Tromso Travel And Popular Tourist Attractions - See Northern Lights

Tromso (or Tromsų) is a small city located in the northernmost region of Norway, about 350 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle. It has a population of about 65,000 inhabitants and is one of the best places to view the amazing Northern Lights.

What are Northern Lights and how are they formed ?
Northern Lights originate from the sun when explosions cause solar particles to be thrown out in the form of large plasma clouds into the space. Some of these plasma clouds reach close to earth after a few days. The magnetic field of earth pulls these plasma clouds towards them. Northern lights are produced when solar particles inside these plasma clouds collide with the atmospheric gases of earth causing aurora (moving lights in the sky).

Although to see the Northern lights in Tromso, anytime between November to March is good, but the end of December is usually the best. It is advised to check the weather before your visit, as clouds can hamper your view. 

Tromso is located on a small island about 10km long and it's main city center is located in the south-eastern part and has biggest concentration of historic wooden houses, north of Trondheim along with modern buildings. There are several other popular tourist attractions besides the Northern Lights which are:

  1. Polaria, the Polar Museum.
  2. Contemporary Art Gallery.
  3. Tromso Museum.
  4. Arctic Cathedral.
  5. The Cable Car and Gondolas.
  6. Several Lutheran Churches.
  7. Mack Brewery.
  8. The University.
  9. Mount Storsteinen and Lake Prestvannet.
  10. Tromso Military Museum (only summers).
  11. Several gardens, ponds and birch forests.

FESTIVALS IN TROMSO:
The Bukta-Tromso Open Air music festival in summers.
The International Film Festival in winters.
Tromso also has a good nightlife, food, spectacular scenery and historical attractions. It's lively ambiance has earned it the nickname of "Paris of the North". The main road "Storgata" is 1 km long where you will find many locals and tourists. Tromso island is connected to the mainland by a long tunnel and a bridge. The average temperature in January is around -4 °C and snowfall can happen any time till May. In summers the weather is nice and most days are mild warm. The average temperature in July is +12°C. Between mid-May till mid-July the the sun is always above horizon and similarly between mid-November till mid-January the the Sun is always below horizon. A cable car goes up to mount Storsteinen to a nice vista point from where you can see the panoramic view of Tromso. There are several hiking trails also in the mountains.

Although this region has been inhabited since the end of the ice age, the Sami culture is the first known culture of the region and you will find some of their exhibits in the Tromso Museum or the University Museum. The Polar Museum displays the past of Tromso when it was the center for Arctic hunting and polar expeditions. Arctic Alpine Botanic Garden is the world's northernmost botanic garden. The Arctic Cathedral is only a few years old and has huge windows and chandeliers.