Tromso, the city in my heart where I have spent most of my life, is located at 69°North in the Arctic part of Norway. Although it is relatively small with its 73 000 inhabitants it has much to offer visitors, with plenty of things to do all year round.
In the winter, people come to Tromso to witness the amazing northern lights that ripple across the sky in the dark winter nights. Surrounded by unspoiled wilderness on every side Tromso is a fantastic place to experience some of nature’s wonders such as the sight of the hundreds of whales that every winter enter the fjords around Tromso to feast on herring. The abundance of snow during winter, also make it a perfect place for skiing from November to late May.
The summer is all about the midnight sun and the long bright nights, hiking, fishing, and basically just enjoying the beautiful nature that Tromso has to offer.
Tromso has a lot of accommodation options to choose from. If you haven’t yet decided on where to stay in Tromso, then click here to read our complete guide to our favorite Tromso areas and hotels.
Tromso is also, surprisingly for such a small city, famous for its party life and pubs. The city has more pubs per inhabitants than any other city in Norway and the main street Storgata is packed with happy partying people on Friday and Saturday nights. Maybe the University of Tromso’s 16 000 students has something to do with it.
Tromso really has something to offer for everyone all year round! Knowing what to bring for a trip to Tromso can be challenging due to the cold and shifting weather, but don`t worry. Here you get a complete packing list of what to pack for a trip to Tromso summer and winter.
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How To Get Around Tromso
The 10 Best Things To Do In Tromso All Year Round
1. Cable car up to the mountain Floya
The cable car “Fjellheisen” is a true icon in Tromso, dating back to 1961, and loved by both the locals and tourists. In my opinion, it is the number one must-do-thing when visiting Tromso.
From the top, you get an amazing view of Tromso city and it`s beautiful surroundings of mountains and fjords. In the background, you can see Kvaloya, one of Norway’s largest islands, where I grew up. ♥
View from Floya Mountain
It is magical watching the northern lights dancing above the city in the winter, or see the midnight sun sparkling in the sea surrounding Tromso in the summer. So it is a great thing to do all year-round. Be sure to bring warm windproof clothes as it gets chilly at the top even in the summer months.
There is a nice cafe/ restaurant at the top where you can buy cold beer, hot drinks like tea, coffee, and hot chocolate, cakes, Norwegian waffles (they are the best!), ice cream as well as a light meal.
If you are the sporty type, you can walk up to the top. The walk is great and takes about 30-60 minutes. I really love this hike! You can either take the path to the right of the cable car house, or the new Sherpa build stair steps to the left of the cable car house.
To save your knees and shorten the walking time, you can take the cable car down and save half the ticket price. The mountain where the Cable Car stops is actually called “Storsteinen” (Big Rock, 421 m above sea level), while the actual Floya mountain (671 m above sea level) is a bit further up.
- Opening hours summer (15th of May – 15th of August): 10:00 – 01:00 every day
- Opening hours winter (16th of August – 14th of May): 10:00 – 22:00 every day
- Departs every half hour, the trip takes 4 min each way
- Ticket price: 170 kr for adult/ 60 kr for children
- How to get there: You can drive a car over to the cable car in Tromsdalen (5 min). There is a big parking place at the bottom of the cable car. You can also walk over the bridge to Tromsdalen (30 min, 2,5 km), which is a beautiful easy walk where you pass the famous Arctic Cathedral. Just follow the signs. Another alternative is the bus, take bus no. 26, which departs near the main square.
- Nearby sights: You will pass the Arctic Cathedral on your way to the Cable Car. There is only a 15-minute walk from the Cathedral to the Cable Car.
- Fjellheisen webpage
2. The Arctic Cathedral
The Arctic Cathedral, or Ishavkatedralen in Norwegian, is a real landmark in Tromso. It is on every postcard and is THE image of Tromso. It was built in 1965 and designed by a famous Norwegian architect called Jan Inge Hovig. Fun fact: He was married to the famous Norwegian TV-chef Ingrid Espelid Hovig, who revolutionized the Norwegian kitchen and cooking skills in all Norwegian homes.
The Cathedral has the shape of an iceberg, and in front, there is a stunning glass mosaic which sparkles with incredible colors when the sun shines through it. Some say that the shape of the Cathedral is inspired by the small island Håja on the outside of Tromso (you will see it if you drive out to Sommaroy island).
You can easily see the Arctic Cathedral from Tromso Center, from the city harbor, but if you want to see the mosaic you have to head over the Tromso Bridge and step into the church. It’s an easy walk with a beautiful view of the harbor.
During summer (1st of June – 15th of August), there are organ concerts in the church every day at 14:00, and Midnight Sun Concerts at 23:00. At winter (9th of February – 12th of March) there are similar concerts called Northern Lights Concerts in the church. These are also at 23:00 every week from Thursday to Sunday. The doors open 22:30, the best seats get taken first. The Midnight Sun Concerts and Northern Lights Concerts are a great and a wonderful way to see the church.
A visit to the Arctic Cathedral is perfect to combine with a cable car trip (above). You can, for instance, do the cable car first, and head down to catch the Midnight Sun/ Northern Lights Concert after.
- Opening hours summer (1st of June – 15th of August): 09:00 – 19:00 (Sundays 13 – 19)
- Opening hours winter (16th of August – 31st of May): 14:00 or 15:00 – 18:00
- Ticket price entrance: 50 kr
- Ticket price Organ concert: 70 kr
- Ticket price Midnight Sun concert/ Northern Lights concert: 170 kr for adult, 50 kr for child
- How to get there: You can drive a car over to the cable car in Tromsdalen (5 min). There is parking just next to the church. You can also walk over the bridge to Tromsdalen (30 min, 2,5 km), which is a beautiful easy walk. Another alternative is the bus, take bus no. 20, 24, 26 or 28. They all leave close to the main square.
- Nearby sights: The Cable Car (no. 1 in this guide)
- The Arctic Cathedral Webpage
3. Polaria Arctic Experience Center and Aquarium
Polaria is kind of a museum but also so much more. It is a combination of an experience center and an aquarium where you will learn about the Arctic nature and animals, including several nice films like the one about the Northern Lights.
The highlight at the Polaria is in my opinion when they feed the seals and make them do tricks. I really loved it! Great fun for kids too. There are two feedings per day, 12:30 both winter and summer, and 15:00 during summer and 15:30 during winter. So make sure to be there at one of these times! It is great fun! The rest of the aquarium consists of arctic fish of all kinds like the king crab, cod, and wolffish.
Just next to Polaria is the old seal hunting ship M/S Polarstjerna, covered by a glass shelter. Here you can walk around on the ship and get a feel for how it must have been to live the life of a seal hunter.
On your way out, you walk through a really nice gift shop where they sell handmade local products made of seal skin, reindeer bones, wood and so on. They also have a cafeteria open every day.
- Opening hours summer (18th of May – 31st of August): 10:00 – 19:00
- Opening hours winter (1st of September – 17th of May): 10:00 – 17:00
- Ticket price: 130 kr adult/ 65 kr child
- How to get there: A short walk from Tromso Center (10 min)
- Th Polaria Wepage
4. Polar Museum
If you are to visit only one museum in Tromso, then this is it. It shows the unique position Tromso had as the capital of sealing and as the “Gateway to the Arctic”. The exhibitions give an insight into the hard life the trappers had on Svalbard through the winter. The lives of famous trappers like Henry Rudi and Wanny Wolstad, as well as the amazing polar exploration expeditions of Fridtjof Nansen and Roald Amundsen, are just some of what you will learn about at this museum.
The Polar Museum
At this museum, you will actually also see the Siberian Husky dog, Sajak, that I grew up with! He is standing outside of the little trapper´s hut, obviously not alive anymore, but his fur is still looking pretty good if you ask me. ♥
Just next to the Polar Museum is Skansen, the oldest house in Tromso. It was built as a customs station back in 1789. It is surrounded by other small old houses and a beautiful garden. There is a cafe here in the summer.
Skansen – The oldest house in Tromso
- Opening hours summer (15th of June – 5th of August): 09:00 – 18:00
- Opening hours winter (1st of Januar – 14th of June & 16th of August – 31st of December): 11:00 – 17:00
- Closed: 1st of May and 17th of May
- Ticket price: 60 kr adult/ 30 kr child
- How to get there: It is located in downtown of Tromso
- Nearby sights: Skansen, the old part of Tromso, which consists of the oldest buildings of Tromso
- The Polar Museum´s webpage
5. Extreme Auroras – Northern Lights Movie at The Science Centre
The brand new and spectacular Northern Lights movie “Extreme Auroras” is made by the well-known and talented Northern Lights photographer and filmmaker Ole Salomonsen. We saw the movie at the premiere with Ole himself in the audience where he also told us all about the challenges of making this movie.
For 26 minutes you will witness amazing Northern Lights photos and videos in the 360-degree planetarium and it feels so real, almost like witnessing the real thing or maybe even better!
The Planetarium in Tromso is the largest in Norway and is a part of the Science Center of Northern Norway located on the campus of the Arctic University of Norway. Before or after the movie, make sure to visit the Science Center and have some fun doing some science experiments.
- The Extreme Auroras film is shown every day at 15:15 (English), and during weekend and holiday also at 13:15 at 14:15 (German voiceover)
- Opening hours Science Center: 10:00 – 17:00 every day
- Ticket price entrance Science Center including the film Extreme Auroras: 120 kr adult/ 60 kr child
- How to get there: The Science Center and Planetarium is a part of the Arctic Universty of Norway (where I work). From Troms Center you can walk (45 min), drive (10 min) or take bus no. 20.
- The Science Center of Northern Norway`s webpage
6. Tromso Cathedral
When walking through the main street of Tromso, Storgata, you can`t miss this old and beautiful wooden church “Domkirka”. Dating back to 1861, this is the Northern most Protestant cathedral and the only one in Norway that is made of wood.
We join the church service at this Cathedral every Christmas Eve, it`s a family tradition.
If you want to learn more about the city of Tromso, you should take this guided city walking tour. This tour is a great deal as a guided tour at the Polar Museum is included in the price of this tour.
- Opening hours summer: June & July 13:00 – 15:00, August 13:00 – 16:00
- Opening hours winter: Monday till Friday 13:00 – 17:00
- Ticket price: Free
- How to get there: It is located right in the middle of downtown Tromso
7. Cafes and Shopping
The main pedestrian street of Tromso is called Storgata, and here there are plenty of nice shops, cafes, and restaurants. Storgata is most lively on Saturdays and is well worth a stroll.
