TROMSÖ Wilderness & Northern Lights
Tromsö is an absolute bucket list destination for everyone, who wants to see the northern lights or as they are also know: Aurora Borealis.
The small city above the polar circle is the perfect starting point for northern lights “hunting”. The city as well as the surrounding landscapes present themselves as the picture-perfect photo spots for your Aurora Borealis photography.
Next Article: Northern Lights – How to increase your chances to find the Aurora Borealis
Tromsö Harbor Side
The harbor of Tromsö is located at the eastern waterfront of Tromsö island (Tromsøya). From here you have a great view of the famous Ishavskatedralen (dt.: Eismeerkathedrale) as well as the Tromsdalstinden mountain. The harbor itself is relatively small and can be explored quite fast. The combination of traditional and modern architecture not just makes it a good photo motiv, but also provides a feeling of coziness – especially during winter.
The Arctic Cathedral - Ishavskatedralen
The Ishavskatedralen – or also known as “The Artic Cathedral” – is the landmark of Tromsö, which was inspired by artic nature. The shape of the cathedral almost reminds you of an iceberg.
The sharp white concrete panels are built up to a triangular form and contribute to the artic appearance of the cathedral. The former seaman’s church is illuminated in the dark and can be seen best from the Tromsobrua bridge or from the Tromso harborside across the Tromsøysund.
The cathedral is located outside of the Tromsö island at Tromsdalen, right in front of the Tromsdalstinden mountain. You can easily walk here by crossing the Tromsobrua bridge.
The cathedral can be visitied out of church service hours. Furthermore, you can check the official website for concerts, which are staged from time to time within the church.
Tromsø Domkirke
When visiting the city center of Tromsö you cannot miss he bright-yellow domkirke. The gothic-styled church is one of the northernmost churches of the world and is the biggest Norwegian wooden church.
Tromsøbrua
The Tromsøbrua bridge connects the Tromsö island and the eastern mainland. The bridge is – next to the Arctic Cathedral and the Tromsdalstinden mountain – one of the most famous sights of Tromsö.
When travelling to this rather remote place, make sure that you soak in the many lonely places, which can still be found in the surrounding area. Following you will find some inspiration of things to do outside of Tromsö – but also consider that sometimes “What matters is the journey, not the destination”.
Håkøya Island
The small island of Håkøya is located in the western Tromsøysund. There is just one road on this island, which leads you directly along the waterfront. From here you have a spectacular 360° view of Tromsö and the Tromsøysund as well as the surrounding snow-covered mountains.
Sommarøy Island
The most amazing landscape can be found, while driving in the direction of the Sommarøy island. We did this tour several times, as there are just so many breathtaking landscapes along this route. You get here by following the ringroad of the Kvaløya island. Sommarøy itself is a small, but in Norway well-known island, with almost white-sanded beaches and crystal-clear water, which will – even in winter – remind you of the Maldives.
Esfjordbotn
The Northern part of the Kvaløya island is split into two parts by the Ersfjordbotn. This Fjord cuts deep into the landscape and is a breathtaking photo location. It is especially well known for being a good location to see the northern lights.
A visit to the Swedish / Finish Border
When in Tromsö, you should also visit the Swedish/Finish border region. The landscape offers a lot to see: from waterfalls to small lakes and green meadows. Besides that, the border region is the go-to place for many of the polar light hunting agencies as it is farther from the coast and higher up – so the chance for a clear sky is better.
Just drive all the way to the small village of “Skibotn” and take the road E8 into the direction of the Finnish border. Plan about 2 hours of driving from Tromsö to the border. Streets are well-developed and usually cleared quickly after snowfall.
Book an Airbnb with a kitchen
As Norway is in general quite expensive, I would recommend to book an Airbnb with a kitchen. We stayed at an Airbnb at the small village of “Hella”, which is a 35 minutes’ drive from the Tromsö city center.
Get a rental car
While the sights of the city center itself can easily be visited on foot, I would highly recommend to get a car to explore the countryside around the city. Make sure, that you get yourself a car with four-wheel-drive. As weather conditions can get quite harsh, you should have experience driving in winter with snow and ice.
Sign-up for guided tours in advance
If you do not dare to drive by yourself, you can sign-up for one of the several guided tours, which are offered by several travel agencies in Tromsö. You can go for polar light hunt, visit a husky farm and do some husky-sledding under the northern lights or go on a whale watching tour in the northern sea.
Plan your DYI “polar light hunting tour”
If you want to know, how to plan your “Polar light hunt” and how to increase your chances to see the Aurora Borealis, check the following Blogposts: Northern Lights – How to increase your chances to find the Aurora Borealis.
Next Article: Northern Lights – How to increase your chances to find the Aurora Borealis
