12 Unmissable Things to Do in Tromso in Winter (and What to Skip)

Our week in Tromso in February was magical!

This small Norwegian city, located on an island 350km north of the Arctic Circle, is a true winter wonderland, surrounded by snowy mountains and stunning fjords.

There are so many amazing things to do in Tromso in winter, from husky dog sledding to cross-country skiing. It’s also one of the best places to see the northern lights—the biggest draw for many visitors.

In this guide, I share our favourite Tromso winter activities and some you might skip.

I also include tips on where to stay (in and out of the city), how to get around (with the pros and cons of renting a car), and a Tromso map with everything mentioned.

Contents

• Top Tip: Book Ahead
• Best Things to Do in Tromso in Winter
• Other Things to Do in Tromso (Maybe)
• Tromso Activities Map
• Tromso Transport
• Where to Stay in Tromso
• Is Tromso Worth Visiting?
• More Tromso Tips

Top Tip: Book Ahead

If you are visiting Tromso in winter, you need to book ahead. December to March are the best months for winter activities with January and February the peak months.

I recommend booking your flights, accommodation, car hire (optional), and some activities at least 5-6 months in advance.

We booked five months ahead. A few days were already sold out for husky sledding, but we got all our chosen tours.

When I looked a month before our trip, the husky tours were booked up for almost all of January and February, car hire had over tripled in price, and our hotel was also up significantly.

You should also book restaurants at least a few days in advance (I share some recommendations below).

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Best Things to Do in Tromso in Winter

These are our picks for the top things to do in Tromso.

While we rented a car for part of our stay, this isn’t necessary as you can visit all these attractions with tours that pick up from the centre of Tromso (or on foot or by bus for the closer places).

See the end of the post for more on how to get around and where to stay.

If you are wondering how to keep warm, see my guide to what to wear in Norway in winter.

1) Self-Drive Husky Dog Sledding

Husky dog sledding is an absolute must-do in Tromso, and these popular tours book up months ahead.

Gliding through the snow on a sled pulled by a pack of enthusiastic Alaskan huskies is an exhilarating experience.

We did our tour with Arctic Adventure Tours on the island of Kvaloya. It’s just 40 minutes outside the city, but it feels like a stunning Arctic wilderness as you sled up and down hills, through trees, and with views of the fjord below.

We did a self-drive tour, where we drove the sled (mushed), alternating between two people for 70 minutes. I recommend it if you are physically fit and up for an adventure. If not, take a tour as a passenger (but still expect a somewhat bumpy ride).

You stand on two narrow runners at the back of the sled while the other person sits. The team of five dogs have harnesses connected to the sled by lines, and you control them (at least in theory) by standing on a brake between the runners that tugs on the lines.

To drive the sled, you need to be steady on your feet and have decent balance. You must move your feet from the runners to the brake and back while navigating bumpy, slippery terrain.

When you reach a hill, you may need to take one or both feet off the sled and help the dogs push the sled up. Our route (around 10km) only took us up one big hill (which Simon tackled), so we didn’t find this too bad, but be prepared for a workout.

Simon absolutely loved driving the sled and picked it up easily. I enjoyed it when we were on flatter terrain with plenty of space between us and the sled in front, but my second drive was terrifying.

We were speeding downhill, our dogs had picked up their pace, and I constantly had to ride the brake to keep them from crashing into the sled in front, which made me feel less stable.

It worked out fine, and I haven’t heard of other people finding mushing scary, so it might just be me! But if you are not physically confident, it might be best to ride as a passenger.

Although driving wasn’t easy, I loved rushing through the snow in the beautiful landscapes and hanging out with the friendly dogs.

After sledding, we enjoyed delicious hot chocolate and cake in a fire-warmed Sami Lavvo tent while a guide told us about the dogs.

We do recommend husky sledding with Arctic Adventure Tours. The tour ran smoothly, and the dogs seemed well cared for (they are very keen to run!). The sledding time was also longer than other tours in the area.

As I was nervous, I would have benefitted from a smaller group with more training and the ability to stop when needed as I learned the ropes. None of the tours near Tromso are like this, though, and most people get on fine.

I did find Into Nature, which offers small-group dog sledding, but you’d need a rental car to get to the location 90 minutes outside Tromso.

