Tromso Arctic North
3
Day Itinerary •
Norway
Three days in Tromso and the Arctic North take you to the world capital of northern lights, the most extraordinary city in the Norwegian Arctic where the Fjellheisen cable car rises above the treeline to give the finest panorama over the city and its fjord. From the extraordinary Arctic Cathedral and the Polar Museum to the husky safari and northern lights chase in the Lyngen Alps, Tromso is the finest base for the Arctic experience in Norway. This route covers the essential Tromso region. The extraordinary old wooden town and the Arctic Cathedral, the Fjellheisen cable car panorama, the Polar Museum telling the story of Arctic exploration, the northern lights chase by minibus into the Lyngen Alps, the extraordinary Lyngen alpine landscape, and the extraordinary turquoise island of Sommaroy with its Arctic beach.
Best Time To Visit
Nov to Mar for northern lights. Jun to Jul for midnight sun.
Getting There
Direct flights from Oslo, Copenhagen and London to Tromso
Getting Around
Tromso Card covers city transport. Car or tour for Lyngen Alps.
Budget Per Day
Approx 1,200 to 2,200 NOK per person per day
Difficulity
Easy to moderate. Northern lights tours by minibus.
DAY 1
TROMSO OLD TOWN
MORNING
TROMSO OLD TOWN AND THE ARCTIC CATHEDRAL
Tromso's old town on the island of Tromsoya is the most extraordinary Arctic city in Norway, its extraordinary collection of 19th-century wooden houses and the famous Arctic Cathedral across the Tromsoysund bridge giving the finest urban Arctic skyline in the world. The Arctic Cathedral, designed by Jan Inge Hovig and completed in 1965, has the most extraordinary stained glass window in Norway, 140 square metres of extraordinary mosaics by Victor Sparre depicting Christ's second coming. Cathedral entry approx 60 NOK. Travel: 20 min walk
MIDDAY
THE POLAR MUSEUM AND THE OLD HARBOUR
The Polar Museum in the old harbour district tells the extraordinary story of Arctic exploration from Tromso, the extraordinary expeditions of Roald Amundsen who sailed from this harbour to the Northwest Passage, the North Pole and Antarctica, and the remarkable story of the trapper Hilmar Nois who spent 38 winters alone on Svalbard. The extraordinary collection of original expedition equipment and the remarkable photographs of Arctic conditions are outstanding. Entry approx 140 NOK. Travel: 20 min cable car
AFTERNOON
THE FJELLHEISEN CABLE CAR PANORAMA
The Fjellheisen cable car from Tromso rises 421 metres to the Storsteinen summit in 4 minutes, giving the most extraordinary panorama over the city island, the Tromsoysund strait and the Lyngen Alps on the mainland horizon. In winter the extraordinary alpenglow on the Lyngen peaks from the cable car platform at 3pm is the finest light phenomenon in northern Norway. The summit has the finest cafe in the region with extraordinary views. Cable car approx 230 NOK return.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Tromso Arctic-Alpine Botanic Garden at 69 degrees north is the most extraordinary Arctic garden in the world, the northernmost botanic garden on earth with extraordinary collections of Arctic and Alpine plants from across the circumpolar world. Open year-round and entirely free. The extraordinary midnight sun light on the garden in June is outstanding.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Kaffebrenneriet, Tromso Outstanding Tromso coffee. Finest flat white north of the Arctic Circle. | Lunch: Mathallen food market, Tromso Outstanding Arctic food market. Local king crab, reindeer and northern Norwegian delicacies. | Dinner: Fiskekompaniet, Tromso Outstanding seafood restaurant. Local Arctic king crab and northern Norway halibut.
DAY 2
NORTHERN LIGHTS CHASE
MORNING
TROMSO CITY AND THE UNIVERSITY MUSEUM
The Tromso University Museum is the most extraordinary natural history and cultural history museum in northern Norway, its extraordinary collection of Sami cultural objects, the remarkable Northern Lights planetarium show and the extraordinary geological and zoological collections giving the finest single overview of the Arctic environment. The museum's extraordinary permanent exhibition on the Sami people and their reindeer herding culture is outstanding. Entry approx 100 NOK. Travel: 1 hour minibus EVENING THE NORTHERN LIGHTS CHASE 4 hours The northern lights minibus tours from Tromso drive away from the city lights into the Lyngen Alps or across the Ullsfjord to find clear sky and strong aurora activity. The extraordinary experience of watching the green and occasionally red northern lights dance above the Arctic landscape is the finest natural spectacle in Norway. Tours run from approximately 6pm to 11pm, chasing the clearest sky. Multiple operators in Tromso. Approx 700 to 1,200 NOK. NIGHT OPTIONAL SNOWSHOE NORTHERN LIGHTS WALK 2 hours Some operators offer snowshoe walks into the Lyngen mountains at night to watch the northern lights from the mountain slopes above the treeline. The extraordinary experience of walking through snow under the aurora with the Lyngen peaks above and the fjord below is the finest northern lights experience in Norway. Snowshoe experience included. Book as addition to the standard minibus tour. Approx 900 to 1,400 NOK.
