Tromso is located in the northern part of Norway, approximately 217 miles from the Arctic Circle. The city is surrounded by spectacular scenery, and offers historical and cultural attractions, as well as good food.
Tours to Tromso are available, which include excursions to help you make the most of your holiday. Travel companies, such as Transun, allow you to choose optional excursions so you can tailor the holiday to suit your own interests.
One of the most popular attractions in the area is the Perspektivet Museum. The exhibits are housed in an attractive neo-classical style merchant’s residence, which dates from 1838. There are exhibits from Tromso’s past and present, as well as a café and gift shop. Tromso is also home to the Art Museum of Northern Norway, which features collections from the 19th century to the present day.
The Arctic Cathedral is worth a visit while you are staying in Tromso. This distinctive building was built in 1965, and features an impressive stained glass window. If you are visiting during the summer, you may want to attend a Midnight Sun Concert at the cathedral.
There are also some attractive churches in Tromso, such as Tromso Domkirke, Kvaloy Church and Hillesoy Church.
The Botanical Gardens at Tromso are the northernmost botanical gardens in the world. There are Arctic and alpine plants here, such as Himalayan blue poppies, primroses and medicinal plants.
Tromso has a lively nightlife. The entertainment is quite varied, with numerous bars, clubs and cafés. Many of the clubs and cafés are open until 2am. The city also has a diverse range of restaurants, including cuisine from Italy, Thailand and Mexico. There are also restaurants where you can sample Norwegian cuisine. There should be something to suit a range of budgets, as there are bars where you can eat fairly inexpensively, as well as high end restaurants.
If you want to see the Arctic Fjords while you are in the area, you may want to consider a two centre break. Companies like Transun offer tours which include Tromso and Lapland. The journey from Tromso to Lapland will take approximately four hours, and you will be able to see the Arctic Fjords and the Lyngen Alps.
You may be offered various excursions while you are staying in Lapland. You can ride a sled pulled by huskies, go on a snowmobile safari or have a guided snowshoe tour. You may even have the opportunity to spend the night in an igloo.
Tromso is known as the Gateway to the Arctic, as it has been the starting point for many polar expeditions. However, you don’t need to leave Tromso to experience the polar environment. The city is surrounded by magnificent mountains and stunning scenery. You can take a cable car to the top of Storsteinen Mountain to see wonderful views of Tromso, as well as the islands and fjords. If you are there between December and March, you may also see the Northern Lights. Make sure that you take your camera to capture the amazing scenery.