Tromsø and the northern lights
A lively city 350 km north of the Arctic Circle, snowy fjords twenty minutes from the centre and, whenever the sky opens, aurora green at the zenith: Tromsø is the pocket Arctic capital.
Suggested stay — 3 to 4 nights
Tromsø stacks the advantages: a well-connected airport, pubs and cafés worthy of a capital (it's a student town), and a perfect position under the auroral oval — from September to early April, every clear night is a winning lottery ticket. By car you escape the light pollution in thirty minutes: the beaches of Kvaløya (Grøtfjord, Sommarøy) and the Ullsfjord road are the classic spots of local chasers, who sometimes drive two hours to find the gap in the clouds.
By day, the region unrolls its winter: the Fjellheisen cable car above the rooftops and the strait, the Lyngen Alps rearing up across the fjord, whale trips out of Skjervøy (orcas and humpbacks follow the herring from November to January), dog sledding or Sámi culture at Camp Tamok. Summer flips the offer: midnight sun from mid-May to late July, and hikes up the same summits.
Don't miss
- An aurora chase by car towards Kvaløya or the Ullsfjord, aurora-weather app in hand
- The Fjellheisen panorama at dusk (ride the cable car up, walk down in summer)
- The orcas and humpback whales of Skjervøy, from November to mid-January
- Sommarøy and its white Arctic beaches, an hour's drive from town
Our tips on the ground
- Three nights minimum for the auroras: statistically one clear night in two or three during the season — a cloudy first evening isn't a failure, it's the average.
- With a winter rental car, insist on studded Nordic tyres (fitted as standard) and test the braking on the first snowy car park: Arctic driving is learned in ten minutes of humility.
- Skip the €150-a-head bus tours if you have a vehicle: the same spots are freely accessible — the Norway Lights app and the Kvaløya weather webcam replace the guide.
Our flagship guide — €29
Guide available“Norway on Your Own”, the complete edition, is out
10 chapters: day-by-day itineraries, driving and transport, a costed budget and checklists — the same method as our Namibia guide.
The guide is currently written in French — an English edition is in the works.
Before you go
Readers' questions about Tromsø and the northern lights
When is the best time for auroras in Tromsø?
Mid-September to late March, with a comfort peak in September-October (snow-free roads, mirror lakes) and a scenery peak in February-March (deep snow, lengthening days). Avoid late November to mid-January if driving worries you: near-permanent night and the most unstable weather of the season.
Do you really need a car in Tromsø?
For the auroras, yes: the city itself is too bright, and the freedom to drive towards clear sky (sometimes into Finland, 2.5 hours away) makes all the difference over group tours. For a stay without winter driving, the organised excursions do the job — count €120-160 per outing per person.