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Winter 2016 - 2017
ADVENTURES
24/7
Read more o
n back cover
Photo: CH - Visitnorway.com
Experience Tromsø City – takes you to all the attractions in Tromsø.
Photo: Frithjof Fure - Visitnorway.com
Experience Tromsø Region – takes you to all our winter activities in the Tromsø region. RINGVASSØYA Lyngen Havfiske- og Tursenter
KVALØYA
Tromsø
Breivikeidet 91
Storslett
Lyngen
Koppangen brygger Årøybukt
Olderdalen
91
Mefjord brygger
Aurora Spirit E8
Hamn
Senja
E6
Skibotn
Finnsnes E8
855
ANDØYA
Nordkjosbotn
Buktamoen E6
Harstad
Målselv fjellandsby/ Destination Snowman
Målselv
FINLAND Kilpisjärvi
Fjellkysten
Foldvik brygger
LOFOTEN
Lapphaugen Turiststasjon E10
Narvik
21
Polar Park
E10
SWEDEN
Route 1: Tromsø – Narvik – Tromsø Daily departures from 12.12.2016 – 31.03.2017 E6
Route 2: Tromsø – Lyngen – Tromsø. Daily departures from 12.12.2016 – 31.03.2017
Airport Express – takes you all the way from door to door.
Contact us for more info: www.bussring.no • facebook.com/bussring • e-mail: post@bussring.no • tel: +47 40 00 21 96
Rent a Car Get off the plane at Tromsø airport, and go directly to our counter to get the key for your rental car. Check out our website and choose the model you prefer.
(+47) 97 59 30 00 – reservation@sixt.no
www.sixt.com
PROUD SUPPLIER OF VIEWS SINCE 1961 Opening hours: 15 May – 15 August: 10.00 – 01.00 16 August – 14 May: 10.00 – 22.00 Departures on the half hour
Tickets: Buy online at fjellheisen.no/en Transport: Bus number 26 from Tromsø city centre
Web: fjellheisen.no Visit us: Solliveien 12, Tromsdalen
si ttr om s Ti lle r © vi P ho to : Tr ul
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Welcome to Tromsø, the gateway to your Arctic experiences! We offer a wide range of Northern Lights excursions, responding to different travel needs. Some visitors might prefer to travel in smaller groups; others would appreciate good comfort or would like to see the Aurora from a boat. Combine your Northern Lights excursion with a wide range of exciting daytime experiences such as dogsledding, whale watching, snowshoeing, snowmobiling and sami experiences. Book your activities online at visittromso.no or pay a visit to Tromsø Tourist Information Office for booking. Download the new «Tromsø – official city app» from the app store or Google Play!
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AIPORT EXPRESS
PAGE 2
Markedskompetanse Nord AS post@mk-nord.no Editor
John A. Angelsen john@mk-nord.no
BOOK & PAY PAGE 15
Hans Olav Eriksen, Jan-Are K. Johnsen, Ruth Norstrøm, Tor Petter W. Christensen, John A. Angelsen, Ron Røstad, Johnny Hansen, Halvar Ellingsen, Thor A. Angelsen, Inger Storli. Thor A. Angelsen/ Ruth Norstrøm
PAGE 62
PAGE 3
O REAL STARDUST PAGE 34
Marketing & advertising
Hans Olav Eriksen hoeriksen@hotmail.com Ruth Norstrøm ruth@mk-nord.no
PAGE 6
CAFÉ
Distribution
f all the natural phenomena, perhaps the Northern Lights (aurora borealis) are the most fascinating. When the night sky fills with green rays of light in a calm or wild and magical dance, which feels close enough to touch yet so infinitely distant, you quickly lose the sense of time and place and are dragged towards a moment of infinity. Such an experience is something you remember for the rest of your life. That’s why many people dream of seeing the Northern Lights at least once in their lifetime.
Published in November 2017. The magazine can also be downloaded as an app at App Store and Google Play Circulation
T
he city has an international touch, with a well-known university,
PAGE 54
30 000 printed copies
ARCTIC DISHES
PAGE 44
Lundblad lundblad.no English translation
Gavin Tanguay gavint-oversetting.no Chris Barlow chris@chrisbarlow.no
TROMSØ ARCHITECTURE
POLAR HEROES
PAGE 38
Photos
Marius Fiskum mariusfiskum. no, Ole Salomonsen arcticlightphoto.no, Sweet Films sweetfilms.no Cover photo Ole Salomonsen arcticlightlightphoto.no 6
NIGHT LIFE
here’s something special about Tromsø. Although located at the same latitude as Siberia and Alaska, it has a mild climate and rich fauna due to the warm currents of the Gulf Stream. By coincidence, the city is located in the centre of the Northern Lights oval, the background for the term The Aurora Heartland!
Contributing authors
Design/layout
CAR RENTAL
T
Experience the Tromsø Region, Winter 2016-2017 (6th edition) Publisher
THIS MAGAZINE
PAGE 74
BREWERY TOURS PAGE 110
DOG SLEDDING PAGE 10
TROMSØ CITY PAGE 8
TIMETABLE
TROMSØ HISTORY
24/7 PAGE 14
SAMI CULTURE
SNOWMOBILE PAGE 16
PAGE 22
PAGE 28
TROMSØ – The Arctic Gateway an excellent scientific environment, a number of festivals and cultural events, and the highest concentration of bars per capita in Norway. As Tromsø is situated on the brink of the Arctic wilderness, it is also the base for a large number of activities and excursions.
outer coast and the picturesque fjord of Malangen.
