Aggie Frosts Tromsø

Tromsø may be a tiny town situated far, far up North, but the cultural life here makes it seem a lot bigger than it actually is. Check out the legendary electronic music festival Insomnia in October, or the atmosphere of the Tromsø International Film Festival (TIFF) in January. If classical music is your thing, don’t miss The Arctic Philharmonic, the world’s northernmost orchestra, while the international stage festival Vårscenefest is also edgy and interesting. All of the above-mentioned offer suitable programs for non-Norwegain speakers.

tiff.no
insomniafestival.no
arcticphilharmonic.com
vaarscenefest.no

Lugar 34

This tiny old house, at the south-end of Tromsø centre, is charming, intimate and has a real Reykjavik-vibe. They serve great coffe and chunky sandwiches during the day, and at nighttime it smoothly transforms into a cool bar, with refreshing drinks. 

Storgata 34
facebook.com/lugar34

Emmas Under

You simply have to have Norwegian traditional course fiskegrateng at Emmas Under. Upstairs, a fancy and expensive gourmet restaurant, which is well worth a visit – but to save money and time, I’d recommend the fish course downstairs. Emmas is very Norwegian and located with a view towards the Domkirken church and the main street. 

Kirkegata 8
emmasdrommekjokken.no

PA Næsvold

Unfortunately there are mostly only chain-stores and tourist places in Tromsø these days, except for a few shops that choose to fill their stores with quality and style. I’d like to recommend the P. A. Næsvold shoe store. The store has excited for almost 100 years, and they always sell a great selection of comfortable and fancy footwear, with brands as Clarks, Ecco and several Spanish designer shoes. You can also find the Arctic Style Topaz shoes in seal-skin, to help you look, and feel, like a local.

Storgata 98

Hella

There are so many things to do outdoors in beautiful Tromsø and the surrounding area. A safe bet is always the cable car, Fjellheisen, or, if you have more time, a drive to Sommarøya. A classic, local trip is to Hella, a beautiful area near the strongest ocean current through which the Hurtigruten sails. There are good fishing opportunities, but beware of the strong current and do look after your children! If fishing isn’t your thing, simply enjoy the view of the majestetic mountain Bentsfjortinden, or visit the cafe where they serve great French food. There is also a cluster of old Tromsø-houses that have been moved here from the city center.

The best time to visit, is from Easter to September.

If you don’t have a car, take bus 420 from Prostneset – and remember to bring a wind jacket!

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Text: Annika Goldhammer