Travel Guide
Northern Lights & Stunning Old Town: Why Travelers Flock To This European Winter Wonderland
Nov
Last Updated
If you’re not bothered by the cold, and nothing excites you more than the thought of treading where few others have trod before, especially a magical Old Town frozen in time––we might mean literally frozen––then the stunning Tromsø should be on your bucket list this winter.
Located north of the Arctic Circle, and with temperatures ranging from highs of 30.2°F to lows of 23°F in winter, it is one of the northernmost municipalities in Norway, a country that has surged in popularity with Americans in recent years thanks to its Viking past and winding fjords.
Spending winters in the Arctic might not be everyone’s cup of tea––certainly not those of us who are booked to go to the sun-drenched Caribbean in the near future––but if you love winter wonderlands, there’s a real chance Tromsø might steal your heart:
A (Not So) Warm Welcome To One Of The Largest Cities In The Arctic!
Hovering over Tromsø as the plane approaches their small international airport, you wouldn’t think there’d be this many people living in the Arctic, but there you go: 78,745 of them call this compact, mountain-backed city home, making it the third-largest in the world’s inhospitable north.
The first two, you ask? Well, they’re over in Russia, so we better skip those for now…
Back to Tromsø, has a rich history dating back to at least the year 890 AD, when a Norse chieftain Ohthere of Hålogaland settled the area accompanied by his entourage, and he is said to have described himself as living ‘furthest to the North of all Norwegians’, alongside the Sámi.
For those of you who don’t know, the Sámi are the nomadic peoples inhabiting parts of Northern Norway (as well as Finland and areas of Russia), and they are still going strong, offering tours to visit native Sámi camps and listen to folk tales by a bonfire for only $136.71.
Anyways, let’s not put the cart before the horses––or should we say, reindeers?
There are many centuries to account for between the arrival of the Vikings and our modern time, and for most of it, Tromsø was but a small settlement with little, to no importance, until the 19th-century, when trade in the Arctic finally developed.
It grew from a small village of only 80 or so inhabitants to a bustling coastal port nicknamed ‘Paris of the North’––not because it bears any resemblance to the French capital whatsoever, but probably due to the fact it was devoid of cultural wealth, as many would have expected.
So what is there to see in Tromsø, to begin with?
Beautiful Winter Scenery
The main landmark in town is, without question, the triangle-shaped Arctic Cathedral, that people either love or hate for its modern architecture, in stark contrast with the city’s traditional historic center, but that boasts a beautiful display of stained glass windows.
Then there’s the picturesque Old Town, containing the highest concentration of old wooden houses in Northern Norway, with the oldest one having been built as far back as 1789––mind you, in this climate, it’s not like it would have erupted in flames easily.
Norwegians themselves often visit Tromsø in summer, as it gets plenty of daylight during this period, and it hosts a number of art and music festivals, but winter just has that mystique about it:
Yes, (whatever minimal streak of) sunlight will be appearing as late as 10 in the morning and getting dark again after 3 o’clock, but you just can’t get mad at it when night after night, there’s an explosion of colors to be admired in the night sky––if they’re clear, that is:
Tromsø is one of the world’s prime locations for aurora sightings, thanks to its Northerly location and excellent conditions for viewing: it’s no wonder it even has its own Northern Lights Planetarium, with ‘spectacular shows’ every day from 11 am to 4 pm, to the tune of $11.85.
Not bad for one of the priciest countries in Europe! Then again, Norway has got considerably less expensive in recent years, with overnights here starting from an acceptable $132, and food in mid-range restaurants $25-32…
We digress again.
Fjord Cruises And Cable Car Rides
There are countless more activities and guided tours you can join to make the most of your time in this Arctic gem, from seeing the Northern Lights in a husky camp, as you pet the pups and warm yourself up with some hot chockie, to going on a fjord cruise:
Tromsø is surrounded by fjords and islands, and this day tour (including a salmon picnic) departing from the main harbor visits some of the most beautiful––if you’re lucky, you might even get to spot whales, orcas, reindeer and moose in the wild.
In town, taking the Fjellheisen Cable Car for a breathtaking panorama of Tromsø and its lights, and strolling around the garland-decked streets of Tromsdalen, lined with boutique shops and cozy restaurants, are absolute must-dos.
Oh, and don’t forget to get your phone out for the magic hour, an Arctic phenomenon best experienced in the darker stages of daybreak and twilight, when everything turns an ethereal shade of blue as the sun sets behind the horizon line.
Summers are great, for sure, but this is the kind of magic only winters can offer.
Plenty Of Indoor Attractions To Escape The Cold
When it does get too cold to be out, worry not: there’s plenty in Tromsø to keep you entertained, even indoors.
@terrastravels Troll museum in Tromso Norway! #terrastravels #terrakimberlyscott #tromso #norway #trollmuseum #trolls #travel ♬ original sound – TerrasTravels
You can for instance visit the quirky Troll Museum, where you can both learn about the feared creatures that are supposed to roam the woodlands of Norway, as well as take part in games and an augmented reality exhibit, for only $16.40 per adult––kids under 5 get in for free!
A kid-friendly Troll Museum is fun, but if you’re looking for some old-fashioned adult entertainment, we’d suggest you swing by Mack Brewery––a couple of pints of their ginger beer will have you see actual trolls before you with their big, fearsome hammers in no time.
Or they might just have been abnormally tall, big-bearded locals.
We weren’t entirely sure at that point.
Oh, and for the art enthusiasts, Tromsø Kunstforening is not to be missed: a contemporary art gallery housing exhibits from Norwegian, as well as worldwide artists, it is among the Arctic’s most important cultural centers.
How To Get To The Far North This Season
There are no nonstop flights from America to Tromsø, but there’s many a way U.S. travelers can reach the Arctic metropolis without long layovers and unnecessary changes this winter.
Tromsø is served by numerous nonstop flight routes linking it to major European destinations that have Transatlantic connections, with Oslo, the capital of Norway, being one of them: Americans can fly nonstop to Oslo year-round from Newark (EWR), New York (JFK) and even Miami (MIA).
Getting to the Norwegian capital might sound like the most intelligent thing to do, but you don’t even need to touch down in Norway first to then journey onward towards Tromsø: intra-Europe flights from cities like London, Paris, and Frankfurt can cost as cheap as $51 one-way.
Find all the available connections to Tromsø (TOS) and start planning your Arctic adventure here.
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