Norway Part One: Tromso

Hi everyone! Back in March (and the beginning of April), Dan and I went on an amazing trip to Norway. We decided to go because it was always our dream to see the Northern Lights, and this winter the sun was at its solar maximum - which meant it was the perfect time to go. We built an entire itinerary around seeing the lights and it ended up being a great trip!

We spent the first week in Tromso, then flew down to Bergen. From there we took the train to Voss, then a fjord cruise to Flam. The final train of our trip took us to our last Norwegian stop in Oslo. Today I'll be talking all about Tromso - where we stayed, our tours, and all the food we ate!

Hotel

For our first hotel, we ended up staying at Clarion Hotel The Edge. The location was perfect- we were right in town and had easy walking access to all of our tour meeting spots, restaurants, and the bus route. We also had a great view of the fjord! One of my favorite parts of this hotel was the included breakfast- there were so many amazing options, from multiple types of salmon to baked goods, and even the famous Norwegian brown cheese. I would highly recommend staying here if you want to stay in town- other people recommend renting an Airbnb or apartment to be in a quieter area but I loved having easy access to everything.

Tours

We definitely packed in the tours and activities that we did, so I'll give a day by day description of what all we got to experience.

Day 1- Northern Lights tour with Northern Horizon. We did our first tour on the night that we arrived. I'm not sure if that was a genius idea- since the tours generally start around 9PM and you get back well after midnight- but I was so excited that I had no problem with staying up and it helped us adjust to the time change immediately. This tour was incredible and definitely a highlight of our entire trip. We had a group of about 15 people, and were taken to a few different spots to see the lights. Our tour guide taught us about the science of the lights, helped us take pictures, and also sent professional photos after the tour. We got to try traditional Norwegian food around a fire along with some hot cocoa and tea, and were also given polar suits to keep us warm. An amazing, unforgettable experience!

Day 2- Cross Country Skiing with Tromso Outdoor. The next morning we headed out for a beginner cross country skiing class. We were given all of the gear as well as transportation to a local trail. Fun fact about Norway- skiing is their national sport, so there are tons of groomed trails that all connect up around town. Because of this- a lot of people use these trails to commute to work or to town, and then switch to biking when the snow melts. I found that so fascinating. The lessons were great and I learned a lot of new techniques. I can't wait to go again!

Day 3- Dog Sledding at Villmarkssenter. Besides the Northern Lights, this was probably the activity that Dan and I were most excited about. We're both huge dog lovers, and we just wanted to go play with some huskies! The dogs were all so sweet and friendly (we learned that this place only uses Alaskan huskies because of their sweet and friendly temperament). I have to say that dog sledding is a lot harder than I expected and definitely a workout- people were falling off their sleds all around us but luckily we were able to stay upright! After going around the huge property, we were able to cuddle with the dogs, meet the puppies, and have a warm Norwegian stew inside a lavvu (traditional Sami tent).

Day 4- Snowshoeing with Tromso Outdoor. Another great tour with Tromso Outdoor- this one took us outside of the city to explore the beautiful and quiet town of Kraksletta. While we were hiking, there was a a ton of snow falling and visibility wasn't great, but as soon as we finished the sky cleared up and we had the most incredible view of the fjord and all the mountains! We finished at a small cafe called Toves Tradisjonsmat, where we had fresh cinnamon rolls, hot cocoa, and got to meet the owner herself! She had so many interesting stories about growing up in the Arctic Circle and all of the hilarious adventures she's been on.

Northern Lights tour with Greenlander. That night, we got to go on another Northern Lights tour. Out of everything we did, this was the one that was kind of a disappointment and didn't live up to my expectations. We booked a smaller tour for this one which is supposed to go to more isolated areas that large tour buses can't make it to. Unfortunately, it was a super cloudy day and visibility wasn't great, so we ended up going to an area that was packed full of a lot of other tour groups and we didn't have the quiet, tranquil environment I thought we would. We still had some amazing lights (even though we didn't see as many as our first tour, the colors were much more vibrant). I also didn't enjoy the tour guide or experience as much as Northern Horizons, so if you're between options I would go with them.

Food / Drinks

One thing I will say about the food in Tromso- it was absolutely delicious and we loved every meal, but it was EXPENSIVE. I knew going in that it would be, but I was still shocked by the prices. We compensated for this by eating a heavy breakfast at our hotel, scheduling tours that included lunch, and then being able to enjoy a dinner out. Drinks were also insane, but luckily water was free everywhere (not the norm for Europe...IYKYK). Here were some of the highlights!

Vervet Bakeri - cute and cozy coffee shop in a neat area. Really liked the cardamom bun and cappuccino.

Mathallen- recommended by a friend who travels for a living and it was my favorite meal of the trip. Excellent service as well.

Bardus Bistro- this is pictured above- really good vegetarian options and the drinks were great.

Maskinverkstedet- seen above- a very cool spot with art deco feel. I got the fish soup (one of the classic Norwegian dishes) and it was fantastic.

Vinsmak- right by Maskinverkstedet- we stopped by this wine bar and ended up staying for hours talking to the server and trying new wines. Very cute spot.

No Stress- cute cocktail bar that has a few other locations in Norway. I went mostly because they had an entire section of the menu dedicated to Gin and tonic (my favorite drink) but I loved the vibe.

FINT kafe and bar- we got this recommendation from our cross-country skiing guide. The bar hosts a weekly jam session (seen above-) and it was so much fun! Definitely a highlight of our time in Tromso and recommend checking it out.

Campingen and Minigolf- super fun bar with a mini golf course. It's also right by Olhallen, which is a beer hall (and home to maybe the northernmost brewery in the world).

Tromso Mikrobryggeri and Balthazar Vinbar- my favorite beer place that we stopped by- great selection and very friendly workers. I also had a mulled wine here which is my favorite during winter months!