Tromsø is a hidden gem when it comes to cities in Europe. Sitting 350km north of the Arctic Circle in Norway, it is absolutely stunning. The city is situated in a fjord, surrounded by snowy mountains and regarded as one of the best places in world for seeing the northern lights dance across the sky.
It’s a place you can’t afjord to miss.
So here are my top 7 things to do in Tromsø in Winter.
Reindeer Ranch
Just a short drive outside of Tromsø you will find the incredible Reindeer Ranch, where over 300 Reindeer reside.
You can get right in amongst it, feeding the reindeer by hand and getting up close and personal to the (mostly) peaceful and friendly fellas.
Some of them can be arseholes though so be careful. When I visited one of them was just stomping around all moody, kicking buckets of feed over, not eating anything, just kicking them over and then moving on to the next unattended bucket. Another one was chasing a woman around, which was hilarious, although probably not for the woman to be fair.
After feeding the Reindeer we were served hot chocolates and then a traditional stew… which happened to be Reindeer stew. So, we fed them and then they fed us I guess, circle of life and all that.
We then gathered around a campfire in a Sami tent for some traditional Sami singing, before heading back to Tromsø.
Northern Lights
The big one. The Northern Lights. Tromsø is one of the best places in the world to see the amazing Aurora Borealis, and for good reason.
You have a great chance of seeing them in winter due to Tromsø’s location north of the Arctic Circle. Spending 4 nights in Tromsø in December, they were visible every night. Now that’s not to say it’ll be the same, or it’s a guarantee that you’ll see them if you go, but the odds are in your favour.
Top tip – There’s a lot of different ways you can try to hunt them down and see them (if they aren’t already visible from the city!), from boats leaving from the harbour to coach trips and even hiking up some of the nearby mountains.
I went with a boat trip, you can sit in, out of the cold (-15C at night), and grab a hot drink. Some boats even have hot tubs on them.
Another top tip – Look at trips with a photographer, the northern lights are notoriously difficult to photograph if you don’t know what you’re doing. You can catch them with a iPhone camera by using a long exposure and doing a little bit of editing, but the final result is a long way off the quality of what a professional will capture
Sauna and Arctic Plunge
On the harbour you will find Pust sauna. It’s a traditional Finnish sauna with incredible views of Tromsø and a cold plunge.
The cold plunge being the Arctic Ocean!
After doing a session in the sauna heating up, step outside onto the icy deck and plunge into the ocean. You’ll see some crazy locals just diving straight into the water like it’s the Olympics. I, very tentatively, used the step ladder, which was just as bad ass.
Keep cycling the hot and cold as many times as you want in your allotted time.
I was sceptical about how enjoyable I would find this beforehand, but it’s an incredible experience, which is genuinely refreshing and revitalising. I’ve never felt so awake, it’s better than any coffee I’ve ever had.
Whale Watching
Join a Whale watching tour. Head out from the harbour on an electric catamaran, seeking out the whales feeding grounds in the short window of daylight that’s available.
You can see orcas and humpback whales up close if you’re lucky, as well as porpoises and dolphins.
Top tip – It’s extremely cold on the deck of the boats, so make sure you’re dressed appropriately. The boats should have thermal bodysuits you can put on and are warm inside, with hot drinks and snacks available.
Another top tip – To save a little money we took some pot noodles and used the hot water available on the boat to make them up.
Fjellheisen
For an incredible view of Tromsø, get yourself up the Fjellheisen cable car. The views are breathtaking. Grab a coffee in the café and spend some time just looking out over the city.
You can also strap on some snowshoes and do some hiking whilst up there. You might even get to see the northern lights!
Mack Brewery
The world’s most northern brewery. More than just a novelty, Mack do some great beers. Get in out of the cold and visit the brew pub Ølhallen, which has a huge range of different beers on tap. Good luck trying them all, there’s 72 of them.
You can also visit the brew shop for keepsakes and do a brewery tour, with beer tastings as well.
Arctic Cathedral
Built in 1965, the Arctic Cathedral stands tall in Tromso, dominating the skyline. It’s a spectacular looking building, visible from all over, the Tromsø Sound, the Tromsø Bridge, Fjellheisen, as well as when flying into Tromsø.
Inside is a huge glass mosaic of Christ, with simple oak pews and a minimalist pulpit providing a humble contrast to the buildings stunning design.
Religious or not, it’s worth a look