have you hooked. Be prepared to return year after year.

How to do it

Norwegian Airlines (norwegian.com) flies from London to Bodo via Oslo from £160 return. The ferry connecting Bodo with the Lofoten Islands can be booked at torghatten-nord.no. Thon Hotel Lofoten (00 47 76 04 90 00; thonhotels.no) has double rooms from £120 per night.


10 more places yet to be ‘discovered’ by the Instagram set

Camargue, France

Just a few miles from the glittering Cote d’Azur lies the Wild West. This near-forgotten region of southern France is characterised by salty wetlands blushing with flamingos and patrolled by white-horse riding cowboys (or ‘guardians’), who can be photographed corralling hulking black bulls and competing in rodeos. The gateway to the region is Arles. It may be UNESCO-listed, but it still flies under the radar despite being the town where Vincent Van Gogh bashed out 300 paintings in 15 months in 1888 and boasting a 2,000-year-old Roman amphitheatre.

France has cowboys too - Getty
France has cowboys too - Getty

Ardnamurchan, Scotland

Almost-an-island Ardnamurchan juts out 17 miles into the whale-rich Atlantic Ocean, just north of the Isle of Mull in the Highlands. Site of the most westerly point on the UK mainland, it’s a windswept swathe of pine-and-birch forest, thistle-studded moors and volcanic white-sand bays accessed only by single-track roads. Just 1,200 humans inhabit the peninsula, the rest is given over to nature and it’s one of the few places left in Britain where you can glimpse the feisty wildcat. You probably won’t, but there’s Père David’s deer, pine martens, porpoise and seals to set your lens on instead.

Ardnamurchan scotland - Alamy
Ardnamurchan scotland - Alamy

Bagni di Regina Giovanna, Italy

A skip down the coast from Sorrento, this seaside sparkler has been keeping its beauty secret since Queen Joanna of Naples entertained her illicit lovers at the Roman Villa, Pollio, in the fourteenth century. Its cavernous natural swimming pools filled by the glass-green sea call out for the camera’s attention.

The coast near Bagni di Regina Giovanna - Getty
The coast near Bagni di Regina Giovanna - Getty

Austerland, Iceland

Don’t discount Iceland as being photographed to death. Most snappers stick to the well-worn Golden Circle or northern fringes around Akureyri, but the Eastfjords is as yet largely undiscovered. Home to just 13,173, it’s a chance to photograph real village life, dramatic coastlines populated with puffins and not forgetting the staggering basalt columns of Stuđlagil Canyon.

Eastfjords iceland - Getty
Eastfjords iceland - Getty

Setenil de la Bodegas, Spain

The great cities of Sevilla and Granada have long drawn shutterbugs but tucked between the two is Setenil de la Bodegas – Andalusia’s best-kept secret. A marvel of bright-white Moorish architecture built into the surrounding cliffs. Ascend the Torreon del Homenaje tower for the best aerial views of town and find unusual angles of the thirteenth century Arab Nazari Castle.

Andalusia’s best-kept secret - Getty
Andalusia’s best-kept secret - Getty

Eastern Bhutan

The Kingdom of the Dragon only opened to travellers in 1974 and its recently increased US$200 Sustainable Development fee per tourist per night keeps visitors to a minimum. As such, its landscapes are pristine. Hike up hillsides alive with fluttering prayer flags to photograph its vast rice terraces, stay in the home of a local family to see the brewing of fiery arak and spicy ema datshi, or sit quietly in temples lit with incense and peopled by orange-robed Buddhist monks.

bhutan - Getty
bhutan - Getty

Perast, Montenegro

Nestled north of Kotor, Perast is one of the best-preserved towns on the Adriatic coast, but no cruise ships stop here. It’s an enigma, with a population of just 274, only one main street, but a staggering 17 Venetian-era palaces and 19 churches. Why? This tiny coastal village was founded by fishermen and mariners who traded copiously with Venice and with their riches they built grand homes, squares and Baroque masterpieces such as St Nikola Church. Come in summer for the folk singing festival, Klapa, and Fašinada, where locals row out to deposit stones on the chapel islet of Our Lady of the Rocks, but better in spring to have the locals to yourself.

Perast is one of the best-preserved towns on the Adriatic - Getty
Perast is one of the best-preserved towns on the Adriatic - Getty

Raja Ampat, Indonesia

Underwater photographers only whisper the name of this revered archipelago – located between west Papua and the Maluku Islands – for fear word will spread too fast. Considered one of the best diving destinations on Earth, you’ll submerge yourself in a world of pygmy seahorses, manta rays and coral bommies blooming with soft corals. And because much of the colour and action is best at a depth of five metres, you don’t necessarily need specialist camera housing since many phones are now water resistant at that depth.

Raja Ampat - Getty
Raja Ampat - Getty

Yazd, Iran

Overshadowed by glamorous Esfahan and the poet-town of Shiraz, Yazd in central Iran is one of the oldest cities in the world. Its preserved historic centre bears a skyline of traditional wind-catcher towers and alleys of adobe mud-brick homes. Twists and turns reveal ancient qanat (aqueducts), cisterns and domed temples and it’s a pleasure to stroll the streets capturing the teahouse culture, Persian carpet and silk weavers, and the unique da’khmeh (Tower of Silence), where Zoroastrians once honoured their dead.

Rooftops of Yazd on a sunny winter day - Getty
Rooftops of Yazd on a sunny winter day - Getty

Rye, England

The search for camera fodder doesn’t always have to lead abroad. Just one hour by train from London is the medieval coastal town of Rye, with cobbled streets lined with Tudor homes. Train your lens on the quirky house with two front doors, its nook-and-cranny alleys and the Mermaid Inn, which dates from 1420 and whose former guests include the notorious Hawkhurst Gang of smugglers, Queen Elizabeth I and ghosts aplenty.

The medieval town of Rye - Getty
The medieval town of Rye - Getty