The middle of September is not the most ideal time to view the Aurora Borealis. When our Rick Steves Best of Scandinavia Tour ended in Bergen, we gambled on flying 749 miles north to Tromso, “The Gateway to the Arctic.”
We arrived at our hotel overlooking the harbor and were greeted by a northern lights display from our balcony. The vivid swirls of green whirling above the harbor lights were a good sign that our quest to see the Aurora Borealis had become a reality.
Sunrise over Tromso’s harbor, along with the crisp, clear air, was exhilarating. Tromso boasts having over 100 nationalities, giving the small town a cosmopolitan feel.
While eating breakfast, we watched out the window as a constant parade of Tromso locals and visitors started their day by walking to the wooden Pust sauna at the end of a floating dock. Patrons are given a pass code online to enter the unsupervised sauna, which is heated to 175⁰-225⁰ F by an electric stove. They disrobe and don bathing suits in the locker room, bake for 10-20 minutes, then go outside and jump into the 46º F harbor. Brrrrr!
Tromso’s Arctic Cathedral utilized cast-in-place aluminum-coated concrete panels during the 1965 construction to withstand the icy winters. Architect Jan Inge Hovig’s secret for inspiration in designing the church went to the grave with him.
We took the cable car to Storsteinen, which is a mountain lodge 1,381 feet above Arctic Sea level. Nestled on Tromsoya Island, Tromso is surrounded by fjords and mountains. The Gulf Stream moderates Tromso’s climate, making it milder than the surrounding region. Tromso’s Mack Brewery and the Arctic University of Norway are the world’s northernmost brewery and university. The city also has nine museums, including the very cool Polar museum.
We chose the top local expert and pioneer of Tromso’s northern lights tours, Guide Gunner, for our excursion into the fjords to see the Aurora Borealis. It was Gunner’s first tour of the season, and five people, including us, came along in a new custom van that seated 16. We left hours before dark, as Gunner added a history tour of Tromso and the surrounding area, with lots of stops to take pictures like this double rainbow.
Gunner’s local knowledge, eye for scenic shots, and personal attention made this outing extraordinary. We were fortunate to join him and enjoyed his passion for the aurora.
Gunner drove around mountains, through long tunnels, and over hefty bridges to reach Kvaloya Island. Other guides consulted Gunner by radio as we traveled and he gave advice on the best viewing spots for the night from his many strategically placed cameras in a 60-mile radius.
The only times I’ve seen this clear a sky and so many visible stars were nights ocean sailing hundreds of miles offshore. We were in awe of the stars while waiting for the northern lights to appear.
It got very cold and I was wearing every bit of warm clothes I brought to Norway. The fire, hot beverages, and snacks Gunner provided helped greatly. When the aurora appeared around 9:30 pm, it was easy to ignore the cold.
Gunner confessed that this was his favorite spot to view the Northern Lights and he did not tell the other guides we were going here. We had the place all to ourselves. The Aurora Borealis exceeded my wildest dreams. We did not leave the green and purple dancing lights until after midnight. Tromso was the starting point for many historic Arctic explorations, especially in the 19th and 20th centuries. I will always think of Tromso and Guide Gunner as perfect for seekers of the spectacular northern lights.