Itineraries for Your Trip to Tromso
3 Days in Tromso for First Timers
It doesn’t get much more remote than Tromso, the northernmost city in Norway, well past the Arctic Circle. For me, coming from the far side of the world, the chance to visit Tromso and hopefully see the aurora borealis—the northern lights—felt like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and remains a treasured experience to this day.
For destinations like Tromso, making the most of your first visit is crucial, because who knows if there’ll ever be a second. Fortunately, with three days in Tromso, you have time to experience plenty of the best things to do in Tromso for first-timers. But it only works if you have a plan, which is where our 3-day Tromso itinerary for first-timers comes in.
Dressing in layers is advisable, even on sunny days.
If you only have time for one thing, make it as many northern lights tours as needed to see them.
Kick off your first time in Tromso by walking around its center to get your bearings. Visit the Roald Amundsen Monument dedicated to the Norwegian polar explorer and learn about the Arctic at the Polar Museum. Cross the Tromsø Bridge to see the beautiful Arctic Cathedral and take the Fjellheisen Cable Car to see Tromso and its fjords from the Storsteinen mountain.
Once night falls, have an early dinner and then set off in search of the aurora on a northern lights tour. Sit around a campfire, drive to the best spots, and learn what actually causes this captivating phenomenon.
With fjords and islands all around Tromso, say goodbye to the city and take a drive or sightseeing tour to explore the surrounding landscape. Explore the coastline of Kvaloya island, admire the fjord views from Ersfjordbotn, and keep an eye out for reindeer, moose, and other Arctic wildlife.
Take an afternoon cruise on the fjords to see them and the region’s snowy mountains from a fresh perspective, and maybe even spot some whales. Keep your evening clear in case you want to go in search of the northern lights again, whether or not you were successful the first time.
The Arctic offers many novel experiences to fill three days in Tromso for first-timers, chief among them dog sledding and reindeer sledding tours. Not only do you get to see what it’s like driving these sleds across snowy plains, but you can also learn about the native Sámi culture around cozy campfires.
Return to Tromso for a quiet afternoon and evening exploring the food and beer of the Arctic. Sample flights of different local beers on a beer tour or learn why Arctic cuisine is so heavy on fish with a food tour or dining experience.
