Tromsø is far to the north: Almost 350 km inside the Arctic Circle and a mere 2000 kilometres from the North Pole. Yet, the city doesn’t feel like an outpost. A vibrant, colourful, historic downtown is filled with lively cafes, restaurants serving fish and rowdy bars. There is a selection of interesting museums, galleries, and attractions to be explored, and you look for good buys in the shopping streets.
How to see the Midnight Sun
In summer, the midnight sun shines for 68 days, and the atmosphere in town in carefree and joyous, everyone eager to make the most of the precious light. This is manifested in a number of popular outdoor festivals.
The favourite activity for locals and visitors alike, though, is the exploration of the stunning scenery. The myriad of islands on the coast, the deep fjords cutting through the mountainous landscape. It’s endlessly varied, strikingly beautiful and safe to explore.
Tromsø’s historical centre invites to leisurely strolls
The centre is an eclectic mix of beautiful 19th century architecture, striking modern masterpieces and aesthetically challenged concrete. The main drag, Storgata, lined with outdoor cafes and shops, is where everybody meets.
Make sure to visit the quaint Polar Museum, dealing with Tromsø’s history as a centre for Arctic hunting and expeditions. At the experience centre Polaria, seals, fish, king crabs and calming gellyfish live good lives, all well explained and presented.
The Northern Norwegian Art Museum exhibits the north through the eyes of artists, local and international alike. Wonderfully low key and accessible is the Perspektivet local museum on Tromsø’s history.
Stop at Ølhallen – The Beer Hall – for a refreshment at the oldest watering hole in town, or maybe a guided tour. Explore central Tromsø on your own or join a guided stroll.
Head to the mainland for the grand panoramas
A 15 minute walk across the monumental bridge of Tromsø takes you to the Arctic Cathedral, Tromsø’s landmark modern church. Inside, take a moment to admire the colourful stained-glass window.
Another leisurely walk leads you up to Mount Storsteinen. Here you can either walk up the hillside yourself, or go by the cable car, to the viewing deck 421 metres above sea level. From here, Tromsø spreads out at your feet, and you see mountains, islands and lots of water.
Learn new things on the Tromsø Island
The areas immediately outside the city centre offer nice, eclectic architecture and great view. We have put together a nice walk taking and hour or so.
A long walk or a quick bus ride out of the centre will lead you to yet more things to see. Near the University Campus, one can learn about the Northern Lights at the planetarium withing the science centre.
Follow a forest path to the botanic garden featuring flowering plants from all continents. Due to the refreshing climate in Tromsø, this garden can grow alpine, arctic, and Antarctic plants that find it too hot in any other botanic collection.
The Arctic University Museum of Norway – “university museum” for short – has exhibits on the nature and culture of the north, including a rich presentation of the Sami culture. More surprising is the religious art exhibit, with some precious items from the Middle Ages.
The midnight sun shines for 68 days
From the 18th of May to the 25th of July, the sun does not set in Tromsø. There simply is no night. To observers from lower latitudes, the idea is difficult to grasp. The clock matters less, the body needs little sleep, and one tends to celebrate, enjoy and be carefree.
The Midnight Sun can be observed from various points in the city area. Some locations, including parts of the city centre, have the midnight sun view obstructed by hills and mountains.
As the midnight sun sets in late July, we’re entering the best time of the year, according to the locals. This a time for vibrant sunsets, for berry picking and for hiking. Glaciers are at their bluest in the late summer.
Get out at sea – day or night
No visit to Tromsø is complete without getting out at sea. And it can be done in many ways. The wooden boat Hermes from 1919 chugs leisurely through the waterways near Tromsø, while modern electric boats take you to the midnight sun in utter silence.
A RiB – like a zodiac with a keel – takes you quickly to the remote islands of the northwestern archipelago. Enjoying fishing just south of town is great fun, or opt for a sailboat excursion. Nothing connects your better with nature’s elements than kayaking. Choose between daytime excursions or boat trips under the midnight sun.
The mountains beckon – with panorama guarantee
With long daylight hours, residents of Tromsø are drawn to the trails in the surrounding hills and mountains, where the effort is rewarded with breathtaking views of the sea and mountains. There is a mountain for almost every fitness level.
The sherpa steps leading up to Storsteinen are short and brutal, with an iconic view awaiting at the top. On the island of Kvaløya, several scenic hikes await, including Ørnfløya near Sommarøy, renowned for its stunning ocean views.
Further afield, the Lyngen Alps reach a towering 1800 metres, but even here there are easy trails. Novice hikers should opt for guided tours, while glacier hikes must always be accompanied by a guide for safety.
There is some fishy business on your plate
Tromsø locals enjoy dining out with friends, and the city boasts a diverse range of restaurants. Fish features prominently on menus, thanks to Tromsø’s location on one of the world’s most abundant seas. Sometimes it is served the way grandma would serve it, just with some added finesse. Cooks however, often search inspiration from classic French cooking, from the spices of the world and the newest trends.
Shellfish and white wine are the definition of summer for many locals. Meat eaters feast on mutton and reindeer. There is, of course, no lack of various international restaurants, pizza and burgers. Always reserve a table ahead for fine dining.
No night doesn’t mean no nightlife
Tromsø’s nightlife is legendary in Norway. On sunny summer days, the locals linger at outdoor cafés until late, a sweater is often a good idea. As silvery summer rain and veils of mist engulf the city, the indoor atmosphere is cosy and inviting.
