As part of our journey to seek out the northern lights, we flew to Tromsø, Norway. Tromsø, located far north of Norway, deep in the Arctic circle, is a popular destination for light chasers. After a disappointing week in Iceland chasing aurora in vain, I was really looking forward to better luck at Tromsø.
Tromsø is your typical tourist destination. Many folks were like us, staying there either to seek the auroras or for skiing, which would see them venture out of Tromsø. We had planned to stay in Tromsø for 6D5N, with the first and last days for travelling in and out of Tromsø. As the aurora tours that we signed up for were expected to end well past midnight, we didn’t pack our daylight hours full of activities. Especially for the days right after the aurora tours, our days were planned to start near or after lunch.
That being said, the second day in Tromsø was slated for a day of sightseeing, as there were still some places that would be better to visit in the morning. Popular destinations like the Arctic Cathedral and Storsteinen Mountain observatory were definitely on the list.
Day at a Glance
0900: Breakfast at McDonald’s
0945: Walk along the promenade
1000: Cross Tromsø Bridge
1020: Arctic Cathedral
1045: Fjellheisen Cable Car
1055: Storsteinen Mountain Observatory
1130: Fjellstua Café
1255: Northern Norwegian Science Center
1530: Tromsø Library
1545: Koseverden
1610: Skarven Kro
1740: Return to Comfort Hotel Xpress Tromsø
Arriving At Tromsø
We left Iceland early in the morning. And with 5 hours of transit at Oslo, we arrived at Tromsø well into the night. Our flight on Scandinavian Airlines landed at 9.30pm and our baggage only arrived at the belt 30 minutes later. It was the most gruelling 30 minutes, as we were so afraid that we would miss the last bus into town!
There are actually 2 ways to get from Tromsø Airport to its town centre. The first is via the Airport Express by Best Arctic. A one way ticket cost NOK 125 (USD 12). Alternatively, one could catch the public buses. For the latter, the bus stops are on the main road after the car park outside of the airport. The buses run both towards Tromsø town centre, as well as the outskirts in the opposite direction.
While waiting for the baggage, I booked the airport shuttle’s tickets online. We just needed to show the driver the QR code (that was sent together with the confirmation email) during boarding. That being said, it was possible to pay on the spot via credit card too. Between both methods, I would still pre-book the tickets so that I could have confirmed seats on the bus.
Getting Into Town on Best Arctic’s Airport Express
Thankfully, we got our bags about 10 minutes before the last bus’ departure. The baggage belt was right beside the airport’s exit, and the airport shuttle stop was right outside the exit. It was perhaps one of the most straightforward arrangements I had encountered for an airport shuttle!
In a twist of events, the kind driver decided to wait for the next (and last) flight’s passengers (though I suspected he just didn’t want to leave with just 7 passengers). And voila! We only left the airport 45 minutes later!
Tromsø being on a small island, its airport is a mere 15 minutes from the town centre. Most of the journey was on an underground highway that cut through the island. And that was when we encountered our first underground roundabouts! To be honest, I had built underground roundabouts when playing Cities: Skylines. Never in my life did I expect that to exist in real life!
We dropped off at the Scandic Grand Hotel, which was the second stop of the trip. Our hotel – Comfort Hotel Xpress Tromsø, was right behind the Scandic Grand Hotel. So we only needed to lug our suitcases for 5 minutes by encircling the city block. And check in was speedy, so we were in our rooms ready to recuperate from the day – long flight in no time!
Breakfast at McDonald’s
Refreshed from a night’s rest, we had our breakfast at McDonald’s most northern branch. That was of course also part of our usual ritual to try out McDonald’s from all over the world.
We had hot cups of chocolate and coffee to kickstart our days, along with the usual chicken muffins (the burger) and Oreo muffin.
Tromsø Bridge
After having a hearty breakfast, we strolled down the promenade to cross the Tromsø Bridge – by foot. Along the way, we recce for the meeting spots of our aurora tours booked later in our stay.
The view from the promenade was something not to be missed. Tromsø’s town centre is on Tromsø island, which is surrounded by the mainland and other islands. The promenade off the town centre was facing the mainland, and hence offered a view of the sprawling residences on the mountainside.
The view on Tromsø Bridge was a totally different experience. At an elevation of 38m, we could see the settlements on both sides of the water, as well as the arctic mountains further down Tromsø Sound.
Unfortunately, the sides of the bridge were netted up, which slightly affected the viewing experience. The pathway wasn’t really well maintained either. Therefore, wearing a pair of sneakers would be advisable.
Tromsø Bridge is only slightly over 1 km long. With a spectacular view of the strait running through Tromsø, a walk across the bridge is a must!