E
njoy your stay in the capital of the Arctic: a city that’s vibrant, modern and welcoming.
REINDEER SLEDDING PAGE 30
USEFUL WEBSITES
PAGE 68
CITY MAP
T
he Tromsø region is virtually a concentrated version of Norway with a dramatic landscape that you won’t find anywhere else in Europe. There are several wonderful areas to explore within a short distance of Tromsø, such as the Lyngen Alps with 1800m high mountains dropping vertically into the deep fjords, the wilderness area in the Tamok valley, the enormous Lapland tundra stretching all the way to the depths of Russia, the magical island of Senja, the fascinating white beaches on the
PAGE 58
SHOPPING
Director of Visit Northern Norway Trond Øverås
PAGE 68
MALANGEN
THE REGION
PAGE 86
WHALES
OTHERE’S JOURNEY PAGE 66
PAGE 88
ARCTIC PHOTO
CAMP TAMOK
PAGE 102
PAGE 110
PAGE 80
ADVENTURE
PROGRAMMES PAGE 112 7
The Outpost of C View of Tromsø from a nearby mountain. The photo is taken from the upper station of the city´s cable car.
This is the end of civilisation, and the beginning of the largest uninhabited wilderness area in Europe.
T
he Municipality of Tromsø has a population of around 70,000, approximately 60,000 of whom live in or nearby the city of Tromsø. Tromsø is by far the largest city in Northern Norway, and is also the largest Nordic city north of the Arctic Circle. Tromsø has its own university and brewery. No other universities or breweries in the world are located this far north. The city is surrounded by hundreds of islands, dramatic mountains and deep fjords, and is only a two-hour flight from Oslo, the Norwegian capital.
Tromsø City
8
A VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES
The university provides many opportunities for scientists from all over the world, studying the Northern Lights, the Arctic environment, fisheries, climate change, oil resources in the ocean, and many other topics. As a result of this activity, there are several museums dedicated to the Arctic life and nature, as well as an Arctic experience centre and aquarium. Tromsø, the Gateway to the Arctic, was founded in 1794, and from 1850 the town was central in fisheries and other marine-based activity. In the early 20th century, the town was also the starting point for several famous expeditions in the Arctic waters and in the race to be the first person on the North Pole.
FLOURISHING TOWN
The activity a century ago led to a flourishing cultural life. The finer
This statue of a traditional whaler stands in the main square. Photo: Hurtigruten ASA
ladies in Tromsø could afford to wear the latest fashions from Paris and other cultural centres in Europe. In the Nordic countries this gave Tromsø the nickname “Paris of the North”. The growing population and status as an Arctic capital, with a lasting boom in the cultural life, has maintained this image to this day. Tromsø has its own professional theatre, an international film festival, and many other festivals, concerts, and events
ivilisation The Tromsø Cathedral is a wooden church dating from 1861. It is located on the main street. Photo: Hurtigruten ASA/Karlheinz Arnau
Classic colours of the Norwegian wooden houses. Photo: Hurtigruten ASA/ Nicole Tessier
throughout the year. Taking into consideration the size of the city, the nightlife in the many restaurants and bars is extraordinary. You will find restaurants serving everything from sushi to traditional Norwegian dishes.
CLIMATE AND SCENERY
Although located so far north, Tromsø
has a mild maritime climate. The city’s record low temperature is -18 ºC, which is not that cold considering the latitude. In the short summer, you can experience temperatures up to +28 ºC. In winter the record snow depth is 2.4 metres. The Midnight Sun is visible from May 21 until July 21, and the Polar Night stretches from November 21 until January 21. During this period,
the sun does not rise above the horizon. Tromsø is where civilization meets the wild and enormous Arctic environment. You can take the cable car up to a mountain more than 400 metres above sea level and admire the panoramic view of the islands and high mountains surrounding the city.
by John A. Angelsen 9
BE A
Musher
Say hello to a bunch of eager huskies that are ready for action.
10
11
12
DOG SLEDDING
T
he dog sledding adventure starts with meeting the dogs and preparing for the trip.
You will receive instructions on how to drive a dog team. You then drive the dog sled on your own into the white landscapes, through the beautiful Vass Valley, a side valley connected to the great Tamok Valley. You will at first see Camp Tamok on your way out in the wild. The trails you follow have a total distance of approximately 15 km. The area where you lead the sled is totally uninhabited, with a landscape of mountains and forest. Out in the wilderness, these dogs are in their right environment. You will drive in pairs, one driver and one passen-
1
Keep both hands on the sled at all times.
2
Brake by using your feet.
ger on each sled, with opportunity to switch places half way. After the adventure, you will return to Camp Tamok and a hot meal will be served in our heated lavvu (Sami herdsmen’s tent). INCLUDED ■■ Transportation by bus/minibus ■■ A hot meal ■■ Insulated body suit ■■ Boots, gloves and headwear ■■ English-speaking guide ■■ Evening trips will give you a chance to see the Northern Lights RECOMMENDED ■■ Warm under garments (wool or fleece is recommended) ■■ Vegetarian food will be provided if advance notice is given
3
Assist the dogs when going uphill.
4
In sloping terrain, stand on the top ski.
5
Passengers: Keep your arms and legs inside the sled at all times.
