Tromsø can be a festive place to go before Christmas. The 80 000 inhabitants of the city get through the entire month of December completely without the sun, but with atmospheric Christmas concerts, cafés and restaurants full of merrymakers, traditional quivering lutefisk and a bit of Christmas shopping. Which is precisely why you should visit Tromsø before Christmas.
The Christmas feast days tend to be quieter, but with a bit of planning they can be very memorable. And then the final stretch of the year turns loud and convivial, with gatherings, laughter and a proper New Year’s Eve celebration.
The darkness has its positives
In December, the sun doesn’t show its face at all in Tromsø, staying below the horizon all month long. Despite this, on clear days there is quite a lot of light at around noon. And a little later in the day, what remains of the light reflected off the snowy peaks around the city creates a fantastic and magical blue light. But it is mostly dark. Very dark. And THAT’s what Tromsø folk find so appealing.
The Christmas feel starts in late November
The Christmas fairs held on the weekends of November are fun places to find Christmas gifts, especially traditional handicrafts. On the last weekend in November, the Christmas tree lights are turned on in the main square, accompanied by festivities of all kinds. Everyone who believes in Santa Claus should take a trip to the hamlet of Berg, south of the city, on the first weekend in December, for a generous helping of good old-fashioned Christmas atmosphere.
Christmas coffee and beer is aplenty
In Tromsø what really counts is visiting the city’s vibrant cafés and restaurants. Warm, noisy, softly lit and packed full of people, they offer the weary Christmas shopper a delightful coffee break in the midst of good company.
Dark, too, is the taste of the city’s own specially brewed Christmas beer. In the pre-Christmas period, the local bars and restaurants are filled with ex-Tromsø folk returning for their Christmas holidays, so Tromsø nights are particularly electric in the run up to Christmas.
Seafood is a big deal on the Christmas menu in Tromsø
In the old days, Advent was a time of fasting, when no meat was eaten. In Tromsø, however, eating fish and seafood has never been a sacrifice. Fish specialities from Tromsø combined with fresh ingredients from the icy ocean are combined with the finesse of international cuisine. A traditional dish is lutefisk – dried cod soaked in water with a hint of lye – then poached and served with bacon, brown cheese, syrup, mashed peas… well, the condiments are a matter of heated debate. Thinking about it, the whole dish is debateable…
Less controversial is a panfried slice of halibut or a platter of succulent shells and prawns. The shoals of Lofoten cod swim past Tromsø on their way south, and close to Christmas you can be fortunate enough to be served delicacies like skrei (spawning cod), cod liver and roe.
Look around for local Christmas shopping opportunities
What should you buy to take home, that is really particular to Tromsø and Northern Norway? Warm, hand-made socks, mittens and hats made in Norway’s most active handicrafts county are just the job for a stroll around town in the Arctic cold. Be sure to ask for felted wool products, as they are extra warm. Tromsø also has several good sports shops with high expertise in the outdoor life. A picture or a piece of jewellery from a gallery, or a decorative glass ball from the world’s most northerly glassblowing studio, won’t take up much space in your suitcase.
Black, syrupy cordial made from crowberries and soft, crumbly, many-layered sweet lefse are among the local food specialities. If the mobile fishmonger has his truck in the square, ask for a piece of good boknafesk, semi-dried cod. Lamb, lamb roll and brawn (headcheese) from Lyngen or Kvaløya have the aroma of wild Arctic heather.
Christmas is a time for concerts around Tromsø
To get in the right Christmas mood, it may be an idea to go to a Christmas concert. Tromsø’s many choirs, the mighty organs in Tromsø Cathedral and the Arctic Cathedral, as well as the more fun-oriented Christmas review groups, all conjure up a festive atmosphere in the dark December evenings.
