Discover Tromsø

About Tromsø

Tromsø is the unofficial Arctic capital of Norway — a beautifully sited northern city 350km above the Arctic Circle, on the island of Tromsøya wedged between the steep mountain peaks of mainland Norway and the open Arctic sea. Population around 78,000, with extremely active university and research base presence (Tromsø is the leading Arctic research city in Europe). The town's reputation rests on two extremes: the Polar Night (‘Mørketid'), from late November to mid-January, when the sun doesn't rise at all for around 60 days, and the Midnight Sun, from May 18 to July 25, when it doesn't set. Both create some of the most extraordinary travel experiences on Earth. The Northern Lights season runs September to early April, with the city's surrounding mountain valleys and clear inland fjords giving some of the most reliable aurora-watching conditions anywhere. The bright wooden Catholic Cathedral (the world's northernmost Catholic cathedral) and the dramatic glass-fin Arctic Cathedral (Tromsdalen, with one of the largest stained-glass windows in Europe) are the architectural anchors. Don't miss the Polar Museum (excellent on the heroic-age exploration of Amundsen, Nansen, and the seal-hunting industry), the Polaria aquarium (with bearded seals), and the Fjellheisen cable car up Mount Storsínodden for the full Arctic panorama.