Arctic Cathedral
At the end of Tromsø Bridge sat the Arctic Cathedral. As the architectural icon of Tromsø, the Arctic Cathedral made a complementary pair with Tromsø Bridge visually. The church was inspired by the Arctic landscape, which explained its brutalist touch. However, it was still considered modernist (or even minimalist) in design, with its sweeping clean lines.
From the front, the church’s triangular facade looked like a glass tent by the water. From the side, the cathedral looked like a stack of fallen books. We were also lucky that the sky was clear that morning, so the cathedral looked impressive against a clear blue sky!
Fjellheisen Cable Car
Another main reason to cross Tromsø Bridge was to scale the Storsteinen Mountain.
Via Fjellheisen Cable Car.
The cable car station was just a 30 minutes walk from the Arctic Cathedral. Unlike most snowy places, the roads were mostly easy to walk, though in some parts there weren’t any walkways.
The tickets could be bought at the cable car station, available in one way or return. Well, I wouldn’t want to walk down in winter. So both ways it was!
Storsteinen Mountain Observatory
Alighting from the cable car, we took some flights of stairs that brought us outdoors to the panoramic view of Tromsø. But before that, we had to traverse the expansive slopes to reach one of the viewing decks perched on the edge of the mountain.
Getting to the decks was challenging. The winds whipping up the slope were biting. Nearer to the viewing decks, the snow had melted and frozen into ice. Imagine my fear walking down to the viewing deck, as I was super terrified of slipping down and falling over the railings!
That being said, the vantage point at Storsteinen Mountain offered an unblocked view of Tromsø and the surrounding islands. I believe the night view would be magical. But with the treacherous snow and wind in winter, I was content to be there on a sunny morning.
Lunch at Fjellstua Café
After we finally had enough of the stinging cold, we returned to the main cable car building where the souvenir shop and Fjellstua Cafén was. There’s nothing more gratifying than a cup of hot chocolate.
We also added a tiramisu and a cheesecake to our hot chocolate. But to be honest, we had intended for a lunch at the cafe, but it turned out that I had misinterpreted its “cafe” status >.< But it was ok, since we were still full from our breakfast.
Our next stop was the Northern Norwegian Science Center. To get there, we had to first return to the Arctic Cathedral, where we took a bus that would take us across the bridge, loop around Tromsø centre, before venturing north to the Northern Norwegian Science Center.
It was free to roam around the observatory, though the cable car cost NOK 495 (USD 46) for a return trip. One could also sign up for activities like snowshoe hikes via 3rd party tour operators.
Northern Norwegian Science Center
Admittedly, the initial plan was to visit the Arctic–Alpine Botanic Garden that was on the grounds of UiT The Arctic University of Norway. But it flew over my head that there would be literally nothing to see in a garden in winter. In a last minute change of plans, we set our sights on the Northern Norwegian Science Center that was also in the university.
At this point of the journey, I had yet to see the aurora. The Northern Norwegian Science Center aired hourly shows “Extreme Aurora” at its omnitheatre, alternating between English and Norwegian narration. If the weather continued to be at odds with me, that could be my only chance to see an aurora display.
However, the science centre had more to offer. The 3 level space contained exhibits introducing the geography and geology of the Arctic, like how the polar vortex forms. There was also a dedicated space on the formation and components of the aurora.
The aurora show itself was in a theatre where the domed roof formed the screen. That created a visual buffet that spanned the entire field of vision. The seats could recline so that one could see the entirety of the screen. And of course, it was also very conducive for dozing off.
Entry to the science centre cost NOK 130 (USD 12) for adults. Visit https://nordnorsk.vitensenter.no for more information.
Tromsø Library
A bus ride later, we were back in the town centre, soaking up more academic aura at the Tromsø Library. The library is an imposing building at the end of a street up a hill. Its glass and wooden architecture was typical Scandi. The glass facade fronted the entrance atrium, which was a visual treat upon entry to the library. A bird’s eye view of Tromsø’s town centre also awaited us when we reached the top floor!
Ice cream at Koseverden
Next, we had ice cream at Koseverden, which was a stone’s throw away from our hotel. The cosy space was most conducive for small groups.
We had a simple serving of a scoop of dark chocolate and vanilla ice cream each. It was surreal eating ice cream on a cold winter’s day. But hey! Comfort food has no seasonal requirements!
Dinner at Skarven Kro
We were early for dinner to beat the crowd. And just so we could have an early night’s rest in preparation for a long day tomorrow. Luck was also with us too, as the snowstorm whipped up after we settled down in the restaurant!
Instead of the Scandi interior that we had grown accustomed to, this Skarven Kro adopted an earthy central European theme. There were varied seating – from booth seats at the windows to the bar seats running the length of the restaurant. On top of the mains, there was free flow bread and plenty of alcoholic drinks to choose from. Ordering food was self service at the counter.
