Tromso Holidays

Tromsø (or Tromso) is a proper Arctic city 350km above the Arctic Circle in Norway, where the Northern Lights dance over the harbour and huskies wait to pull you across the snow. Come in winter for the aurora, or in summer for the sun that never sets.

✨ Highlights of your Holiday to Tromsø 2026 and 2027

• Northern Lights magic - One of the best places on Earth to see the Aurora Borealis dancing across the sky.

• Whale watching - Head out on a full-day boat trip from the harbour to find orcas and humpbacks feeding north of the city, from November to January.

• Husky sledding - Race across snowy landscapes with a team of Arctic dogs.

• Arctic Cathedral - The iconic Arctic Cathedral is a must-see, especially lit up at night.

• Cable car views - Ride up Mount Storsteinen for panoramic views over Tromsø.

• True winter wonderland - Snow-covered landscapes, frozen fjords, and proper Arctic vibes.

✨ Good to Know for your Tromso holidays

• ❄️ Winters are crisp rather than brutal, with daytime highs around freezing and nights around -4 to -6°C from December to March, thanks to the Gulf Stream. Summers are fresh and bright, with highs around 16°C in July.

• 💰 Norway uses the Norwegian krone (NOK), about 12.7 to the pound and 10.8 to the euro. A pint costs around 100-130 NOK (£8-£10 / €9-€12) and a main course 200-350 NOK (£16-£28 / €18-€32). Card is accepted almost everywhere, so you may never need cash.

• 🌌 From late November to mid-January the sun doesn't rise at all, and from mid-May to late July it never sets. Same city, two completely different holidays.

A holiday in Tromsø is perfect for you if...

• You've wanted to see the Northern Lights for years, and you want to stay where the tours actually set off.

• You'd rather be pulled across the snow by huskies than queue for a ski lift.

• You like your city breaks cosy: candlelit cafés, good coffee and a pint after a day in the cold.

• You want somewhere that feels truly wild but is only a direct flight away.

• You're curious about life in the Arctic, from reindeer herders to polar explorers.

🗣️ Local Lingo - Talk Like a Local

Norwegian is the main language, but English is widely spoken. Which means you might not need these phrases to get by, but a bit of effort will definitely earn you a... well maybe not a smile the norweigans are a stoical people, but at least a nod.

• Hei (hay) - hello, simple and used everywhere

• Vær så snill (vair so snill) - please

• Takk (tahk) - thank you

• Skål! (skoal) - cheers!

• Bra (brah) - good or nice

• Koselig (KOO-sheh-lee) - that cosy, warm feeling Norwegians are very good at

• Nordlys (NOORD-lees) - the Northern Lights

• Reinsdyr (RAINS-deer) - reindeer, which you'll definitely see (and maybe eat)

• Hvor er...? (vor air) - where is...?

🏨 Best Hotels in Tromsø

Every hotel below can be booked as one of our Tromsø holiday packages, with flights included, and they're all in the city centre, close to where the tours set off.

💑 What are the best hotels for a couples' Northern Lights holiday in Tromsø?

• Clarion Hotel The Edge - A modern waterfront hotel with a rooftop bar and harbour views, made for warming up with a drink after a night chasing the aurora.

• Scandic Ishavshotel - Right on the harbour with views across the water, and steps from where many of the Northern Lights and whale-watching tours set off.

• Home Hotel With - Cosy, central and one of the best-reviewed hotels we sell in Tromsø, for a relaxed base between nights out under the lights.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Which Tromsø hotels are best for a family holiday?

• Thon Polar - Spacious family rooms and a fitness centre in the middle of town, with breakfast included on many dates to set everyone up for a day in the snow.

• Enter City Hotel - Apartment-style rooms with kitchenettes and extra space, which makes a real difference when there's snow gear for the whole family to dry out.

• Radisson Blu Tromso - A reliable, central hotel with harbour views and a sauna for warming up after a day outdoors.

