How to get to L'Anse aux Meadows from Europe and what to do

You go by plane to St Johns, the largest town and the capital of the province, situated on the southern tip of the island. From there you take a domestic, one hour flight, up to St Anthony on the northern tip of Newfoundland.  From St Anthony it takes half an hour by car to L'anse aux Meadows.

St Anthny

This is a small town with about 2,500 inhabitants, two hotels and with several people offering Bed&Breakfast. We stayed at Fishing Point B&B where Ruby took good care of us.

Nearby was The LightKeeper's Café where you can have excellent seafood and at the same time watch fishing boats arriving with more delicacies from the sea. Nearby is also a newly-built 'longhouse' named Leifsburdir, where Dwayne  offers Viking Feasts.

Like people elsewhere with a direct link to the Vikings, people are familiar with the real Vikings and know that there is more to know about them than that they were big, fierce and extinct (like the dinosaurs). As fishermen they can appreciate the navigational skills of the Vikings, and many were familiar with the Viking sagas.

In town you find the Viking Mall, the local supermarket, and Vinland Motel, where they serve a Vinlander burger, but Barbara suggested we tried the local specialty, the Bake-apple cheese cake, a cheese cake with cloud berries and cream.  Another specialty was a glass of ice-water served with every meal and the ice was brought from icebergs passing by on a daily basis we were told.

Anything for families?

The Historic site at L'Anse aux Meadows speaks for itself  to adults, but parents had better be prepared to answer a lot of questions from their young ones. Outside the Historic site you find the Norsemen's Café where you can have lunch and then continue over to Norstead, A Real Life Saga where the whole family can see, learn and participate in Viking life.

L'Anse aux Meadows - L'Anse aux Méduses

The name L'anse aux Meadows is from the French name L'anse aux Méduses, translating into Bay of Jellyfish. As the English settled the area the name was slowly Anglicised into L'anse aux Meadows.

Have a good trip!

Best regards,

Tove and Wigo


Updated 23. July. 2000 by The Viking Network