Things to do in Tromso

In the centre of town, you can’t miss the striking woodwork of the Domkirke. From the church, it’s a short walk north along the harbour front to one of the most diverting museums in the city, the Polar Museum. The varied displays here include skeletons retrieved from the permafrost of Svalbard and accounts of expeditions by polar explorers Fridjof Nansen and Roald Amundsen.

Also on the waterfront, Polaria, Hjalmar Johansens gate 12, the city’s star attraction, draws coach-loads of tourists to see the 3pm feeding of the bearded seals. This state-of-the-art aquarium combines its tanks of cold-water fish with a walk-through seal tunnel, displays about the region’s fragile ecosystem and a stunning panoramic film on Svalbard. Kids will love spotting all the seals, so it’s a great day out for all the family. Looking for Tromso holidays? We recommend staying at Enter City Hotel for a wonderful stay in the city.

Across the long Tromso Bridge from the centre, the white, pointy, ultramodern Arctic Cathedral is outstanding, its shape inspired by the Hoja mountain near Tromso. It’s made up of eleven immense triangular concrete sections, with a stunning stained-glass window.

The excellent anthropological and geological Tromso Museum should not be missed by anyone with an interest in all things northern. Apart from the excellent displays on both traditional and modern Sami culture, complete with ceremonial objects, traditional dress and household implements, downstairs you can learn about the Aurora Borealis phenomenon - how it works - as well as create your own.

Tromso’s northerly location but relatively mild climate has made it one of the most popular spots in the world from which to view the Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, which are seen here regularly between November and April. Caused by solar winds as they hit the Earth’s atmosphere, they light up the sky in shimmering waves of blue, yellow and green - a spectacle of celestial proportions. This is by far one of the best things to do in Tromso.

In the summertime there’s an entirely different Arctic phenomenon to behold: the midnight sun. In Tromso you’re so far north that the sun never actually dips beneath the horizon. Head for Fjellheisen, a cable car that runs to the top of Mount Storsteinen between around May 20 and July 22 around midnight, and you’ll see the glowing sun, hovering over the horizon in the west. Hands down the experience is one of the finest things to do in Tromso. If you’re looking for a pitstop after all that, head to Olhallen Pub, home to cosy cellar decor and a fantastic location. It’s the city’s favourite pub.

Tromso has a couple of excellent free art museums. The Art Museum of Northern Norway focuses on landscape paintings by northern Norwegian artists, as well as modern sculpture and photography exhibitions, while Perspektivet, stages cutting-edge photography exhibitions.