DOG SLEDDING Season:...............................................November 15 – March 31 Departure daytime:..........................09:00 outside the Ishavshotel. (Return: 16:00) Departure evening:..........................17:00 outside the Ishavshotel, (Return: 24:00) Duration:............................................4.5 hours + transport, 7 hours total Retail Price:........................................NOK 1 850 (children 7-15 years: 50% discount) Booking:.............................................www.lyngsfjord.com +47 77 71 55 88 (09:00 - 17:00) 13
lyngsfjord.com
WINTER ADVENTURES
Timetable Tromsø City
24/7
Camp Tamok
09:00
10:15
16:00
14:45
17:00
18:15
24:00
22:45
Departure
Arrival
Departure
Arrival
Please show up at the bus 10 minutes before the scheduled departure time. The bus departs at the exact time to ensure full value of your day.
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►►DAYTIME ADVENTURES Dog sledding Snowmobile safari Reindeer sledding ►►MID DAY BREAK & ACTIVITIES Camp stay Private Sauna Snowshoeing & Arctic Survival ►►EVENING ADVENTURES Dog sledding Snowmobile Reindeer sledding Northern Lights visit ►►OVERNIGHT Sami tent Timber cabin Aurora chalet
Note that there is no transfer back to 10:15 * Tromsø City following the overnight stay. Spending the night in camp requires that you have booked both an evening excursion before the overnight stay and a daytime excursion after the overnight stay.
TROMSØ AIRPORT has several daily flights from Oslo (OSL), the Norwegian capital. Flight time from Oslo International Airport (OSL) is 1hr 50min.
DIRECT FLIGHTS: GATWICK-TROMSØ The airline Norwegian has several direct flights each week. The fligtht time is 3 hr 25 min.
OSLO AIRPORT (Gardermoen) Approximate flight times: London 1 hr 20 min Berlin 1 hr 55 min Rome 3 hr 10 min Madrid 3 hr 45 min Paris 2 hr 25 min Brussels 1 hr 55 min
The Arctic Gateway
In former times Tromsø was the connecting point for expeditions to the North Pole, for whalers in Arctic waters and trappers going to Greenland and other remote locations.
The taverns of Tromsø were the last memory of civilization in the trappers’ mind when they left to stay alone in the wilderness through the long polar winter. Tromsø was also the first sight of civilization for fishermen and others coming from long journeys in the Barents Sea. Nowadays the city is a major hub for flights and ships, especially since there are no railways going this far north. From Tromsø you can fly up to Spitsbergen, close to the North Pole, or on charter routes to Turkey and Greece, which is quite unique for a city with a population of only 71,000.
Tromsø is easy to access, with several daily flights from the international airport in Oslo, the Norwegian capital. The airlines SAS and Norwegian both offer low price tickets. Tromsø airport is located only a 10-minute drive from the city centre. In compact downtown Tromsø, you can choose between more than 15 hotels. It is therefore easy to find and book your accommodation, in various price ranges and within walking distance of the city’s attractions. Lyngsfjord Adventure provides all necessary transport by minibus or bus from downtown Tromsø to the locations of the adventures, and these transfers are always included in our prices. You buy directly from the suppliers, so both the programme and price of your adventure holiday will fit your requirements perfectly.
Book and Pay Online Simply visit our website lyngsfjord.com and choose from the different excursions and programmes on your chosen date. After booking your adventures, you progress to the next step; payment. All transactions go through Epay, a global system for secure payments on-
line. You do not need to create an account, and Epay accepts all major credit cards. If you still run into any kind of problem, contact us by email or phone, and we will assist you. You can read more about terms and conditions on our website. Note that the excursions need to be prepaid for your booking to be confirmed, as it is not possible to pay at the wilderness camp.
If you are already in Tromsø and want to book and pay, please e-mail or call us first to check availability. Be aware that some excursions might be fully booked during the peak season (December to February). After talking with our staff, you may visit our website via your smart phone, laptop or simply by using a computer at your hotel reception. 15
A Stroll Through the P Tromsø is a metropolis by name, if not by fact, a place that has grown from being a tiny village into a small “big city” with a population rapidly approaching 100,000.
T
he population was only 80 in 1794 when the king in Copenhagen granted a town charter to the small settlement on the island of Tromsøya. Around 221 years later, the population is approaching 75,000 and growing rapidly. Tromsø is a metropolis in name because ever since the mid 19th century the town has had a nickname that brings to mind the big metropolises of the world. “Paris of the North” was in fact a name Tromsø inherited because its residents – and primarily the women – always dressed in the latest fashion. Yes, the women of Tromsø dressed like many of the women of Paris dressed. That was due to fact that the latest fashions quickly came to Tromsø by the mode of transport of the day – boats - transporting fish products from our latitudes and to continental Europe.
FRENCH PAVEMENTS
It was not only in the area of women’s fashion that inspiration from Paris rubbed off on the locals of Tromsø. It also became quite common to use French terms in everyday language. In Tromsø, the Norwegian equivalent of pavement was never used. Instead, the paved areas beside the streets were called trottoir, just like Frenchmen described the pavements of Paris. When Tromsø got two breakwaters to protect the inner harbour from strong currents and strong winds on harsh autumn and winter days, they were not referred to by the Norwegian name. No, they got the French name jetee, which is still used to this day.
