Tromsø kommune

Rådhuset
9299

Phone: +47 77 79 00 00
Fax: +47 77 79 00 01

Internet: www.tromso.kommune.no
E-mail: postmottak@tromso.kommune.no

A mere 2000 km from the North Pole, on the same latitude as Northern Siberia or Alaska, Tromsø’s prominence and sophistication come as a surprise to most visitors. 65000 tromsoites, among the most educated of all Norwegians, spend their workday on research, education, fish trade, satellite data and health services. Off hours, high-quality theatre, arts and music compete with the boundless chances of getting out into the vast wilderness surrounding the city.

The salty smelling city centre is an attractive, colourful, lively and compact ensemble of 19th c. wooden houses, modern architecture, crowded cafés, galleries, museums, restaurants excelling in fresh, arctic fare, interesting shopping and an intense nightlife. Untouched mountains, forests, islands and fjords form a dramatic backdrop.

First timers to Tromsø tend to visit during the luminous midnight sun period from May 21 to July 23, to enjoy endless light, mountain hiking, glacier walks, whale watching, night fishing and the Midnight Sun Marathon. Tromsø addicts, however, prefer the 2 months of Polar Night, because of the captivating festivals, the endlessly talkative inhabitants, dog sledding, reindeer sleigh rides, lovely midday sunset colours and the faint, fragile beauty of the Northern Lights.