The third excursion selected for our northbound Hurtigruten Coastal Express was Tromsø, Norway. Tromsø is the third-largest city north of the Arctic Circle (behind Murmansk and Norilsk, Russia) and is on my bucket-list, therefore a no-brainer to pick as an excursion. I imagined flying there during their nightless summers, but opportunities need to be taken when presented and off we went.
Stop 1: Fjellheisen
The Fjellheisen is a cable car that takes you to Storsteinen, a mountain 421m above sea level. [Of course, I haven’t found meters above sea level at the base, as you no doubt are asking yourselves.]
Two activities await after you ascend: hike or snowshoe the surrounding area on groomed paths, self-guided or on an invigorating 3-hour guided escapade, featuring a thrilling 1-hour snowshoe journey through the snow-draped trails of Fjellheisen mountain, or take your touristy pictures of Tromsø to prove you were there. With limited time, no gear, and no interest in hiking, picture-taking it is.
After arriving at the summit and exiting the cable car building, paths of differing difficulty in either direction are available that provide different views of Tromsø. I went to the right which, in my opinion, have better views; my wife stayed behind because she view the paths too slick and uneven to feel safe on.
The views are truly majestic and dramatic, the sunsets are likely incredible.
The stop was scheduled for 50 minutes, including the cable car rides, but ended up being over an hour as two people lost track of time. Alone, my wife and I would have spent 30-35 minutes tops before moving on.
Stop 2: Arctic Cathedral
Built in 1965, the Arctic Cathedral‘s architecture is considered dramatic, visible from the Tromsø Sound, the Tromsø Bridge and when landing in Tromsø by aircraft. Wikipedia’s article of the cathedral states The shape of the church is believed to be a reference to the nearby twin-peaked island of Håja. Another article called it The Arctic Cathedral is Tromsø’s lighthouse.
The organ installed in 2005 is also described in glowing terms: The organ is adapted to the cathedral’s architecture in a masterly fashion and provides associations with sails and ice floes. … Much of the woodwork is in solid pine and the bellows are made of reindeer hide.
As effusive descriptions abound, it seemed like an exciting, appropriate stop on the itinerary.
Meh.
Perhaps the cathedral is great for religious services, perhaps its acoustics are great for classical music concerts, perhaps architects study its structure, but very underwhelming when visiting for the sake of visiting. As centuries-old European church interiors are a treasure trove of eye candy; the Arctic Cathedral is austere, simple, plain, boring. With no ulterior motive, ten minutes was more than sufficient to enter, look around, shrug shoulders, and exit.
The cathedral is on slightly elevated ground, providing views of the bridge and the old-town center of Tromsø, but nothing that I couldn’t live without. Perhaps sunrise or sunset offers more interesting views, but midday was nothing memorable.
Stop 3: Polar Museum
The excursion’s final stop is the Polar Museum, which is optional and from where you can walk back to the boat. The time remaining for the museum was too little to enjoy or appreciate whatever the exhibits are, so my wife and I meandered back to the boat: dock side pictures, tourist shopping, and sweets. We walked the plank back onto the boat, and our visit of Tromsø was complete.
Final Thoughts
Unfortunately, the excursion in Tromsø was the most underwhelming and disappointing of the four we took. As excited as I was to be there, I now have to convince myself that Tromsø is worth another try, this time a self-guided visit. Unfortunately, our guided tour a waste of time and money.
Image Credits
All images © 2025 Scott C Sosna
