To get this spectacular view of Tromsø in Northern Norway, you'll need to prepare for a steep walk ... [+]
During the winter months, Tromsø in Northern Norway offers visitors breathtaking views, unique experiences and a great chance to see the fantastic northern lights while they are at their strongest.
Although the city can be dark and wet early in the winter, February and March sees the welcome return of longer days. It’s the best time of the year to head up to the Storsteinen mountain ledge on the city’s cable car, Fjellheisen.
The year-round view (weather permitting!) from Storsteinen is wonderful but the winter version is breathtaking, even for a country blessed with so much natural beauty as Norway. Deep blue, ice-cold fjords contrast with the snow-capped peaks stretching out to the horizon creating a scarcely believable winter panorama.
As the sun dips towards the horizon, the sky adopts a soft pink hue, reflecting off the snow and casting a warm glow across the mountains. Once the sun has set, Storsteinen is a fantastic spot to hunt the aurora. While you are hampered a little by the city lights, the resulting photographs can be truly spectacular.
Tromsø cable car
The cable car, which travels from 50 meters above sea level up to 421 meters in just four minutes, is a popular tourist attraction in the city.
Passengers arriving in Tromsø on the Hurtigruten or Havila coastal voyage ships or cruise ships will be offered excursions to the cable car, but it’s relatively easy to get there by local bus. The bottom station of the cable car is just a few minutes walk from the Solliveien bus stop. Check timetables and fares along with how to buy a ticket here.
Following the short four-minute ride, most visitors head immediately for the main viewing platform for a sensational view of the city in its natural surroundings. Watch out for ships arriving in port and planes landing or taking off at the airport runway on the far side of Tromsø island.
The entrance to Fjellheisen, Tromsø Cable Car.
The viewing platform can often be crowded especially right after a cable car has arrived. Outside the building, there’s plenty of space to spread out and get a much clearer view with hiking and skiing trails for the adventurous.
Bear in mind that strong winds can often result in a much colder temperature at the top of the cable car than at the bottom, so take an extra layer just in case. Inside the top station, a restaurant offers meals, snacks, and beverages including beer.
The free alternative
At 345 Norwegian kroner ($33), a return trip on the cable car isn’t cheap. However, there is an alternative that’s one of the best free things to do in Tromsø.
A sherpa-built hiking trail of almost 1,000 stone steps has made walking up to Storsteinen much easier. It was built to reduce erosion on the previous hiking paths and has since become a popular tourist attraction in its own right especially in the summer for evening hikes under the midnight sun.
Those attempting the stone steps outside the summer season will need to make sure they have suitable equipment. In winter, this means spiked boots and crampons at the very least. Depending on the amount of snowfall, the trail is often closed due to the avalanche risk during the winter and early spring.
Although the sherpa steps meet the cable car at the top of Storsteinen, they start from a different location. The trailhead starts a little way up the hill from Fløyvegen, behind the Arctic Cathedral.