Storgata
Tromso Harbour
In addition to regular mainstream souvenir shops, there are several unique shops in Tromso that sell local handicrafts and Norwegian design clothing and souvenirs. Some of them are:
- Husfliden – Sell Norwegian handcraft like clothes, knitted stuff, wood art, bunad, and accessories. Address: Sjøgata 4
- Blåst – The only blown glass factory and shop in Tromso
- Krane Art Gallery – Sell art from artists from all over Northern Norway
- There are also other unique shops in Tromso that you should check out: Norrøna (sport clothes), Andresen Vaapenforretning (sport clothes and equipment), Moods of Norway (clothes), Gullsmed Kristiansen (jewelry), Wintervold (Scandinavian jewelry design), Britts (clothes and kitchen stuff), and Galleri Nord (paintings and arts by Norwegian painters), Sweet Heart (candy and chocolate)
Approximately every second month there is a Farmers Market in Storgata, where you can buy local homemade organic products like honey, knitted clothes, vegetables and fruits, cheese, berries, pastries, candy, jam, and other delicatessens. Make sure to try svele (Norwegian style pancake served with jam)! Mmmmmm, sooooo yummy! ♥
Us local Tromso people do, however, love Jekta shopping mall. It is the biggest shopping mall in Tromso (probably the whole Northern Norway). It is located next to the Airport, about a 10-minute drive from the Center of Tromso (bus no. 34, 40 or 42).
Tromso is famous for it` vibrant nightlife, so if you fancy to head the clubs and pubs and go partying, Tromso is the place! Most of the clubs and pubs are located in Storgata, so you don`t have to go far to get to the next place to have a beer or a drink or glass of wine.
8. Visit Tromso’s oldest pub Ølhallen
Mack Brewery established in 1877 is, although it moved outside of town in 2012, Tromso’s pride and joy. It used to be the Northern most brewery in the world until Svalbard brewery opened in 2015.
Mack`s famous pub Ølhallen is Tromso’s oldest pub established 29th of February 1928, and a visit here is mandatory if you ask any die hard Tromso fan. Ølhallen has Europe`s longest tap beer tower with 70 beers on tap. Mack also has a Micro Brewery with over 100 different beers on their production list.
I have a tradition with some friends of mine to head to Ølhallen pub every December when Mack releases their famous Christmas Beer. When you enter Ølhallen, you have to take notice of the big stuffed polar bear, it is huge!
If you are a beer enthusiast, take the Tromso Beer Safari!
- Ølhallen opening hours: 10:00 – 19:30 Monday till Wednesday, 10:00 – 00:30 Thursday – Saturday, closed on Sundays
- Address: Storgata 4 (in downtown Tromso)
- Mack`s Webpage
9. Boat Trip & Fishing
Taking a boat trip is a excellent way to experience the artic wilderness and its animals up close. There are several tour operators in Tromso offering boat trips around Tromso Island and the surrounding fjords. A popular trip is the 5 hours cruise on board the classic wooden boat “Fjord Queen”. Click here for more information, prices and availability.
Fishing has been a part of the culture of Norway and particular Northern Norway for decades and still is one of the country`s main sources of income. You can fish in the sea from shore anywhere, but it`s extra fun to head out to the sea in a boat and go fishing.
On some boat trips, they even cook your self-caught fish onboard and you can have it for lunch. Super fresh and yummy! One of these tours is the 5-Hour Polar Fishing Adventure. Everything you need is included like fishing gear and insulated body suits.
I would say that chances are pretty good that you will catch some fish, both cod and coalfish are common but you can get lucky and catch more exotic fish like halibut and wolffish.
Every summer we head out to a place called Hella on Kvaloya (a 45 min drive from Tromso Center), which is a very popular fishing spot where a big strong current makes it excellent for catching some wolffish and coalfish.
There is also a nice cafe/ restaurant called Hellastua run by a French couple which makes the most delicious cakes and food. Hella has many old houses that originally was located in Tromso City so it feels kind of like an outdoor museum. Hella is also a nice and popular place to go camping, and you can actually book a night in one of the old houses.
- Boat trip from downtown Tromso: costs approximately 1200 Nkr = 145 us$, duration 4-5 hours
- Opening hours at Hella Cafe: Saturdays and Sundays 11:00 – 17:00 (April – October)
- How to get to Hella: Drive over to Kvaloya towards Straumsbukta (45 min). Google Maps direction
10. The Museums
Tromsø Museum
If museums are your thing, Tromso Museum has exhibitions of everything you want to know about the Arctic and Northern Norway like the Sami people and their culture, the science and myth of the Northern Lights, the Viking era, and the nature and wildlife in general.
The Tromso Museum
- Opening hours summer (1st of June – 31st of August): 09:00 – 18:00
- Opening hours winter (1st of September – 31st of May): 10:00 – 16:30 Mondays – Fridays, 12:00 – 15:00 Saturdays, 11:00 – 16:00 Sundays
- Closed 1st of May, 17th of May, 24th, and 25th of December
- Ticket price: 60 kr adult/ 30 kr child
- How to get there: You can walk from the Center of Tromso (45 min), or you can take bus no. 37 towards “Rostbakken”
- Tromso Museum`s Webpage
Northern Norway Art Museum
If you’re interested in art, you can also consider stopping by the Northern Norway Art Museum. The exhibitions on display vary. Check their web page to get an overview of what`s on display.
- Opening hours: 10:00 – 16:00
- Ticket price: Free
- How to get there: Just walk, located close to the tourist office
- Northern Norway Art Museum`s Webpage
Perspektivet Photo Museum
With a photo archive containing over 500 000 photos, the Perspektivet Museum is a great place to get an impression of how Tromso city has changed over the years from the 1900 and up till today, both when it comes to buildings, people and fashion. Photos from some of Northern Norway’s most famous photographers are on display here.
- Opening hours: Tuesday – Friday 10:00 – 16:00, Saturday and Sunday 11:00 – 17:00
- Ticket price: Free
- How to get there: Just walk to Storgata 95 (downtown Tromso, next to the main square)
- Perspektivet Museum`s Webpage
The 5 Best Things To Do In Tromso In Winter
1. Northern Lights
Tromso is famous for being one of the best places in the world to see the Northern Lights. The Northern Lights is sometimes so strong that you can see it in the downtown of Tromso or from your hotel window, but it will be more intense if you head out of town to areas where there are hardly any houses and no artificial lighting like street lights. You can for instance walk up to the lake Prestvannet just above downtown of Tromso (a 20 min walk) or to the beach Bukta at Sydspissen just south of downtown. Or take the bus to the neighbouring island Kvaloya.
Northern Lights in Ersfjord
Witnessing the Northern Lights dancing across the sky is an incredible sight and something everyone should experience once in their lifetime. Since the sun never rises above the horizon in Tromso from the 21st of November until the 21st of January, these are the best months to see the Northern Lights.
There are several webpages and apps where you can check the probability of northern lights, but we like this one: https://norway-lights.com/#tromso
There are several tour operators that do Northern Lights trips; some even have photos trips where you learn how to take the best photos of the northern lights. Some of them rent out professional cameras if you don`t have your own. A Northern Lights tours usually include a hot meal, coffee/ tea, warm thermal clothes/ suits, warm winter boots, and pick-up and drop-off at your hotel.
Click here for a list of excellent Northern Lights tours
- Northern Lights season: October – April
- Northern Lights trips takes about 8-10 hours
- Price: approximately 1500 Nkr = 183 us$ for Northern Lights trips/ photo trips
2. Dog Sledding
I simply love Husky dogs! I have had Siberian Huskies all my life, five altogether, so for me, nothing is more fun than dog sledding. I highly recommend it! And if you are lucky, you will see the northern lights while being pulled on a sled by 6-8 Huskies and the only thing you hear are the small dog paws running in the snow.
Dog sledding is an amazing way to experience Tromso’s wilderness and if you are lucky you can see the Northern Lights.
Dog sledding with Active Tromsø
There are several great dog sledding companies in and around Tromso, with Active Tromso and Tromso Wilderness center as the ones closest to Tromso. We recently went dog sledding in Tromo for the first time. It was great fun!
Tromso Wilderness Center offers a very popular 4 hour dog sledding ride.
Click here to check availability and prices
You can even go on a dog sledding tour for several days where you sleep in tent or cabin, like the five day ultimate wilderness adventure.
3. Skiing and Snowshoeing
Tromso is surrounded by some of the best mountains for skiing in Norway, and there are usually excellent conditions from October till June.
Skiing at the mountain Kjolen
Kvaløya island (a 10-minute drive from downtown of Tromso) have the best mountains for skiing close to Tromso. If you want an easy mountain skiing trip, that is easily accessible by bus, then I also recommend that you head to Rødtind (bus no. 42).
Kattfjordeidet is also a very popular skiing area, nicknamed “Little Chamonix” by us locals, with several great mountains for skiing.
View from Kvaloya
Lyngen is another great area just outside of Tromso (1,5 hours by car including a ferry). The mountains here are spectacular, steep, tall, and go straight down into the ocean.
Ski & Sail tours to Lyngen has become really popular lately. This is where you stay and live onboard a sailboat while you do hikes to different mountains in Lyngen each day. There are several companies that do these kinds of trips. We have been sailing with Boreal Yachting several times over the last few years, and they are great guys and very professional!
Do, however, be aware of the danger of avalanche as sadly almost every year people get killed by avalanches in these mountains. You should also have the clothes, skiing equipment, and excellent skiing skills if you plan to head up into some of these mountains. I have skied the highest mountain in this area, Jiehkkevarri, and it was pretty challenging even for me that have been skiing my whole life. So I would say that Lyngen is for more advanced skiers.
There are also great cross-country skiing opportunities and conditions in Tromso. On top of Tromsoya is the “lysløypa”, which is a trail with perfect cross-country skiing tracks that are lit by street lights. Here is a map of the cross-country skiing tracks in Tromso.
Or why not sign up for a guided cross country skiing beginners course.
Me and my dog Varga cross-country skiing in Lysloypa
Snowshoeing has become more and more popular in Tromso over the years. Several hikes are perfect for snowshoes offering some spectacular views. There are also several tour operators that do guided trips on both skis and snowshoes, like this five hours guided snowshoe hill hike, or this much shorter two hour snowshoe hike on Tromso Island.
- Skiing/ snowshoe season: October – June (depends from year to year)
- 7 easy hikes that are suitable for skiing and snowshoeing
- Rent outdoor equipment: Tromsø Outdoor
4. Whale Watching
Over the last five years, whales and dolphins like humpback whales, fin whales, and killer whales (orcas), have been entering the fjords around Tromso city in great numbers to feed on herring fish. A whole industry of Whale Watching safaris and boat trips have appeared and a whale watching trip is one of the highlights during the autumn and winter months from November until February.
