Tromso, or Tromsø in Norwegian, actually holds the northernmost record in many respects: the northernmost university, the northernmost cathedral, the northernmost aquarium and the northernmost brewery, the Mack Brewery! Besides this, Tromso is a vibrant coastal city with easy access from nearly anywhere in Norway by plane, ferry boat or car. Check out where to rent a car locally (affiliate link). Tromso has an airport and is a Hurtigruten port of call, which makes it a highly accessible destination for visitors from near and far. Why not try a dog sledging adventure (affiliate link)?

How many days should I stay in Tromso? At least two to get all the highlights, preferably more! Here, we describe how to make the most of Tromso in two days! The city offers a wealth of enticing activities for both summer and winter – whether you are into history & culture, Arctic nature or culinary delights.

Tromso Bridge and the Arctic Cathedral | Photo: Sharon Ang / Pixabay

On your first day in Tromso, you will cross the spectacular Tromso Bridge to take the cable car, Fjellheisen, from Sollivegen up the mountain to a viewing platform (Storsteinen) overlooking the city.

Fjellheisen dates back to 1961 when it began serving Tromso locals and visitors with its two gondolas, the Seal and the Polar bear. From the mountain, you can enjoy panoramic views of the city and the fjords.

Photo: BazzaBoy / Pixabay

A more budget-friendly (and demanding!) option is to climb the 1200 Sherpa steps ending on the plateau below the cable car upper station (Fjellstua). Beginning in 2016, it was built by Sherpas from Nepal, who are specialists in such step constructions in the mountains. The hike is awesome and provides breathtaking views of Tromso!

The path starts at Fløyvegen and continues up the Fløya mountain through Tromsdalen – it is a fresh walk – and one of the longest of its kind in Norway! You may have a Norwegian waffle up here before returning – maybe with the cable car!

You will be back in Tromso for a well-deserved lunch in one of the small restaurants there – maybe with a harbour view!

Former wharf houses, Tromso | Photo: Travel In Culture

Now, it is time to visit the northernmost aquarium, Polaria, for an Arctic experience. It features an Arctic species of seal from Svalbard. Don’t miss the Arctic Walkway and simulated permafrost.

You will also be able to explore the aquariums brimming with marine life such as starfish, halibut, sea sausages, catfish, sea urchins etc. Another Polaria experience is to watch one of the panoramic movies shown: Svalbard – Arctic Wilderness or Northern Lights – A wondrous Experience, revealing outstanding natural phenomena in the Arctic.

The famous seal-hunting ship, the Polstjerna, can be visited in a separate museum building close to Polaria.

A few hundred metres up Storgata, you will now arrive at Tromso Cathedral from 1861, Norway’s only wooden cathedral! Remarkably, it is the northernmost protestant cathedral in the world!

Tromso Cathedral | Photo: Daniel Bil / Pixabay

The interior of the church is characterised by simplicity and modesty. A blue and white colour scheme dominates the pews, columns and baptismal font. You may be able to attend a concert in the Cathedral during your Tromso stay – which is a unique musical experience in the Arctic!

Not far from the Cathedral, you will find the Roald Amundsen Monument, commemorating the great Norwegian polar explorer who lived the last part of his life here in Tromso.

Afterwards, enjoy the vibe at the waterfront – in summer often teeming with people.

Photo: Travel In Culture

Now it is time for a chill walk around the central streets of Tromso, full of interesting buildings. It is a mix of fascinating colourful wooden houses and intriguing harbour life with a tempting supply of Tromso boat tours and marine activities. You may also pop into the local boutiques and perhaps buy yourself an authentic Norwegian souvenir, such as a traditionally knitted sweater or a pair of reindeer gloves. Don’t forget to admire the polar bears on display in some of the shop windows!

Strolling around, you will sooner or later pass by the Public Library and City Archive, between Grønnegata and Vestregata. The awarded building was constructed in 2005 with an eye-catching architectural design, which has become one of the absolute must-sees in Tromso!

Tromso Public Library | Photo: Travel In Culture

Using the frames of the original roof of the old Fokus Kino, the structure was designed in 1969 by the Norwegian architect Gunnar Bøgeberg Haugen. In particular, the new roof was based on the Mexican architect Candela’s principles and was constructed as a geometrical hyperbolic paraboloid form.

King Haakon VII in front of the old City Hall, Tromso | Photo: Travel In Culture

Stortorget is the open square close to the harbour featuring the remarkable Fisherman Monument, Fangst og fiskerimonumentet, created by Sivert Donali. It leads to the wooden Cathedral of Our Lady and the City Hall with the statue of King Haakon VII (1872 -1957) in front of an elegant pavilion and former wooden city hall building, now Rådstua Teaterhus.

Your sightseeing will also take you to the old Skansen from the 1200s – maybe even older, presumably constructed by Haakon Haakonsson. Not surprisingly, the current building is the oldest house in Tromso, a historical building from 1789, built on the remains of the 13th-century rampart. It is conserved in Tromso together with its immediate surroundings. Although the former walled fortification is well-preserved, there is today no longer any trace of the moat surrounding Skansen centuries ago.

Skansen, Tromso | Photo: Travel In Culture

The place still exudes atmosphere from the olden days, and it is popular in summer to come here to sit and have a chat and a drink on the benches outside. Take a break here, visit the café, enjoy the ambience and feel the old traditional vibe.

A unique experience in Tromso is to try the local beer from the Mack Brewery, the northernmost brewery in the world. It was founded in 1877 by Ludwig Markus Mack, hence the name, and is today the fourth largest brewery in Norway!

Mack Mikrobryggeri, Ølhallen | Photo: Travel In Culture

Throughout the years, Mack has produced both Polar Beer and Arctic Beer, and a wide variety of Mack beer is, of course, available in the local supermarkets!

