An Arctic Christmas Located in the far north of Norway, surrounded by tall, snowy mountains and deep fjords, Tromsø is the city to travel to this year for a guaranteed dose of Christmas spirit, Arctic adventures and unforgettable memories. By Alyssa Nilsen | Photos: Vegard Stien
After a long summer of 24-hour daylight, northern Norwegian winters are dark, long and cold. But in the Arctic capital of Tromsø, there’s no shortage of light and warmth. When you travel to Tromsø in the winter, you are almost guaranteed three things: lots of snow; long, dark nights; and the northern lights. What you also get are warm-hearted people and a city beautifully decorated for Christmas with cosy markets, plenty of Christmas lights to chase away the darkness, and a giant Christmas tree, which was lit on 28 November this year, the first Sunday of Advent. 72 | Issue 137 | December 2021
wine, garnished with almonds and raisins, and enjoy it with gingerbread biscuits while letting the kids loose on the skating rink, or head to one of the downtown restaurants for some local Christmas delicacies.
This year, Tromsø city is upping its Christmas game, aiming to become Norway’s number-one Christmas destination, battling places like Oslo, Lillehammer and Røros for the title. Part of the initiative is a Christmas market consisting of ten stalls, which will be filled with arts and crafts, homemade treats, Christmas decorations and a variety of other things. Sellers will change throughout the market period, meaning there are always new stalls to explore and things to see.
If you want to explore local foods and delicacies, how about some ‘ribbe’, the traditional Christmas Eve meal made from pork ribs? Or, if you’re adventurous, try the traditional lutefisk: a gelatinous cod that has been brined in lye, then rinsed of the caustic solution and prepared, often served with aquavit. Relax with a warm beverage from one of the local cafés, which will be serving hot drinks with a Christmas twist.
Sit down with a steaming hot ‘gløgg’, the richly flavoured Nordic version of mulled
But there is just as much to explore outside of the city centre, as Tromsø offers
Arctic adventures and activities
