Chasing the Northern Lights in Tromsø

In order to experience the Northern Lights first hand, I recently traveled to Tromsø. Also known as Aurora Borealis (named after the Roman goddess of dawn, not the Norwegian singer-songwriter), the Northern Lights is a spectacular natural phenomenon observed around the Arctic (the same phenomenon when observed around the Antarctic is called Southern Lights or Aurora Australis). In brief, the auroras are due to the interaction of the solar wind with the Earth’s magnetosphere. Simply put, they are the result of disturbances in the magnetosphere caused by the solar wind. The Northern Lights are visible from Tromsø, as well as other places in Northern Scandinavia, Russia, Canada and Alaska. Thanks to geomagnetic storms, the Northern Lights can sometimes be seen from lower latitudes too.

The auroras have been known since antiquity. They have been described by the Greek explorer Pytheas and the Roman Stoic philosopher Seneca. Nonetheless, those beautiful images of auroras are significantly more common today than ever before thanks to the increase in the use of digital cameras and social media, such as Instagram. This (partially) explains the sharp increase in the number of visitors (like myself) chasing the Northern Lights in places like Tromsø.

This is the largest city in northern Norway, lying 350km north of the Arctic Circle, about an hour and 50 minutes on the plane from Oslo. It is also the third largest urban area north of the Arctic Circle (following Murmansk and Norilsk both in Russia). Despite its geographical location, or perhaps because of it, Tromsø attracts many visitors keen to observe the Aurora Borealis first hand. The latest figures suggest that the city welcomes two hundred thousand visitors a year (about three times its population).

Yet, Tromsø is a city that has much more to offer than the Northern Lights, and is worth visiting not only in the winter, but also in the summer. Here are the top 10 things to do in Tromsø.

Tip 1: Chase the Northern Lights

If you visit Tromsø in the winter, then you’re probably there to see the Green Lady. Unfortunately, there are no guarantees she will make an appearance, even if you visit in the middle of the winter (when there is barely any daylight). Darkness is a necessary, but not sufficient, condition. Clear skies is another. Many tour operators offer evening excursions chasing the Northern Lights away from Tromsø (as far as the Finnish border). This, of course, increases the viewing probability, but still…

The Green Lady and me in Skibotn, Tromsø

I personally chose the ‘Northern Lights Big Bus Chase’ tour; our 8-hour long chase began at 6pm when our coach departed from Tromsø (950 NOK). We stopped at three different locations, which all had different conditions, landscapes and microclimates. The first one was before the village of Nordkjosbotn, but the sky was overcast, so we continued to the other side of the Lyngen Alps. We then stopped in Skibotn, where we were lucky to find a gap of clear sky and the Northern Lights waiting for us. This was at around 8pm.

Our guide took pictures of us with the Green Lady and the fjord in the background, and also helped us set our cameras to capture the phenomenon ourselves. I set my camera as follows: in manual mode, ISO to 1600 (or higher), lens to infinity, aperture as wide (the lowest number) as possible (for me this was 3.5), and shutter speed to 10-15 seconds (it needs to be fast). I then rested my camera on my tripod, and I was ready for light, camera, action!

Unfortunately, the Northern Lights were as elusive as the rumors had it. The sky got cloudier, so we hit the road chasing clear skies and the Green Lady all over again. A little while later, we stopped in the middle of a pine and birch tree forest called Lullefjellet. The sky was cloudy at first, but we waited until it opened up completely. Meanwhile, we enjoyed hot chocolate and biscuits, and then, as if by magic, a sky full of stars appeared! It revealed many constellations, including the Big Dipper, the Seven Sisters, Cassiopeia, and Orion. Unfortunately, even though the conditions were perfect for the Green Lady, she decided to go to bed early. At 2am, we were back in Tromsø.

However, the following night at around 11pm, we got lucky again. This time, we saw the Northern Lights from Tromsø Lodge & Camping.