Tromsø History 16
ARCTIC COUNCIL
In recent years, Tromsø has become an important city
The latest fashions from Paris. The upper class and working class walked on opposite sides of Storgata.
internationally. In 2013 Tromsø was chosen as the permanent secretariat for the Arctic Council. This is an intergovernmental forum among Arctic countries promoting cooperation and coordination on common Arctic issues, in particular in relation to sustainable development and environmental protection. The member countries of the Arctic
Council are Canada, Denmark including the Faroe Islands and Greenland, Finland, Iceland, Russia, USA, Sweden and Norway. In other words, Tromsø is not only the capital of Northern Norway, but also the capital of the Arctic. This council secretariat is housed in the Fram Centre, and this is a natural starting point for a city walk through Tromsø.
aris of the North
Polaria
The Fram Centre and adjacent Arctic experience centre Polaria were both completed just before the turn of the millennium.
The famous author Cora Sandel in the latest French fashion.
In addition to its unique architecture, the content of Polaria is of interest to the residents of Tromsø and the hundreds of thousands who visit Tromsø each year. Seals swim round in their own pool and there are aquariums containing fish species from the northern latitudes. Many have asked how the building ended up with its unique design. The answer is easier than you may think. The architect sat in his office one afternoon playing with a marker pen in search of an idea to create a building that illustrated the activity inside as well as one that the residents of Tromsø would develop a positive attitude towards. His pen suddenly stopped working. The architect fiddled with his pen to try to get it to work again. When he looked at the paper, he suddenly discovered that the lines he had drawn resembled the pack ice, which is a well known phenomenon in the Arctic. Aha, thought the architect. That was an idea he could develop further.
Polstjerna
A glass building housing the historic Arctic vessel Polstjerna stands right next door to Polaria.
This sealing vessel served a total of 33 seasons in the West Ice and East Ice in the Arctic. Apparently more than 100,000 seals were caught from the vessel, which constituted an important part of the Arctic industry that at one stage was of great significance to Tromsø. A memorial to Helmer Hanssen, Tromsø’s polar explorer who was Roald Amundsen’s right hand man on all Amundsen’s expeditions, has been erected adjacent to this building. These expeditions included the conquering of the Northwest Passage, the South Pole and their attempt to reach the North Pole aboard Maud. The memorial was unveiled on 14 December 2011, 100 years to the day that Roald Amundsen and his crew reached the South Pole.
17
Baker turned Brewer
If you continue northwards along Storgata, it won’t take you long to reach what until a few years ago was the world’s northernmost brewery. Mack’s Brewery produced beer and soft drinks in huge quantities on this site from the brewery’s establishment in 1877 up to 2013 when production was moved to the neighbouring municipality Balsfjord. The brewery premises remain as they have since the late 19th century. Over the past couple of years, the former brewery has hosted the World Chess Olympiad in 2014 and European Bridge Championship in 2015. All the matches in both events were overseen by the man who established Mack’s Brewery in 1877, Ludwig Mack, whose bust adorns the building’s exterior.
TRAINED AS A BAKER
His family originated from Germany but moved to Tromsø in the mid 19th century and started a bakery. Ludwig Mack was to overtake his father’s bakery, so he returned to Germany to train as a baker and confectioner. However, while back in Germany, he dreamt of establishing his own brewery. He was aged just 35 on 17 May 1878 when he realized his dream and the first bottles of Bayer beer were produced. His brewing business, which still produces beer to this day, was underway.
EMPLOYED 320 PEOPLE
For a long time, the brewery was a major employer in Tromsø. In the
Tromsø History 18
Ludwig Mack outside his brewery in Storgata late 1980s, around 320 people were employed at the brewery and adjacent pub Ølhallen (The Beer Hall), which has been very popular since it opened its doors on the Leap Day in 1928.
DRANK HAIR TONIC
Ludwig Mack had actually tried many years earlier to get permission to open an indoor taproom, but the temperance movement in Tromsø was very strong so he failed to get the required permission. However, his successor as director, son-in-law Lauritz Bredrup, eventually succeeded. He visited every councillor at their home in an attempt to persuade them to let him open an indoor taproom. That didn’t help the first time he tried in
1924 despite the fact that there were no controls on drinking outdoors. Some local gangs known as the ”Denna gangs2 often sat outside and drank what was locally referred to as denna. This was a mixture of denatured alcohol and Salicylic acid, a fat-free hair tonic. Needless to say, the consumption of such beverages created uncontrolled situations, but this was insufficient to convince the temperance movement. They didn’t believe that permitting the brewery to open an indoor taproom would change the outdoor drinking pattern. But Lauritz Bredrup didn’t give up. He repeated his round of visits to the local politicians in 1927. On this occasion he was successful and Ølhallen became a reality.
Amundsen’s Last Stay Continuing north along Storgata, it is natural to stop outside the house at Storgata 42. This was the house in which polar explorer Roald Amundsen slept for the last time.
Amundsen arrived in Tromsø in the early hours of 18 June 1928 on the flying boat Latham. He was en route to the polar ice to search for Italian Umberto Nobile, whose airship Italia had disappeared after flying over the North Pole. Italia had crashed and an organised search began on a scale the world had scarcely seen before. Amundsen, who was commander of the airship Norge that flew over the North Pole in 1926 with Umberto Nobile at the controls, wanted to participate in the search. Amundsen’s good friend, pharmacist Fritz G. Zapffe, lived and worked at Storgata 42. Whenever Amundsen was in Tromsø, he always stayed with Zapffe. He even had his own room, which was later called the Amundsen room.
