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If the cold doesn’t bother you, and nothing excites you more than the thought of stepping where few others have gone before, especially a magical Old Town frozen in time – we might mean literally frozen – then it might breathtaking Tromsø that must be. on your bucket list this winter.
Located north of the Arctic Circle, and with temperatures ranging from highs of 30.2°F to lows of 23°F in winter, it is one of the northernmost municipalities in Norway, a country that has exploded in popularity in recent years has risen among Americans thanks to its Viking past and winding fjords.
Spending winter in the Arctic might not be everyone’s cup of tea – and certainly not for those of us who have booked to head to the sun-soaked Caribbean in the near future – – but if you love winter wonderlands, there’s a real chance Tromsø could steal your heart:
A (not so) warm welcome to one of the largest cities in the Arctic!
As you hover over Tromsø as the plane approaches their small international airport, you wouldn’t think so many people would live in the Arctic, but there you go: 78,745 of them call this compact, mountain-backed city their home, making it the the third largest in the inhospitable north of the world.
The first two, you ask? Well, they’re over in Russia, so we might as well skip that one for now…
Back to Tromsø, has a rich history dating from at least the year 890 AD, when a Norwegian chieftain Ohthere of Hålogaland settled in the area, accompanied by his retinue, and is said to have described himself as living ‘the farthest north of all the Norwegians’, next to the Sámi.
For those of you who don’t know, the Sámi are the nomadic peoples who inhabit parts of Northern Norway (as well as Finland and parts of Russia), and they are still active today, offering tours to visit native Sámi camps and to people listening stories around a campfire for just $136.71.
In any case, let’s not put the cart before the cart – or should we say: reindeer?
There are many centuries to explain between the arrival of the Vikings and our modern era, and for the most part Tromsø was just a small settlement with little to no significance. until the 19th centurywhen Arctic trade finally developed.
It grew from a small village with about 80 inhabitants to a village with about 80 inhabitants bustling coastal port nicknamed ‘Paris of the North’ – not because it bears any resemblance to the French capital, but probably due to the fact that it was devoid of cultural wealth, as many expected.
So what is there to see in Tromsø to begin with?
Beautiful winter landscape
The most important landmark in the city is without a doubt the ttriangular Arctic cathedralwhich people either love or hate for its modern architecture, in stark contrast to the traditional historic center of the city, but which features a beautiful display of stained glass windows.
Then there is the picturesque Old Town, with the highest concentration of old wooden houses in Northern Norway, the oldest of which has ever stood built already in 1789––mind you, in this climate it’s not like it would have gone up in flames easily.
Norwegians themselves often visit Tromsø in the summer, because it gets a lot of daylight during this period and a number of art and music festivals take place, but winter just has that mystical quality:
Yes, (regardless of the minimum bar) sunlight won’t appear until 10am and go dark again after 3, but you just can’t get mad at it when night after night there’s a explosion of colors to be admired in the night sky – when it is clear, that is:
Tromsø is one of the world’s top locations for aurora viewing, thanks to its northern location and excellent conditions for observation: it’s no wonder it even has its own Northern Lights planetarium, with ‘spectacular shows’ every day from 11am to 4pm. in the amount of $11.85.
Not bad for one of the most expensive countries in Europe! But then again, Norway does have it considerably cheaper in recent years, with overnight stays here starting at an acceptable $132, and dining in mid-range restaurants $25-32…
We digress again.
Fjord cruises and cable car rides
There are countless other activities and tours you can take part in to make the most of your time in this Arctic gem, from seeing the Northern Lights in a husky campwhile you pet the puppies and warm yourself with some hot chocolate take a fjord cruise:
Tromsø is surrounded by fjords and islands, and this day trip (including a salmon picnic) departing from the main harbor visits some of the most beautiful – if you’re lucky you might even spot whales, orcas, reindeer and moose in the wild.
In town, take the Fjellheisen cable car for a breathtaking panorama of Tromsø and its lights, and stroll through the streets of Tromsdalen decorated with streamerslined with boutiques and cozy restaurants, are absolute must-dos.
Oh, and don’t forget to get out your phone for the magic hour, an Arctic phenomenon best experienced in the dark stages of dawn and dusk, when everything turns an ethereal shade of blue as the sun sets behind the horizon.
Summers are certainly wonderful, but this is the kind of magic that only winters can provide.
Plenty of indoor attractions to escape the cold
When it do If it gets too cold to be outside, don’t worry: there’s plenty in Tromsø to keep you entertained, even indoors.
@terrareizen Troll Museum in Tromsø, Norway! #terratravel #terrakimberlyscott #tromso #Norway #trollmuseum #trolls #travel ♬ original sound – TerrasTravels
For example, you can visit the quirky Troll Museum, where you can both learn about the feared creatures that are said to roam the forests of Norway, and take part in games and an augmented reality exhibition, for just $16.40 per adult ––children under 5 years old can enter for free!
A kid-friendly Troll Museum is fun, but if you’re looking for some good old-fashioned entertainment for adults, we recommend stopping by Mack Brewery––a few pints of their ginger beer will make you see factual trolls ahead of you in no time with their large, terrifying hammers.
Or maybe they were just abnormally tall locals with big beards.
We weren’t quite sure at the time.
Oh, and for the art lovers: Tromsø Kunstforening is not to be missed: a contemporary art gallery with exhibitions by Norwegian and artists from around the world, it is one of the Arctic’s most important cultural centers.
How to get to the Far North this season
There are no direct flights from America to Tromsø, but there are many ways American travelers can reach the Arctic metropolis this winter without long layovers and unnecessary changes.
Tromsø is served by numerous non-stop flight routes connecting it to major European destinations with transatlantic connections, of which Oslo, the capital of Norway, is one of them: Americans can fly non-stop to Oslo all year round from Newark (EWR), New York (JFK) and even Miami (MIA).
Heading to the Norwegian capital may sound like the most intelligent thing to do, but you don’t even have to arrive in Norway first and then travel on to Tromsø: flights within Europe from cities like London, Paris and Frankfurt can cost as cheap as $51 one way.
Find all available connections to Tromsø (TOS) and start planning your Arctic adventure here.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
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