Tromso - Norway

After fulfilling our dream of seeing the Northern Lights in Rovaniemi, we decided to continue our trip to Tromso. This city had been on my plans for years and, to be honest, the name alone was enough to inspire a sense of enchantment. Tromso is considered the world capital of the Northern Lights. It also combines wild nature, vibrant culture and landscapes that look like they came straight out of a fairy tale.

Arriving in Tromso.

Our goal was clear: to continue our hunt for the Northern Lights. However, since there were three of us, booking a guided tour would cost almost 500 euros each. So we started to rethink our plans. Despite our fear of driving in the snow, we decided to rent a car. And not just any car: we chose a Toyota Corolla Cross 4×4, complete with insurance and specific snow accessories. Exactly what we needed for an Arctic adventure.

As soon as we left the airport, we faced our first challenge: finding the car in the open parking lot, in the middle of a blizzard with temperatures of -12°C. Even so, we were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the roads and the stability of the car. It was an immediate relief.

Then, we went straight to the city center in search of something to eat. However, the second obstacle arose: walking on the icy sidewalks. Even wearing appropriate boots, walking there required constant attention. Fortunately, Tromso is very well prepared for winter, and the clearing of the sidewalks helps a lot.

Trapped by the blizzard.

Our first day ended practically in vain. The temperature dropped to -17°C and the forecast predicted 25 cm of snow. Given this scenario, we decided to rest and better prepare for the following days.

On the second day, the sky was still overcast, but the intensity of the snow had lessened a little. We took advantage of this short respite to explore the surroundings of the city. Even though the forecast for auroras was almost zero, we kept an eye on the apps. That’s how we discovered a minimal chance of visibility just 30 minutes away by car. Given this, we decided to give it a try.

First aurora in Tromso.

We continued our journey towards the mountains. After about half an hour of driving, we arrived at the observation point. It was an open area, with strong winds and temperatures around -15°C. We were prepared to return empty-handed. However, a small aurora appeared between the clouds. It was impossible to contain our excitement! Although discreet, it was beautiful.

Inspired by this first appearance, we decided to continue on. We decided to cross the island to a point beyond Hansnes, approximately an hour and a half away. The road was covered in snow, the wind was constant and visibility was almost zero. Despite this, the adrenaline kept us going. There were several times when we thought about going back, but we always ended up going “just a little further”.

When we finally reached the north side of the island, we parked the car and watched the sky, braving the biting wind. It was so cold that we preferred to eat inside the car. However, when we got out again, it appeared: our third aurora! This time, more intense and even more exciting. We spent about 15 minutes getting in and out of the car. The cold was brutal, but every second there was unforgettable. The feeling was of total achievement, of being in the right place at the right time.

A challenging return.

As soon as the sky completely closed in and the wind picked up, we decided to go back. However, the road turned into a real battlefield. The wind reached over 80 km/h, the snow was relentless, and in several stretches we had to stop the car due to total lack of visibility. It took us almost three hours to return to Tromso. It was one of the most tense journeys of my life. Even so, we arrived well, exhausted, but relieved.