Discover the only authenticated Viking settlement in North America.
L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site
Norstead
Viking Events & Cultural Experiences
The Viking Trail Road Trip
Plan & Book
Over 1,000 years ago, they ventured into the rugged waters of the North Atlantic in search of a New World. Their presence here had been legend, but in the 1960s, archaeologists uncovered evidence that turned sagas into facts.
Still the only confirmed Viking settlement on the continent, L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site offers a trip back to their time. Walk in the footsteps of Leif Erikson and his Norse crew, and experience how the Vikings lived more than a thousand years ago.
In 1968, explorer Helge Ingstad and archaeologist Anne Stine Ingstad discovered a small cloak pin that would change history forever. From there, subsequent discoveries proved that the earliest European explorers took their first steps into the Western world right here, at the very tip of the Great Northern Peninsula of Newfoundland and Labrador – part of the wider world they knew as Vinland.
A designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, L’Anse aux Meadows offers more than just a testament to the Vikings' presence. Travellers can visit the actual archaeological remains of the Norse settlement and fully immerse themselves in the living history at the reconstructed encampment. With replicas of turf buildings, longhouses, workshops, and boathouses, it’s easy to imagine how these ancient explorers once lived.
Costumed interpreters bring the Viking history to life and lead workshops on traditional Viking craftsmanship like blacksmithing, weaving, and spinning yarn. Gather around the skáli (kitchen) and hear heroic and tragic tales of Thor, Loki, Erik the Red, and more from the Sagas.
Just minutes from L’Anse aux Meadows, Norstead is a recreated historic Viking port of trade, with a longhouse, church, and ship shed. Step aboard the Snorri – a full-scale replica of the Viking ship that sailed from Greenland to the island of Newfoundland – or try your hand at Viking-era crafts and activities, from reading rune stones to throwing axes to navigating with the stars.
Though the centuries have passed, their presence still lingers in our art, culture, and adventure. You can find Viking-themed experiences from feasts where you can dine like a Norse explorer to live music, storytelling, and performances inspired by the ancient sagas. You’ll also find Viking-inspired handmade goods in local galleries and artisan shops.
Viking Festivals & Events - Random Order
Viking Craft, Shops & Galleries - Random Order
Viking Travel Offers - Random Order
When it comes to the history of this place, the Vikings are just one chapter in a story that stretches back thousands of years. If you want to dig deeper into the past, the Viking Trail Road Trip on Route 430, from Deer Lake to the tip of the Great Northern Peninsula, tells more than a few stories.
Begin in Gros Morne National Park, with hikes that lead you through ancient fjords and geology shaped millions of years ago. In Cow Head, explore local attractions featuring collections of artifacts that span thousands of years, including tools dating back about 4,000 years, offering insight into Indigenous history and traditional outport life.
Continue to Port au Choix National Historic Site, a place where Dorset, Maritime Archaic and other peoples left their mark long before the Norse ever set foot here. Make your way to St. Anthony to explore the Grenfell Historic Properties, where Dr. Grenfell’s pioneering medical and social efforts reshaped northern life around the turn of the 20th century.
Getting to L'Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site
From Deer Lake, drive about 4.5 hours north along Route 430 on the Viking Trail to the historic site. You can fly into Deer Lake Airport for easy access to the Viking Trail.
From the Marine Atlantic ferry terminal in Port aux Basques, it’s roughly 7.5 hours by car along Route 1 and Route 430. From St. John’s, expect about 10 hours by car via Route 1 and Route 430.
Viking Attractions - Random Order
Viking Tours - Random Order
L'Anse Aux Meadows and Area Tours - Random Order
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