Nice to know

Tromsø’s city centre is compact and easy to explore – you’ll find shops, restaurants, and bars just a short walk away. All city centre hotels and venues are conveniently located, only 5–10 minutes apart on foot.

The weather can be anything between 15 degrees and sunny and 5 degrees and rainy, so be prepared. We advise you to bring wind- and waterproof clothing, a warm layer to wear underneath, hat and mittens. 

You can pay by Visa and Mastercard everywhere, except onboard local buses (this will probably be possible by September), so you don’t need to bring any cash. Use the Svipper app to buy bus tickets digitally. 

Important about drone flying: Be aware that it’s strictly prohibited to fly a drone anywhere at the Tromsø island, parts of Tromsdalen and Kvaløya. 

Planning to explore the city’s attractions? Visit the Tourist Information in Storgata 83 and ask about the Tromsø Pass that will give you 10% off the entrance on selected attractions. Read more here: https://www.visittromso.no/tromso-pass

Attractions in Tromsø

There are numerous attractions in Tromsø, and you can find an overview of all attractions at https://www.visittromso.no/attractions

Here are a few suggestions:

The Cable Car and/or the Sherpa stairs

Don’t miss out on that postcard view of Tromsø. Reach mount Storsteinen either by the Cable Car or walk up the Sherpa stairs. You can also combine walking up and taking the Cable Car down (or vice versa).

To get there, take the local bus route 26, you’ll find the bus stop outside of Peppes Pizza. Exit the bus at the Fjellheisen bus stop. 

Please note: the Cable Car might be closed due to weather conditions, maintenance or technical issues.

Polaria

Experience living seals and Arctic marine life at Polaria. 

Polar Museum

Learn about Arctic explorers and Polar history at the Polar Museum. Exhibitions include sealing, overwintering, polar expeditions and the cultural history of Svalbard

Magic Ice

See ice carvings and enjoy a frosty drink in glass made of ice. 

Tromsøbadet

Several pools included an outdoor pool, sauna and water slides. 

To get there, take the bus number 20 towards Stakkevollan, or bus 24 direction the airport and exit at the stop Templarheimen. There is a 5-10 minute walk from the Templarheimen bus stop to Tromsøbadet. 

The Arctic-Alpine Botanical garden

In the Arctic-Alpine Botanical Garden, you’ll find thousands of colourful plants from polar and mountain regions across the world – from the Himalayas to the Arctic. The garden’s 25 themed collections feature rare and remarkable species such as saxifrages, gentians, primroses and blue poppies, along with plants from historic northern Norwegian gardens.

To get to the botanical garden you can take either bus 42 towards Stakkevollan and exit at the stop Breivika, or you can take bus 20 towards Stakkevollan/Skattøra and exit at the UiT/Planetarium. Use the Svipper app to see schedules and buy bus tickets. 

Northern lights

If the northern lights appear, you can see them from anywhere in the city. For an even more magical experience, it’s worth heading a little further away from the city lights. You could, for instance, visit Telegrafbukta (bus routes 33 or 40) or take a walk to Prestvannet lake (about 25 minutes on foot).

Joining an organised northern lights chase will increase your chances of witnessing the Aurora, as experienced guides follow both the weather and Aurora forecasts, taking you to the spots with the best conditions for that night.

Learn more about the northern lights and how you can experience it here: https://www.visittromso.no/northern-lights

Other things to do 

Pust

Take a brave plunge into the cold ocean and warm yourself up in the sauna afterwards. Link: https://www.visittromso.no/pust-sauna

Free city walk – learn about Tromsø on a free city walk! Bring your credit card to leave a tip to the guide. Link: https://www.visittromso.no/free-walking-tour-tromso

Enjoy local history and something to drink at the historical pub Ølhallen. Link: https://www.visittromso.no/olhallen-brewpub

Have fun with darts, karaoke, mini golf or shuffleboard at EPIC: https://www.visittromso.no/epic-tromso

Hiking. There are numerous mountain tops and hiking trails for all levels, many of which you will need to go by car to reach, but there are some reachable by bus. You can search for hikes suitable for your level at the website Ut.no. Please note, for your own safety we don’t recommend going on demanding hikes like Tromsdalstinden or Blåmann. 

If you would like to go on organised tours, there are many to choose from. You can go dog sledding on wheels, fishing, boat tours and much more. Check out activities here: https://www.visittromso.no/book-activities

Eat & drink

There is a wide range of restaurants and cuisines in Tromsø, many of which focus on local ingredients and Arctic flavours. We highly recommend booking a table if you plan to dine out. 

Here are some suggestions for places to eat:

Maskinverkstedet

Atmospheric restaurant located in the trendy part of the city, Vervet. 

Arctandria

Located at Skarven vertshus. Traditional restaurant which specializes in seafood.

Bardus

Cosy little restaurant serving dishes based on local produce.

T-Tapas

Tasty tapas and good vibes.

Mathallen

Authentic north Norwegian food experiences. 

Casa Inferno

Italian pizza

Yonas Pizza

Fun fact: the locals love the pizza called Takopizza. It’s an American style pizza topped with minced meat, Chinese cabbage and a special dressing. 

Another fun fact: in Tromsø you’ll find the northernmost McDonalds in the world – with a selfiespot.

If you’re up for fine dining, Smak Restaurant or Emmas Drømmekjøkken are places to try out. 

There are lots of places for coffee, such as Svermeri, Smørtorget, Helmersen, Risø, Vervet Bakeri, to mention a few. 

Find more restaurants, cafès, bars and pubs here: https://www.visittromso.no/eat-and-drink