Check this amazing video by our friend Anders Schürmann:
If you are lucky you can see a lot of whales jumping, splashing, and hunting for fish. You might get a little wet as they sometimes come pretty close to the boats. All kinds of boats offer these tours from ribs, sailing boats, catamarans, big fishing boats and so on.
If you are lucky you will also see other Arctic animals like seals and sea eagles.
- Whale watching season: November – February (changes every year).
This year (2018), however, the whales did unfortunately not come to the fjords around Tromsø, they went into the fjords further north. There are some tour operators that do fjord cruises/ whale safaris from Tromsø up to Skjervøy. This boat trip takes about 4 hours just in transport both ways. - The whale watching trips take about 2-6 hours
- Price: around 1500 Nkr = 183 us$
5. Reindeer Sledding
Experience the Sami people`s culture and go on a reindeer sledding trip. The reindeer camps are located about a 30-minute drive out of downtown Tromso, but the transport is included in the ticket price. There are several tour operators offering reindeer sledding trips.
Here you can feed tame reindeer, learn to throw a lasso, get to know about the Sami traditions and culture, hear joik (Sami folk song), and have coffee and something to eat in a Lavu (traditional Sami tent).
- The whole trip takes about 4-5 hours, they pick you up in downtown Tromso
- Price: around 1500 Nkr = 183 us$
The 7 Best Things To Do In Tromso In Summer
1. Midnight Sun
The long summer nights where the sun never sets is the most unique and best things of the summertime in Northern Norway in my opinion.
Midnight Sun in Grotfjord
It is kind of magical when the sky is on fire of a mix of yellow, orange, pink and red it never gets dark. You just want to stay up all night, have a bonfire on the beach or go hiking in the mountains. I`m pretty sure that people living in Northern Norway sleep half as much in summer as they do in winter.
Midnight sun at Sommaroy island
The best place to see the midnight sun is on the mountain Floya on the main land (take the cable car or walk up), and the outside of the island Kvaloya like Sommaroy or Grotfjord.
- Midnight Sun season: 20th of May – 22nd of July
2. Hiking in the mountains
Tromso has some of the best hiking options in the whole of Norway. The city is surrounded by lots of mountains, and you can start hiking just a 10-minute drive from the downtown of Tromso. To have the wilderness so close to the city is pretty unique and awesome if you ask me! That`s the main reason why I ♥ Tromso so much.
Me and our dog Frost hiking Ornfloya. Great view over Sommaroy Island
I have collected all my favorite hikes (that everyone is able to do) in an article.
3. Tromso Arctic-Alpine Botanical Garden
Tromso has the northern most botanical garden in the world and it is open from May until October. It is incredibly green, lush and colorful with beautiful flowers from early spring till late autumn, consisting of plants from all over the northern hemisphere of the world.
You can also join a guided tour around the garden in July, every Monday till Friday at 14:00. It cost NOK 225.
There is a cozy cafe in the garden, in an old white wooden house called Hansine Hansen, where you can buy delicious waffles, ice cream, and a selection of cakes. You can sit inside or outside in the garden. The cafe is open during summer (1st of June until 1st of September) from 11:30 till 15:30 every day.
The cozy cafe in the Tromso Botanical Garden
- Opening hours: Open day and night from May until October. You can even walk around the garden at night and enjoy the midnight sun
- Ticket prices: FREE! Yay!
- Where is it: The garden is located to the southeast of the University of Tromsø Campus, in Breivika.
- How to get there: You can walk from downtown of Tromso (takes about an hour) or you can take bus no. 20, 33, or 42.
- Webpage
4. Sailing
Tromso is actually perfect for sailing all year round since the sea never freezes. There are plenty of great sailing areas around Tromso, like on the outside of Kvaloya where there are lots of small islands, Senja island, Lyngen Alps, or the Lofoten islands.
We have been sailing with Boreal Yachting that has lots of sailing trips to offer, both with or without a captain.
5. Canoeing & Kayaking
Sea kayaking is very popular in Tromso and there is a big kayaking community. There are several tour operators where you can rent a kayak, learn how to kayak, and join others on kayaking trips. There are lots of places to go kayaking around Tromso both for beginners and more advanced paddlers and lots of islands where you can go ashore.
Kayaking in the dark winter season. Foto by Anders Schürmann
You can rent a kayak at:
Or take a guided Kayaking tour around Tromso. You can even take a kayaking tour at night under the midnight sun.
6. Bicycling
There are some great bicycling options in and around Tromso, both for mountain bike and on the road, and the bicycling sport has become extremely popular among the locals over the past years. Its popularity might have something to do with the Norwegians doing well in the professional tours, like Tour de France and we also have a race up in the Arctic – Arctic Race of Norway.
Foto by Anders Schürmann
You can rent a bicycle at Tromsø Outdoor.
7. Bukta Beach
Whenever the sun is shining and the temperature is above 15 degrees, the locals head to the city beach “Bukta”, or “Telegrafbukta” which is its full name.
Telegrafbukta
Here you will get a nice view over the sea and the surrounding islands and mountains. In the summertime, the sun is shining in Bukta the whole day and night making this the perfect spot to have a barbecue and watch the Midnight Sun. Here you will find picnic tables, benches, grills, beach volleyball nets, and toilets.
If you are a real Viking, you can even have a swim in the ocean as the sand is white and soft, but the water is freezing cold the whole year-round!
It is darker here than in the downtown of Tromso, so it is a nice place to see the Northern Lights at winter. Bring warm clothes and something hot to drink on a thermos as it will be cold.
It is located nearby Tromso Museum, so you can easily combine those two. You can also walk around Folkeparken Open-Air Museum which is located just above Bukta Beach. This open-air museum in Folkeparken consists of 13 houses who originated from Tromso city and the surrounding area. It is actually Norway’s oldest open-air museum.
Tromso open-air museum in Folkeparken
- How to get here: You can walk from the downtown (about 30 min), or you can drive or take the bus (bus no. 34, departs every 15 min during the day and every 30 min during the evening until midnight). It has it` own bus stop.
- Best of all, it` s free and you can bring your dog!
Where To Stay In Tromso
Norway, in general, is quite expensive when it comes to accommodation and dining, and Tromso is no exception. Tromso is a small city with a compact downtown, so everything is within a short walking distance. Here are our favorite hotels in Tromsø, at different price ranges.
Also, click here to read our complete guide to our favorite Tromso areas and hotels.
Mid-Range
Hotel With, as it is known locally, has the perfect location right by Tromso Harbour with a beautiful view over the sea and over to the Arctic Cathedral, the Tromso Bridge, Tromsdalstinden mountain and Fjellheisen. You are right in the middle of everything if you choose to stay at this hotel, very close to all the city’s restaurants and shops.
An extra plus with this hotel is that you get free coffee/tea and Norwegian waffles with sour cream, jam and brown cheese (Espen`s favorite!) in the afternoon (from 15 to 18 o`clock) and a free meal in the evening (from 18 to 21 o`clock). This makes this hotel a good value for your money as eating out is expensive. A friend of mine from my class at the University used to work here during the weekends, and the staff here is well trained and provides good service and help to the guests.
Click here for the latest prices
Clarion Collection Hotel Aurora
Next door to Hotel With is its sister hotel Clarion Collection Hotel Aurora. This hotel also has free waffles in the afternoon and an evening meal included in the price. The extra plus of this hotel is the rooftop jacuzzi and sauna! Here you can relax in the evenings and watch the northern lights from the hot tub. Sounds pretty sweet if you ask me!
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The new “star” when it comes to hotels in Tromso is, however, The Edge. It is brand new and has an excellent bar and restaurant which is also very popular among the locals in Tromso. You really should try the hamburger, it is great! The breakfast at The Edge is maybe the best in town with everything you can imagine. Located by the harbor, but further south than the hotels above, and close to the Tourist Information office.
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City Living Hotel & Apartments
This apartment hotel has a central location on the street just above Tromso’s main street Storgata. The apartments have a small kitchen, which is handy for making breakfast, lunch or even dinner inside. That way you can save some money by shopping at one of the close-by supermarkets and cook your own food.
The hotel also has a laundry room that the guests can use for free. Very handy as dry cleaning is expensive and there are no other options in town if you want to get your clothes washed. There is, however, no daily cleaning service, but you can help yourself to coffee and clean sheets and towels whenever you want from the second floor. You can easily get here by the Airport Bus (Flybuss) from the airport.
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Budget
Amalie Hotel
This is a small budget hotel and a less expensive option than the hotels above. It has an excellent location just next to the big and more expensive Radisson Blu Hotel. An extra bonus is unlimited free coffee and tea the whole day and complimentary waffles in the afternoon. The rooms are a bit small but well equipped with kettle, tea/coffee, mini fridge, iron, and hairdryer. You get a lot for your money. Great breakfast included in the price.
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Comfort Hotel Xpress Tromso
This is a budget hotel with perfect location in Grønnegata, the street adjacent to the city’s main street Storgata. The hotel rooms are clean, new and fresh, but a bit small. If you are out all day on tours and sightseeing, then the small rooms will not be a problem. There is no daily housekeeping service. There is no restaurant in the hotel, but it is very close to all the restaurants and cafes that Tromso has to offer. You can get a breakfast discount of 50 % (150 KR) at their sister hotel Clarion Hotel, which is well worth the money as you can eat all you want at their excellent breakfast buffet.
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Smarthotel Tromso
Another budget option with small rooms but well equipped, fresh and modern. The hotel has an excellent location right in the middle of downtown Tromso. You get breakfast included in the price, which is fairly good. You get free coffee and tea the whole day. Great value for your money!
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The 10 Best Places To Eat In Tromso
Although there are plenty of international food to find in Tromso, like Asian, American and South American food, as a visitor you would like to try some local food, right? Here are my favorite restaurants in Tromso that serve local Norwegian food:
Arctandria Restaurant
This place serves local traditional North Norwegian food like different sort of fish, whale, reindeer, seal and all sorts of shellfish. I love their specialty grilled stockfish, not to mention reindeer and whale that are my favorite meats.
- Opening hours: Monday – Saturday from 16:00. Closed on Sundays.
- Address: Strandtorget 1
- Webpage
Biffhuset
Located in the same building as Arctandria Restaurant, Biffhuset is one of my favorite restaurants in Tromsoe due to their juicy and tender steak.
Biffhuset and Skarven Pub
They also have ribs, king crabs, goat, chicken, pork, and Norwegian dessert specialties like kjelost and cloud berries (my favorite dessert in the whole world…..). A few fish dishes are also on the menu, like grilled stock fish.
