Tromsø

A trip to the Far North, the Arctic Circle. Sound cold?

 

Dog sledding, snowmobiling, reindeer, seeing the Northern Lights…. A lot of experiences you can’t possibly get on a trip to the sun. This was so cool! 

 

We take you to Tromsø, a beautiful city in northern Norway.

Your ultimate travel guide to Tromsø in northern Norway.

Discover everything you need to know about the City of Northern Lights.

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Does Tromsø belong to Lapland?

Yes, Tromsø is part of Lapland. The northernmost regions of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia belong to Lapland, also known as Samenland.

Traditionally, these areas were inhabited by the Samen. The Samen – or Sami – are a nomadic people who still own large tracts of land.

👉 If you are in Lapland for the first time, we definitely recommend going to a reindeer camp where you will learn more about Sami culture.

Where is Tromsø located?

Tromsø is located in Norway, north of the Arctic Circle, at 69°40′ N. It is one of the few large cities (more than 50,000 inhabitants) located far north. Only the Russian city of Norilsk is just a little further north.

Want to go on an arctic adventure outside the big city? Then Svalbard might be for you.
But if you’re heading north to see the Northern Lights, Tromsø is just right for you. Tromsø is located on KP1, which means the Lights can be seen even with weak solar activity. Thanks to its location, climate, connectivity and plenty of activities, Tromsø is the most accessible part of Lapland.

What is the best time to travel to Tromsø?

Tromsø is a cool destination all year round. However, some periods are better for whale watching, seeing the Northern Lights, or dog sledding. With so many possibilities, we’ve listed the months for you!

 

The Northern Lights: September – March

Tromsø is a place where the Northern Lights are highly visible. You can spot the Aurora between September and March. So if you want to see the Northern Lights, but don’t want to go to the cold, you can go in September. It still averages 10 °C in Tromsø then.

 

Whale watching: mid-November – late January

Tromsø is the ideal location to spot orcas and humpback whales in the wild. For that, you need to be here between mid-November and the end of January. If you can’t spot them off the coast of Tromsø itself, the boat will take you to the even more northern town of Skjervøy. 👉 A good tour can be found here.

 

Polar night: late November – mid-January

The Polar Night is a period when the sun does not rise above the horizon for the entire day. From late November to mid-January, you can experience the polar night. It is not always pitch dark, but you certainly won’t see the sun. The great thing about this is that you can spot the Northern Lights as early as the afternoon!

 

Snow activities: December – March

Want to experience Tromsø’s winter wonderland with a thick layer of snow? That’s highly recommended, as you can enjoy unique excursions like snowmobiling and dog sledding here. For snow, you should go between December and March. 👉 Check out our blog on the best winter activities here.

 

Midnight sun: late May – late July

In summer, you have the opposite of the Polar Night. From 20 May to 22 July, the sun does not set at all, the famous ‘Midnight Sun’. At night, the sky has a special colour and of course it’s just cool to experience such a natural phenomenon! This summer period is ideal for long walks in the beautiful mountains of the High North.

 

The best time to travel to Tromsø?

As you can see, it is not so easy to name the ideal travel time from Tromsø. It all depends on what you want to do (and what’s on your bucket list).

December seems like an ideal travel month for your holiday to Tromsø because of the Northern Lights, whales, and a thick layer of snow with fun activities …. plus you get the cosy Christmas lights for free! But in December it’s also dark almost all day and of course you have to want that.

We went in March. This allowed us to do several snow activities, as well as see the Northern Lights. We also mainly wanted to see a lot of the beautiful surroundings, so being in the dark all day didn’t appeal to us. As far as we were concerned, March was ideal, but it was still a pity we couldn’t spot orcas 😉

Should I stay in the city or not?

Tromsø has a small, but cozy city centre. All excursions start from the centre, and this is also where the coziest cafés and restaurants are. It is ideal to book a hotel or flat in the centre.

However, it can be a lot cheaper to book a hotel or flat outside the centre. Just make sure your travel time to the city centre is not too long, otherwise, you will lose a lot of valuable time.

We recommend you spend about five days in the city and then do a little road trip to surrounding islands like Kvaløya and Sommarøy. Of course, if you don’t want to do any excursions, you can stay in the city for a short time.

