Terrific Tromsø! 🇳🇴 to Svalbard ⭕️

OK muchachos, I’ve been very fortunate and have traveled all the around (166 countries now)… and also been able to live for extended periods of time in different cities and countries - and this definitely IS the best way to get to savour a culture, absorb the essence and enjoy the flavor of a place and it’s beautiful people!

… when cursing though, it is a little bit different (have taken many cruise around the world too: from the Nile to the Amazon, the Antarctic to the Arctic circle ⭕️) - you don’t have as much time as we would like in some places; but the benefit is that you get to see a lot of places in a very short amount of time; and in a very comfortable way (for example: unpacking & packing 🧳 only once)!

But, something during a cruise, like today with me in Tromsø, you encounter some unexpected treasure:

… it was a local holiday in the city, and unfortunately lot of sights were closed: but I was able to share the festivities like our local - and it was definitely worth the price: walking around the celebrations amongst the locals dressed-up in their national costumes! An ocean of people all around me; I befriended a local girl over cappuccino ☕️ and after enjoying a marching band parade passing-by, playing their national anthem!

There are also plenty of booths with local dishes to try, lots of salted fish - specially COD! lol lol And the best part was trying sushi - which was a combination of traditional nigiri style with an Norweguan flair (pickles, onions, and strong mustard).

After eating to my heart‘s content, I followed some locals that were funneling themselves into this little culture center (theatre), and I just stood in line and saw the person in front to me just ask for a ticket - and he got a free ticket 🎟just like that!

So I did the same …

And half an hour later after free local

pastries and boiling-hot black coffee, I enjoyed one of the best classical concerts (with beautiful violin and piano - me acorde de mi Viquita) and had the most wonderful time absorbing the beautiful live symphony surrounded by Norse people in their traditional

garb (thought I was back in the 19th centrist)! After that I was so happy - that whatever I did was icing on the cake, and a bit of a blur - to be honest.

☝🏻next blog: polar bears 🐻‍❄️ of Svalbar! 🇳🇴⭕️❄️

I visited the polar museums and partook of some shopping, had our relaxing day and then back to the ship after a full-filling and unexpected beautiful festival day in Norway! 🇳🇴🇳🇴🇳🇴

You are going where? People told me I was out of my mind when I said I was going to the Arctic and visiting Tromsø (Norway)!

Tromsø is a place that captures your heart. It’s a place with many faces and many stories. If you come in summer, you’ll discover that the sun never sets here; and in winter there is a long Polar Night, the magnificent Northern lights and so, so much more…

Best things to do in Tromso in winter:

1. Dog sledding – a must in Tromso in winter

If you have time for just one winter activity in Tromso, make it dog sledding. You’re in for a thrilling ride and an experience of a lifetime! I can’t imagine a better way to experience the Arctic winter landscapes than this, and I can’t wait to go back and do this again, next time with kids.

From the moment you first meet the huskies, you’ll be amazed at how enthusiastic the dogs are and how much they enjoy running. You can choose to drive the sled or just sit and enjoy the ride. If you drive, it usually means that you switch with another person halfway. So you get to experience both – the thrill of steering the dog-pulled sled, as well as the relaxing ride sitting in the sled and absorbing the scenery.

I highly recommend you go for both – sledding as well as driving. And while I heard some people say that it’s a challenge to drive the sled, I found it extremely easy and enjoyable. The dogs are so well trained that they do the job for you. In my case, the dogs were so happy to run that pretty much the only thing I had to do is push on the break once in a while to stop them from overtaking the others.

2. Northern Lights

Most people I met in Tromso told me that the main reason for the trip was seeing the Northern Lights.

Good choice!

Tromso is without a doubt one of the best places to see the northern lights in the world.

I once visited Iceland 🇮🇸 in summer and was lucky to have good weather and see the auroras there too. But generally speaking, the weather is much more stable in Tromso and therefore your chances of seeing the auroras are much higher.

As you may already know, you need several factors in order to see the auroras, and dark clear skies are a must. It’s still a gamble, of course, and you need to go looking for them instead of just staying in town hoping for a nice show despite the light pollution in town…

3. Tromso’s best view – Fjellheisen cable car

No trip to Tromso would be complete without a ride on the Tromso cable car, Fjellheisen! No matter the season, this is one of the best things to do in Tromso! So don’t miss it.

Fjellheisen cable car is Tromso’s most popular tourist destination and it’s easy to see why. Panoramic views over the city surrounded by islands, fjords, and mountains are simply phenomenal! In summer it’s an ideal place to see the Midnight Sun, and in winter you may even get lucky and spot the Northern Lights.

4. Fjord cruise 🚢

One of the most popular day trips in Tromso is a fjord cruise. In the winter whale season (+- November to February) you can expect to see whales (orcas) as well. But even if you come outside the season, a fjord cruise is a really nice day trip from Tromso. The scenery is beautiful, and if you are lucky you can see dolphins, seals, or eagles.

There is also a possibility to fish from the boat. At the end of the trip, they serve a freshly made soup with the catch of the day!

5. Reindeer sledding

Have you ever decided to take a trip based on pictures?

If reindeer sledding is on your bucket list too, then you’ll be happy to know that you can do this in Tromso as well. It’s a really family-friendly experience as the sleds don’t go that fast and you can enjoy the scenery, cuddle the animals, and learn a bit about the Sami people and their culture.