🎉 Which Tromsø hotels are best for a group holiday?

• Home Hotel Aurora - Hot tubs and a sauna, which is exactly where you'll want to be after a freezing day out.

• Home Hotel With - Central and easy-going, with the bars and harbour restaurants a short walk away for the evening.

• Thon Polar - A central, sustainably run hotel that makes an easy meeting point for a group heading out on tours.

💰 Which hotels are best for cheap holidays to Tromsø?

• Comfort Hotel Xpress Tromso - Budget-friendly and super central, with a café and bar downstairs and the Arctic Cathedral within easy reach.

• Smarthotel Tromso - Compact, affordable rooms with a bar and restaurant, in a great location, so more of the budget goes on the Northern Lights tour.

• Enter Amalie Hotel - Simple, central and good value, with breakfast included on many dates.

👉 See all Tromsø hotels

Tromsø Holidays 2026 and 2027 Travel Guide

🎉 What are the best things to do in Tromsø with a group?

• Northern Lights chase - Guided minibus tours drive out of the city to wherever the skies are clearest, from late August to early April. Hot drinks, campfires and, with luck, a sky that turns green.

• Husky sledding - Mush your own team across the snow, or sit back while a guide drives. Most trips include a visit to the dog yard and far too many photos of puppies.

• Tromsø Ice Domes - A hotel, bar and cinema carved from ice and snow in the Tamok Valley, about an hour and a half's drive inland. Rebuilt every winter and open from mid-December to late March, with day trips from the city.

• Ølhallen - Mack's historic pub, open since 1928, with dozens of beers on tap. The traditional place to warm up after a day in the cold.

💑 What are the best things to do in Tromsø for couples?

• Fjellheisen cable car - Ride up to Mount Storsteinen, 421 metres above the city, for the view at sunset or a front-row seat for the Northern Lights. There's no parking at the bottom station until the end of 2027 while it's rebuilt, so take the bus or a taxi.

• Concerts at the cathedrals - In summer the Arctic Cathedral holds organ and choir concerts on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 9pm, under the midnight sun. Over in the centre, Tromsø Cathedral hosts a candlelit midnight concert of Norwegian folk and Sámi music, starting at 11pm.

• Whale safari - From November to January, orcas and humpbacks follow the herring into the fjords around Skjervøy, north of Tromsø. It's a full day out, by boat from the harbour or by coach and a shorter boat trip.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 What are the best things to do on a Tromsø family holiday?

• Polaria - Tromsø's Arctic aquarium, with bearded seals and harbour seals and feeding times through the day. Easy to fit around the weather, and open all year.

• Polar Museum - Trappers, sealers and polar explorers, told in an old customs warehouse on the harbour. Open every day, all year, and free for under-18s.

• Reindeer and Sámi culture - Feed reindeer, hear stories from the Sámi, the Arctic's indigenous people, and warm up in a traditional tent. Visit in early February for Sámi Week, when reindeer race down the main street and the square fills with lasso throwing and market stalls.

• Science Centre of Northern Norway - Hands-on experiments and a planetarium show about the Northern Lights, a good back-up for a cloudy night.

🍽️ What's the food like on a Tromsø holiday?

• Arctic seafood - Arctic char, king crab and cod straight from the cold water. Fiskekompaniet on the harbour changes its menu with the day's catch.

• Mathallen - Northern Norway's best produce, from Arctic fish to local meat, on a seasonal menu. Open for lunch and dinner, closed on Sundays.

• Reindeer - The local speciality, slow-cooked as a stew or served as a steak. Bardus Bistro is a favourite with locals, and at Sámi Week you'll find bidos, the traditional reindeer stew, served from tents on the main street.

• Fjellstua - The café and restaurant at the top of the cable car, for dinner with the city lights below.

🌍 Other Arctic & Winter Destinations

Lapland
Iceland
Sweden
Finland