- Opening hours: every day 15:30 – 22:30 (22:00 on Sundays)
- Address: Strandtorget 1
- Webpage
Emmas
Emmas is centrally located just next to the Tromso Cathedral and consist of two restaurants – Emma` Drommekjokken (“Emmas Dream Kitchen”) and Emmas Under (located down stairs). The Emmas Under is cheaper and has several small dishes perfect for lunch or an early afternoon dinner. Try their signature dish, Fish soup which is delicious. The upstairs Emma` Dromsmekjokken is quite expensive but serves excellent Norwegian food of the best quality. Great for a special night out. We celebrated my dad`s 70th birthday here.
- Opening hours: Monday – Saturday 11:00 – 22:00. Closed Sundays.
- Address: Kirkegata 8
- Webpage
Smak Restaurant
This new restaurant is THE thing in Tromso at the moment, as it has been listed in several top notch international food guides. They serve upper-class food that is made of local ingredients and change the menu every week. You can choose 3, 4, 5, 6, or even 7 courses including specially selected wines that go well with every course.Opening hours:
- Tuesday – Saturday 17:00 – Midnight. Closed Sundays and Mondays.
- Address: Skippergata 16B
- Webpage
Hildr Gastro Bar
Located in an old white wooden house, Hildr is one of my favorite restaurants not only because of their delicious food but because the atmosphere here is so cozy. They change their menu according to what kind of fresh fish they have been able to find, although their tapas is regularly on the menu. They also have a 3 or 5-course set menu with or without wine. Across the street is their “brother restaurant” Burgr serving Tromso`s best burger in my opinion! Well worth a try, and a cheaper option than Hildr.
- Opening hours: Monday – Saturday 11:00 – around midnight. Closed on Sundays.
- Address: Skippergata 11
- Webpage
Mathallen
Their interior decor might seem a bit “cold” and basic, but their open kitchen is super cool and their food excellent. They have different sorts of fish, soups and whale dishes on their menu. You can also choose a 3 or 4-course set menu with ingredients from local food producers. Definitely worth a try for lunch or dinner, or both. They also have a shop next door selling local food from Northern Norway.
- Opening hours: Monday – Saturday 11:00 – 23:00. Sundays closed.
- Address: Grønnegata 60
- Webpage
Fiskekompaniet
This fish restaurant probably has Tromso’s best location view-wise right by the harbor. Here you can sit and enjoy some delicious seafood and look at the sea and the boats. You might even see Hurtigruta pass by. If you like oysters, then you should try this as a starter. They mainly have fish on the menu, but also serve whale.
- Opening hours: Every day (also Sundays) 16:00 – 22:00
- Address: Killengrensgate
- Webpage
Bardus Bistro
Bardus is located in a cozy old wooden house right by the library. Their menu is not the biggest, but the dishes they have is delicious. They have fish of the day, goat, hamburger (lunch menu), and some other stuff. If you’re feeling adventurous and you’ve never tried the Northern Norway specialty cod tongue, then you should definitely head here and check it out yourself (I hate it by the way, hehe).Their neighboring bar is also great, and they make Tromso´s best drinks in my opinion!
- Opening hours: Every day 11:00 (12:00 at weekends) – 22:00 (18:00 on Sundays and 17:00 on Mondays).
- Address: Cora Sandelsgate 4
- Webpage
Skirri at Kystens Mathus
Located at the new Kystens Mathus right at the harbor of Tromso, this restaurant has an amazing view over the sea and across the to the Tromso Bridge, the Arctic Cathedral, and the Cable Car.
Skirri cafe and restaurant
Here you can eat everything from fresh shrimps, salmon, chicken, a hamburger made of wolffish or moose, lamb, reindeer, grilled clip fish, king crab, and whale carpaccio.
- Opening hours: every day 12:00 – 18:00
- Address: Stortorget 1
- Webpage
Aunegarden
This house, which dates back 200 years, used to be an old butchers shop but is now a cozy and atmospheric cafe/ restaurant that serves the best cakes and coffee. They also have light meals like fish soup, sandwiches, hamburger, and salmon. For dessert, try the “suksessterte” (success tart) which is my favorite cake. I bake it for my birthday every year. 🙂 Grab one of the tables along the windows and do some people-watching, great fun.
- Opening hours: every day 11:00 – 22:00 (except Monday and Tuesday when they close at 18:00)
- Address: Sjøgata 29
- Webpage
The Best Festivals In Tromso
Every year Tromso plays host to some excellent festivals that often draw top international artists from all around the world.
Bukta Open Air Rock Music Festival
Bukta Open Air Rock Music Festival
A rock music festival held in a scenic place – Bukta Beach, with an awesome view over the sea and the midnight sun.
- When: Middle of July every year
- Webpage
Tromso International Film Festival – TIFF
The biggest film festival in Norway with incredible 60619 people attending in 2016. Do not expect to see any blockbuster Hollywood movies here, they mainly screen more challenging films from all over the world.
- When: Middle of January every year
- Webpage
Nordlysfestivalen
A music festival, “Music in the Arctic”, that has classical music concerts from all over the world.
- When: End of January/ beginning of February
- Webpage
Rakettnatt
A pop/rock music festival in the middle of downtown Tromso, with Norwegian and international super stars.
- When: Last weekend of August
- Webpage
Rakettnatt Festival
Midnight Sun Marathon
The biggest marathon competition in Norway, where you can run the full marathon, half-marathon or 10 km. If there are no clouds, then you can even enjoy the Midnight Sun while you run.
- When: Middle of June
- Webpage
Tromso Jazzfestival
A jazzy weekend where you can enjoy concerts by some of the best jazz musicians, both Norwegian and international artists.
- When: Beginning of August
- Webpage
Smak – Tromso Food Festival
A food festival where you can walk around eating your way through Storgata and pop into the restaurants in Tromso getting a special dish at a reduced price. A great way to try out some North Norwegian specialties.
- When: End of September
- Webpage
Insomnia
A techno/ electronic/ dance festival hosting some of the biggest techno artists in the world.
- When: End of October
- Webpage
The Best Day Trips From Tromso
Sommarøy (Summer Island)
The small island Sommarøy, located on the outside of Kvaloya, is a beautiful and charming little fishing village, surrounded by white sandy beaches, and the azure blue ocean.
Sommaroy Island
There is also a hotel on the island, Sommarøy Arctic Hotel, where you can choose between sleeping in hotel rooms or cabins by the sea (traditional Norwegian Rorbu). The hotel also has a lovely restaurant serving breakfast, lunch or dinner. The hotel can arrange fishing trips by boat, sailing, and kayak trips.
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There are some great hiking options in the area around Sommarøy, like Ørnfløya and Hillesøytoppen.
- How to get to Sommarøy: It is easiest to get to Sommarøy by car (1 hour). From Tromsø, drive to Kvaløya and follow the signs to Sommarøy. You can also take bus no. 420 from downtown of Tromsø to Sommarøy. The bus leaves from the downtown of Tromsø (bus stop Prostneset next to the tourist information center Visit Tromsø). The bus ticket cost 100 Nkr with the free app “Troms Mobillett”.
Ersfjord
Ersfjord is a beautiful fjord located on Kvaloya, a half an hour drive from downtown Tromso. The fjord is surrounded by jagged mountains that run straight down into the sea.
Ersfjord
Ersfjord
In Ersfjord is Tromso`s coziest cafe – Bryggejentene which serves delicious cakes, biscuits, coffee, tea, soda, ice-cream and everything a cafe should serve. The cafe is right on the pier with an amazing view over Ersfjord and it` surrounding mountains.
Ersfjord is a great place to take Northern Lights photos, or just go for a walk along the shore.
Ersfjord
- Opening hours Bryggejentene cafe/ shop: Monday – Friday 11 – 16, Saturday 11 – 17, Sundays closed
- How to get to Ersfjord: It is easiest to get to Ersfjord by car (30 min). Drive to Kvaløya, take right when you get to Eidkjosen and follow the signs to Ersfjord. You can also take bus no. 425 from the downtown of Tromsø (bus stop Prostneset next to the tourist information centre Visit Tromsø) to Ersfjordbotn. The bus ticket costs 42 Nkr with the free app “Troms Mobillett”.
Senja Island
Senja, being the second largest island of Norway, has a great contrast of mountains, sea, beautiful sandy beaches, and fishing villages. It is a very nice day trip from Tromso, both winter and summer, or you can stay a night or two at some of the guesthouses and private cabins or bring your own tent.
Me and our dog Frost looking over to Senja Island from Brensholmen (where the ferry to Senja leaves from)
- How to get to Senja: You can either drive to Senja with a rental car (3 hours one way), or take the Express boat (no. 4) from downtown Tromso to Lysnes on Senja. The round-trip from downtown of Tromso (the brand new harbour building at Prostneset) to Lysnes and back to Tromso takes about 2 hours and runs on Monday and Wednesday (Tromsø – Lysnes – Tromsø 07:10 – 09:05 and 16:20 – 18:15), Friday (Tromsø – Lysnes – Tromsø 07:10 – 09:05 and 16:00 – 17:55), and Sunday (Tromsø – Lysnes – Tromsø 20:20 – 22:20). The fare is NOK 260.
If you choose to drive, you can take the route through Brensholmen (close to Sommarøy) and take the ferry across the fjord to Botnhamn on Senja. It is a beautiful ferry trip! The car ride takes about 1 hour and the ferry trip takes 35 min (ferry no. 181: Sommerferge Botnhamn-Brensholmen) and operates from April to August.
Lyngen
Lyngen with its peaky mountains that go straight down into the sea is an awesome area north of Tromso, about an hour and a half with car and ferry.
First, you must drive from Tromso to Breivikeidet (1-hour car ride). The ferry trip from Breivikeidet to Svendsby in Lyngen takes 20 min and is well worth the trip in itself as it is a beautiful ferry trip across the fjord with an amazing view of the Lyngen Alps. From Svendsby you can drive through Lyngen and take another ferry from Lyngseidet to Olderdalen. From Olderdalen you can drive back to Tromso, the drive takes 2,5 hours (without taking any ferries).
View from the ferry over to Lyngen
Some great places to stay in Lyngen are:
- The Magic Mountain Lodge
- Lyngen North – spend the night in a glass igloo watching the northern lights
- Lyngen Lodge (on the Olderdalen side, the other side of Lyngseidet, take the second ferry)
- Sørheim Brygge
If you want a guided tour, AscentDescent offers trips both winter and summer. Lyngen is great for mountain hiking, ice climbing, glacier trekking, skiing, kayaking, fishing, and biking.
Skjærvøy Island
North of Tromso lays the beautiful island Skjærvøy. You can do a round-trip from Tromso to Skjærvøy by express boat and/or Hurtigruten through the stunning Lyngen Fjord that runs through the Lyngen Alps.
