This is part of a new series of Ports in Focus, highlighting some normal and some more quirky items of information that may not always be apparent from the guidebooks.
P&O Cruises, Celebrity Cruises and Cunard all visit this magical city in Northern Norway.
Have you ever walked over a bridge that seems to grow and it looks as if you are never going to get to the other side? This happened to me in Tromsø. It was no surprise to find out later, – when the exhaustion had set in – that at the time of its opening in 1960 it was the longest bridge in Northern Europe, at a length of 1036 meters.
The city centre is located on the small island of Tromsøya and this bridge, which to my mind, proves quite a challenge for unfit walkers, links it to the mainland! Of course most people take their car!
Tromsø is the 9th city of Norway, situated inside the Arctic Circle and is known among other things, for its thriving university. The centre has a large number of old and attractive wooden houses and all in all possesses an enchanting atmosphere.
The Sami (Lapp) people are indigenous and there is a Sami kindergarten and Sami language classes in schools. A great many culture and summer festivals are held, due in part to the fact that it is warmer than most other places located on the same latitude, because of the warming effect of the Gulf Stream.
Undoubtedly for tourists the main attraction is that it is in the middle of the Aurora Borealis (northern lights) zone, and is one of the best places in the world to observe this phenomenon. Because of the planet’s rotation, Tromsø moves into the aurora zone around 6pm, and moves out again around midnight.
Due to the long hours of daylight in the summer in this part of the world, no aurora is visible between late April and mid August, which was sad, as that was when I was there.
This whole area is really ancient and has been settled since the end of the Ice Age so it is a little strange that it is also well known for another piece of construction from the 1960’s.
Tromsdalen Church is more commonly known as “The Arctic Cathedral” and because of its distinct look, which is not unlike a famous landmark in Australia, it sometimes is also referred to as the Opera House of Norway.
On local advice, we took the cable car up Storsteinen, 420m above sea level, and saw the most breathtaking panoramic views over the city and beyond. In common with most things in Norway this experience hurt the pocket, but the end result was stunning enough to be absolutely worth forking out. Although beware, it stops running really early.
Tromsø is home to the world’s most northerly Mosque, which requires one departure from normal Muslim practice regarding Ramadan; the month of fasting can fall at any time of the year, as the religious and secular calendars do not coincide. During that period a Muslim must not eat during daylight hours; something of a problem when in Tromsø that could be six months at a time.
Fortunately a local rule allows a deemed nightfall…. before starvation sets in!
Related posts:
- Madeira in Focus Its the birthplace of the most expensive footballer, Churchill...
- Stockholm In Focus Baltic cruising? Visit the Swedish capital and find its...
Leave a Comment