SUPPORTED BY MUSSOLINI
Amundsen slept here for a few hours before he and his French-Norwegian crew departed on Latham to search for Nobile. The Italian had embarked on his expedition with the airship Italia because he and Italian dictator Benito Mussolini believed that Italy had received too little attention for their role with the Norge expedition a few years earlier. That was the reason why Nobile built his own airship, christened as Italia and embarked on his adventurous expedition. A stamp honours Roald Amundsen´s contribution to aviation history. Pictured: The ”Latham”.
Storgata 42
CRASHED
As history shows, Amundsen was unsuccessful in his attempt to find Nobile. Instead, his airship Latham crashed somewhere between the Norwegian mainland and the island of Bjørnøya. The only wreckage ever found was a float, which demonstrably was from Latham.
Zapffe celebrates after climbing up the church spire.
Zapffe’s Climb
Zapffe’s son, Peter Wessel Zapffe, also lived at Storgata 42.
Zapffe junior was lawyer, philosopher and author. He was also a fearless mountaineer. In the mid 1930s he worked as a lawyer at the office of the urban district court judge. He suddenly became bored with legal papers, went to the Tromsø Cathedral and decided to climb to the top of the church tower. People who witnessed this man climbing up the steep church tower – without any form of safety measures – were shocked, to put it mildly. Nevertheless, Zapffe reached the top with minimal effort and clung on while the city’s photographer preserved it all for posterity. In so doing, he secured evidence that Zapffe had actually climbed up the virtually impregnable church spire. Throughout the more than 150-year history of the Tromsø Cathedral, Peter Wessel Zapffe is the only person to perform this dangerous stunt.
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Gestapo alley Another house associated with several historical events is located on the northern side of the cathedral.
The house at Bankgata 13 was built in 1880 by the whaler Johannes Giæver and was the first residential building in Tromsø built of stone. Another reason why it’s unique is that the famous writer Cora Sandel lived here during her childhood. During World War II the Gestapo took over the house and used it as a venue to torture people suspected of fighting against the interests of the occupying power Germany.
REPORTED ON THE TIRPITZ
One of the people linked to this house was Norwegian resistance fighter Karl
Tromsø History 20
Rasmussen. He had been involved in sending messages from Alta to London about the German battleship Tirpitz, which lay damaged in the Kåfjord near Alta.
HEROIC DEED
After his arrest, Rasmussen was taken to Tromsø for very tough questioning inside this house. During a break in the questioning, he jumped out of a window on the second floor of the house and took his own life instead of divulging secrets to the Germans about his resistance comrades. This heroic deed is one of the reasons why every morning on 17 May, Norway’s national day, the scout parade stops briefly outside Bankgata 13 to lay a wreath to commemorate the victims of the Gestapo during World War II.
Rocket kiosk
If we continue walking northwards along Storgata, we reach a tiny building that has characterized the town square since 1911. It is the small Løkkekiosken (the Løkke kiosk), which in recent years has been called Rakettkiosken (the rocket kiosk), apparently because it looks like a rocket. The kiosk was built by an 18-year-old woman named Margit Løkke - hence the name Løkke kiosk. It has survived for more than a century, including the big city fire in the spring of 1969 that engulfed several blocks with flames. Despite being in the midst of a sea of flames, the tiny kiosk survived. It is now the centre of a major music festival called RakettNatt (rocket night) in honour of the tiny rocket kiosk.
Skansen
The last stop on our city walk is Skansen, the place in Tromsø with the longest history.
Verdensteateret
If you continue slightly further along Storgata, it’s natural to stop at Northern Europe’s oldest cinema in continuous operation. It’s called Verdensteatret (the theatre of the world), and 2015 marks the 100th anniversary of the building of the cinema building. The first movie screened at the historic cinema was Sons of Destiny on 4 June 1916. Ever since, films starring the likes of Charlie Chaplin, Clark Gable, Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton and many, many more have entertained the residents of Tromsø, who have always filled this cinema regardless of whether war dramas or films about love and romance were screening.
building that still stands to this day and is simply referred to as Skansen. Construction began in 1789 and was completed in 1793 – the year before Tromsø received its town charter. It The history of Skansen stretis considered to be Tromsø’s ches right back to 1000 AD or oldest building. perhaps even further back. As well as serving as a CustSkansen was originally a medioms house, it has been a school eval fortification designed to building, nursing home and defend the people and buildcity museum. The building is ings of the time. the City of Tromsø’s residence No one knows with any for entertaining and was also certainty who built the fortifichosen as Tromsø’s millennium cation, but one cannot discount site. Olav Haraldsson, who was king of Norway between 1015 and CULTURAL RELIC 1030. Modern day excavations This building caught fire in the show that the fortress was surwinter of 2003 but, owing to rounded by a 4-5 m wide moat, the tenacious efforts of the fire which in all likelihood was filled fighters, the building was saved. with water. It was later restored and is still a magnificent building. THE OLDEST BUILDING Skansen is considered to be In 1787, the Customs Service the best preserved fortified established itself in Tromsø, place in Northern Europe. It’s and Skansen was chosen as a unique cultural monument the obvious place as it offered in the city centre. If you look a the Customs officers an excellittle behind the facades, you lent view of the strait. One of will soon discover that it is a the first constructions was a museum in its own right.
This article is written by Johnny Hansen. In addition to a long career as an author, Hansen has been executive editor of the largest and oldest newspapers in the Tromsø region, iTromsø and Nordlys, for a total of 20 years. Hansen is considered to be one of the leading authorities on Tromsø’s modern history.