The express boat (no. 3) does round-trips to from downtown Tromsø to Skjervøy on Tuesdays (Tromsø – Skjervøy – Tromsø 16:00 – 20:05), Thursdays (Tromsø – Skjervøy – Tromsø 16:00 – 20:15), Fridays (Tromsø – Skjervøy – Tromsø 18:10 – 23:20), and Sundays (Tromsø – Skjervøy -Tromsø 14:30 – 19:50). The round-trip fare is NOK 560.
Another option is to take the express boat that departs from Tromso Tuesdays at 16:00 or Thursdays at 16:00 or Sunday at 14:30, and then the southbound Hurtigruten back from Skjervøy to Tromso. The Hurtigruta departs from Skjervøy at 19:45 (18:30 in April and May), and arrives in Tromso at 23:45.
Ferry round-trip to islands outside of Tromso
If you want to see some of the many beautiful small islands outside of Tromso and Kvaloya, you can take a ferry round-trip from Belvik in Skulsfjord on Kvaloya. The ferry goes to the islands Vengsøy, Musvær, and Risøy before returning back to Belvik and it is a beautiful trip. The round-trip takes about 2-3 hours and has several departures every day.
The End
Phew, there you go, our ultimate guide to my hometown Tromso!
To sum up, the cable car is a real must when visiting Tromso, along with the Polaria and the Polar Museum. Then it depends whether you visit in the winter or summer. In winter the highlights are: Northern Lights, skiing, dog sledding, fjord boat trip/whale watching. In summer the highlights are: hiking in the midnight sun, boat trip, and fishing.
By the way, have you seen the movie Insomnia from 2002 starring Al Pacino, Robin Williams, and Hillary Shcwank? Did you know that it is actually a remake of a Norwegian film also called Insomnia from 1997 which was filmed in Tromso? The police officer played by Stellan Skarsgård is really struggling with the midnight sun and cannot sleep due to the bright nights, as the title refers to. You can watch the trailer of the original Insomnia from Tromso here.
Facts about Tromso
What is this article about?
A complete travel guide to my home city Tromso
Where is this?
Tromso is located in the northern part of Norway
How to get there
Fly from Oslo (2 hours), SAS or Norwegian have many departures each day
When to go
Whole year round, summer for the midnight sun and hiking, winter for the northern lights, skiing, and whales
Facts
Population: 73 000
Located at 69 degrees north
Northern Lights season: September – March
Whale season: November/ December – February
Midnight sun season: 20th of May – 22nd of July
Skiing season: December – June
Tromso is also called Paris of the North due to the fashionable women
Have you been to Tromso? Is there something I have missed? And if you have not been to Tromso, would you like to go? Please leave a comment below, and if you find this useful please share on social media. Thanks a million! 🙂
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Tromso very nice city. If I make money, I want to see there. Thanks a lot.
Thank you! Yes, Tromsø is great, especially when the weather is nice! 🙂 Norway is expensive, but it is possible to do it cheaply too.
Happy travels!
-Maria-
What a comprehensive guide – much better than the crappy listicles that are ubiquitous these days. Want to travel to Norway someday and this has inspired me … thanks!
Hi Kyle!!
Wow, thank you soooo much!!! Really appreciate it! Your comment made my day! 🙂
You should definitely come to Norway someday, plenty to see and do here.
Happy travels!
-Maria-
What a great and informative articule Maria, thank you so much! I will be going ti Tromso at the end of October and thanks to your article I now already have soooooo much more ideas, guidelines and Infos, fabulous!!! 😊🙏 Claudia
Hi Claudia,
Thank you sooooo much!!! You are the best! Wow, so cool that you are visiting Tromso in October! Hope you get nice weather! Tromso and its surroundings will be covered by autumn colours by then which is quite beautiful, plus the northern lights is usually great in October. A nice month to visit Tromso! So happy to hear that our article could be of help to you when planning your Tromso trip.
Have a great time in Tromso!! Thanks for commenting! 🙂
-Maria-
What a great post! Beautiful pictures, Tromso seems so beautiful. Thanks for the great tips and suggestions. I hope I can visit sometime. Continue being an unstoppable traveler.
Cheers,
Rhonda
Hi Rhonda,
Thanks a million! Tromso has so much to offer both summer and winter, from northern lights, whales, and the midnight sun.
I see that you are living in Bali. Cool! Ah, love Bali! We have been staying in Sanur several times over the years, the first time was back in 2005. Keep coming back to Bali over and over again.
Happy travels!
-Maria-
Great stuff informational resource. The pictures are amazing. Tromso seems so beautiful. I hope I will enjoy this trip soon. Thanks for the great tips.
Thank you so much, kanchan!
Tromso is my home town, where I was born and have spent most my life, so it`s very special to me. 🙂 It is a beautiful place, and every season has its highlights.
Happy travels!
-Maria-
What an amazing post! Definitely the most in-depth guide I have come across. The next time you are back home in Tromsø, feel free to contact me and i’d love to invite you out on a sailing trip with the company I work for in town.
Hi Perri,
Thank you so much! Yeah, it took some time to write this guide so really happy to hear that you like it! 🙂
It was nice meeting you in the darkness at Ersfjord photographing the Northern Lights. You guys have some really cool tours! Best of luck with the northern lights season!
-Maria-
Great post! Thanks for all the info. Looks like a wonderful place to visit to see the Northern Lights.
Cheers,
Rhonda
Thanks, Rhonda! Tromso is the perfect place to the see the northern lights.
Happy travels!
-Maria-
Such a gorgeous place! My dorm roommate’s from Tromso and she’s been inviting me forever. I think I’ll accompany her on her next trip home. Always wanted to watch the Northern Lights. So, exciting!
Hi Isabella,
Wow, so cool that you have a roommate from Tromsø! 😀 The northern lights are amazing, and Tromsø is the best place to watch it, so you should definitely accept your roommates invitation!
Have a great time time in Tromsø, crossing my fingers that you will see the Aurora Borealis!
-Maria-
Excellent article, with so much great information. My wife and I will be traveling to Tromso to “chase the Northern Lights” and celebrate our 10 year anniversary in November. Looking forward to it even more after reading your article.
Hi PK,
Wow, great to hear that you are coming here to Tromsø next month to celebrate your anniversary! Happy 10 year anniversary! Crossing my fingers that you will get to see the northern lights. Last evening and night was awesome with crazy northern lights dancing across the sky for hours and hours. Hope you get to experience it too.
Have a great celebration and enjoy the northern lights in Tromsø!
-Maria-
I am bringing my Husband for his 50th Birthday in the beginning of March it looks Beautiful and i can’t wait to surprise him hopefully with a Northern lights display
Hi Anna,
WOW, that is such a cool gift for your husband’s 50th Birthday!!!! I really hope you get to see the northern lights, crossing all my fingers! Have an amazing trip up here to Tromso and the Arctic! March is a great month to visit Tromso, the sun has returned and there are plenty of snow.
-Maria-
Very good page! One question though, is it easy to get out of town for forest walk around Tromso without a car? Are there actual forests within a short distance? Thanks
Hi Renaud,
Thank you so much! Tromsø city is located on a small island Tromsoya where there are several areas of forests, like in the walking path Lysloypa. Lysloypa is a very popular walking and skiing path going all across the island from the south to the north end. Now in wintertime (November till May) there is skiing track in Lysloypa but you can walk too.
You can also walk or take the bus to the main land (Tromsdalen, only a 15 min walk from down town of Tromsø) or to the big island Kvaloya (a 15 min bus ride from down town) and you have plenty of forests and mountains perfect for hiking. I live on Kvaloya and walk or ski in the forest a lot.
Have a great trip to Tromsø and enjoy your walk in the forest!
-Maria-
Many thanks Maria for your reply. I’m looking forward to visiting Tromsø next February!
I Love your post.
Thanks a lot Maria♥ it’s really helpful and many info to know before the visit.
My visit with my sister will be on February, so excited to see the northern lights 😉
C.U soon TROMSØ ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
Hi Miad,
Thanks a million! You are awesome and your comment made my day!! 🙂 Crossing my fingers and toes that you will get to see the northern lights here in Tromsø in February! Enjoy your time in Tromsø!!
-Maria-
Great article!! 🙂 I am going to Tromso in the beginning of April and now I really want to go up with Fjellheisen – thanks for inspirations what to do in my short 2 days stay there. 🙂 I also want to take guided Fjord tour since I don’t drive – hope it will be worth it. 🙂 It’s a bit pity that most probably I wont see Northern Lights and there is no Midnight Sun yet 🙁 But it seems like a such a beautiful city anyway 🙂
Hi Arta,
Thank you so much!!! Fjellheisen is a real must when visiting Tromso!
Yes, you will still be able to see the northern lights in Tromsø in the beginning of April. Unless the sky is cloudy of course. In order to see the northern lights the sky has to be dark, and in early April the sun rises at around 05:30 in the morning and sets around 20 in the evening. So late in the evening and during the night the sky will be dark and you will be able to see the northern lights.
From the middle/end of April, however, the sky gets pretty light in the night so then the northern lights have to be incredibly strong in order to see it.
Have a fantastic trip to Tromsø in April! Crossing my fingers that the sky will be clear and that you will see the northern lights!
-Maria-
Hi Maria,
I stumbled on your article while searching for things to do in Tromsø (I’m flying there next Sunday!!!) and it was such a delightful read! I’m a solo female travelers/ entrepreneur (I’m launching a home sharing services “La Voyageuse”:)) and I’m taking a week in Tromsø between my busy schedule to take some breaks and recharge myself.
The detailed information you provided was surely helpful! I’ve done some further researches about activities to do, especially the organised tours as I don’t drive), I do have a question: If I want to experience the authentic fjord landscapes in the best way, would you recommend that I take excursion by bus or by cruises? (Although I’d like to try both, I do have very tight budget).
Or, besides organised tours, are there any alternatives with public transports, like buses and speed boats? (I checked the link of the speed boats and it doesn’t seem to work), and I read that some buses don’t return on the same day in winter.
Also, if you’d like to meet up for a coffee, I’d LOVE to get to know Tromsø in a profound way with a passionate local like you!
Looking forward to hearing back from you,
Christina
Great webpage on things to do in Tromso! My partner and I have been there several times and loved the city. I’m going back the first part of April and plan to take the Fjellheisen this time. I hope that we’ll be able to see the northern lights again, too. Can’t wait.
The last time we were in Tromso was for New Year’s Eve in 2016 – and what a fireworks show there was! I’ve got some great time-lapse photos of fireworks with the Arctic Cathedral in the background.
I also encourage visitors to attend the midnight concerts in the Arctic cathedral. Both times I have attended the musicians have been superb (from the university, I believe), and the programming has both times included pieces by Norwegian composers or pieces based on Sami joiks (is that spelled correctly?) – music I’ve not heard before.
