Tromso: Places and Attractions Are Worth Seeing At Tromso, Norway. (2024)
Tromso is one of the larger northern towns of Norway. The town is north of Narvik. The driving distance from Narvik is about 231 km, and may take 4 to 5 hours to reach the center of town with a lunch break and a couple of stops for sightseeing on the way to the Narvik. Several international visitors come to Tromso just to see the northern light. Most travel by plane from Oslo. There are few frequent flights between Tromso and Oslo. International tourist can take a direct flight from Gatwick London to Tromso if they prefer not to stop at Oslo. The alternative traveling from Oslo is either by road or train. The direct train from Oslo is not yet available. Instead, visitors can take a train to Trondheim that takes 7 hours and then continue the journey by bus to Narvik. At Narvik, travelers will have to take a second bus to Tromso.
The tourists who want to see all of Norway continue their journey from Narvik to Tromso.
Tromso is known for its colorful wooden houses. Some of these houses were built in the 17th century. Tromso is located on island Tromsoya that is connected to the mainland by a bridge and tunnel. There are several activities for tourists during summer all over the town. The town offers guided tours as well as kayaking, sailing, and hiking. The local theatres often have concerts and performances. The town was established in the 13th century. The present population of the town is about 76,000 people. The town and the local population has documented the heritage of Norse and Sami period.
The following places and attractions are worth seeing at Tromso.
a. Tromso Cathedral
The Tromso Cathedral is known as the Arctic cathedral section of the Church of Norway. The gothic style protestant church was built in 1861 by an architect Christian Grosch. The cathedral has close to 1000 seats in the main section of the church. There were few constructions of churches at the same location since 1252 when the first church was built by King Haakon IV. Visitors are allowed at a certain time and on most weekdays.
b. Arctic Cathedral
The Arctic cathedral is a parish church also known as a Tromsdalen Church. The cathedral is a part of the Church of Norway. The church was built out of concrete and open for the public in 1965. The cathedral was built by architect Jan Inge Hovig. The church’s organ was built in 2005, that was built with nearly 3,000 pipes. The church allows visitors at a certain time.
c. Northern Lights
The tourist can see the northern light in the sky anywhere from Tromso. The best time to see northern light is from September 3rd week to mid-October since the weather is yet not cold. But northern light is seen during winter until mid-April. The light is seen during the other months of winter from October to April but the weather often is cold. Few visitors come just to see northern light and fly into Tromso to stay for 2 or 3 days. Tourists should be aware that from mid-November to mid-January there is no sun and the town is entirely dark even during day time.
Northern Lights – Places and Attractions Are Worth Seeing At Tromso, Norway. Image Source
d. Tromso Museum
The Tromso museum was established in 1872 and became part of the University of Tromso in 1976. Several exhibits describe the “Sami” culture and also several paintings and photographs show beautiful images of northern light. The scientific explanation of the origin of light is also displayed. The museum also has a model of Viking house, medieval church, and Viking boat. Most visitors spend a couple of hours in the botanical garden to look at the Nordic plants. Close to 200,000 visitors come to visit the museum every year.
e. Fjellheisen
The aerial tram located on the outer border of Tromso is known as Fjellheisen. The Fjellheisen tram starts at Tromsdalen and ends after 4 minutes a station on top of a near mountain called Storsteinnen. The top of the mountain Storsteinnen is about 1,300 feet above the sea level. Visitors can see the entire Tromso town and spectacular surroundings from the observation deck. The view from the outdoor viewing deck is gorgeous during sunset and night time. There are a coffee shop and restaurant adjacent to the observation deck. The restaurant serves local authentic meals. The cable car works from May to October from 10 am to 10 pm. The evening can be cooler during May, September, and October.