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INTO
The White
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Camp Tamok is the starting point for a breathtaking adventure in the driver’s seat of a snowmobile. 23
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SNOWMOBILE SAFARI
N
o previous skills are required to drive a snowmobile. All you need is a regular driving licence, and it is just as easy as it is fun. The trail is 15 km each way, 30 km in total. The starting point is at an altitude of 250 m above sea level, and the guide brings you up to an elevation of 875 m. Imagine the views you will have during this snowmobile trip. We begin with a thorough safety introduction. You will drive in pairs, one driver and one passenger on each snowmobile, with opportunity to switch places during the trip. Due to the dramatic topography, a reduced speed is held during parts of the tour. On flat land and frozen lakes, you can speed up. The top point of the trail is a frozen lake. If time and weather
1
The throttle lever is on the righthand side, operated by your thumb.
2
The break handle is located on your left-hand side.
permit, you can try ice fishing on this lake. The second half of the excursion brings you back down again, ending up at Camp Tamok, our wilderness camp, where you will be served a hot meal in our lavvu (Sami herdsmen’s tent). INCLUDED ■■ Transportation by bus/minibus ■■ A hot meal ■■ Helmet ■■ Insulated body suit ■■ Boots, gloves and headwear ■■ English-speaking guide ■■ Evening trips will give you a chance to see the Northern Lights
RECOMMENDED
■■ Warm under garments (wool or fleece is recommended) ■■ Vegetarian food will be provided if advance notice is given
3
Keep your feet and legs inside the protective metal skirts at all times.
4
Lean to the right when making a right turn, and lean to the left when making a left turn.
5
If you feel insecure, just let go of the throttle and hand break. The snowmobile will then gently slow down.
SNOWMOBILE SAFARI
Season:...............................................November 15 – March 31 Departure daytime:..........................09:00 outside the Ishavshotel. (Return: 16:00) Departure evening:..........................17:00 outside the Ishavshotel, (Return: 24:00) Duration:............................................4.5 hours + transport, 7 hours total Price:...................................................NOK 1 850 (children 7-15 years: 50% discount) Booking:.............................................www.lyngsfjord.com +47 77 71 55 88 (09:00 - 17:00)
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The People of Tromsø
MALI ARNSTAD
Age: 44 Civil status: Married, children Lives in: Detached house Typical weekend food: Pizza Favourite café/bar: Risø kaffebar Tips for tourists: Hike up and take the cable car down Typical Sunday activity: Hike in the forest or go on a bike ride
The typewriter collector Mali Arnstad’s day job is digital communication, but in her spare time she visits flea markets in search of Norwegian design treasures to sell to overseas buyers. Even though Norway is not as well known for design as Sweden and Denmark, there are many treasures in the Norwegian design history. “Norwegian vintage pillows and tablecloths, teak figures or Figgjo porcelain are desired by many people around the world. I find these items at flea markets and resell them with a small profit. It’s mostly a hobby,” says Arnstad. While at flea markets, Arnstad also looks for typewriters. She buys these too and has started a collection. Typewriters are also in demand. “I sent a Hermes typewriter to USA, which was used at a wedding. Guests used the typewriter to write messages of congratulations to the bride and groom.
NO GUARANTEE OF SUMMER
Summer in Tromsø this year was completely average. In other words, the fine warm days were few and far between, and Tromsø residents need to travel south in order to find real summer weather. Arnstad and her family have found a good solution.
“House swapping allows us to swap houses with people from all over the world. This summer we were in Normandy, while the French family were cold, grey Tromsø. I think they were just as satisfied as we were.” Using a house swapping service is a bit like the lottery. “If you don’t have a specific destination in mind, but for example want a beach and warm weather, you never know where you could end up. We have been in Belgium, Spain and Sardinia.”
SEPTEMBER IS THE BEST TIME
The best time of year in Tromsø is early autumn. “In September you can pick mushrooms and wild berries and it’s a great to hike in the countryside. It still hasn’t got really cold yet.” The Polar Night in Tromsø is something you have to accept as a challenge. The lack of daylight when the sun does not rise above the horizon can cause sleep disorders. Even though there is no evidence that this darkness causes depression, it is important to get some daylight, especially in terms of wellbeing. “I’m part owner of Reddi, which produces web content for clients. It’s important to get out of the office in the middle of the day when there is at least some light.” Some workplaces have intro-
I think children should learn to walk on the ice. 26
duced schemes to help the staff get some light. “Employees at the County Council get an extra break in the middle of the day so they can go outside when it’s light,” says Arnstad.
ARCTIC CHILDHOOD
Arnstad has three daughters of primary school age. Having children in the north involves several practical adjustments. “I don’t buy crampons for my children. I think children should learn to walk on the ice. Learning to walk on icy roads is just a matter of practicing and this is an important skill if you live in Tromsø. Tourists who are not used to walking on ice and snow make a lot of basic mistakes and fall easily,” she says. One way to adapt to the climate is not to keep children inside all the time. “If children are allowed to stay inside when the weather is bad, they would virtually never go outside,” she says. Children in Tromsø play outside regardless of the weather. Children at kindergarten are expected to have warm and waterproof clothes so they can play outside no matter whether it’s cold or wet. It’s important to have your equipment in order. “Lighter summer gloves and hat are a necessity in Tromsø.” by Ron Røstad
2016 / 2017
Concerts in the
Arctic Cathedral winter 2016/2017 New Years Eve Concert
Northern lights concerts
December 31 2016 at 21:00 Duration 45 minutes Tickets NOK 300 / 50
Every night Thursday to Sunday February 09 to March 12, 2017 Starts at 23:00. NOK 170 / 50
Photo: Yngve Olsen SĂŚbbe
Tickets at entrance or online www.ishavskatedralen.no
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People of the North The Sami history and ancient religion are full of tales and mysteries
A
long time before any national borders existed, the Sami people of Arctic Europe lived in a wide area that stretches over the regions now known as the northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland and the Russian Kola Peninsula. This area is internationally best known as Lapland, but the Sami people of Norway call their area Sapmi.