Hi Douglas,
Thank you so much! Awesome that you are coming back to Tromsø! You should definitely take the Fjellheisen, it is one my favourite things to do in Tromsø. There has been lots of northern lights so far this winter, crossing my fingers that you will have clear sky so that you will see it too in April.
I agree, the midnight concerts in the Arctic cathedral are the best! The musicians are professional and some of the best in Norway, you can find an introduction of them here. One of the singers, Harald Bakkeby Moe, is the brother of a friend of mine and he has an amazing opera voice! I can’t get enough of these concerts and try to attend one each summer.
Have a great time in Tromsø in April!
-Maria-
Hi Christina,
Wow, so cool that you are coming to Tromsø! Love your webpage and concept of helping women travel solo, although I must admit that I have never traveled solo myself yet.
Thank you so much for noticing that the links to the express boat schedules were not working, I have fixed them now.
Both bus and boat are nice and they give you a different view of the fjord landscape. You could for instance do both; take the express boat from downtown Tromso to either Lysnes on Senja Island (express boat no. 4) or Skjervøy (express boat no. 3) and one of the public district buses out to Kvaloya. The express boat and public buses are the cheapest option.
Express boat no. 4: Tromsø – Lysnes – Tromsø
The round-trip from downtown of Tromso to Lysnes and back to Tromso takes about 2 hours and runs on Monday and Wednesday (Tromsø – Lysnes – Tromsø 07:10 – 09:05 and 16:20 – 18:15), Friday (Tromsø – Lysnes – Tromsø 07:10 – 09:05 and 16:00 – 17:55), and Sunday (Tromsø – Lysnes – Tromsø 20:20 – 22:20). The fare is NOK 260.
Express boat no. 3: Tromsø – Skjervøy – Tromsø
The express boat from downtown Tromsø to Skjervøy takes 4 hours and runs on Tuesdays (Tromsø – Skjervøy – Tromsø 16:00 – 20:05), Thursdays (Tromsø – Skjervøy – Tromsø 16:00 – 20:15), Fridays (Tromsø – Skjervøy – Tromsø 18:10 – 23:20), and Sundays (Tromsø – Skjervøy -Tromsø 14:30 – 19:50). The round-trip fare is NOK 560.
A good reason for going to Skjervøy is that this year the whales did not come to Tromsø and the fjords surrounding Tromsø, unfortunately, but they have come to Skjervøy and the areas further north of Tromsø. So if you take the express boat up to Skjervøy you might get a chance to see some whales. 🙂
If you want to do a nice scenic bus ride along the fjords surrounding Tromsø, you should take one of the buses to Kvaloya (which means Whale Island) where we live. You can take bus no. 420 out to Summer Island (Sommarøy) which passes through Kvaloya and takes about 2 hours both ways. Or take the bus no. 425 to Ersfjord (1 hour back and forth) and visit the beautiful cafe Bryggejentene. Both buses leave from down town of Tromsø (the big bus stop Prostneset next to the tourist information). The bus 425 to Ersfjord has a lot of departures and you will be able to get back to Tromsø. Also if you take one of the morning buses of no. 420 to Summer Island, you will be able to get back to Tromsø in the afternoon.
You can search for buses and express boats/ferries and when they leave HERE. There is also a free travel planner app called “Troms Reise” where you can search for travels from one place to another, get an updated travel schedule with walking distances/ maps, and bus and express boat departures and arrivals. This app is a must if you want to take public transportation in and around Tromsø.
The bus ticket is 42 Nkr to Ersfjord and 100 Nkr to Sommarøy each way, so pretty cheap compared to the guided bus trips. You should download an free app called “Troms Mobillett” where you can buy tickets for both buses and express boats. Buying tickets through this app is cheapest as it is more expensive buying tickets onboard (it actually costs 50% more buying tickets onboard the bus!). Bus tickets within the city cost 29 Nkr through this app.
It would be great to meet up in Tromsø! I will send you an email. 🙂
Have a great trip to Tromsø!!!! Hope you have an amazing time and that you will see the northern lights!
-Maria-
Hi Maria, your blog has proved to be a blessing for my upcoming tromso trip. Will reach on 7th November.have a few questions and doubts….
I was going throug the website of bus schedules but I couldn’t find the express boat schedules on that website.
Also would like to know if it’s possible to do a return trip from tromso to skjervoy in a single day?
For a trip to Sommaroy from Tromso by bus no. 420, is it not possible to come back to tromso on the same day?
There are multiple stops for Ersfjord. Which one should I choose for going to Bryggejentene cafe?
I would love to do same day return trips from Tromso by bus or ferry. Please give more details for the same.
Much Thanks in advance
Meenal
Hi Meenal,
Thank you so much!
Express Boat Schedule
You can find the Express Boat schedules HERE (press the “Load more” button at the buttom of the page to get all the express boats).
Skjervøy (Express Boat no. 3)
Yes, it is possible to do a round-trip from Tromso to Skjervoy in one day with Express Boat no. 3 on these days:
– Tuesdays – The Express Boat no. 3 leaves from Tromso at 16:00, arrives at Skjervoy 18:15, leaves from Skjervoy 18:20, and arrives back in Tromso 20:05. However, you can not leave the boat at Skjervoy Island and look around or you will miss the boat back to Tromso and be stuck out there. 🙂
– Thursdays – Same Express Boat schedule as on Tuesdays
– Fridays – The Express Boat no. 3 leaves from Tromso at 18:25, arrives at Skjervoy 21:15, leaves from Skjervoy 21:25, and arrives back in Tromso 23:35.
– Sundays – The Express Boat no. 3 leaves from Tromso at 14:30, arrives at Skjervoy 16:40, leaves from Skjervoy 17:00, and arrives back in Tromso 19:50.
But there will not be much sunlight in Tromso in November. The last day of sun in Tromso is on the 26th of November (when the sun goes under the horizon until the 21st of January). So you will not see that much of nature outside on your boat trip as it will be pretty dark outside by 16:00. On 7th of November, the sunset is at 14:14. I recommend that you do the Skjervoy day-trip on a Sunday when the Express Boat leaves at 14:30, then you might get some daylight at least on your way to Skjervoy.
Sommaroy (Bus no. 420)
Take bus no. 420 from the Bus Station, also called “Prostneset”, in the downtown of Tromso (right outside the Tourist Information).
You can find the bus schedule for bus no. 420 HERE (press the “Load more” button at the bottom of the page).
Or you can find the bus schedule in the Travel Planner (or mobile app “Troms Reise”), type in: “From: Prostneset” and choose the first option “Prostneset (Tromsø)”, “To: Sommaroy” and choose the first option “Sommarøy (Tromsø)”, enter a date and approximate time you want to go, and press Search.
The bus trip from downtown Tromso (the Bus Station Prostneset) to Sommaroy takes about 1,5 – 2 hours one way. So the bus round-trip to Sommaroy takes about 3-4 hours.
Hmmm….but to me, it looks like there is no possible way to do a round-trip by bus from Tromso to Sommaroy in one day, I`m afraid. Cause the first bus no. 420 departs from Tromso at 12:30 (Mon-Tue & Thur-Fri) and arrives at Sommaroy at 14:20. And the last bus from Sommaroy departs at 13:52.
It might be possible on Wednesdays, however. Then it looks like the bus no. 420 leaves from Tromso (Prostneset) at 12:30 and arrives at Sommaroy 14:00. Then it leaves from Sommaroy at 14:02 and arrives back in Tromso at 15:39. In my opinion, the whole bus schedule is very confusing. But to me, it seems like you have a chance on doing a day-trip to Sommaroy by bus on Wednesdays. But sadly you will not be able to leave the bus and look around on Sommaroy. You should probably drop by the Tourist Information when you get to Tromso and ask about this bus to Sommaroy if it is possible to do as a day-trip. The Tourist Information is located right beside the Prostneset bus stop where bus no. 420 to Sommaroy departs.
If you want to stay the night on Sommaroy, which I recommend, there is an excellent hotel on Sommaroy – The Sommaroy Arctic Hotel. We have stayed there several times and it has always been wonderful. They serve delicious breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Check the latest prices and book it HERE
Ersfjord and Bryggejentene Cafe
Get off the bus no. 425 at the bus stop “Ersfjordbotn Skole” (meaning the Ersfjordbotn school). It is very close to Bryggejentene cafe, there is only a 5-minute walk to get there.
You find the bus schedule for bus no. 425 to Ersfjord HERE (press the “Load more” button at the bottom of the page), or in the Travel Planner (search From: Tromsø Prostneset (Tromsø), To: Ersfjordbotn Skole (Tromsø)).
Have a great trip to Tromso in November! Crossing my fingers that you will get to see plenty of Northern Lights! 🙂
-Maria-
Great post! Thanks for all the information.I loved your tips. Looks like a wonderful place to visit to see the Northern Lights.My visit with my husband will be on march, so excited to see the northern lights .
Hi!
Thank you so much! Crossing my fingers that you will get clear sky so that you can see the Northern Lights! Have a great time in Tromso in March!
-Maria-
Hi Maria,
thank you for your detailed information! I will definitely going to try the express boat!
I’m happy to learn that you like the concept of my startup 🙂 To me, traveling solo is a totally different experience compared to traveling with others. Maybe you’ll try it out someday when you travel solo!
That’s wonderful that you’d like to meet for a coffee! I will let you choose the Café of course! Just tell me where and when via e-mail. It will be a pleasure for me to meet you and learn about Tromsø from a local’s perspectives.
Looking forward to hearing back from you,
Christina
Great article – really captures the spirit of the city. Dog sledding is number one on my travel wish list!
Hi Linzi,
Thank you so much! We actually went on a dog sledding trip (first time for Espen) here in Tromso last Friday. You can read about it here: https://nerdnomads.com/dog-sledding-in-tromso-norway. It was amazing and so much fun! You definitely have something to look forward to!
-Maria-
Hello Maria!
Thank you so much for the blog post! We are in Tromsø right now and already visited Senja (which we loved!!) and hiked one of your suggested hikes near Summarøy and and ate at Hildr. This is so much better than any tourist guide about Tromsø!
Thank you!! ♥️
Hi Fenja,
Wooooow, that is soooo cool!!!! You really made my day with your comment!! Thanks a million! You are awesome! 🙂
Hope you got to see the amazing Northern Lights yesterday evening/night. We were just watching it from our living room window, and it was incredibly strong and dancing like crazy in the sky. Hope you enjoy the rest of your time in Tromsø!