All regular tourist activities go ahead throughout the Christmas period
For the very reason that it is dark, you should head out of town, for then you have the best chance of seeing the spectacular Northern Lights. Trips by dogsled, boat, snowmobile and reindeer sleigh go in all directions from Tromsø, to take you to a front-row seat to view the Northern Lights. And then the final stretch of the year turns loud and convivial, with gatherings, laughter and a proper New Year’s Eve celebration. For an updated overview, check Visit Tromsø‘s impressive overview.
Some people find it simpler to go to the far north of the island of Tromsøya, on which Tromsø is built, or to hire some skis and follow the flood-lit trails around the entire city area. People with experience in winter driving can also consider a Northern Lights hunt with a rental car.
Plan the Christmas feast days well
While Advent is a hectic, fun and busy time, Christmas itself – from Christmas eve to Boxing day – can be very quiet. The holidays are celebrated in the family – according to age-old traditions. However, the interest from abroad is considerable, so hotels are open, excursions run and you can also dine out. Albeit all of it with pre-booking. Don’t start looking for things to do on the 24th in the evening, then nobody picks up the phone – careful planning is thus a must.
The week between Christmas and the New Year is festive
On the night of the 26th, young people have had enough quality time with the family, and go bar hopping. On the 27th, shops also reopen. The holiday homelanders – tromsøites who live down south – update themselves on Tromsø gossip in cafés, bars and nightclubs all week. Days may be quiet, but the evenings are busy in Tromsø’s compact city centre.
New Year’s Eve firework celebrations rival displays across the World
On New Year’s Eve the Christmas holidays go out with a bang. Against the mountainside the old year symbol is lit with hundreds of flaming torches, and on the stroke of 12 the fiery digits change to the new year, against a background of fantastic fireworks. Rockets whizz up all over the city, and champagne-drinkers teeter on high heels on icy pavements. If you’re going to party, you’re going to party!
Tromsø is a city of 80 000 inhabitants situated some 350 km/200 mi inside the Arctic Circle in Northern Norway. Some 1150 km north of Oslo and some 2000 km from the North Pole, it is the biggest city in the Nordic area north of the Arctic circle.
Firstly; there is a bit of daylight in the middle of the day. How bright it get, depends on the weather. To keep your sleep pattern steady, make sure to go to bed and get up at set hours. The locals tend to take supplements of vitamin D in winter, this is something you might want to consider to. And… you will discover that darkness at 2pm can be cozy and atmospheric. Activities such as skiing, dogsledding and snowmobiling run in the dark, with the help of a headlamp.
Visit Tromsø is the city’s official tourist information. Their sell and inform about an impressive number of tours and excursions. We recommend to book everything ahead of the Christmas holidays or the New Year’s holiday, as the opening hours are a bit limited in the holidays, and there is a big demand. Things can be improvised a bit more if you come before Christmas or in the week between Christmas and the New Year (the 27th to the 30th).
The winter temperatures in Tromsø are not as cold as you think. Thanks to the lukewarm waters of the Gulfstream, the average temperatures in December hover around -1,7C (about 29F). Temperatures can sink to -10 (14F) during cold spells, or you can have up to +5 (around 40F) when rain and wind follow the Gulfstream up to Tromsø. Snow can fill the streets, causing the traffic to creep and slither between the snowdrifts – but it never stops. Or the grass on the cathedral green remains green. One never knows. Crampons for your shoes is a good idea, Tromsø is a slippery place.
There is no central restaurant booking. Consult the restaurant presentation of Visit Tromsø and ring or send an e-mail.
Norwegians typically celebrate Christmas on the evening of the 24th of December. This means that the shops are open in the morning hours, but close early. The evening of the 24th is sacred and homely, and very family-centred – meaning downtown is very quiet. Shops are closed by law on the 25th and the 26th too, and the number of open cafes and restaurants is limited. We suggest to plan these dates really well, with tables booked at restaurants well ahead. Another idea is to go on the many tours and excursions organised even on the 24th. New Year’s Eve should also be planned well, with shops closing early and restaurant tables booked well in advance.