The Baked Clipfish of Pollock cost NOK 305 (USD 29), but it was worth every cent. The tender and fresh fish was paired with caramelised onion that accentuated the taste. The long beans were adequately cooked and together with the mashed potatoes made for a filling meal.
As for the Grilled Salmon (NOK 285 / USD 27), it was grilled to a perfect balance of juiciness and freshness. Paired with baked potato wedges and sour cream and lemon dressing, the entire dish was light and refreshing for the palate. Overall, the damage for the meal was similar to that in Iceland, but we were left feeling very much gratified!
By the time we finished dinner, the snow had stopped. We wanted to rest early, as we had a full day ahead – a day tour for husky sledding, followed by a night of aurora chasing.
We dropped by the nearest convenience store to buy breakfast for the next day, before returning to the hotel to rest for the day.
Comfort Hotel Xpress Tromsø
Our accommodation for the night was Comfort Hotel Xpress Tromsø, which could be said to be at the fringe of the town centre. But in the grander scale of things, it was still right at Tromsø’s town centre, making it very convenient to reach most tourist attractions and the day tour’s meeting spots.
The hotel was also conveniently located near the bus stop of the Airport Express. It took just around 5 minutes for us to navigate to the hotel after alighting the bus. As a budget hotel, Comfort Hotel Xpress Tromsø really offered a great deal in touristy Tromsø.
Overview of Comfort Hotel Xpress Tromsø
Room Number: 114
Room: Twin Single (accessible room at ground floor)
Bathroom: Super spacious / Shower only / Sink top space limited as there was no vanity counter / Toilet, with grab bars / soap shelf / 3 puny hooks that could take nothing at all
Room Amenities: Toiletries – hair and body gel / Hair dryer / Power socket (2 by bedside, 1 at desks) / Heater (Central / Not working good)
Safety: Card access to the guest room, at first level freely accessed from the lobby.
Staff: Friendly / English proficiency / Presence – 100%
Neighbourhood: Central, near night bar
Getting around: Bus Stop / Travelling time – 30 minutes walk around the city; 15 min from airport.
Spacious Room in a Budget Hotel – Thanks to the Accessible Room
For a hotel that was just at the fringe of the town centre, we felt that we snagged a deal for a room. In fact, we were allocated a handicap access room that was right by the reception. Consequently. the room was spacious, from the bedroom to the bathroom.
Also to cater to the disabled, there were grab bars in the bathroom. However, there was only a study desk and a luggage rack, so horizontal space was limited. We had to use the window ledge as a result.
Storage and Power Sockets
The room had an open wardrobe and a wall of hooks. Although the latter had 8 hooks, they were positioned in such a way that only 4 pieces of clothing could be hung and even then, we had to overlay the clothes. This meant that these wall hooks weren’t good for drying wet coats. The open wardrobe (which was actually just a hanging rack) was used for drying towels.
Only 1 suitcase could fit onto the luggage rack. However, there was some space between the wall hooks and the luggage rack, so the 2nd suitcase was laid out on the floor there. The space underneath the luggage rack was left for our shoes, as well as the rubbish bin.There was also a study desk with a lamp, a TV and power sockets.
Functional Beds
Each of our twin beds came with their small bedside tables and a power socket. Therefore, we could charge our phones as we sleep.
Our beds consisted of a thin futon in a thick bed frame. Despite that, it was still good for recuperating after a day of sightseeing.
Window View
Tromsø was built on a gradual slope. Therefore, even though our room was on the ground floor, our room, which faced the back of the hotel, was about 1 level from the ground. Additionally, the window was positioned at shoulder level. When I looked up at the window from my bed, it felt more like a skylight.
The room looked out to the back alley and the car park on the other side of the block. So while we had a view of graffiti walls, we still enjoyed sufficient natural light.
No Frills in the Room
This was where the “budget” of the budget hotel showed. The room amenities were stripped to bare minimum. No kettle nor cups were provided (so nowhere to place our toothbrush too). No tissue boxes. So one has to be fully prepared with their own toiletries when staying in this hotel.
There were 2 thermostat controls in the room but none seemed to work. Apparently, the room was under central heating. Since the thermostats weren’t working, we had to regulate the temperature by opening the window.
Equally Spacious Bathroom
Bathroom was open concept; no shower curtains were hung, so the entire toilet got wet when showering. There was head and body gel provided and it was good and fragrant. We could use a small soap shelf at the shower for our personal toiletries. The only other horizontal space for toiletries was on the small sink top. So overall, the horizontal real estate for personal conveniences was super limited.
As Tromsø’s humidity was low, our hand washed laundry dried up overnight by just hanging in the bathroom – which was a rare thing for many hotels.
