Tromsø ~ Experience the Arctic
Travelling in Winter
Travelling in February can be problematic. Most of your dream holidays most likely occur during a nice, warm, sunny summer. You might be forgiven for preferring to hibernate through winter, spending your evenings by a warm fire with a hot chocolate. However, if you do feel like chasing some adventure, there’s plenty out there!
Think about the positives of travelling in winter. Every season has its merits. Imagine a small town glowing with hundreds of lights, wrapped up in a blanket of snow. Imagine the thrill of snow sports; skiing, snowboarding, tobogganing (sledging). Consider too that this is the off-season, so by and large you will be escaping all the crowds, whilst you can expect to get better value for money too. So, really, travelling in February is a perfectly reasonable idea.
So, plotting from the comforts of my bedroom, I began to eye up google maps once more. Three thoughts coalesced in my mind. First, I wanted to go somewhere picturesque with snow everywhere. Second, I thought that February would be a perfect opportunity to see one of nature’s wonders, the northern lights. Thirdly, I had yet to visit any Scandinavian country.
Pushing North
Most tourists visiting mainland Scandinavia enter and exit from one of the capital cities (Oslo in Norway, Stockholm in Sweden or Helsinki in Finland). These cities are all situated in the south. They are all close to mainland Europe and tempt in plenty of tourists with cheap flights (Ryanair offers tickets as low as a bargain £10 one way / £25 return). However, I wanted a truly ‘northern’ experience. In particular, I became very excited by the prospect of actually breaking into the Arctic Circle. It’s a place that very few travellers ever venture into. I wanted to plant my flag and boast about it. Now, fortunately, you don’t have to be as hardy, experienced or stupid as Bear Grylls to survive in the Arctic. You know when Leonardi di Caprio is savaged by a grizzly bear in The Revenant, well that doesn’t necessary have to happen to you (unless you want that, then it is easily arranged by local guides).
So, where in the Arctic Circle could a relatively soft tourist enjoy themselves? There are very few places, however I found one that was an excellent prospect. If you thinking of Iceland, then I’ll break it to you that Iceland lies just south of the boundary of the Arctic Circle. I won’t say a bad word against the place, I’m just saying, geography is geography. Instead, you would be visiting the northern edge of Norway, into a small city called Tromsø.
Tromsø has a lot to offer tourists. It has all of the necessities; accommodation choices, restaurant choices, supermarkets, monuments, clubs, bars, a cable car. With a population of 75,000 people, it is a nicely compact city to explore on foot or by bus. But is it freezing cold outside? Well, yes, but, no. It will certainly be cold, although really that is part of the adventure, to wrap up as warm as possible and manfully defy winter. John Snow would be proud of you. However, Tromsø doesn’t truly experience an Arctic climate. The warming effect of the Gulf Stream causes Tromsø to mirror the climate of cities far to the south, such as Oslo. Tromsø is 1,700 km north of Oslo, yet in February both cities experience average temperatures of -4⁰C. That’s a nice perk.
Getting There
Flights, even in February, are not particularly cheap. A return ticket in February was ~ £150. It’s not an unfair price given the distance you are travelling (1,400 miles), but obviously it’s far more expensive that those select short flights within Europe that cost as little as £20 return. You could get to Oslo or Stockholm for these prices (albeit these tickets are often to airports quite far from the city centres, and thus with the cost of transport into the city, transport costs you more like £30 – 40). For what it’s worth, Tromsø airport is close to the city centre and free of crowds.
Direct flights from London, which take 3 hours 30 mins, are rare, existing on only a handful of days of the month and only from London Gatwick. Staying for a full week can ensure direct flights return. However, to be brutally honest you might either outgrow Tromsø in a full week, or more likely, prematurely run out money. Scandinavia is notoriously expensive and unfortunately this still holds true in the north. With a slightly shorter stay, one of your flights will be indirect (transfer in Oslo).
Flying is really the only viable option, as although boats and cars can penetrate far enough north to reach Tromsø, these are serious journeys which take serious time. It is 1,700 km from Oslo in the south of Norway to Tromsø in the north.
5 Things to Do
Northern Lights
The major attraction of the Arctic Circle is the prime location to view the northern lights, known by posh people as the Aurora Borealis. Being such an exclusive natural wonder, most people live their whole lives never experience the northern lights. For those few that do, it is one of the most memorable experiences of their lives. You can only reliably witness this phenomenon in a handful of places; in Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia. Plenty of tour companies offer evening excursions where their expertise and transport is utilised to find the perfect viewing spots for you.
Skiing or Snowboarding
You’ll want to exploit the opportunity for snow sports. That means skiing or snowboarding, or even both, as well as perhaps some tobogganing. The Tromsø alpincentre is ideal; it is not a major centre, but it has enough slopes (4km of slopes, 3 lifts) to entertain for a day or two and the hourly or daily lift pass prices are very reasonable. It is easy to reach by bus 20 or 24 from the city centre.
Cable Car
Tromsø is situated largely on an island, connected by a main bridge to the mainland and otherwise surrounded by low mountain isles. A cable car lifts you up 1,380 ft. (421 metres) above the mainland, enabling you to view Tromsø circled by the Norwegian Sea and the Norwegian Isles. A ticket costs £15 for an adult return or £10 for a student return.
Northern Fjords
Norway is famous for its beautiful fjords. Although the most picturesque fjords are arguably in the west of the country, there are very nice fjords in amidst the northern isles too. Tour companies are probably the best means to access fjords from Tromsø, being arguably worth the expense on this occasion. You can choose to travel by either car or boat. You might even be lucky enough to encounter wildlife such as whales, reindeer or eagles.
The Arctic Cathedral
Recently built in 1965, this cathedral has a unique design somewhat similar to that of the famous Sydney Opera House. Perhaps best viewed from the outside only, it is the most iconic building in Tromsø and looks particularly impressive when lit up in the evening.
Summon up the courage to venture north and follow in the footsteps of Uncle Benjin!