2) Drive Around Kvaloya and Sommaroy Islands

One of the best things to do around Tromso is to drive the surrounding islands connected to the city by bridges.

On large Kvaloya and tiny Sommaroy, we drove along dramatic fjords, through snowy mountain passes, and past frozen lakes. We walked on golden sandy beaches, admired colourful fishing huts, and warmed up in cosy cafes.

It feels remote but is easily accessible.

Some of the beautiful spots we visited include Ersfjordbotn, Grotfjord, Tromvik, and Sommaroy.

See my travel guide to Kvaloya Island for lots more tips.

3) Relax with a Sauna and Cold Plunge

My favourite activity in Tromso city centre was the Pust Sauna, which floats on a dock in the harbour with beautiful views of the mountains, Tromso Bridge, and Arctic Cathedral.

During the one-hour slot, it’s traditional to alternate between relaxing in the heat and taking dips in the Arctic Ocean (it was a chilly 3ºC on our visit!).

It seems daunting, but everyone in our slot gave it a go (even cold-averse Simon), ranging from quick dips down the ladder to swims of a few minutes. I went in three times and absolutely loved it—I felt amazing afterwards!

Pust now has two saunas next to each other (sharing a swimming space and check-in booth). We went to the Original Sauna, which is designated quiet, so no talking is allowed, which I prefer for maximum relaxation.

The new Lavvo Sauna is a little larger and round.

Tips for Pust Sauna

I recommend booking the sauna a few weeks in advance if you have a specific time you’d like to visit (sunrise or sunset would be lovely, but it can be hard to fit around tours). There was some availability a few days out, but not for every time slot.

Swimsuits must be worn, and you should sit on a towel. You might also want an extra towel to dry yourself afterwards.

You need a 6-digit passcode to access the changing room (men’s and women’s are separate on either side of the sauna), which you can find through a link in your booking email. You need to memorise this as you go back out through the changing rooms for the sea dip, so you don’t want to be stuck outside afterwards.

The only downside of Pust is that the changing rooms are tiny and can be crowded. There’s only one cold shower, and no shampoo or soap is allowed. As we were staying close by, we wore minimal layers, changed quickly, and showered back at our hotel.

Make sure you are changed within the one-hour window—don’t enter early (or leave late), or you’ll contribute to the overcrowding.

There are lockers for your things, but they don’t lock. There is no toilet.

Don’t let this put you off; just be prepared. I would have gone again if we’d had more time (don’t leave it until your last day!).

4) See the Northern Lights

For many visitors, seeing the northern lights or aurora borealis is the main reason to visit Tromso. As it’s so far north, it’s one of the best places in the world to view the lights pulsing in the sky (from September to early April).

To see the lights, you need three things: northern lights activity (often measured with the Kp index), a dark area with minimal street lights, and a clear sky.

On our week in Tromso, the third was the hardest. It was cloudy for most of the week and we only had clear skies on two nights.

On the night we saw the lights, the sky was only clear for a two-hour window, so it’s essential to watch the forecast. We used the Yr.no app, which has weather and aurora forecasts.

We also used the My Aurora Forecast app, which monitors activity levels and gives you a percentage chance of seeing the lights. As we learned, though, this is less important in Tromso, where there’s almost always some level of activity.

We saw the lights when there was only a 10% chance, so don’t worry about this—a clear sky is more important.

We’d hoped to see the aurora while out in Kvaloya, but this didn’t happen, so our only chance was while staying in Tromso city centre.

If the aurora is a must-see for you, consider a Northern Lights bus tour, which many visitors do. Guides will drive you for hours (sometimes as far as Finland) in search of clear skies and high activity.

There are many tours in Tromso, such as this highly rated Aurora Borealis Tour with Arctic Breeze.

For us, a tour wasn’t appealing as we didn’t want to drive around for hours (tours last 6-9 hours) until after midnight.

Luckily, there are a few good spots for DIY northern lights viewing near Tromso city centre.

When we had our brief window of clear sky at 8pm, we walked to Telegrafbukta (Telegraph Bay), a beach park about 35 minutes from our hotel. There are also regular buses.

Incredibly, we saw the lights as soon as we arrived! They were grey to the naked eye (as is often the case) and flashed in and out of intensity, changing shape constantly.

If you hold your phone or camera up, you can see the iconic green colour. We mounted Simon’s iPhone on our tripod and got surprisingly decent photos (my camera had technical issues).