Security and Access of Comfort Hotel Xpress Tromsø
Our room opened out to the reception directly, so the human traffic was high, especially in the mornings and evenings. Sound insulation from the corridor was bad. We could even hear the chatter from the lobby during the peak hours. Our door would also shake in tandem when other guests closed their doors.
The room could be locked from the inside, but it wasn’t auto locked if we were to leave the room. Instead, we had to scan the room card again to lock it. It was lucky that we checked whether the room was locked before leaving. If not, considering how exposed our room was to the lobby, we couldn’t imagine what would happen if we left our room unlocked!
As the hotel is near a night bar and our room faced the back alley, we could hear the music and the ruckus from drunk folks till late at night. The window could keep out a lot of the noise, but we had to leave them ajar for ventilation. Talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place.
On another note, we also noticed that the rooms on the ground floor at the front of the hotel had windows literally opening out onto the main street. Awkward ~ As expected, the curtains of these rooms were always drawn.
Hotel Lobby of Comfort Hotel Xpress Tromsø
The hotel lobby / reception contained a small convenience store selling snacks and drinks. Hot water was provided free of charge. Being the typical Singaporean, we had brought our own coffee and hence the hot water came in handy for us to make our morning cuppa and save some money on overpriced European coffee!
Housekeeping only cleaned the room every 4 days, so we had to maintain our room’s cleanliness carefully. Again, being the typical Asian, we had plastic bags stashed in our luggage, which became really handy for us to store and throw our rubbish in the common trash bin at the corridor on a daily basis.
Staff and Service
Although the lobby provided self service check in, there was staff around to settle our check in, even though we arrived at 11pm. At other times of the day, there was always one staff member at the reception to handle queries (and to settle the purchases at the lobby store). They were friendly – friendlier than the hotel staff we had met in Iceland, for sure.
And as mentioned, housekeeping only cleaned the rooms once every 4 days, that is if you were to stay as long as I did. That really stretched the essence of low cost hotels to the max. We had to throw our trash everyday, since we stayed on the ground level and our room would be more susceptible to pests infestation if we left our food trash in the room. That also meant that the towels were only once throughout our stay. All in the name of sustainability, which as we all know, was just a cover by businesses for cutting back on services and amenities.
Neighbourhood Around Comfort Hotel Xpress Tromsø
The hotel is situated at the fringe of the town centre. Therefore, it was very convenient to be out and about for food and leisure. There is a supermarket and 2 7-eleven within 5 minutes of walking. One could also find several cafes and restaurants in the immediate neighbourhood. For those who found the food prices in Norway too exorbitant, McDonald’s and Burker King are also within 10 minutes walk from the hotel.
Comfort Hotel Xpress Tromsø is also behind one of the airport shuttle bus stops (Scandic Grand Tromsø), making it really convenient to travel to and from the airport.
Verdict on Comfort Hotel Xpress Tromsø
For a budget hotel, Comfort Hotel Xpress Tromsø checked all the boxes. It offered affordable accommodation at the town centre. The room was functional and provided basic amenities like head and body wash, and ample power sockets for the modern traveller.
The hotel lobby was also well stocked with food and beverages. And if that wasn’t enough, there are plenty of options – from convenient stores to cafes – near the hotel.
That being said, the sound insulation of the room was poor. Considering the hotel backed up with a pub, one would have to endure the ruckus till the wee hours. If you just returned from aurora chasing and badly needed to catch some sleep, that would have been a nightmare.
Parting Words
We filled our buffer day – between arrival and the start of hectic tours – at Tromsø with a quick tour around Tromsø centre. From its scenic promenade, we strolled across the Tromsø Bridge to the Arctic Cathedral, enjoying Tromsø’s natural beauty along the way.
We also scaled the Storsteinen Mountain (via the Fjellheisen Cable Car) to have a bird’s eye view of the coastal town. Then, we scuttled north to the Northern Norwegian Science Center to learn about the aurora, before heading back town to the iconic Tromsø Library. Except for our trip to the science centre, most of the sights we visited were all reachable on foot.
Tromsø being a key stop for aurora chasers and tourists who wanted to soak in the natural beauty of the Arctic fjords had plenty of food options. While prices were comparable to that of Iceland, Tromsø’s food quality was miles ahead of the former.
In fact, there were still some sightseeing spots that we left out, so that we could fill our later days in Tromsø. After all, we would need to find something to do while we wait for our aurora tours, right?
Our first full day in Tromsø started with good weather and we got to enjoy the most scenic sights of Tromsø. From then, we booked ourselves to a husky sledding day tour, and 2 aurora tours. After a failed attempt to catch the northern lights at Iceland, I was really looking forward to better luck in Tromsø.
Till then, stay wanderlust!
All photos and videos were taken using Google Pixel 7 Pro, and edited with Google Photos.