In Tromso, you will come across the Mack beer in the beer shop Kjeller 5, in the traditional pub Ølhallen and at Mack Mikrobryggeri. Try it before, after or with your dinner tonight!

Ølhallen | Photo: Travel In Culture

Then, you are ready for the last sight today, the Arctic Cathedral on the other side of Tromso Bridge. You will already have spotted the iconic white triangular structure from the waterfront earlier today.

The Arctic Cathedral, Ishavskatedralen, was built in 1965 by the architect Jan Inge Hovig and is characterised by elements of concrete, aluminium and glass, steeply rising towards the sky. One side of the glass façade holds a gigantic cross, and on the other side, a fine symbolic glass mosaic from 1972 appears. It was designed by the Norwegian artist Victor Sparre.

The materials and forms are unified in extreme simplicity, making it one of the most remarkable constructions in Northern Norway. It has become a landmark of Tromso and is visible from many places on the island and in the city of Tromso, even at night – since it is illuminated.

The Arctic Cathedral | Photo: Travel In Culture

You may attend a midnight concert here, regardless of whether you are in Tromso in high summer or during the darkest season. In winter, the Northern Lights Concerts take place, and in summer, the Midnight Sun Concerts replace them.

Outside the Arctic Cathedral, you can enjoy a panoramic view of Tromso and the surrounding sound by night!

Photo: Travel In Culture

Today, you will have to choose among a few options for the morning.

Either you will go on a whale safari, or a fjord tour, maybe in a RIB boat, or as another option you will make a scenic morning tour by car to the nearby island Kvaløya to look for reindeer and other wildlife. If you have only 2 days in Tromso, you will unfortunately not have time for all but will have to pick the one that appeals most to you. If you had more days, you could probably do all – stretching the various tours over more days!

Photo: Sharon Ang / Pixabay

Tromso is one of the awesome places in Norway to set out for whale watching. Several companies are offering whale-watching tours where you can get glimpses of giant humpback whales or handsome orcas (killer whales). Although possible during a large part of the year, winter is one of the really good whale-watching seasons.

Pick your Tromso local tour carefully – since they can be very different – including the number of hours you are at sea can vary a lot! If you feel up to it, you can easily make it a full-day tour! Check out the options for a fjord tour in Tromso (affiliate link).

Whatever you choose, you will be able to explore the Arctic surroundings of Tromso from the seaside. Remember to put on / take warm clothing with you for either tour (even in Tromso in summer)!

If you suffer too much from seasickness or merely prefer a land experience, you will instead drive the short distance across the bridge to Kvaløya, the island just a 10-minute drive off Tromso to the west.

Photo: Erik Wimmer / Pixabay

On Kvaløya, you will find sceneries of mountain peaks and a mountainous landscape rolling down into the crystal clear green or blue sea. There are also some impeccably white sandy beaches, appealing to most day-trippers!

You can continue to the island Sommerøya, which is probably even more picturesque with its lovely beaches and stunning views.

After some hours enjoying Kvaløya’s nature and wildlife, it is time to return to Tromso, where you will probably want to have lunch, before this afternoon’s museum experience.

The Polar Museum | Photo: Travel In Culture

One of the absolute top museums in Tromso is the Polar Museum, located in a wharf house from 1837. At the same time, it is a museum experience you will not find anywhere else in the world.

Roald Amundsen was the first explorer to sail through the North West Passage (on his ship Gjøa). In 1911, he was also the first man to reach the South Pole. Years later, in 1926, Amundsen participated, as a competent leader, on an expedition to the North Pole (on his airship Norge). Therefore, he was the first to set foot on both poles.

Moreover, a selection of artefacts from Arctic camps is part of the collection here.

The Polar Museum | Photo: Travel In Culture

In the museum, you will also get insight into the principle of Arctic hunting, which started around 1820 in Tromso. By 1850, Tromso was the major centre of Arctic hunting (covering a vast area from Western Siberia to Canada). The trappers hunted both reindeer, seals, walruses and polar bears. A former polar bear trap is even on display in the Polar Museum.

You will be introduced to the polar bear trapper Henri Rudi, who killed 713 polar bears, as well as Wanny Wolstad, who was the first female trapper to stay in Svalbard during the winter season. If you are interested in polar expeditions, this is the museum for you!

Trappers in the Polar Museum | Photo: Travel In Culture

In case you were back early from your morning tour, you may, after the museum visit, be able to squeeze in a bit of time for shopping, visiting a café or having a Mack beer – before trying some more Arctic specialities for dinner in one of Tromso’s excellent restaurants.

If you are here in winter, you will already beforehand have made a reservation for a Northern Lights tour in the evening, see Northern Lights Chase (affiliate link), maybe even a Dog Sledging Adventure (affiliate link)! It’s a spectacular experience which you absolutely must try! Again, do wear your warmest clothing for this, because it will be freezing cold!

Photo: John Huang / Pixabay

In summer, you may instead want to visit the Arctic-Alpine Botanical Garden, which is open 24/7 and has free admission, the world’s northernmost botanical garden, featuring a multitude of Arctic plants. It belongs to the Tromso Museum, a university museum presenting the culture and nature of Northern Norway.

If you have more days, other things to do in Tromso include experiencing the Sami culture, going skiing or snowshoeing in winter, and hiking in summer.

You can also make Tromso part of a trip along the Norwegian West Coast: Things to Do in Norway – Trip West Coast – Fjords & Cities 12 Days

Continue reading: MS Nordnorge Crosses the Arctic Circle and Visit Svolvaer and the Scenic Lofoten Islands.

Read next: Ålesund – Norway’s Art Nouveau Town and How to spend 2 Days in Bergen

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