Tromsø

The “Gateway to the Arctic”: a university city inside the Arctic Circle and the top base for chasing the northern lights, fjord whale watching and husky sledding.

Tromsø is in Troms county in northern Norway, at 69.6°N and about 350 km north of the Arctic Circle. It is the largest city in Arctic Norway and is known as the “Gateway to the Arctic.” The city center is on the island of Tromsøya, where the cathedral, the main street Storgata, Polaria, the Polar Museum and the harbor are all within walking distance; across the bridge are the Arctic Cathedral and the Fjellheisen cable car. Nearby activities include Ersfjord and Sommarøy on the island of Kvaløya to the west, husky sledding and Sámi reindeer camps in winter, and the Lyngen Alps to the east; farther afield, you can make day trips to Senja and to the ice domes of the Tamok Valley. The Lofoten Islands have their own destination page. Seasons: late September to late March is northern lights season, late November to mid-January is the polar night, and whales can be seen in November–January; late May to late July is the midnight sun. Thanks to a warm current, winter temperatures are around −5 to 0°C. Getting there: the flight from Oslo takes about 2 hours, and the airport bus reaches the city center in 15 minutes. Allow 3–4 days, with at least 3 nights set aside for aurora hunting. Tips: aurora tours can be as cold as −20°C, so dress warmly (most tours provide thermal overalls); roads are icy in winter, so driving yourself requires studded tires and experience on snow and ice; prices are high, and self-catering from supermarkets saves money.

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Itineraries