Tip 2: Get up close and personal with the whales (or the huskies)

Chasing the Northern Lights is one of the many winter activities that Tromsø offers. The idea of a whale-watching tour on a catamaran sounded promising. In fact, whale-watching is not an all-year-round activity in Northern Norway, as the large mammals migrate to warmer climates in the summer; in the winter, however, they follow the herring and return up north. Keen to see the large marine creatures up close and personal, but also to cruise the fjords and enjoy the scenic landscape, we made it to the harbor at 8pm. Unfortunately, however, our 6-hour tour was canceled due to the weather conditions (1450 NOK).

If you are more of a dog person, or simply sensitive to sea-sickness, why not go dog-sledding? Like the Northern Lights tours, whale-watching and dog-sledding are popular activities offered by many operators.

Tip 3: Ski

The word ‘ski’ originates from the Norwegian language; it actually comes from the Old Norse word ‘skíð’, meaning ‘stick of wood’. Cross-country skiing is a popular activity in Norway, but don’t let this put you off from trying it yourself. Guided cross-country ski trips for beginners take place twice daily (in the morning and in the afternoon) and last 3 hours (995 NOK). Alternatively, you can participate in a guided snowshoeing hike.

Tip 4: Run a Marathon

The MidnightSun Marathon takes place in June, but there’s also the Polar Night Half Marathon taking place in January. If this is too much for you, there are also shorter races (5K and 10K).

Tip 5: Watch a Film

Taking place every January, Tromsø International Film Festival is just about to turn 30. It is due from the 13th to the 19th of January 2020. The program features films from Norwegian and international filmmakers, including ‘Everything that could have been’ (‘Alt som kunne ha vært’) by Norwegian director Trond Kvig Andreassen, and ‘Aurora’ by Finnish director Miia Tervo. Not all screenings take place indoors; there is also an outdoor cinema located in the heart of Tromsø.

Tip 6: Listen to Music

Tromsø is home to quite a few annually held music festivals catering for a wide range of tastes in music.

Nordlysfestivalen (also known as the Northern Lights Music Festival) offers a perfect opportunity to listen to different genres, such as classical, jazz and folk music. It is due from the 23rd of January to the 2nd of February 2020. Some concerts are ticketed, but there are also quite a few free to attend.

The Bukta Tromsø Open Air Festival (a.k.a. the Bukta Festival) is a rock music festival due from the 16th to the 18th of July 2020.

Also taking place in the summer (in August), there’s the Tromsø Jazz Festival, whereas the Insomnia Festival is an electronic music festival held annually in October. The exact dates for 2020 are yet to be announced.

Meanwhile, check out Norwegian soprano Sissel Kyrkjebø’s album ‘Northern Lights‘.

Tip 7: Go to an Art Museum

Tromsø is home to the Northern Norway Art Museum (Nordnorsk Kunstmuseum – 80 NOK), as well as the smaller Tromsø Center for Contemporary Art (Tromsø Kunstforening – free entry). In the former, you will come across an Edvard Munch painting (but not the ‘Scream’!). Both museums offer free coffee, quite a nice gesture considering that Norway is quite an expensive country!

Tip 8: Listen to Music in a Church

Two churches stand out in Tromsø and are rather hard to miss. Built in 1861, the Cathedral (Domkirke) is one of the oldest in Tromsø and is located on Sjøgata (one of the city’s main streets) on a site where there has been a church since the 13th century. It is the only Norwegian cathedral made of wood and one of the country’s biggest wooden churches. It is also the northernmost protestant cathedral. Every afternoon (except for Sunday) at 15.30 there is a half-hour concert showcasing the region’s music tradition (185 NOK).

The other church standing out is the Arctic Cathedral (Ishavskatedralen). Unlike Domkirke, this is a modern concrete and metal church built in 1965. It is located in Tromsdalen, on the mainland; Domkirke and the city center are located on the island of Tromsøya, which is connected to Tromsdalen by a 1,036-meter-long bridge, once the longest in Northern Europe. Like Domkirke, the Arctic Cathedral is a great place to attend folk and classical music concerts, most of which take place in the evening. Outside those times, entrance to the Arctic Cathedral costs 50 NOK.