MIDDAY
AFTERNOON
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Tromso Sami camp in the mountains above the city gives the most extraordinary cultural experience in the Arctic, a traditional Sami lavvu tent where reindeer herders serve hot bidos reindeer stew and explain the extraordinary Sami relationship with the Arctic landscape. Most northern lights tour operators include this as an optional add-on. Approx 500 to 800 NOK.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Cafe in Tromso Coffee and recovery after the northern lights night. | Lunch: Mathallen, Tromso Outstanding Arctic food market. Local reindeer sausage and Arctic cloudberry dessert. | Dinner: Arctandria, Tromso Outstanding traditional northern Norwegian restaurant. Local stockfish and reindeer.
DAY 3
LYNGEN ALPS AND SOMMAROY
MORNING
THE LYNGEN ALPS, NORWAY'S ALPINE NORTH
The Lyngen Alps on the mainland east of Tromso are the most extraordinary alpine landscape in northern Norway, their extraordinary glacier-covered peaks rising directly from the Lyngen fjord to heights of 1,833 metres at the highest summit. The drive from Tromso through the Balsfjord valley to the Lyngen ferry crossing gives extraordinary views of the entire massif above the fjord. The extraordinary Furuflaten viewpoint gives the finest panorama over the Lyngen peaks and the fjord below. Travel: 1.5 hour drive to Sommaroy
MIDDAY
SOMMAROY, THE ARCTIC TURQUOISE ISLAND
Sommaroy is the most extraordinary island in the Tromso region, its extraordinary turquoise water and white sand beaches entirely unexpected at 69 degrees north. The small fishing village on the island has an extraordinary authentic Arctic character. The extraordinary view from the Sommaroy bridge back toward the mainland mountains gives the finest single landscape photograph near Tromso. The island beach in the midnight sun in July is the most extraordinary Arctic summer experience. Travel: 1.5 hour drive back
AFTERNOON
HILLESOY AND THE ARCTIC COASTAL WALK
The extraordinary coastal walk from Sommaroy along the Hillesoy island shore gives the finest views of the outer Tromso island coast, the extraordinary skerries and the open Arctic Sea beyond visible from the headland. The remarkable Hillesoy lighthouse gives the finest single viewpoint on the outer coast. The drive back to Tromso through the extraordinary Tromsoysund tunnel gives the final view of the city skyline from the sea approach.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Polaria museum in Tromso is the most extraordinary small Arctic museum in Norway, its extraordinary panoramic film of the Svalbard coast and the remarkable bearded seals in the outdoor pool giving the finest single Arctic animal experience in the region. Entry approx 140 NOK. The most accessible Arctic wildlife encounter in northern Norway.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Hotel breakfast in Tromso Fuel up before the Lyngen and Sommaroy day. | Lunch: Sommaroy island cafe Outstanding island cafe. Local fish soup and Norwegian bread on the Arctic beach. | Dinner: Emma's Drommekjokken, Tromso Outstanding farewell dinner. Local reindeer, Arctic char and cloudberry dessert.
DAY 4
MORNING
MIDDAY
AFTERNOON
💎 HIDDEN GEM
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
DAY 5
MORNING
MIDDAY
AFTERNOON
💎 HIDDEN GEM
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Where To Stay
Tromso City Centre Clarion Hotel The Edge or Radisson Blu. Waterfront location. Approx 1,200 to 2,500 NOK. Budget Option Tromso Activities Hostel or Ami Hotel. Central location. Approx 600 to 1,100 NOK per night.
Top Tips
1. Check the northern lights forecast at yr.no and spaceweatherlive.com. Clear skies and high KP index are key.
2. Northern lights tours drive away from city lights. The Lyngen Alps on a clear night give extraordinary displays.
3. The Fjellheisen cable car at 3pm in winter gives the extraordinary alpenglow on the Lyngen peaks across the fjord.
4. Dress in extreme cold layers for northern lights tours. Temperatures can reach minus 15 to minus 25 in January.
5. The Arctic Cathedral is most extraordinary lit from outside at night. The midnight mass at Christmas is extraordinary.
6. Sommaroy beach in summer is the most unexpected Arctic experience. The turquoise water is extraordinary.
Total Budget
1,200 to 2,200 NOK/day