Europe’s ‘winter heatwave’ has left large parts of the Alps and Pyrenees bereft of snow over the past fortnight, causing grassy pistes and cancelled ski holidays. So where to go for a guaranteed winter wonderland? Well, Tromsø in Norway is 350km north of the Arctic Circle, so reliably snowy. In an average winter, it sees 160 days with at least 25cm of snow on the ground – and at the moment locals are having to dig out their cars.
This small yet sophisticated city on the periphery of continental Europe is well worth a trip, especially if you’re after some wintry pursuits a little less high octane than downhill skiing. Dubbed the ‘Paris of the Arctic’, the cultural hub of northern Norway is perfect for three or four nights before the need to take on a second mortgage or a vitamin D deficiency kicks in (there’s little daylight during the Polar Night of December and January). The sun won’t start to rise above the horizon again until the end of this month, so for now an indigo-tinged eternal twilight is the backdrop to houses twinkling with fairy lights.
An international airport arrivals hall in a shipping container sets the tone for this quirky and yet fiercely functional place that is the third largest urban area in the Arctic Circle, after Russia’s Murmansk and Norilsk. The small airport is an easy 15-minute bus ride into downtown Tromsø on Tromsøya island, with the rest of the city on the mainland reached by bridge or tunnel.
A major Arctic trading centre during the 19th century, the city has colourful wooden houses like those found in Trondheim or Bergen further south. Polar explorers such as Roald Amundsen used Tromsø to prepare for expeditions and today fishing and tourism drive the buoyant economy.
Tourism is back big time after the travel restrictions of the pandemic, with Asian, Middle Eastern, American and British visitors filling the flights and hotels on my recent visit. The downtown’s main pedestrianised street, Storgata, is full of Nordic sweater shops, cosy coffee places and the city’s yellow wooden Gothic Revival cathedral. There’s even a museum dedicated to trolls (the mythical Norse type), the Polar Museum and a diverse choice of restaurants in this highly cosmopolitan university city – you don’t have to eat reindeer or salt cod every day.
Alcohol is highly taxed in Norway – with a pint of IPA costing NOK 197 (£16) it’s not hard to remain clear-headed for the early pick-ups required for the day’s excursion, whether a whale-watching cruise, snowmobiling tour, snowshoeing trek, dog-sledding or cross-country skiing.
Top of many bucket lists is a glimpse the Northern Lights, so popular that more than 100 companies are bussing people around Finnmark promising this – although six hours ‘chasing’ a gap in the clouds might not be everyone’s idea of fun. Avalanche risks prevented our search extending into Finland but our Afghan guide, Mansoor, kept us optimistic (and awake) with toasted marshmallows and hot chocolate each time we disembarked into the minus ten-degree night.
For an aerial view of Finnmark’s vast icy emptiness take the cable car up to Fjellheiden and lunch on reindeer stew in the convivial restaurant at the top. If you are feeling energetic you can go out on a snowshoeing trek and see live reindeer (if you are lucky) – from Nattmalsfjellet, a mountain in Kvaløya to the west of Tromsø, we could see frozen fjords and peaks for miles and feel the the tops of trees spiking through the deep powder beneath our feet.
Gordon, a marine biologist from Hamburg, guided eight of us through a blizzard on a four-hour round trek and reassured us that there are no roaming polar bears in this tranche of the Arctic Circle (‘But a camper got eaten by one 18 months ago’). You’ll just encounter the odd friendly hiker – the famously happy Norwegians seem especially happy when hiking.
On a clearer day with an hour or two of blue sky, dog-sledding was another way to explore the barren white wilderness, steering a team of Alaskan huskies through deep-sided tracks of fluffy snow up and down the hills of Kvaløya island. You can also meet the indigenous Sami, the only people allowed to own reindeer in the north.
The region’s explorers have long ended up in the city’s oldest pub, Ølhallen, for an ale from the world’s northernmost brewery (Mack, est. 1877) next door, or a glass of hot gløgg in the cosy fug of koselig (Norwegian hygge) under the watch of a stuffed polar bear.
Another worthwhile stop is the Dragøy fish restaurant (Stortorget 1) where in the shadow of a giant aquarium you can gorge on a smoked fish (røkt fisk) platter for two of minke whale, monkfish, halibut, arctic char, roe and salmon for NOK209 (£17). Finally – something not quite so expensive!
Tromsø is unlike anywhere else and there’s a good chance you’ll return as exuberant as the locals. Just don’t think of going without snow boots, a good set of thermals and plenty of kroner.
Direct flights to Tromsø from Gatwick with Norwegian Air take 3.25 hours. Excursions are booked through GetYourGuide, including snowshoe tours with Wandering Owl and Northern Lights with Amazing Arctic Tours. The Scandic Ishavshotel is well located on the quayside of Tromsø.
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