The activity wasn’t super intense and colourful, but given how easy (and free) our experience was, we were happy.

Fortunately, there are picnic tables and public toilets at Telegrafbukta (10 NOK contactless payment) if you have to wait a while for the lights to appear.

Other DIY northern lights spots in Tromso are Prestvannet Lake and from the top of the cable car.

5) Go Cross-Country Skiing

Cross-country skiing is an important part of Norwegian culture, and in Tromso, locals use skis to get to work and university.

As we’d never tried it, we signed up for a beginner lesson with Tromso Outdoor. You can also just rent gear from them if you know what you’re doing.

After fitting us with boots in their city centre office, they took our group of eight to Charlottenlund Recreational Park, an extensive network of trails just a five-minute drive away.

We started with the basics on a flat trail and then progressed to learning techniques for climbing up and gliding down small hills.

Unfortunately, our tour came after two days of mild temperatures and heavy rain, and the trails were very icy. This made it much more challenging than usual, and almost everyone fell over multiple times (I ended up with bruised knees).

Simon still really enjoyed it, but honestly, I found it scarier than I expected (I thought it’d be totally flat!).

I recommend trying cross-country skiing. It’s a nice way to be active in the snow and a more local activity than the other tours we did. But I would make sure you do it after snow and not after rain—the icy trails are not fun for beginners.

6) Cruise the Fjords

Of course, the stunning fjords are a highlight of Norway. We saw these glacier-carved inlets while driving around Kvaloya Island (see above) and stayed right on one at Ersfjordbotn Brygge, but we were also keen to get out on the water.

We decided on this winter sea kayaking tour, which might seem unwise in subzero temperatures, but apparently, the drysuits (plus layers) keep you warm and dry.

Unfortunately, our tour was cancelled due to wild weather.

Other less adventurous options to get out on the water are a fjord cruise, or if you are visiting from November to January, a whale-watching cruise sounds amazing.

We met some people who’d seen many whales on the last day in January. Sadly, February is too late for whale tours.

7) Get Cosy in a Cafe

Cafe culture is strong in Norway, and warming up with a coffee or hot chocolate is the perfect way to escape the cold.

Sweet treats are excellent in Norway, too. Our favourite is a kanelboller or cinnamon bun.

In Tromso city centre, we recommend Riso for coffee. Simon takes his coffee very seriously and loved the pour-over there. The brownie was also tasty (we kept missing their cinnamon buns), but I found the hot chocolate a bit watery.

Kaffebonna is another good option. Simon didn’t rate their coffee as highly as Riso’s, but I preferred the hot chocolate. Their vegetarian panini and cinnamon buns were delicious.

Riso and Kaffebonna both have several branches in the city.

We especially liked stopping in remote, quirky cafes while driving around the fjords on Kvaloya, including Bryggejentene, Prestvika Strandkafé, and Søstrene Kafè og Landhandleri.

8) Enjoy Dinner in Tromso

Tromso has some good restaurants, but it’s important to make a reservation in winter—usually a few days ahead is fine.

Reindeer and seafood are the most common items on the menu, but as vegetarians, we had to skip the traditional Norwegian dishes.

Luckily, there are some interesting international options. Here’s where we ate:

• Casa Inferno – Excellent wood-fired pizza in a cosy candlelit restaurant. Vegan cheese is available. Booking is highly recommended (we saw so many people turned away).
• Wedeb’s Restaurant—We are as surprised as you to find superb Ethiopian/Eritrean food in the Arctic. The Horn of Africa vegan platter served on injera was the best meal we had in Tromso. It was so flavourful! Bookings are recommended.
• Burgr – If you want a quick, casual meal (no reservations required), this burger restaurant has tasty food (including a vegan falafel burger) and fun retro video game decor.

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Other Things to Do in Tromso (Maybe)

We have mixed feelings about these Tromso activities. They are definitely worth considering if you have the time, but we didn’t enjoy them as much as the must-dos above.

9) Reindeer Feeding and Sami Cultural Experience

The Reindeer and Sami Cultural Experience is one of the most popular tours in Tromso.

You meet and feed a herd of reindeer, take an optional reindeer sled ride, enjoy lunch (or dinner on the evening tour), and learn more about the culture of the Sami, the Indigenous people of northern Norway (and other parts of Scandinavia/Russia).

