WHAT TO DO IN TROMSØ IN WINTER: UNMISSABLE TOURS, ACTIVITIES & FREE THINGS TO DO IN WINTER!
WONDERING WHAT TO DO IN TROMSO THIS WINTER, BUT DON’T WANT TO SPEND HOURS RESEARCHING?
Well, you’re in luck my friend!
For our recent 5 day trip to Tromsø Norway, I spent hours and hours researching all the best things to do before we went, including all top-rated 5* half-day, full-day and night tours! Plus scouting round Google Maps to find little hidden gems.
To save you the trouble — and tbh, SO MUCH time — we’ve put all the best things to do in this clearly categorised, helpful one-stop guide!! Made super easy to find the best activities to suit you and your personal travel preferences.
Each category only has the very best 2 or 3 experiences too, so don’t worry, you won’t be overwhelmed by too much choice. We’ve done all that hard work for you already!
Click the shortcuts below to jump ahead, or you can also just scroll on down.
Paid tours & activities
Free things to do in and around Tromsø
Planning your trip to Tromsø?
Start here:
Skyscanner ↗ to find the best flight deals to Tromsø Airport (TOS).
Booking.com ↗ to browse the best places to stay in Tromsø
(The Dock 6939 by Scandic hotel in Tromsø centre is our top choice!)
🎟️ Viator ↗ to book unforgettable tours, from northern lights to reindeers.
🛡️ Staysure ↗ for easy, reliable travel insurance (UK travellers only).
PAID TOURS & ACTIVITIES IN TROMSO
NORTHERN LIGHTS TOURS
I imagine this is main reason you wanted to visit Tromsø in the first place, with it being one of the best places in the world to see northern lights!! You are in for a treat.
Yes, there’s a slight chance to spot them above Tromsø city, but the light pollution often doesn’t make for the best conditions to see them clearly, if at all.
Our recommendation? Book at least one guided tour! These tours will take you out of the city to darker skies, giving you the best possible chance to witness a breathtaking aurora display.
OUR RECOMMENDED TROMSO NORTHERN LIGHTS TOUR
We highly recommend this 5* smallest-group Northern Lights Adventure with Greenlander tour from Tromsø, available September to March.
They are the true northern lights EXPERTS, with 11 years, 1000+ tours and a 97% success rate under their belt!
Personally we think this type of tour is your very best chance of finding the lights. Aurora-savvy guides, driven by sheer determination, will take you to the best vantage points, using live solar radars to track and uncover the mesmerising northern lights for you.
OTHER NORTHERN LIGHTS TOUR OPTIONS
Below are a few other brilliant tours in Tromsø where you might see the northern lights. However, it’s important to note that these tours are not specifically designed to chase the aurora.
Instead, they are nighttime activities with the added bonus of spotting the northern lights — if — they happen to appear during your experience.
>>> Luxury Northern Lights Yacht Cruise w/ Hot Tub & Dinner (available October to March)
>>> Arctic Ice Floating in Warm Survival Suit Tromsø
(available october to may) for northern lights chances, select 7.30pm or 9.30pm evening slot between september to march.
>>> Reindeer Feeding & Sami Culture (with chance for Northern Lights)
WILDLIFE & ANIMAL TOURS
I’ll be honest, we’re not big fans of “animals pulling you in a sleigh” type tours, so you won’t see any listed here.
Instead, here’s two alternative Tromsø wildlife experiences that don’t involve any sleigh rides —
>>> Reindeer Visit and Sami Culture tour
(we did this exact reindeer feeding experience, plus lunch and learning Sami culture around a campfire, and really enjoyed it!!)
TROMSØ WHALE WATCHING
November to February is Tromsø’s whale watching season, with a possibility to see incredible species like Humpback whales, Orcas and the elusive Fin whale out in the northern fjords—
>>> 5* Whale Watching RIB Experience (With Transfers) for those wanting to get as respectfully close as you can get, and don’t mind being in the elements! (November to February only)
>>>Silent Whale Watching Tour is a great alternative for those wanting a more comfortable experience on a warm catamaran. (November to February only)
LAND ANIMAL SIGHTSEEING TOUR
Want to see even more of Tromsø’s wildlife? Look no further than this highly rated tour, where as well as sightseeing the stunning fjords, you can spot native animals such as reindeer, sea otters and even sea eagles!
>>> Arctic Wildlife and Fjord Sightseeing (available all year apart from May)
UNIQUE EXPERIENCES
Visiting Tromsø in itself is special. BUT. What if we told you there were two unique experiences that cranks it up a notch?
TROMSO ICE DOMES
From late December – early April only, see a life-size hotel made completely out of ice at Tromsø Ice Domes, located 95km away (1.5 hour drive) from Tromsø in the Tamok Valley. The intricate, beautiful snow sculptures here have to be seen to be believed!
HOW TO VISIT TROMSØ ICE DOMES
There’s no public transport to Tamok Valley, so there’s really only two options to get here. First is independently, either via a private taxi or self-driving.
Second – and tbh, the most hassle free option for most – is on their official guided day tour, the Tromsø Ice Domes Snow Park & Wildnerness Experience (incl. transfers).
This exciting all-inclusive day tour packs in more than just Tromsø Ice Domes, like Tandem Skiiing, Campfire Crafting and getting up close and personal with reindeer and huskies too! The guided tour includes a meal too.