Tip 9: Enjoy the View

Like in other Norwegian cities, it is not difficult to view Tromsø from above. In Tromsdalen, there is Fjellheisen, a cable car that takes you all the way to the top of Storsteinen (literally ‘the big rock’) 421 meters above sea-level. It only takes 4 minutes to get to the top, and there are rides every half an hour from mid morning till midnight (11 pm in the winter). A return ticket costs 230 NOK. The restaurant there (Fjellstua) offers a selection of mouth-watering dishes, including reindeer stew, reindeer burgers, and Norwegian waffles.

Tip 10: Food and Drinks

Start your day with coffee. Risø mat & kaffebar is the only cafe in Tromsø recommended in Lonely Planet’s Global Coffee Tour: A Taster’s Guide to the World’s Best Coffee Experiences. Located on Strandgata, not far from Domkirke, it also offers freshly-baked kanelsnurrer, those delicious Scandinavian cinnamon twists (in Sweden they’re known as kanelbullar).

For lunch, I would recommend Emma’s Under, a Norwegian restaurant with views of Domkirke. I had reindeer patties, which were simply delicious. Emma’s Drømmekjøkken is situated right above Emma’s Under and is considered one of the best restaurants for dinner.

An alternative is Du Verden. Located on the seafront, this restaurant offers views of the fjord and the harbor, as well as pizza at very competitive prices (at the weekend). Having said that, I opted for something a bit more Norwegian: fish soup.

For a light lunch (or for a warm drink) I would strongly recommend Raketten Bar & Pølse, a small kiosk on Storgata, off Stortorget, the city’s main square. Enjoy a reindeer hot dog, gløgg (mulled wine) or hot chocolate by the fire, whilst having a friendly conversation with other passers-by, listening to jazz music and looking at the Arctic Cathedral in the background.

If you’d rather have a glass of wine in a slightly warmer indoor environment, head to Helmersen Delikatesser & Vinbar, also on Storgata (almost opposite to Domkirke). As the name suggests, this is a delicatessen and winebar, but they also serve light dishes and coffee.

For dinner, try the reindeer burger at Prelaten Kro & Scene, a laid-back semi-underground pub.

Or, take the Fjellheisen cable car and have dinner at Fjellstua savouring the view from above.

To finish off the day, head to Bardus Bar & Bistro, for cocktails in a sophisticated but friendly environment.

Skål!

Getting to Tromsø

Norwegian flies directly from London to Tromsø (albeit not on a daily basis). Alternatively, you can fly to Oslo (Gardermoen) and from there to Tromsø. Both Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) and Norwegian fly multiple times a day from Oslo to Tromsø. The flight is about an hour and 50 minutes. If you’re flying from Gardermoen airport, look out for the two original works by Edvard Munch. They’re on display towards the D gates in the International Departures section.

Accommodation in Tromsø

There are quite a few hotels in Tromsø city center. I personally chose to stay at the Tromsø Lodge & Camping in Tromsdalen, so I could have more chances to see the Northern Lights (and it turned out to be a very wise decision). From there, the city center is less than 10 minutes by car; a taxi ride costs about 200 NOK.

When and how long to visit Tromsø for

The answer depends on the purpose of your visit.

If your main objective is to see the Northern Lights, then visit during the winter months. I would recommend spending at least 3 nights there, but if you want (and can afford) to stay longer, there are plenty of winter activities (whale-watching, dog-sledding, skiing, snowshoeing etc). In January, there is the Tromsø International Film Festival, the half-marathon, and the Northern Lights Music Festival.

In the summer, there’s the MidnightSun marathon, the Tromsø Jazz Festival, and the Bukta Festival.