After meeting in the centre of Tromso, two coach loads of visitors are driven 45 minutes to the Sami camp, a beautiful location surrounded by snowy mountains.

The tour starts by entering a large enclosure where you feed the reindeer herd with buckets of pellets. There are lots of people, but you can walk further away and find some space—the reindeer will come to you.

We wished we’d brought our microspikes for our shoes as it was very icy after days of rain (and not particularly attractive without the layer of snow).

Some guests choose to do a short reindeer sled ride, but we opted out. Due to the conditions, it was cancelled on our tour anyway.

Then, a lunch of reindeer stew or vegetable soup is served inside by the fire in a traditional gamme (Sami hut).

Finally, a Sami guide tells you more about the culture of their people and reindeer herding (the only traditional skill the Sami can make a living from these days). This was interesting but a little disorganised and relied on the audience asking questions.

There are many rave reviews about this tour, but we found it just ok. Partly this is due to us not enjoying large tour groups—there’s a lot of waiting/sitting around and the nearly five-hour tour could have been much shorter.

It’s an undeniably touristy and commercial experience. The only reason the reindeer seem to be there is so that we can come and feed them.

That said, meeting the reindeer was fun, the vegetable soup was tasty, and it was good to learn more about the Sami people (such as how their weddings are so big they take place in stadiums!). I’m just not sure it was the best use of our time or budget.

10) Take the Cable Car for Epic Views

The Fjellheisen cable car is one of the best things to do in Tromso city centre. The reason it’s on the maybe section of this list is that we didn’t get to do it.

The cable car closes in high winds, which meant it closed on three of the four days we were in Tromso. On the one day it was open, queues were over two hours long (even if you buy your ticket online).

Before you head over, check the Fjellheisen website. On the homepage, where the opening hours are listed, it will say if it’s closed or if queues are excessively long.

We would have liked to head up there for beautiful views of Tromso. There’s also a cafe and you can go hiking or snowshoeing further up the mountain.

At night, you even have the chance to see the northern lights.

11) Visit the Arctic Cathedral

Ishavskatedralen, or the Arctic Cathedral, is an iconic landmark in Tromso, just over the Tromso Bridge from the city.

The imposing triangular-shaped church was built in the 1960s with a glass facade.

You can see it from Tromso’s harbour (we had a view from our hotel room), but if you want a closer look, walk over the Tromso Bridge, which takes about 20 minutes from the centre.

We did this after dinner, so the church was closed when we got there. However, we could still peek through the windows at the stained glass window inside. Otherwise, the entrance is 80 NOK (£5.70/$7.20).

You could also visit on the way to the cable car.

12) See Reindeer Racing in Sami Week

We were lucky to be in Tromso during Sami Week, which took place from 3 to 9 February 2025.

There are various events during the week, which includes Sami National Day, when we saw lots of people wearing traditional dress. Simon watched some lasso throwing, which was rather low-key.

The highlight of the week is the reindeer racing, a 201-metre sprint down a snowy city street with a rider (often a teenager) following behind the reindeer on skies.

You need to buy tickets for the event (250 NOK) and it’s best to get there early for a good view. Or by the second hour, places had opened up at the front as tourists left. It’s quieter near the start of the race, but you can’t see the finish line.

If you are in Tromso for the event, it’s worth seeing, but I wouldn’t plan a trip around it.

Check out the Sami Week website for future events.

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Tromso Activities Map

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Tromso Transport

Tromso Airport

You will likely fly into Tromso as it is far from everywhere, and in winter, a long road trip is not recommended.

Tromso has a small international airport (TOS), which makes it convenient to visit.

From some destinations, you might need to change in Oslo, but we had a direct flight from London Gatwick on Norwegian (and continued on to Stockholm, Sweden on SAS).

Book a window seat as the views on arrival are stunning.

We’d heard horror stories of long queues at the airport, but we had an easy arrival experience. It took us 40 minutes from arrival to get through immigration, collect our checked luggage, and pick up our rental car.

The airport is just 15 minutes outside the city. You can take the bus or taxi. We rented a car on arrival, returned it to the city centre, and then took a taxi to the airport on departure, which cost 260 NOK (£19/$23).

Flying out of Tromso airport, we had a 10-minute wait for the self check-in machines and a 30-minute wait to get through security (Fast Track is worth considering). In International Departures, there’s only one cafe and a shop.