Address: Tamokveien 1374, 9334 Øverbygd, Norway
Opening times: 11:00am – 18:00pm
Entrance ticket price: Adult 795 NOK, Child (2-11) 397 NOK – applicable for those visiting independently. The guided tour covers this cost.
STAY OVERNIGHT IN A “GLASS ROOF” HOTEL
Picture this. You’re snuggled up in a comfy bed – cocooned by a warm, crunchy duvet – whilst watching the northern lights dance above your head. How you ask?
A stay in a “glass igloo” – a bucket-list accommodation type with a transparent “glass roof” to experience the night sky from bed. The best option we found in Tromsø is—
ÆRA Panorama Glass Lodge >>>
36 minute drive away (32km) from Tromsø centre. ÆRA offer a super convenient airport shuttle service at just 50 NOK per way, or can also arrange a car rental service for you.
Psst! The image below shows the “Panorama Glass Lodge” accommodation option at ÆRA.
ARCTIC NATURE TOURS
We found two fantastic (and very highly rated) guided day tours to get out of Tromsø city and explore the gorgeous Arctic landscape, coves and small villages surrounding Tromsø—
>>> Arctic Roadtrip: fjords with scenic picnic | Sightseeing
SNOW-BASED SPORTS
Whether you’re a notorious thrill-seeker with a “need for speed” or simply want to get out your comfort zone and try something new, here are the top-rated tours for Tromsø’s main snow-based sport activities—
>>> Lyngen Alps Guided Snowmobile Tour From Tromso
SAILING & CRUISES
Itching to get out onto Tromsø’s gorgeous glacial water and explore its magnificent fjords? Here’s three of Tromsø’s best sailing and luxury cruise experiences to consider —
>>> Luxury Northern Lights Yacht Cruise w/ Hot Tub & Dinner (night tour)
>>> Luxury Sailing Yacht Polar Fjord Cruise + lunch (day tour)
FREE & LOW COST THINGS TO DO IN & AROUND TROMSØ
Make sure you leave a day to actually explore Tromsø city and its neighbouring suburb of Tromsdalen just over the bridge. Here’s a few things we loved from our time here that you can see and do around Tromsø itself—
IN TROMSDALEN
(Across the bridge from Tromsø city)
>>> Take the Fjellheisen cable car up the mountain for jaw-dropping views of Tromsø from the Storsteinen viewing platform. There’s a lovely café with panoramic windows up there too to warm up.
(low cost activity)
>>> Visit the Arctic Cathedral. Have a quick look inside Tromso’s most iconic building located just before the bridge.
(free activity)
IN TROMSØ CITY CENTRE
>>> Walk along Tromsø Harbour. You’ll come across —
- A glass building showcasing MS Polstjerna, a historical seal-hunting ship.
- The Motorcycle Club building with vibrant street art.
- Polaria Aquarium. The world’s northernmost aquarium! Go in or just admire the ‘ice floe’ inspired architecture from outside.
(free activity)
>>> Arctic Spa Experience onboard Vulkana (New!). Vulkana, an authentic wooden fishing vessel from 1957, has been transformed into the most unique Arctic spa experience, including an on-board wood-fired sauna and jacuzzi, Turkish Hammam, ice bath and Zen Lounge.
Usually, you’ll find Vulkana docked near The Polar Museum. She hasn’t completely hung up her sails just yet though! You can join a special “Fjord Spa Cruise” too ! Contact Vulkana.no directly to arrange and book! (paid activity)
>>> Sunset at Telegrafbukta Beach. A stunning stretch of coast renowned for being the best spot in Tromsø city to spot northern lights without a tour. We can vouch, it also has killer sunsets! I mean, just look at this photo we took –
It’s an easy 30 minutes on foot to Telegrafbukta from Tromsø Harbour (or catch local #33 or #34 bus).
(free activity)
>>> Ølhallen pub. The oldest pub in Tromsø (and the World’s northernmost pub)! Pop in to try some of this microbrewery delicious 72 taps of Norwegian beer. Conveniently on route between Tromsø centre and Telegrafbukta Beach.
>>> Perspektivet Museum. Free to enter. This museum exhibits the fascinating history and evolution of Tromsø city, all the way from the mid-1800’s!
(free activity)
WONDERING WHEN TO VISIT TROMSØ?
CONCLUSION: WHAT TO DO IN TROMSO DURING WINTER
And there you have it – our top findings for what to do in Tromsø during the Winter months. Of course, it would be impossible (and tbh – pretty expensive!!) to do absolutely EVERYTHING on this list.
However, we hope these clear, curated options help you choose the activities that will make your personal Tromsø adventure truly unforgettable.
Our goal is to save you time and effort so you can focus on planning the trip of a lifetime. Now, all that’s left is to get excited and start your journey!
We’d love to hear about your experiences — drop us a message and let us know what you discovered in Tromsø. Have an amazing time!!
This blog post was written by Jordie Flain!
Founder of TheFlainsTravel.com
A travel-obsessed Sagittarius creating honest, easy-to-follow guides. Powered by tea, chocolate and a slightly concerning amount of tomato ketchup.
Got a trip coming up? Look no further than:
Skyscanner for the best flight deals
Easy to compare, clean, uncluttered website.
Booking.com to stay somewhere amazing
Most free cancellation on anything from glamping to luxury stays.
Viator for unforgettable experiences
All the best tours & activities in one easy place! Free cancellation on most.
Staysure Travel Insurance to feel safe & confident
Easy, stress-free, reliable insurance with excellent customer service. (UK only)
OR…