LARGEST POPULATION
SAMI
Norway is the country with the largest population of Sami people, around 40,000. In the village of Karasjok in Northern Norway, the Sami people have their own parliament, 28
Culture
A Sami family poses by a lavvu 100 years ago.
working to represent the Sami popula- DUOJI tion, and to protect and promote their The clothing and traditional handiunique culture. The Sami flag has a craft of the Sami people (known as circle as symbol for the sun (red) and duodji) shows that their society has the moon (blue). These colours may always been very aesthetically orienalso be found in the ted. Regular artefacts have characteristic detaibeen decorated and richly led embroidery on ornamented. Duodji traithe traditional Sami ning used to be a natural clothing. part of the upbringing and Most of all the from ancient times was Sami people are known as a Sami speciknown for their free alty. semi-nomadic moun- The flag represents sami In the old days, the Sami people in the Nordic countries shamans (known as noaidtain lives, constantly and Russia. moving reindeer dit) had a lot of respect in flocks between the the area, also from other summer grazing land Norwegians. There are countless by the coast and the Lapland tundra stories of shaman achievements, both in the winter. There are about 100,000 in terms of clairvoyance and their reindeer in the Norwegian part of abilities to use witchcraft. Lapland. The very tasty reindeer meat is considered to be healthy. by John A . Angelsen
Pictured is Sami man Roar AndrĂŠ Kemi Nyheim, who owns the reindeer used in the tourism activities at Camp Tamok for Lyngsfjord Adventure. Nyheim is renowned for his exciting stories, which he will gladly share with the guests around the open fire at Camp Tamok. Photo: Sweet Films
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SAMI
Encounter
The reindeer’s majestic steps in their natural habitat, pull twwhe sled through the snow. 30
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REINDEER SLEDDING
R
eindeer sledding is the oldest form of transport in the north, and an ancient part of Sami culture. The reindeer’s majestic steps in their natural habitat move the sled through the snow. The sledding trail crosses the Tamok Valley. You will drive in pairs, with one sled for each reindeer. People of all ages can participate on this very “soft” adventure. This cultural adventure includes trying lasso-throwing, the way the Sami people still catch their reindeers when they are rounded up for marking or slaughter. You will also visit a Sami lavvu (herdsmen’s tent) and you will learn about Sami culture and history with an introduction to traditional Sami handi-
craft. To conclude this excursion, you will be served a hot meal. Daytime trips give you an amazing view of the wild mountains in the area, and evening trips in the period November - March will provide a good chance to experience the Northern Lights. INCLUDED ■■ Transportation by bus/minibus ■■ A hot meal ■■ Insulated body suit ■■ Boots, gloves and headwear ■■ English-speaking guide ■■ Evening trips will give you a chance to see the Northern Lights RECOMMENDED ■■ Warm under garments (wool or fleece is recommended) ■■ Vegetarian food will be provided if advance notice is given
REINDEER SLEDDING
Season:...............................................November 15 – March 31 Departure daytime:..........................09:00 outside the Ishavshotel. (Return: 16:00) Departure evening:..........................17:00 outside the Ishavshotel, (Return: 24:00) Duration:............................................4.5 hours + transport, 7 hours total Price:...................................................NOK 1 750 (children 7-15 years: 50% discount) Booking:.............................................www.lyngsfjord.com +47 77 71 55 88 (09:00 - 17:00) 33
The Perfect Setting
Tromsø lies wedged between rugged mountains and the extensive mountain plateaus of Lapland. It’s a perfect setting for observing the Northern Lights.
F
rom beyond the large islands that surround Tromsø, polar storms come in off the high seas. Coastal weather patterns can change rapidly, varying from a snowstorm to a cloud-free sky, overcast and calm conditions to high winds and raging storms. Once inside the fjords, however, the weather becomes calmer and drier.
STABLE WEATHER
Beyond Tromsø and the innermost
REAL
Stardust
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fjords, we find the mountain plateaus, which stretch far and wide and as far as Siberia. Here, the weather remains stable over long periods. With a short distance into the fjords as well as to the more unstable weather on the coast, if you have Tromsø as your base you will almost always be able to see the Northern Lights. The best places and conditions are normally found deep in the fjords, but if it clouds over then it’s just a quick change of location with a short trip towards the coast. Tromsø lies on the exact latitude that statistically is perfect for observing the Northern Lights.
If, for example, you were on the same longitude as Finland, which lies further south, you would have to travel to the northernmost part of Finnmark, the northernmost county of Norway, to see the lights.
CHANGABLE WEATHER
The Northern Lights appear each and every night, but solar activity and atmospheric conditions determine whether or not they are visible to the naked eye. Changeable, local conditions within the same region provide better opportunities to see the Northern Lights. If there is something the locals in
Tromsø are used to, it’s the changeable weather.