👉 You can find a full 7-day itinerary over here.

What about transport?

Tromsø itself has an excellent public transport network. If you stay in town, you won’t need anything but the bus.

By bus, you can go all over the island and the buses also run very frequently. You can buy single tickets, as well as daily and weekly tickets to save some money.

All excursions have meeting points in the city. So if you want to go on an excursion, all you have to do is going downtown. A hotel in or near the city centre is therefore ideal.

If you want to go outside the city to one of the islands, a car is quite handy. There are buses, but not as frequent. A rental car for outside the city is recommended, and fortunately, the roads are very good!

Is Tromsø expensive?

Yes, Tromsø is quite expensive. Not only is accommodation and living a lot more expensive than most European countries, the excursions take a big bite out of the budget. But it’s also all more than worth it!

We did the maths for our trip to Tromsø and listed everything for you: accommodation, food & drinks, transport, excursions and tips on how to save! 👉 You can read it here!

How cold is it in Tromsø?

Actually, the cold is not too bad in Tromsø. Yes, you’re in the Arctic and there’s often snow, so I’m not going to say it’s hot. But compared to other parts of Lapland where you have similar winter activities (dog sledding, Northern Lights …), it’s not too bad in Tromsø.

That’s because Tromsø is on the west coast of Norway and therefore enjoys the warmer Gulf Stream. Be sure to bring your thermal clothing and gloves, but expect higher temperatures than in northern Finland or Sweden.

Can you see the Northern Lights in Tromsø?

Yes, Tromsø is on KP1 which gives you a very good chance of seeing the Northern Lights.
The best period to see the Aurora is between September and March. If there is a lot of solar activity, you can see the Aurora Borealis dancing above the illuminated city.

If there is little activity, or you’re only staying for a short time, we recommend booking an Aurora Chasing Tour which greatly increases your chances.

👉 Make sure to check our Northern Lights tips

Where can you see the Northern Lights in the city?

You can see the Northern Lights dancing above the entire city when there is a lot of solar activity.

But if there is minimal solar activity, you need to go to places without light pollution. You can then book a tour, or go to the darkest places on the island.

Some places with no or little light pollution in Tromsø:

  • Prestvannet
  • Telegrafbukta
  • Grønnåsen
  • Langvannet / Rundvannet
  • Varden
  • Fjellheisen
  • Tromsdalen Valley

You also might see them near the port and the bridge. But of there’s a lot of strong activity (and a clear sky), all you have to do is look upwards, wherever you are in the city 😉 

Snowmobile ride

Snow mobiling was one of the highlights of our trip. Not only was it incredibly cool to ride a snowmobile like this, but the scenery was surreal.

You ride among the mountains and are guaranteed to find complete tranquillity. A must-do if you are in Tromsø!

Among the trolls in the Lyngen Alps.

One of the advantages of Tromsø is that you can get to nearby islands and areas very easily. We were picked up for the snowmobile tour downtown, and within an hour we were in the idyllic Lyngen Alps.

You ride in pairs on a snowmobile and get to alternate at various stops. With hot chocolate in your hand and stunning views, stories are told about the mythical Norse trolls.

We did this tour on my birthday. It was the very best birthday EVER. Every second was just enjoyment.

Drive your own dogsled

Dog sledding is truly a unique experience that we can recommend to everyone. The enthusiasm of the dogs is also so much fun to see!

If there is little snow, it can be tiring, but if there is a good layer, it takes almost no effort. You can sled for about 90 minutes, and there are stopping points to alternate places. You are always with two people on a sled.

After the tour, you get a good lunch, an explanation of the dog kennel and plenty of time to play and cuddle with the huskies.

Tromsø Tip

Dog sledding: which kennel?

When we researched dog sled tours, we were reading some disturbing stories about some kennels. But also, that dogs in themselves have a lot of fun in the sledding itself.

After a lot of researching, weighing things up, we decided to book a tour at a kennel with the most public info on, for instance, the fate of retired dogs. Of course, you can never be 100% sure, but after visiting this kennel, we are pretty sure that the dogs here are treated correctly and lead a happy life.

So we can heartily recommend them and guarantee you will have a lot of fun with these amazing huskies. As you can see, Tromsø had many highlights, the dog sledge was definitely one of them!