Should You Rent a Car in Tromso?

Most people do not rent a car in Tromso in winter; you should only consider it if you are a confident driver with experience driving on snow.

There are many reports of tourists causing accidents on the icy roads, so think carefully about whether renting a car is right for you.

Car rentals can be very expensive—book well in advance for better prices. We paid £64 a day five months ahead and it was more than triple that a month before.

It is easy to visit Tromso without a rental car. It’s a quick trip from the airport to the city, the centre is walkable, the bus network within the city is good (get the Svipper app for tickets), and there are many tours that pick up in the centre.

You could do all of the activities above without a car, although you’ll have more flexibility with one to explore Kvaloya and Sommaroy.

We rented a car for our first three days so that we could stay outside the city, and we didn’t regret our decision.

Driving in Tromso in Winter

We rented the cheapest car with Booking Car Rentals and ended up with Avis. We had a small Toyota Yaris automatic hybrid.

A 4WD wasn’t necessary. All rental cars are fitted with winter tyres by law.

We had mixed conditions while driving around Tromso and Kvaloya. Sometimes, the roads were totally clear, but more often, they were icy, especially further from the city.

We also drove when it was snowing fairly heavily, which was a little nerve-wracking but worked out fine.

It helps that there is minimal traffic outside the city. Simon drove pretty slowly, kept his distance from other cars, and pulled over when possible to let locals pass.

We also made sure not to park on snowy verges so that we didn’t get stuck.

He did find driving tiring as he had to concentrate more than usual, but we didn’t do any long distances (maximum an hour at a time).

We found it worth it as we loved staying outside Tromso and being able to explore independently.

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Where to Stay in Tromso

We divided our stay between Kvaloya (an island next to Tromso) for three nights and Tromso city centre for four nights.

Our main reason for staying outside the city was hoping to see the northern lights without travelling far. We ended up loving being in a more natural setting.

If we did it again, we’d probably do a 5/2 night split with minimal time in the city.

Staying in the city makes more sense if you want access to restaurants and don’t want to drive.

Here’s where we stayed:

Kvaloya

We stayed in an apartment at Ersfjordbotn Brygge in the village of Ersfjordbotn and loved it.

The location right on a fjord is stunning, but it’s only a 20-minute drive from the airport and 35 minutes from Tromso city centre.

The views from our living room were incredible, and some people even see the northern lights from their balcony (we did not get that lucky). We didn’t want to leave!

Check prices and availability for Ersfjordbotn Brygge on Booking.

Or read my more detailed review in our guide to the best things to do in Kvaloya.

If you don’t want to self-cater, consider Sommarøy Arctic Hotel. It’s further from the city, but it has a restaurant and sauna, and we met some people who’d seen the aurora there.

Tromso Centre

The harbour in Tromso centre is the best area to stay. We chose Clarion Hotel The Edge as it had the most affordable (but still pricey) rooms with sea views (we booked a Superior Double Room).

The location was ideal, just a few minutes’ walk from the Radisson Blu (where many tours pick up) and all the restaurants and cafes.

We had a good view of the harbour, Tromso Bridge, Arctic Cathedral and the snowy mountains. Although, weirdly, our window was only in the corner and not across the whole wall.

Despite design flaws like this and other small issues (no drawers or luggage rack and a wet room-style bathroom), we enjoyed our stay.

The bed was comfy, and the complimentary breakfast buffet was excellent. Simon liked hanging out on the couches in the modern bar (there’s also a rooftop bar open on some nights).

Check prices and availability for Clarion Hotel The Edge on Booking.

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Is Tromso Worth Visiting?

Tromso is absolutely worth visiting! Winter is peak time for a reason—the snowy landscapes make it a true winter wonderland. There are many unique activities, like husky sledding, and it’s one of the best places to see the northern lights.

I thought this would be a one-time trip, but I already want to return and explore more of the surrounding areas.

The Arctic has a special feel and Tromso is a convenient place to experience it.

I hope this post has given you some ideas of what to do in Tromso in winter. If you have any questions or suggestions, leave a comment below.

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More Tromso Tips

Read more about Tromso in winter with our other guides:

• What to Wear in Norway in Winter: Our Packing List for Tromso
• Exploring Kvaloya and Sommaroy Islands Near Tromso

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