Tromsø: the Paris of the North
- Martina Cottafava
- 24 feb 2023
- Tempo di lettura: 4 min
Tromsøit is the largest city in Northern Norway. Home to untouched nature, it is also home to the Northern Lights.
How to organize your journey to Tromsø:
How to get there:
Flights booked on Cheap flights | Free flight comparison at www.skyscanner.it
150euros two ways with 2 layovers: Bologna-Paris-Bergen-Tromsø.
When is the best period to go?
Tromsø worth a visit in both summer and winter. In summer it is possible to do a lot of trekking, see the midnight sun and go birdwatching. In the winter you can ski, see the Northern Lights, do the snowmobile tour and go husky sledding. I went there at the end of January, in the middle of winter. The temperatures I found were quite mild for the period (2/3 degrees), but it always snowed.
What to pack:
Ski and mountain clothing will be your best friends (in winter)! Gloves, hat, scarf, winter jacket, thermal clothing, fleece, warm socks, tights... in short, everything you need to stay warm.
Where to stay:
I stayed outside the center and booked an entire apartment on https://www.airbnb.com/ (convenient for reaching both the airport and the center), paying 65 euros per night.
What to see in Tromsø:
Tromsø is quite small but with numerous things to see and do.
Old Town it really is a little gem. When I went there, the Christmas lights were still there, which, with the snow, made the town really welcoming.
The port If you want to take a pleasant walk along the sea, the port is the right place for you. The houses that can be seen on the other side of the sea look like nativity scenes.
The Prestvannet lake
is a small lake in the heart of Tromsø. It is also accessible in winter and, according to locals, is the best place to see the Northern Lights in the city.
Tours:
A visit to Tromsø cannot be separated from the various tours that the agencies offer. The tours are easily bookable on site (the city thrives on tourism and tourist shops are on every corner, favoring a wide choice and range of prices), or, if you want to book online, this site is really reliable Book Things To Do, Attractions, and Tours | GetYourGuide
1. HUSKY DOG SLED ADVENTURE - SELF DRIVING
Super recommended tour! The dogs are playful, cuddly and with a great desire to run. Bonus: you will drive the sled!!
2. IN SEARCH OF THE NORTHERN LIGHTS BY BUS
This tour is also recommended! it happens that it snows in Tromsø and that the sky is covered by clouds, so the guides of this tour are willing to drive even 300km just to let you admire the Queen of the Arctic. We arrived in Finland, where we found a very clear sky and we were able to enjoy a dream aurora borealis!
3. CRUISE TO SEE ORCAS AND WHALES
Absolutely beautiful. Seeing orcas and whales is not easy but the very nature of the wild fjords alone is worth the cruise. Whales settle in Northern Norway from October to January, where they feed and then migrate towards the equator. Although I went at the end of the season, I was very lucky to see several killer whales and the largest toothed whale on the planet.
Other tours you can do: - Cruise to see the Northern Lights - Sami village and reindeer sleigh ride - Snowmobile
How many days should I stay?
The visit to Tromsø, in my opinion, does not require many days. I did three whole days and that was enough. Of course it depends on what a person wants to see and how many tours he wants to do.
Is it expensive?
Yes, Tromsø (like Norway in general) is very expensive. All tours range from 100 to 400 euros.
Curiosities:
- Many cruise ships arrive in the port of Tromsø (large and large), those that then sail in the middle of the fjords. - Norwegians are a friendly, reserved and tourist-oriented people. In fact, it will be impossible to get lost because EVERYONE speaks English. - The symbol of Western Norway is the Troll. Legend has it that the first men who arrived in Norway had to deal with Norwegian trolls, mysterious, curious and funny creatures. The troll has become the absolute favorite souvenir of tourists, in the form of an ornament or a magnet.
- The Northern Lights are NOT always visible. To see it you need: 1. Clear skies and low light pollution 2. Fairly high KP index (i.e. the amount of sunlight in the sky) 3. Go to Tromsø in the right season *between October and March 4. Have a lot ofluck Don't be disappointed if the Northern Lights aren't as you imagined. The photos we see on the internet are only taken with a good camera. To the naked eye, the color is less accentuated but, I guarantee, you will be amazed. To help you understand when the sunlight activity is good, there are several Apps. I usedMy Aurora Forecast – Applications sur Google Play
- During the winter in Northern Norway, another natural phenomenon (even rarer than the aurora borealis) can occur, which takes the name of iridescent clouds or rainbow clouds. This atmospheric phenomenon is due to the reflection of the sun's rays on the small ice crystals present in the clouds.
- Every house in Tromsø has a dim light outside the window, which makes the city a magical place. It seems that the lights are used to cope with the long winter darkness that reigns for four months every year.
