Randy took a great video of the northern lights on our dinner cruise. Be sure to click on the link at the very bottom. But first….

Tromsø is considered the Gateway to the Arctic because most expeditions to the arctic left from the city.  Our tour guide told us Tromsø was also considered the Paris of the North because Tromsø people were refined and the women dressed well.  The city had wealth because of the fishing and arctic trades.

The Tromsø population is 72,000 people.  It has doubled in the last 50 years.  People from 100  different nations call Tromsø home.

Being outside is part of the culture in Tromsø.  There was an outdoor movie festival going on when we were visiting in January! We didn’t prioritize that and missed out on sitting outside in the cold watching a movie.

Our first stop of the day was the planetarium at the Science Centre of Norway where they study aurora activity.  We saw a good film showing examples of auroras and their scientific causes.  As study continues in places like Tromsø, scientists are better able to predict when and where they will occur.

Education is the leading industry in the city with over 10,000 students   Seasonally, the university offers free treatment for people affected by the lack of sunlight. 

Most of the city of Tromsø is located on an island accessed by bridges and tunnels.

We could see our ship, the Viking Venus.

The Arctic Cathedral is a protestant church on the continental side of the city. 

The architecture was inspired by polar region symbolism.

The original completion had clear windows behind the altar but the sun was too intense during services.  Thus, the pastor wanted to add stained glass. The architect did not approve and has never been back.

The Jesus figure in glass is unique because it is designed to represent the return of Christ, not his death on the cross.

The organ was built in 2005 and has 2940 pipes, ranging from 32 feet to 5 mm. The bellows are made of reindeer hide.

There is an atomic bomb shelter in the basement as the cathedral was built in the 1960s and Norway shares a border with Russia.

You can tell you’re in Norway when you have a ski jump in the skyline.  Our guide noted that it is conveniently placed near the hospital. 

Because Tromsø was an important base for Germany in WWII, the city escaped damage. However,  In November, 1944 the Royal Air Force sank the German ship Tirpitz in this bay. Close to one thousand soldiers died. The Tirpitz, the largest German battleship ever built,  is visible during low tide. There will be more about the Tirpitz in one of our upcoming Alta posts.

Before we went back to the ship, Randy and I went shopping and bought these Norwegian Sweater jackets. (We didn’t get a picture of us wearing them in Norway, but we have worn them several times after returning to Phoenix.)

Jo, Flynn, Randy and I went on a dinner cruise in the Tromsø bay.  Our vessel was an electric catamaran.

We enjoyed some views of the city.

We had a three course meal on board. The first serving was a fish soup.

This was the varied and generous second course. There was too much fish for me but Jo, Flynn and Randy enjoyed it.  (Everyone eats fish in Norway.  The problem is mine and I survived.)

I did like dessert!

They started a presentation on the northern lights and it kept getting interrupted for the real thing!

We shared photographs during and after the trip so I want to give Flynn credit for some of these.

Don’t forget to watch Randy’s video at the bottom!!

Jo and I were completely content to let Randy and Flynn take almost all the pictures.

However these last two pictures are mine.

I should have kept my phone camera still to avoid the distortion of the Tromsø shore. I kind of liked them anyway.

To watch Randy’s video click here.

We were in Tromsø January 18, 2024.

Next Up: Alta