“I travel because it makes me realize how much I haven’t seen, how much I’m not going to see, and how much I still need to see. “

– Carew Papritz

Flying from Rovaniemi is not for the nervous flyer. With snow and wind, our flight was still going to take off on time, or as close to on time once they de-iced the plane. They are used to it, so we said our goodbyes to Finland and boarded our turboprop plane for Norway. Laura and I talked about the flight after, it was one of the smoothest flights I had ever been on, and for a turbo, it was relatively quiet.

When you land in Tromso and walk down the stairs of the plane the first thing you notice is the absolute beauty of the land around you. I don’t think I’ve ever seen an area so beautiful the moment you step off the plane. I know I wasn’t the only one that felt that way, as the airline crew was having a difficult time herding the passengers to stay within the boundary to get to the airport building. Everyone was snapping photos and taking videos. The views left me breathless.

Once you get your bags, you head out the main door and you’ll see the Airport Express bus. You can purchase a ticket from the driver. A one-way ticket was about $12 and a return ticket for $20. It takes about 15 minutes to get to the center. The bus stops at a few different hotels around the main island, and we lucked out, the Scandic Ishavshotel is one of their stops, and that was our hotel. For a mere $12 we could check in early. The hotel is on the water, we had a harbor view room, and although the rooms were small, we had enough space in our twin room to not feel cramped. They have a very large breakfast buffet with so many options I don’t think I saw them all, but I will warn you, the number of tables to the number of potential guests is a bit tight. They advise you that the best time for breakfast is the early hours, and if you go at 9:00a as I did, well, be ready to be a bit overwhelmed by the crowd.

After reading a number of posts on a Tromso Facebook group, I knew if we had clear weather with no wind when we arrived our first stop should be the Tromso cable car, the Fjellheisen. The cable car closes frequently due to strong winds, and its Norway, so the weather changes frequently throughout the day. We had clear skies, no wind, so we made our way straight to the tourist store and bought our bus ticket and cable car pass, and we were on our way. The cable car is on the mainland, we were staying on the island. We lucked out with no lines and caught the next cable car up the mountain. I’m sure the views are spectacular on the ride, but they pack you in like sardines, so unless you are next to the windows you may not see much. Once up top we walked out the building and were in awe. The views were amazing, and the skies were clear so we could see for miles. Although there were a lot of people at the top, they have such a large area to walk around that it didn’t matter, it didn’t feel crowded at all. Once we were done, we headed back to the island to begin exploring.

The island is easy to walk around, and it has many different museums, shops, bars, cafes and restaurants. Given how far north we were, in the Arctic Circle, I was amazed at the vibe and all it had to offer. It is called the Paris of the north, and no one is certain how the name came about, but they believe it is because back in the 1800s when people visited, they were surprised at how sophisticated the inhabitants were.

It is a good idea to have Yaktrax if you visit as the sidewalks become very slippery. One of the main roads, a portion is pedestrian only, Storgata, has some construction taking place as they are adding heating elements beneath the roadway to keep the ice away. Strogata is lined with tourist shops, boutiques, cafes, wine bars, and restaurants. This is where you will encounter the most people as you walk around.

Tromso is home to the northern most McDonalds, Burger King, and 7-Eleven. With all the great food options in town, I was amazed at the number of people visiting these establishments. There are three places Laura and I went to that I highly recommend. We had dinner at Bardus Bistro, and it was fantastic. The reindeer steak was cooked to perfection and delicious. If you go, you need to make reservations, this place although two levels is still quite small and intimate. We had lunch at Knoll og Tott and it did not disappoint. I had read about this place on a travel group forum. When you walk in the door you are hit with the delicious aromas of what is cooking in the kitchen. This place is very small, so I would suggest going just before or after the lunch hour. I had the seafood soup, and it was the best I have ever had; it blows any New England clam chowder or lobster bisque away. Laura got their “world famous” lasagna, and we were given a generous portion of fresh bread and butter. We stopped for a snack at Smortorget Kaffe & Mat. We were drawn into this cafe by its decor and atmosphere; the deserts did not disappoint. The food prices in Norway are more expensive than most European countries I have visited, but still cheaper than the United States. Dinner at Bardus was about $80 for one cocktail, appetizer and main course. Given the population is just under 80,000 inhabitants you will be pleasantly surprised by the fabulous selection of food establishments.

You can take advantage of a Free Walking Tour as we did. The gentlemen did a nice job discussing the history of the city, the social system, and the number of activities that happen throughout the year. He pointed out restaurants and bars he recommends, along with a few shops all while looping us around the city center. He also brought us into a fish shop, and they let the group try whale, I passed, Laura tried it, and actually ended up ordering a whale appetizer in Oslo. You need to visit the world’s “tiniest bar”. Try to go early in the afternoon before the lines get too long. I had a delicious glühwein, Laura added a reindeer hotdog to her order. If you have some time to pass or the weather is not great, you can hit the Troll Museum. This is an interactive museum, and it only takes about an hour to go through as you learn about the history of trolls in Norway.

Laura and I went on a northern lights chase with a small group tour with Wandering Owl, but once again they alluded us. They will drive as far as Finland to help their clients see the aurora, but on our night, it was snowing and there were avalanche warnings for the road to Finland. I know safety is priority, but it was a bit disappointing to see posts on the Tromso travel forum the next morning from groups that went to Finland and saw a spectacular show. I guess this means I have to go to Norway again, and I can’t wait!

I really enjoyed Tromso, and I think this was my favorite city on this trip. I loved the college town feel, the laid-back vibe, the easy walkability and navigation around the city, and the food and bar scene were great, and all with the most awe-inspiring views.

Next stop- Bergen!

Ciao 💕