Sociable Tromsø locals often move between venues, pausing on the bustling main street for conversations with friends. Expect loud laughing and many smiles. There’s a special feeling stepping out of a nightspot and seeing the sun shining down the main street from the north.
Go behind the Lyngen Alps for scenery and heritage
There is a world beyond lively Tromsø. To the east of Tromsø, the majestic Lyngen Alps soar to a height of 1833 metres (6000 ft) from the fjords. While this realm of peaks, glaciers, and pristine wilderness may appear daunting, there are several easier hikes that provide a glimpse into the area’s beauty. Beyond the chain, the long Lyngenfjord offers incredible mountain views and great hikes. There are also deep, forested valleys and stunning waterfalls. The rich cultural heritage comprises Sami, Kven (people of Finnish origin), and Norwegian influences
Senja is an island of many faces
Another beautiful neighbour of Tromsø is the island of Senja. Norway’s second biggest has a rough, weather-beaten and dramatic ocean side. The inland-side, though, is green, fertile, and friendly.
In-between, there are mountain peaks, rivers, light birch forests and calm lakes. The Norwegian Scenic Route meanders along the outer coast between dramatic cliffs, fishing villages and scenic viewpoints. The southern coast is friendlier, and surprisingly lush is the adjacent island of Dyrøy.
What is the weather like?
Tromsø and Northern Norway have entertaining weather. Sometimes, warm winds from the south-east drive the temperatures up to the mid- or even high 20ies, almost intolerable to heat-sensitive locals.
Rain systems following the gulf stream is another possibility, making your day very wet. Chill from the Greenland ice cap and Svalbard brings single digit temperatures and snowfall on the mountain tops even in July.
Northeasterly winds frequently bring fresh temperatures around 10-15 degrees Celsius, accompanied by varied cloud cover and ample sunshine. Pack your swimsuit along with long johns, woollen hats and mittens. Jeans, trainers, t-shirts and a good, wind-proof jacket will keep you comfortable most days.
Good to know about Tromsø in summer
Tromsø is found some 350 km inside the Arctic Circle, and a good 2000 km from the North Pole. More specifically, it is found in the country of Troms, in the region of Northern Norway, some 1150 km north of Oslo or Stockholm as the crow flies. There is no bigger cities further north in the world, and Tromsø is the biggest city inside the Arctic Circle in the Nordic countries.
Tromsø TOS has a modern airport with many daily connections to Oslo OSL with airlines like Norwegian Air (DY) and SAS (SK). Widerøe (WF) flies to Bergen BGO in the fjord region, with direct flights to a number of international destinations.
There are also international connections from hubs in Europe directly to Tromsø parts of the year. Airlines like Lufthansa/Edelweiss/Austrian fly from Frankfurt, Zürich, Vienna and other central European cities all year or part of the year. Air France flies to Paris most of the year. Wizz Air W6 flies to Gdansk. Finnair AY flies to Helsinki all year. All these airlines have onward international connections.
In the busy winter season, many more airlines fly to many more airports in the UK, Netherlands, Spain, Italy, France, Ireland, Iceland and other countries. A good place to start looking is the website of the Tromsø Airport.
Visit Tromsø is the local visitor’s centre, and operates a tourist information centre as well as a comprehensive website.
Tromsø has many hotels, ranging from first class to economy, and also some good apartment hotels catering for families and groups of friends. There is also a camping with huts and bungalows, suited for both budget travellers, families and groups of friends.
In the area surrounding Tromsø, you find bungalows, holiday apartments and hotels, usually at stunningly scenic locations. Visit Tromsø presents this comprehensively on their website.
Tromsø’s airport is a mere 4 km out of the city centre. You can get here by city bus, by taxi or by the airport express bus.
The city centre itself is easily walkable, and there are city buses to places like the cable car, the botanic garden and the university museum. Further afield, one needs to plan more carefully. For information and tickets for public transport in the city and across the county of Troms download the app Svipper.
There is a catarmaran 2-4 times a day to Finnsnes. From here, there are local buses to various locations on the island of Senja. There is also a catamaran to Lysnes on the northeastern side of Senja island most days of the week with onward bus connections to locatities on the northern side of the island.
The easiest connection is the catamaran to Harstad and an onward bus connection via Tjeldsundbrua. The travelling time to Svolvær is some 7 hours. There is a longer bus ride involving a bus change in Bjerkvik. More info is available on the website of public transportation in Troms county, Svipper.
There is a daily bus to Alta. There you have to spend the night. The next day, there is an onward connection to Honningsvåg near the North Cape. The legendary Hurtigruten – operated by Hurtigruten ASA and Havila depending on the day – sails from Tromsø in the evening and arrives in Honningsvåg in the late morning. The airline Widerøe (WF) flies from Tromsø to Honningsvåg several times a day. Bus info in Finnmark county (Alta, Hammerfest and Honningsvåg notably) is available at Snelandia.
Tromsø is some 1150 km away from Oslo. It takes a good 30 hours to take the train from Oslo to Trondheim, then onward to Fauske near Bodø. Onward, you take the bus to Narvik, then to Tromsø. The details can be obtained at the website EnTur.
An option used by international travellers is to take the train from Stockholm through Kiruna to Narvik. From Narvik, the bus takes around 4-5 hours to Tromsø. Book through the Swedish Railways.