Lots of hugs,
Maria
Oh my God, so much useful I
information! I’m visiting next week and now I already have plenty on my to do list. I’m afraid I might not be able to fit everything I want to see into 5 days but I’m definitely going to try. Do you have any tips for a female solo traveller maybe? I’m not shy of doing things by myself but eating in restaurants example can often get awkward. Any recommendations for where the best places to eat are where I’ll fit in as a single eater?
Tusen takk!!!
Hi Alex,
Thank you so much! So glad to hear that you find my Tromso guide useful when planning your trip to Tromso! 🙂
Since you only have five days in Tromso, here are the must-see things in winter in my options:
– Take the cable car up to Floya Mountain (or walk up and take the cable car down)
– Northern Lights concert in the Arctic Cathedral (from February 8 to March 11, 2018). Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays 23:00-23:30. The doors open at 22:30 and you buy tickets at the entrance (180 Nkr).
– The Polar Museum
– Polaria (see the seal feeding and training at 12:30 or 15:30)
– Go out and see the Northen Lights (join a tour or walk up to the lake Prestvannet where it`s darker than in the city center)
– If the weather is bad and the sky is not clear so you won`t be able to see the Northern Lights, you should see the spectacular movie Extreme Auroras at the Science Center at the University of Tromso
– Take the bus no. 425 to the beautiful Ersfjord on Kvaloya (Whale Island) and visit the lovely cafe Bryggejentene
– Go dog sledding with Active Tromso
You should not worry about eating alone in restaurants in Tromso, lots of people do that here. But maybe you will feel more comfortable eating alone at one of the not-too-fancy restaurants like Hildr (nice old house), Burgr (Tromso’s best burger), Kala (Japanese), Skirri (down by the harbor with a lovely view), Mathallen (serves Norweigan food), Lotus (also by the harbour with a great view, serves Asian food), Casa Inferno (best pizza in Tromso).
Have a great trip to Tromso!!! Crossing my fingers that you will see the Northern Lights. The weather is pretty bad right now with lots of rain.
-Maria-
Hi Maria
stumbled on your blog and thanks for all the detail information on Tromso. We are doing a cruise in March on P & O and we are overnight in Tromso. Could you please suggest what we could do on our own and what local tour company we could use to book excursions for dog sledge ride. Could we do the cable car ourselves and the recital at the Cathedral. We are in Tromso on the 26th and 27th March. Would we see the Northern lights. We live in Australia and have a couple of warm jackets, but no warm clothes for the snow. If we do the dog sledge ride do they have snow suits and shoes we could hire? Also what sort of footwear do we need? Thanks ever so much and looking forward to your reply
Hi Brenda,
Yes, you can definitely do the cable car and the Northern Light concert in the Arctic Cathedral on your own! They don`t require a guide.
We went dog sledding a couple of weeks ago with Active Tromso and loved it! You can read about it here. Or you can go on a dog sledding trip with Tromso Wilderness Centre.
You get warm comfortable clothes at the dog sledding camp, as well as shoes and mittens. It is included in the price. You should wear warm wool underwear and long johns, as well as a warm hat.
Yes, you can still see the Northern Lights in March, if the sky is clear of course.
Have a great cruise in March and enjoy your two days in Tromso!! Crossing my fingers that you will see the Northern Lights!
-Maria-
Hi Maria,
We are just about to leave Tromso and I wanted to say a huge thank you for all the great tips you give in this article – we followed most of them in the 5 days we had in Tromso! We also did 4 of the 7 easy hikes recommended in another of your post. I wish we stayed longer to be able to do them all. We had a truly wonderful time in Tromso and hope to come back again.
Good luck with your next adventure!
Pauline
Hi Pauline,
Wooooow, thank you soooo much!!! It means a lot getting these kinds of feedback from our readers! You really made my day! I can`t believe that you did 4 of our recommended 7 hikes! You must be in good shape! 🙂
Thanks again for your nice comment! You`re the best!
-Maria-
G’day Maria,
My wife and I are coming up there on Jan 2nd from Perth Australia for a few days to check the place out and hopefully catch some of the northern lights so thanks for all the tips and suggestions on your page. We too love travelling and try to do a big trip at least once every year or two. This trip we’re also travelling to the UK, Turkey and Japan. Congrats on the page lots of good info on here.
Cheers 🙂
G´day mate! 🙂
Thank you so much! Wow, so cool that you are heading up here to the Arctic all the way from Australia! We actually studied in Brisbane and had the chance to see some of Australia. Love your country and really hope to be back soon! Will hopefully visit Perth some day.
The beginning of January is the perfect time to see the Northern Lights as the sun is below the horizon so it is dark day and night. Crossing my fingers that you will get clear sky so that you will be able to see this spectacular natural phenomenon.
Sounds like will have a killer trip to Norway, UK, Turkey, and Japan, almost an around-the-world-trip! WOW, lucky you! We have some guides on Japan too on our blog, please check them out if you want some tips on what to do and see in Japan.
Have an amazing trip!
Cheers,
Maria 🙂
hello,
a nice informative article, willing to visit in July this year but i hope the cost would not be very high for a 3 days stay.
Your informtions are much appreciated.
kind regards.
Jalal
Hi Jalal,
Thank you so much! Norway is a pretty expensive country. Accommodation and food, especially eating out, will probably be your highest expenses. There are, however, plenty of stuff you can do for free in Tromso, like hiking. You can for instance book an apartment and make some food on your own and save some money.
Have a great trip to Tromso in July, and enojoy the Midnight Sun!
-Maria-
Hello Maria,
I am going to visit my friend in Sweden from Japan and we are planing to visit Tromsø together to experience the natural phenomenon, midnight sun. I searched midnight hiking tours but they are too expensive. We are going to visit other places in Norway so I don’t want to spend much on one activity and want to do it on our own.
This site of yours is great! Thank you for the detailed info! It is so helpful 😊
Hi Satomi,
Thank you so much! Great to hear that you are coming to Tromso this summer! There are plenty of hikes around Tromso that you can easily do on your own, you don`t have to join an organized hiking tour with a guide.
Here are my favorite easy hikes in Tromso that you can do on your own: https://nerdnomads.com/hikes-in-tromso
Have an awesome trip to Norway with your friend, and enjoy hiking in the midnight sun in Tromso! 🙂
-Maria-
G’day Maria,
Thanks for the reply we’re really hoping to see the northern lights to but alsoto do the dogsledding also. I read your article on that too, sounds like fun. I had a quick look at the Japan stuff too but will have another read when we come to booking that part of our trip. Anyway hope you get to Perth one day, if you do be sure to check out the south west of WA around Margaret River/Yallingup region, awesome area but WA has lot of nice places. Travel safe. 🙂
Cheers,
SCOTT.
Hello Maria,
“Since the sun never rises above the horizon in Tromso from the 21st of November until the 21st of January, these are the best months to see the Northern Lights.”
-I was wondering if early March is still a good time for an Aurora trip? Would you say that November-January is better because there’s a higher chance of spotting Northern Lights/ be able to see Northern Lights all day?
Thanks,
CJ
Hi CJ,
Yes, March is still a very good time to see the Northern Lights in Tromso. March is a more pleasant time to visit Tromso than January, in my opinion, as the sun is shining during the day so it is warmer and nicer to do outdoor things during the day.
Have a great trip to Tromso!
-Maria-
Thank you for this fantastic information – it was exactly what I needed for planning my visit to Tromso. It’s just a shame I have to wait until January 2019.
Hi Emma,
Thank you so much!! January is a great month to visit Tromso, and you will have a good chance of seeing the Northern Lights. It might be cold in January, though, this January was very cold with temperatures around -15 degrees Celsius.
The popular Tromso International Filmfestival will be held 14. – 20. January 2019, with lots of people and things happening in Tromso.
Have a great trip to Tromso next year! It will be a great way to kick off the new year! 🙂
-Maria-
Hello Maria ,
Thanks a lot for your extensive Tromso guide and amazingly beautiful panaromic photos.
I will be visiting Norway (and Tromso) for the first time in mid July this year.
So i look forward to visiting your beautiful country 🙂
To be honest, it was a difficult decision for me to pick Tromso over Bergen 😀
But your hometown is beautiful and i am excited to explore it in my 2 days/3 nights there.
Marcus
PS : Since you like Bali, i hope you will visit Malaysia one day too (My country of birth)
Hi Marcus,
Thank you so much! Great to hear that you are going to Tromso in July! It is the perfect time to see the Midnight Sun, hope you get some good weather. I am soooo glad that you picked Tromso over Bergen, hehe. Bergen is fine too but has a lot of rain, and Tromso is more unique and has a more spectacular nature and climate being in the Arctic. And Bergen doesn`t have the Midnight Sun so it gets dark in the night there.
We have actually just been to Malaysia. Spent three weeks in Kuala Lumpur, and are now in Singapore. Love KL and Penang, and Malaysian food! Have unfortunately not been to the Perhentian Islands yet, would love to go there someday. Have also been to Cherating, although it was, unfortunately, raining all the time while we were there. Malaysia is such a beautiful country, one of my favorite in Asia.
Have an awesome trip to Tromso in July! We are heading back home at the end of July.
All the best,
Maria
Hi Maria
Thank you so much for your beautiful description of Tromsø which I intend to travel in mid September hoping to catch the northrpern lights.
I like to do a trip to Senja Island with rental car; however the website to the ferry lines seem to be not available. Is there another link .
Hi Sharon,
Thank you so much! Great to hear that you plan on visiting Tromsø in September!
So sorry about the links. Thanks for letting me know about the broken links! Really appreciate it! I have fixed them now.
If you are thinking about doing the drive out to Brensholmen (close to Sommarøy) and take the ferry across the fjord to Senja, the last day it operates is 2nd of September. So there will not be any ferries going from Brensholmen to Senja in mid-September when you are visiting I`m afraid.
So in mid-September, you will have to drive from Tromsø to Senja, with no ferries involved (there is a bridge over to Senja Island). The drive takes about three hours one way, and is beautiful with great fjord views.
Have a great trip to Tromsø and enjoy your drive to Senja! Crossing my fingers that you will get to see the northern lights!
-Maria-
Dear Maria,
Thank you so much for one of the most informative webpages about Tromso! I will be in your city for five days this July (16-21) and plan to do some at least moderate level of day hikes around Tromso. I am a little worried about hiking solo in the wilderness– for the risks of getting lost and/or injuried on the trail. Do you know if there is any local community (like meetups in the U.S.) where people gather for such hiking activities as a group?
Thank you very much!
Joy
Hi Joy,
Thank you so much! Great to hear that you are visiting Tromso in the middle of July! It is the perfect time to go hiking in Tromso!
Yes, there is an organization for people who like hiking, The Norwegian Trekking Association, that organize tours: https://troms.dnt.no. But unfortunately, they don´t seem to have planned any tours for the five days you will be in Tromso. You can send them an email and ask: [email protected]
A good friend of mine, Tore at Active Tromso, is doing great guided hiking trips in Tromso.
