Tromsø, home to the Northern Lights and the Midnight Sun, is also a gateway to the Arctic. Popularly known as the Paris of the North, it is well inside the Arctic Circle and is the largest city in Northern Norway. My mom recently visited Tromsø to chase the magnificent phenomenon of Northern Lights, the snowy mountains and the fjords on the Barents Sea. She has been the main inspiration for my travel blog. So when she gave me a write up of her Tromsø visit, I thought that I must share it in my blog. Here it goes …
Visiting the arctic city of Tromso was one of my childhood dreams.I have always traveled with my husband and daughter all these years and of course we make a perfect team. This time though, I was on my own with my friends. Interestingly, I found myself still as sharp to notice accessibility challenges even though this time we did not have one. It was really amazing to see the little city which was full of nature, culture, nightlife and of course the mesmerizing northern lights.
These are some of the other places you can enjoy if you visit Tromsø any time of the year
Fjellheisn ♿️ ♿️ ♿️
Taking the Tromsø Cable Car (Fjellheisen) up to Mt. Floya is one of the most common things to do in Tromsø. You can walk all the way up to the top of Mt. Floya, but the cable car is an altogether different experience.The cable car ride is only a few minutes, and you can feel your ears pop along the way. The cable car station at the top has a viewing platform and weather permitting, you can also go outside to enjoy the Panoramic view of the Tromsø Bridge ,Tromsø center and the snow covered horizon.There is a restaurant where you can enjoy some snack overlooking the Tromsø center.
Accessibility
Tromsø Cable Car is wheelchair accessible. Wheelchair users don’t need to arrange anything in advance. Someone has to accompany the wheelchair person as the ticket counter has a few steps.They also might need to help you negotiate into the cable car. There is no entrance fee for the companion. For wheelchair passengers, a ramp is available at the back of the building that takes you to the cable car. Once you are at the top, an elevator can take you to the viewing platform. Not all the cable cars are equipped to carry wheelchairs, only the red ones can. You need to wait for the right cable car to go to the top with a wheelchair. Once at the top, there is an accessible platform from where you can enjoy the incredible views. Everyone can get right up to the edge of the platform, which has a clear glass fence. If you want to go to Mt. Floya, the ground is uneven, rocky, and steep. Depending on your wheelchair and mobility level, it may not be possible.
Fjord cruise and other excursion ♿️ ♿️
One of the most popular day trips in Tromsø is a fjord cruise which you can do almost any time of the year.The scenery is beautiful, and if you are lucky you can see dolphins, seals, eagles and moose.They will also take you to the fishing village where you can catch a fish from your cruise boat. At the end they serve a freshly made soup with your catch of the day. The cruise crew are very friendly and tries their best to make your trip very pleasant.
Accessibility
You can book the boat tours or the bus tours from
https://www.visittromso.no/en.
Bus tours are more mobility friendly for wheelchair users. You will need to negotiate a few steps to enter cruise boat.
Arctic cathedral ♿️ ♿️ ♿️
The Arctic Cathedral is an iconic landmark in Tromsø. It is visible right across the water from Tromso Island where we were staying. It’s appearance is quite striking. It was built in the 1960s and the design was inspired by the small island called Haja. Though its most remarkable feature is its triangular design, the church also has beautiful stained glass windows. You can visit this as a pit stop while going to Fjellheisen.
Accessibility
The church is wheelchair accessible with access ramps and wheelchair spaces inside the church.
Polar museum
Polar museum is located in the city center, right on the Tromso Harbor.The Polar Museum’s permanent exhibitions deal with sealing, overwintering trapping, the stories of famous trappers such as Henry Rudi and Wanny Wolstad, the expeditions of Fridtjof Nansen and Roald Amundsen and the cultural history of Svalbard. Polar Museum is a part of The Arctic University Museum of Norway.To check out more exhibits you can visit https://en.uit.no/tmu
Accessibility
It is not wheelchair accessible, as it is located in an old building that has many small stairways.
Tromsø harbour & Tromsø bridge ♿️ ♿️
The harbour is a beautiful waterfront where you can walk along. It has some nice restaurants and awesome views. It’s completely flat and easy to navigate. Take your time and explore the view with some stop for pictures. There is a tourist information center nearby where you can get all the necessary information about the city.
Tromsø Bridge is a beautiful bridge that is a major part of the Tromsø landscape, especially when viewed from the harbor and Fjellheisen. It connects Tromsø Island to the mainland.
Accessibility
Tromsø Harbour is fully accessible. Tromsø Bridge is quite long and a little steep. Although the sidewalk is well-paved, using a wheelchair to cross the bridge will not be a good idea mainly because of its length and it also gets very windy.
Northern lights ♿️ ♿️ ♿️
Chasing Northern lights during winter is the most adventurous activity. It is an experience of a life time.You can see the Northern lights from the month of October until the 2nd week of April. Some tours close on March 31st but quite a few are open until April 15th. If you are visiting late in the season , then an experienced travel guide increases your chances of seeing Northern Lights significantly.
Accessibility
The tour guide will pick you up from hotel in a car and drive you to a place where there is maximum probability of chasing them.A wheelchair user can book their trip through https://www.visittromso.no/en
Once you book your tour a crew from that company will be in touch.For any type of special accessible request you can let them know and they will arrange it for you.
General tips
- ♿️All the buses in the city are wheelchair accessible
- ♿️Tromsø city center is very accessible. The streets are well paved and there are ramps for wheelchair. You can easily walk and enjoy the beautiful views. Tromsø has a great public bus system. The buses in Tromsø are wheelchair accessible. And there are also wheelchair-accessible taxis.
- ♿️Tromso during summer is more accessible with no snow and nice warm weather.
- Always carry some local currency as not all the bus takes credit card
- There is no Uber service in Tromso airport so make sure you have arrangements for transportation
- In winters we prepared for the cold weather
- Try to book a hotel in Tromso Island so that you can visit the magnificent view.
- The hotel we stayed was Scandic Ishavhotel https://www.scandichotels.no/hotell/norge/tromso/scandic-ishavshotel which is fully accessible and has a magnificent view.
- Tromso Harbour is a great spot for pictures.
- Finding a Restroom is a challenge so make sure to use before you leave hotel or restaurants
