Tromsø

Tromsø (Northern Sámi: Romsa, Kven and Finnish: Tromssa) is a city of around 78,000 people (2023) in the very northernmost part of Norway. It is almost 350 km north of the Arctic Circle and is one of the best places to view the spectacular Northern Lights in winter. Tromsø is a surprise to most visitors: Here you find art, history, sophistication, good food and infamous nightlife in a bustling, tiny city. All of it, though, is surrounded by spectacular scenery that is visible from everywhere in town.

See: 16
Do: 8
Eat: 13
Drink: 17
Buy: 9

16 places match

See

Cathedral of Our Lady

Vår Frue Kirke

This tiny church is the seat of the world's northernmost Catholic bishop, and also dates from 1861.

See

Mack Brewery

Macks Ølbryggeri

Offers guided tours of the brewery. Claims to be the world's northmost brewery, but Svalbard Bryggeri in Longyearbyen is further north. Established in the city centre in 1877, the brewery is still owned by the same family. Monday to Thursday, they offer guided tours at 13:00 if there are at least four visitors. So you risk coming there for your tour, and not getting it. This brewery is looking for an alternative place to set up a new factory, seemingly in Nordkjosbotn (Balsfjord municipality), 70 km (45 mi) to the south. But the city council is striving to keep the brewery in or near Tromsø, insisting on their ties with another famous place in Tromsø, Ølhallen — see below: Drink – Bars and pubs. The debate and the population's relationship with Mack is getting so passionate that some threaten to boycott the brewery’s products if they leave the city.

See

Perspektivet Museum

Has temporary exhibits on the North. Their location in an 1838 building in the main street is superb, and there is free admission.

See

Polar Museum

Polarmuseet i Tromsø

The museum is housed in an old warehouse from 1830 and displays Arctic hunting from Tromsø and expeditions to the Arctic. A guidebook is provided for English and other languages, though many of the displays are in Norwegian, so you'll need a translation app to read them such as Google Translate.

Closed · opens 11 am tomorrow120 kr

See

Polstjerna

A preserved seal hunting vessel, right next door to Polaria. Combined entry with Polarmuseet, Tromsø University Museum or Polaria available.

11:00-17:00 June 15th-August 15th (Summer only)40 kr

See

The Arctic Alpine Botanic Garden

Arktisk-alpin botanisk hage

The world's northernmost botanic garden. Although not a particularly big garden, it has some interesting features:

Open 24 hrFree

See

The Cable Car

Fjellheisen

On Mount Storsteinen. Offers a fantastic view from 421 metres above sea level. In summer, make sure you go up there at midnight. The view from the top is amazing in winter also. You can walk (less than 1h one way).

Daily 09:00-midnight545 kr (return)

See

The Northern Norwegian Art Museum

Nordnorsk Kunstmuseum

Has art from Northern Norway from 1800 onwards, and Norwegian art in general. Look out for their temporary exhibits.

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Troll Museum

Tromsø SeaTroll

The museum which opened in 2021 features Norwegian folklore traditions. A trip to the troll museum, which claims to be the only one of its kind in Norway, lets the audience view folklore from Norway with augmented reality tablets.

Daily 10:00–18:00Adult 180 kr, free admission for kids under 5 yr; family ticket 2 adults+2 kids is 450 kr

See

Tromsø Museum

University Museum

A rather large museum with a number of different exhibits on the North. Look out for their Sami exhibits, the Archaeological Exhibit, Religious art and Northern Lights machine. Avoid Sundays, as weekend daddies let their little monsters run screaming through the exhibits.

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Ishavskatedralen

Arctic cathedral

The city's most photographed building. The striking 1965 structure contains one of the biggest stained-glass windows in Northern Europe, and enjoys a fantastic location on the mainland, just opposite the city centre. Despite being commonly referred to as a cathedral, it is a parish church and is not the seat of a bishop.

Limited opening hours outside the peak summer season, see website90kr

See Not mapped