In my hiking in Tromso post, I list some easy hikes that you will have no problem hiking solo. These hiking trips are very popular so you will not be alone and you will meet people along the path that you can ask for direction or help if you need. The trails of the hikes that I list in this post are easy to find and follow, so you will not get lost.
Have an awesome time in Tromso, and enjoy your hiking!!
-Maria-
Hi Maria,
Your blog is amazing. It made me change my itinerary. I initially thought of staying in Tromso for just a night and staying the rest of the trip in Lofoten but reading your post and realizing there’s so much to do and see in Tromso, I will now be staying there for 3 nights (i know it’s still not enough) but traveling on a tight sched and tight budget. Hopefully i’d be able to meet the “queen” during my stay (end of september 2018).
Anyway, I am mentally doing a surgery turning all my fingers into thumb just so i could give you a ten thumbs up for writing this very informative blog. 🙂
thank you so much and cheers from philippines.
Hi Juvy!
Awwww, thank you soooo much for your great comment, you are awesome! You made my day with your nice words! 🙂
Wow, so happy to hear that I convinced you to stay longer in Tromso. Lofoten is great, but Tromso is amazing too! 🙂 You will love it!
So cool that you are from the Philippines, and travel all the way up to the North of Norway! I love the Philippines, although we have only been to Manilla, Boracay, and Puerto Galera. Your country is soooo beautiful and I can´t wait to see more of it!
Crossing my fingers that you will get nice weather Tromso and Lofoten in September, autumn usually has much nicer weather than the summer (June and July). Have an amazing trip to Tromso and Lofoten!!
All the best,
Maria
I am planning to travel to Tromso between 16-20Aug2018 with my family (wife and 9year old). Have to pretty much resort to public transport or bicycles, as I dont have a EU driving license to rent cars. Hoping I can get enough information to make the trip really worthwhile travelling across Tromso and not restricted to the city alone.
Hi Vijay,
Great to hear that you are going to Tromso in August with your family!
You should download the free app called “Troms Reise” where you can easily find routes, bus stops and when the bus departs. You should also download the free mobile app called “Troms Mobillett” to buy tickets for both buses and ferries/ express boats.
Tromso city is located on a small island (only 10 km long), so getting around the city and its surrounding areas by bus, bicycle, or walking is no problem at all. There are plenty of buses.
You can also easily get to Kvaloya and the mainland Tromsdalen by bus, bicycle, or walking, as these are connected to Tromso city by bridges.
If you want to get further out of the city and see some of the islands, a good option is to do a day-trip and take one of the many ferries/ express boats that leave from downtown of Tromso (the brand new harbour terminal where also the tourist information is located). A nice ferry trip is the one to Senja (express boat no. 4 to Lysnes) or to Skjervoy (express boat no.3) which you can easily do as a day-trip without a car. You will find the timetable for these boats in the app “Troms Reise”.
Have a great trip to Tromso in August!! Crossing my fingers that you will get nice weather! I hear from my friends and family back home that the summer so far has been extremely cold (around 7 degrees Celsius) and it has even been snowing in June! So bring warm, wind- and waterproof clothes.
-Maria-
Hi Maria
Glad to come across your bog..we(me, my wife and 2 teenage daughters) will be visiting Tromsø 8-11th aug…planning to see tromso for 1.5 days…one day to drive to Senja..that leaves one more day to figure …pls suggest some thing , either a hike or a drive
Rajkumar
We are based in hk
Hi Rajkumar,
Thank you so much!
If the weather is OK, I really recommend doing one of these hikes.
Most of these hikes are on the island Kvaloya where I`m from. A nice trip for you would be to drive over the bridge to Kvaloya and drive south to the island Sommaroy. It is a beautiful drive through several fjords and mountain areas. Two of these seven hikes are really close to Sommaroy (Ørnfløya and Hillesøytoppen). The drive to Sommaroy takes about 1 hour from downtown Tromso (one way). You can also do the hike to Nattmålstinden if you want as it is on your way to Sommaroy.
On your way out to Sommaroy, you should make a stop at Ersfjord and visit the cozy cafe Bryggejentene for some coffee, ice cream, and some delicious Norwegian cakes. The cafe is, however, closed on Sundays.
There is a great hotel at Sommaroy, Sommaroy Arctic Hotel if you want to spend the night there.
From Sommaroy there is a ferry over to Senja Island (you can drive onboard the ferry with your rental car). The ferry trip takes 35 min and has stunning views, I really recommend it! The ferry pier at Sommaroy is called Brensholmen and the pier at Senja Island is called Botnhamn. You can find the ferry schedule HERE.
I think a drive to Sommaroy with a stop at Ersfjord and a hike along the way (either Nattmålstinden, Ørnfløya or Hillesøytoppen) would be a great day-trip for you! You can end your day-trip to Sommaroy by taking the ferry over to Senja (the last ferry leaves at 20:45 on Monday – Thursday, 22:15 on Fridays, 19:00 on Saturdays, and 22:15 on Sundays), or spend the night at Sommaroy and take the ferry over to Senja the next morning.
Have a great trip to Tromso in August with your family! I`m sure you will have an amazing time! Love HK by the way! 🙂
-Maria-
Wonderful page on Tromsø and by far the best I’ve seen so far on the web. I’m visiting in Feb 2019 for 5 days and very excited. Your information has really helped me. Thank you very much for taking your time to list this information:)
Hi Damon,
Thanks a million! Really appreciate it! Wow, awesome that you will visit Tromsø in February! It is the perfect time to see the northern lights, and also the sun is back so you will have a bit of daylight during the day which is nice.
Crossing my fingers that you will see a lot of stunning northern lights dancing in the sky! Have a wonderful time in Tromsø in February! Thank you so much for commenting, you made my day! 🙂
-Maria-
Dear Maria,
first of all thank you a thousand times for this wonderful and outstanding article about Tromsø. Honestly by far the best I have read so far.
I will be there from the 12th to the 20th of October. Seeing the northern lights is on the very top of my bucket list. So I hope you cross your fingers for me that I will see them 🙂
I bought a new camera and I am looking forward to shoot some amazing pictures.
Besides chasing the northern lights I will plan my whole itinary according to your article and your tips 🙂 So hopefully I will be Dog Sledding, visit one or two of the museums, visit the Fjords and the beatiful islands nearby. I guess I will be pretty busy 🙂
I am really already so excited and can’t wait to experience the beautiful city of Tromsø.
So thank you again for this great article that makes my excitement even bigger
Cheers
Serkan
Hi Serkan,
Thank you soooo much for your nice words!! Really appreciate it! You totally made my day! 🙂
So happy to hear that my article about Tromsø could be of inspiration and help to you when planning your Tromsø-trip in October! I am crossing all my fingers and toes that you will see plenty of green and pink Northern Lights dancing in the sky.
I hope there will be snow in the middle of October so that you get the chance to go dog sledding. Normally we only get a little bit of snow in September/ October, but it usually disappears and then we don´t get snow again until November/December.
But you will have plenty of things to do even if there is no snow. Fishing is great here in Tromso in October. The fish is of good quality as the temperatures in the sea is lower than during the summer months. Also, you should drive out to Ersfjord (have a coffee and cake at Bryggejentene Cafe) and Sommaroy where the Northern Lights is even more spectacular as it is darker and not that many artificial lights like in the city of Tromso.
I`m sure you will love Tromso! Have a great trip!
All the best,
Maria
Thank you so much for all this info. I am visiting Tromso at the end of October and have arranged a three night Northern Lights tour and a day-time cruise. With your guide, I have made notes as to what I should see on land and suggestions for cafes and restaurants. Most useful ! Looking forward to the visit.
Hi AnnieBee,
Thank you so much! Wow, so cool that you are visiting Tromso in October! Happy to hear that our Tromso guide could be of help to you when planning your trip! With the three-night Northern Lights tour and a day-time cruise, you have covered two of the best highlights of Tromso.
Crossing my fingers that you will have nice weather, a clear sky, no rain, and see plenty of Northern Lights! We are in Tromso right now, visiting my parents, and the Northern Lights have been fantastic so far in September.
Have an awesome trip to Tromso at the end of October!
-Maria-
Hi! I am thinking of visiting Tromso in January – it’s my birthday and I’d like to experience the Northen lights as a present to myself 🙂
Do you think it is a good time to go? I imagine it will be super cold, but with the right clothes, will I still be able to wander around?
Thank you!
Giulia
Hi Giulia,
Wow, what a great birthday present to give to yourself! My birthday is in January too 🙂
Yes, January is a perfect month to see the Northern Lights in Tromso. The sun is coming back on the 21st of January, which we celebrate all over town, but the sun is only above the horizon for a few minutes each day so it is mostly dark outside. The sun is a couple of minutes longer above the horizon for every day until it is up all day and night (the midnight sun) from mid-May until mid-July. That it is so dark in January makes it easy to see the Northern Lights if the sky is clear. You can even see it from the downtown of the city surrounded by street lights and houses.
This year January was extremely cold in Tromso, with temperatures around -10 to -18 degrees Celsius every day. But the average temperatures in January is normally around -4 C, so not that cold. It is usually plenty of snow in Tromso in January. With warm, wind- and waterproof clothes and shoes you will be fine and will be able to wander around.
Have a fantastic trip to Tromso in January! Crossing all my fingers that you will see lots of Northern Lights on your birthday!
-Maria-
I have read your post without breathing.
Thanks a lot Maria ♥, you are a handsome and wonderful person, because you are sharing and you are thinking on other people. For sure we should follow your example in terms of travel tricks.
All this valuable information are really helpful and there are many info to know before our visit.
We are also coming late October and I’m hopping to see the Northern Lights and maybe also to see the whales on 28oct.
Regards from Romania!
Hi Madalina,
Thank you sooooo much for your nice words, Madalina!!! ♥ Really appreciate it, your comment made my day! 🙂
Lucky you who are heading to Tromso in October! Late October is perfect for seeing the Northern Lights! It is dark in the evenings and the average temperature is around +3 so it is not that cold yet. We don´t usually have snow yet, and the red, orange and yellow autumn colors on the trees are stunning! So October is a great month to visit Tromso. It has been plenty of Northern Lights here the last couple of weeks, so it looks promising for October as well.
Crossing my fingers that you will have a clear sky and get to see plenty of Northern Lights and whales! I have unfortunately not been to Romania yet, but it looks like a beautiful country with awesome medieval towns with beautiful churches and castles. Really hope to see the beautiful Bran Castle one day, where Dracula apparently lived! 🙂
Have an amazing trip to Tromso in late October!
All the best,
Maria