You're likely to be setting yourself up for disappointment if you wish for a holiday to blow your expectations out of the water. Though my 15-year-old daughter and I risked high hopes for our trip to Nusfjord. We hoped to be struck dumb and breathless by the vertiginous, snow-covered peaks erupting like towering shark’s teeth from the Norwegian Sea; to dine on incredible local cuisine; and to let our jaws gently drop in wonder as the Northern Lights fire up their psychedelic display across the night skies. That might sound like a demanding wish list, but it’s par for the course at this historic fishing village resort way up beyond the Arctic Circle in northern Norway (Iceland is a relative southerner in comparison to here). Nusfjord is tucked away in a tiny secluded bay on the Lofoten archipelago, a labyrinth of islands famed for those aforementioned mountains. We came in late winter when everything was cloaked in a blanket of snow. Think of the landscape surrounding Arendelle in Frozen and you’re getting close to the drama of this place (Arctic Norway was indeed a big inspiration for the movie). Reaching the resort is a challenge wrapped inside a conundrum itself. Three flights from Heathrow will get you to within an hour’s taxi ride (which we did on our return journey). Or with a direct flight to Tromsø, it’s a long day’s drive. Of course, that splendid isolation is also a blessing as it keeps the non-adventurous riff-raff well away, but it’s also an invitation to take it blissfully slowly getting here. So after running through the numerous permutations of planes, trains and automobiles, we plumped for the ultimate in glacial travel: an overnight cruise ship from Tromsø with Havila Voyages that weaved its way around never-ending majestic isles. The final, short leg all the way to Nusfjord was on a school bus that’s shared with the public (can you get any more quaint?). Nusfjord isn’t like a hotel, or a resort really; it’s a historic fishing village (the earliest settlements date back to 425BC) and possibly the best preserved in Norway. Besides the rorbu (those bright red traditional fishermen’s cabins, now converted into guest suites) scattered around a crooked little harbour, many of the other buildings make up what could be counted as a museum. From the cod-liver oil factory to the boat shed, to the blacksmith and sawmill, there are plenty of weatherbeaten buildings guests can freely wander in and out of, all packed with the original tools and artefacts used by Nusfjord’s former working inhabitants. Back in 1947, a local captain by the name of Ragnvald Olsen used to row out to sea from the rorbu we stayed in. Yes, there’s bona fide history ingrained into the wooden panels of these cabins. Now, of course, it’s a little more comfortable than in Ragnvald’s day. Refurbished in a shabby chic, mid-century style, the rorbu makes a snug yet spacious base to kick back in. And in chilly winter you will want to spend plenty of your downtime here. Ours came with two en-suite bedrooms complete with ubiquitous but welcome rain showers, plus a separate living space for collapsing in after a lively hour or two’s ramble along the coast to Nusfjord’s miniature lighthouse. Do go; you don’t need a guide and the wild exposure and sea views are wonderful. While some rorbu are built upon the rocks, ours was on the boardwalk of the wooden harbour, perched upon stilts with the tide lapping directly below. This couldn’t have been illustrated more clearly on the afternoon we arrived when we were literally shaken to attention as the whole cabin suddenly jolted an inch or two. Turned out it was only Nusfjord’s elegant traditional fishing boat, Elltor, nudging into its mooring outside our door. We weren’t expecting to encounter Elltor until the next morning, when we were due to board for a much-anticipated sea-fishing expedition. So, naturally, there’s was a slight puncturing of our holiday bubble when we were told the weather would be too frisky a few miles off coast to go catch our cod supper. However, as we had deliberately kept our wishes modest, the alternative option of sea kayaking wasn’t a bad plan B. After a thoroughly reassuring briefing by our guide Eduardo, we gently paddled out of the harbour, only to hear half a dozen guests besides themselves with excitement on the harbour wall, pointing and shouting, “Orcas! Orcas! Look, orcas!” A rush of terror hit us (oddly enough, my daughter had joked that she wasn’t getting in a kayak if there were killer whales around), followed by an even more intense flood of excitement, and we were off, paddling like crazy to get a peek of these beasts (an unexpected rarity at this time of year). And there they were, less than 100 metres away, a pod of half a dozen or so, their black fins thrusting out of the sea against an echoing backdrop of dark, jagged mountain peaks. We felt strangely secure (they’re not interested in eating a little plastic boat, Eduardo reassured us) gliding through the water at a safe distance, snowflakes gently drifting down. If that wasn’t enough of a thrill, Eduardo had brought along a couple of fish to tempt some other local creatures into a show. Before long, we had two sea eagles majestically swooping down to the rippling water between our kayaks. Expectations truly were blown right out of that icy Norwegian Sea. What do you do after that type of once in a lifetime experience? In Nusfjord you head for a well-deserved sauna and a dip in the outdoor hot tub while basking in your Bear Grylls glow. And if you’re lucky, the Northern Lights will begin to swirl high above the drama all around you. You could also indulge in a little creative culture at the Salteriet (“salt house”) gallery, which showcases really rather good Norwegian artists. Naturally, we were also hungry for a dinner of champions after such exhilaration. Restaurant Karoline (one of three options) is famed for the excellence of its Nordic fare and had us in a state of semi-rapture every evening. From meltingly tender Lofoten lamb with celery compote to local duck breast with Nusfjord Toddy sauce, nothing on the menu (we ate it all) was less than perfection. Indeed, such is the reputation of Karoline that it currently has three-star Michelin restaurant RE-NAA in for a brief residence. We chose to visit in winter for the frosty vistas and our first sighting of the Aurora Borealis, but Nusfjord is a wonderland whatever season. Come in summer and the landscape is a hikers’ paradise under the midnight sun, seabound activities are less foreboding and it even caters to golfers. Nusfjord is a place you know is going to delight but, beyond that, if you come with an open mind and go with the flow, you’re expectations might just turn into lofty, heart-stopping moments come true. Cabins from £190 for two, nusfjord.com