Tromsø in Winter

I thought I’d already checked this off the bucket list.

I’ve travelled all over Norway: Oslo of course; west to Bergen and Stavanger; Ålesund and east into the mountains; the Lofoten Islands; Vardø, Vadsø, and along the Russian border; but hadn’t yet been to the “capital of the Arctic.”

View from Fjellheisen

So it seemed only fitting to visit Tromsø in winter. And it’s a gem. I didn’t think the nordic light I’ve grown to admire so much could get any better, until I saw these beautiful landscapes in the snow.

Moonlight in the Ersfjordbotn harbor
Northern lights over Målselv
The best way to travel in northern Norway

Despite the holdouts that refuse to believe their own eyes, we have a profound impact on our climate and environment. Climate models consistently show the Arctic being most impacted in the coming years. While Tromsø is considered subarctic due in part to the impact of the Gulf Stream (the same Gulf Stream that affects our climate in the eastern United States 6,000 km away), all of these places are threatened.

Snow squall on Fløya

If you can, visit this wonderful city and the surrounding mountains now. You might not come home.

And tread lightly. Preferably with some snowshoes.