Fjellheisen cable car

The Fjellheisen cable car takes you 420 metres up Mount Storsteinen. Here you have a great view over Tromsø and the various islands. You can simply enjoy the view, or do one of the hikes. A well-known hike is the one to Tromsdalstinden, to the summit at 1,238 metres.

Tip: check the website before you go there. If there’s too much wind, they won’t open.

In 4 minutes you can be on Mount Storsteinen.

The picture might look familiar to you. The most famous photo of Tromsø was taken from this point, but with the Northern Lights over the city. Something that happens quite often. Unfortunately, we were not that lucky – but the view was still beautiful.

If there is a lot of solar activity and clear skies, be sure to take the cable car up! It is usually open until midnight.

Sami culture

The Sami culture is one of the oldest cultures in Europe. The Sami were a true nomadic people who lived off reindeer. They used reindeer for both food, drink, clothing and transport.

For years, they were discriminated throughout Scandinavia; only in recent years have they been given equal rights. Be sure not to call them ‘Lapps’ as that is an insult to them.

Today, only a small part of the Sami live off reindeer. Most have given up nomadism, and a large proportion just work in the city.

Visiting the Sami

If you want to learn more about the Sami – the traditional inhabitants of Lapland / Samenland – you can book an excursion for this. You will go to one of the reindeer camps around Tromsø.

First, you get to walk around among the reindeer and feed them. A fun experience! Then you can experience the way the Sami used to move around: by reindeer sleigh.

Afterwards, you will have a delicious lunch and be told about their traditions, history and costumes in a Sami tent with campfire. You will also learn a lot about their reindeer.

Visiting the Sami gives you a different perspective on the region, and although we didn’t find it the most exciting activity, it was a unique experience. It felt like added value to know more about the culture!

Watch our Tromsø video

From dogsled to snowmobile.

Tromsø Tip

Rendeer hotdog

I must admit, at first, it felt a bit wrong to eat reindeer. But reindeer in Norway are like cattle here. Sort of.

Anyways, you can’t leave Tromsø without having tasted reindeer, unless you’re a vegetarian of course (respect!).

For the popular reindeer hot dog, you have to be at Raketten Bar & Pølse, a cute little stall right in the centre.

Kvaløya: pristine nature

We escaped from the city for 2 days to explore the nature around Tromsø. And it’s so beautiful here!

The islands of Kvaløya and Sommarøy will give you the most beautiful views. And it’s only one hour driving.

Nature at its finest.

From Tromsø, you have a lot of choice in terms of surrounding islands. If you have time for a long road trip, you should definitely check out the Lofoten Islands – that archipelago is also on our bucket list.

If you have less time, we can recommend the islands of Kvaløya and Sommarøy. We stayed there for two days, but could easily have stayed here much longer, because it’s so beautiful!

These islands are full of beautiful beaches, mountains and stunning views. Along the way, we saw sea otters, sea eagles, reindeer and moose 🤩

Kvaløya and Sommarøy are beautiful islands you must have seen!

Accommodation Tip

Sleeping in Kvaløya

This was one of the best accommodations EVER. By the sea (with idyllic jetty) and among the mountains. I have never been anywhere more unstressed than here. The flat itself is modernly furnished and has everything you need.

And… they have a Northern Lights wake-up service! We could see the Northern Lights from the cottage, there is NO light pollution in this place!

Did I mention that they also have a sauna and jacuzzi?

See the islands of Kvaløya and Sommarøy from the air.

Making the most of your holidays?

We have listed eight fun activities for you, and included all our tips to make the most of your holiday to Tromsø.

From the most beautiful beaches, to reindeer, to local pints.

If Lapland is high on your list, it’s time to tick off all those bucket list items!

What does a week in the North cost?

Lapland is expensive, we all know that. But how much should you put aside to make that dream come true?

We have calculated everything for you and give you some tips on how to save money.

Whale watching in Norway

Did you know you can spot orcas and humpback whales off the coast of Norway?
It’s one of the best places in Europe to see these magnificent creatures naturally!

From Tromsø, the bus will drive you to Skjervoy, where you sail in a small group towards the (foraging) whales and admire them from a distance.

The whales migrate to this area between November and January.

Want to read more about Tromsø?

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