Three days itinerary in Tromsø

Here’s the best three days itinerary in Tromsø to make the most of your trip to the Arctic capital of Norway.

I suggest staying in Tromsø for at least three or four days, especially if you’re visiting in winter for the Northern Lights because daylight hours are rare. With a bit more time, you can also take day trips to nearby fjords and islands.

Tromsø is a city located in Northern Norway and on the island of Tromsøya.

Below you’ll find all the top things to do in a long weekend or a few days in Tromsø – from the a day trip to Sommarøy to a enchanting walk in Tromsalen , including the visit of a Sami reindeer herding family camp.

Note : You can basically do everything on foot, otherwise public transportation is great in the city if you need a break from walking.

Day One

Best thing to do when arriving is getting a first feel of Tromsø by wandering in the charming little streets of the city center, walking along the pier at night – which is around 1pm during the polar nights, from end of November to end of January – and, of course, queueing for the best reindeer hotdog In front of a lovely old kiosk.

The city centre contains the highest number of old wooden houses in Northern Norway, with the oldest dating from 1789.

After a visit of Tromsø center and its pier, you can go northern lights hunting!

Being one of the northernmost places on Earth, it makes a perfect opportunity to chase the Northern Lights during the winter months.

I’ve listed here some of the best locations to have a better shot to spot them. But basically : the further from cities and light pollution, the better.

Try to go on a clear sky night, either here with a car : Sjursnes or Lakselvbukt. We opted for Sjurnes and it absolutely did not disappoint, as you can see on the picture below. I would say keep your eyes open and make a pit stop when you see one, as they often grow stronger from a minute to the next. Of course there are many other locations to see, but as the other are along the road to Sommarøy, we didn’t want to do the same journey twice.

Or here with public transportation/on foot : Telegrafbukta or Prestvannet. Those two places are close to Tromsø, so you can easily take a bus from the city center to get there. We went to Telegrafbukta and it was a bit more shy than the previous location, but maybe it was just a cloudy day.

Day Two

Day two is a road trip day, and one of the best days we had in Tromsø.

Sommarøy is a little island west of Tromsø and the road to get there offers unique landscapes, so I’d definitely recommend going up there.

Connected to the mainland by a bridge, Sommarøy is easy to reach, yet it feels secluded and remote.

Two options: you can rent a car at the airport (we booked through Thrifty an electric vehicle for 90€ for 2 days) or book a group tour (usually a bus or minivan, around 85€ per person). Both for economic and liberty reasons, we opted for the car rental and absolutely made the most of it!

We searched for auroras on the first night and the road trip to Sommarøy was very pleasant, we got to stop to many viewpoints and spots without a single soul around.

Here are the best places to see on your way to Sommarøy: Ersfjordbotn, Kattfjordeidet, Ornfloya and Sommarøy. If you have more time, in summer for example, you can drive to Ersfjordbotn and Grøtfjorden as well.

From the cute little red houses all along the way…

…to picture perfect mirror reflection in the water…

….including the candy-cotton skies above the snowy mountains:

I mean just look at these, don’t you feel the urge to rent a car and spend the day exploring the fjords?

To end this day with an insolite activity, what’s better than a traditional Norwegian sauna and a cold plunge in the Arctic Ocean ?

For that, head to Pust Sauna, located on the Tromsø pier. I cannot recommend doing it at night, it adds so much to the atmosphere of this place! In an hour, you can repeat a few times spending a few minutes in the sauna, running outside under the snow in your bathing suit, jumping in the 6°C sea and running right back inside to get warm!

Definitely a unique experience that is absolutely worth doing in Tromsø!

Entrance fee: Adults tickets are 360 NOK (30€) and 120 NOK for students (10€) for a one-hour session.

Opening hours: 6:30am to 11pm.

Day Three

A must-do when in Tromsø is hiking (or taking the cable car) to Utsiktspunkt. This viewpoint over Tromsø offers a unique panorama. As daylight hours are rare during the polar nights, I’d suggest to start at 10-10:30am so you will be at the top around 11am when the sky is colourful and light.

If you don’t feel like hiking up for 30 minutes (going down is faster, but count around an hour total), you can use the cable car. Round trip tickets are around 51€.

Close to the cable car is the Arctic Cathedral. Built in 1965, it is famous for its impressive modern architecture and triangular design, contrasting with the mountains in the background.

Entrance fee : 80 NOK (around 7€).

Opening hours : Everyday from 10am to 5pm, except on Sundays where it is open from 1pm to 5pm.

Next up is Tromsdalen, the neighbourhood where the Arctic Cathedral is located.

I would definitely suggest strolling in the little streets here, the houses are stunning, especially after a snow storm. Plus, this suburb offers panoramic views over Tromsø and the fjords.

Start after the hike to Utsiktspunkt, so the lighting get progressively better. First, you get some light pink shades:

Then some vibrant coral colours:

And eventually some even brighter skies, completing a beautiful painting with those colourful houses covered in snow:

Visiting a Sami reindeer herding family camp has been the highlight of our trip.

But first, who are the Sámi?

The Sámi are the Indigenous people of Sápmi, a cultural region that stretches across northern Norway, Sweden, Finland, and the Kola Peninsula of Russia. They have lived in the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions for thousands of years. The Sámi speak several Sámi languages and are recognized as an Indigenous people with specific cultural and land rights.

We booked with Tromso Arctic Reindeer and the experience was wonderful. I made a whole article about it, you can check it out here.

Basically, you will be picked up either near the Arctic Cathedral, or in Tromsø city center. After a short drive, you will enjoy a 20-minute reindeer sledding ride. As you are seated in a wooden sled, the reindeer will guide you on the snow while you enjoy the ride and the stunning landscapes and surroundings.

Afterwards, you will have the chance to come very close the reindeers, as you will get the chance to feed the herd of 300 reindeers!

As we gave buckets of grains to the reindeers, the night started to set and some auroras appeared, which made the moment even more magical !

After this wholesome moment, you will be invited to gather inside a Sami tent, enjoy a warm drink and some cookies around a fire, and then taste a traditional Sami stew of reindeer, potatoes and carrots cooked on the fire.

A Sami guide will then explain you a bit more about the Sami culture and this reindeer herding family camp. While being fun and entertaining, we learned a lot about the Sami culture and their history.

An absolute 10 out of 10 for this experience that I recommend without any hesitation, it ended beautifully our stay in Tromsø.

That’s it for my Tromsø itinerary!

I hope this article gave you a better idea of what to expect from a four days trip in Tromsø, it’s definitely a city rich in landscapes and unique experiences.

If you plan on coming to Tromsø soon you can check out my article regarding a day with Sami Arctic Reindeer.

If you need more information about what to know before going to Tromsø, you can check out this article.

If you need a custom itinerary, you can fill this form and I’ll make your own personalised itinerary.