IDEAL LOCATION
There is one place within driving distance of Tromsø that enjoys particularly favourable conditions for viewing the Northern Lights. Analysis of the records dating back to 1981 shows there is an 18% chance that the weather in Skibotn will be perfect for seeing the lights. No other location has more than 6% chance for perfect conditions. It has been shown that Skibotn enjoys the best conditions throughout Scandinavia. It must be an interaction
in and around the mountainous landscape that draws the moisture out of the air. It causes a so-called `dry rain shadow ́. Camp Tamok in Tamokdalen, where Lyngsfjord Adventure is based, has similar weather conditions to Skibotn.
A BETTER CHANCE
The Northern Lights Observatory has looked at several areas in Scandinavia to find out which provides the best chance of experiencing the Northern Lights. The conditions are fairly similar. Weather conditions are similar from one place to another in northern
Finland and the interior of Finnmark County. This provides a lower statistical chance of seeing the lights as the weather is often the same throughout the region. Consequently, the Northern Lights guides in Tromsø have a better chance of finding the lights than their contemporaries in other areas. They can drive towards the drier Norwegian fjords, up towards the mountain plateaus or in the opposite direction towards the coast, depending on where the most favourable conditions are at that exact time. by T hor A . Angelsen 35
T
NORTHERN LIGHTS VISIT
he Northern Lights visit at our wilderness camp is an excursion with the main purpose of watching the Northern Lights - Aurora Borealis. Camp Tamok is located a 75-minute drive inland from the centre of the coastal city of Tromsø. The camp is therefore located in a different climate zone. Here, you find stable dry weather with many days of clear sky. Due to the stable climate of this location, the persistent Aurora watcher will have excellent chances of spotting the frail rays of this majestic beauty. As this is an uninhabited area, no artificial light will disturb your experience as you attempt to capture the Aurora Borealis with your camera. During the visit you will be served a hot meal and enjoy a social time
around the open fire in the big lavvu (Sami herdsmen’s tent). If the sky is cloudy or there is no sign of the Northern Lights, you will still have good value for money. A trip to the wilderness camp is an adventure in itself. The dark and quiet surroundings, a genuine Arctic atmosphere. INCLUDED:
■■ Transportation by bus/minibus ■■ A hot meal ■■ Insulated body suit ■■ Boots, gloves and headwear ■■ English-speaking guide ■■ Evening trips will give you a chance to see the Norther Lights
RECOMMENDED:
■■ Warm under garments (wool or fleece is recommended) ■■ Vegetarian food will be provided if advance notice is given
I
f the sky is cloudy or there is no sign of the Northern Lights, we will head off on a Northern Lights chase by minibus. There are several hotspots within a short driving distance of the camp.
NORTHERN LIGHTS VISIT
Season:...............................................November 15 – March 31 Departure:..........................................17:00 outside the Ishavshotel. (Return: 24.00) Duration:............................................4.5 hours + transport, 7 hours total Price:...................................................NOK 1 195 (children 7-15 years: 50% discount) Booking:.............................................www.lyngsfjord.com +47 77 71 55 88 (09:00 - 17:00) 36
Welcome to
Scandic Grand Tromsø Scandic Grand Tromsø, located in the heart of central Tromso, next to shopping outlets, restaurants and cafés. Only 3 km from Tromsø airport and public transportations within walking distance.
Amedia Ressurs Harstad
FACILITY The Grand restaurant offers you a large breakfast buffet every day. Our Gründer Café & Bar serves lunch and dinner in a casual atmosphere. During the weekends it becomes a part of Tromso’s vibrant night life, and turns into popular Gründer by night. Our 4 meeting rooms are large and bright, with natural daylight and free WiFi. The biggest room has a capacity for up to 150 participants.
”
THE STAFF WAS WELCOMING, THE BREAKFAST WAS AMAZING AND THE VIEW FROM OUR ROOM WAS INCREDIBLE! Livin4Vacati0n, Tripadvisor.com
BOOK: Phone: +47 77 75 37 77 • Fax: +47 77 75 37 78 • E-mail: grandtromso@scandichotels.com
WEB: www.scandichotels.com
An Architectural Perhaps the first thing you will notice in Tromsø is the wooden houses.
I
n contrast to many other towns in North Norway, Tromsø was not destroyed during the war. It was not only the working class who lived in these wooden houses. Up to the start of last century, monumental buildings were often built of wood. This is modelled on big cities, and in downtown Tromsø you can find traces of Moscow, Athens, Amsterdam, Istanbul, Italy, Bergen and Tokyo. Even the small sausage kiosk on the main market square complete with its onion dome was based on similar buildings overseas. However, despite the attempt to be international, when you wander in Tromsø you will not think for a second that you are actually in Vienna or Paris. In an effort to create a more unique local identity, some buildings have been inspired by nature, such as the Arctic Cathedral with its icelike, white facade. The Arctic experience centre Polaria and the hotel The Edge also have ice and the cold as themes. While this may be cool, you can also ask yourself if we have enough ice and cold as it is.
HAPPY AMATURERS
The do-it-yourself builder has left their mark on Tromsø. There are many solutions that are clearly built by happy amateurs. This is particularly visible in residential areas, where you can see creative solutions for stairs, balconies or extensions. While some may think
Tromsø Architecture 38
this is ugly, it has become part of our cultural heritage. The climate means that you think practically rather than aesthetically. The city has its fair share of non-aesthetic, but practical solutions, which has led to Tromsø having a reputation as an ugly and chaotic city. Ugly or not, once you are here take a look at the buildings that we have built, which we live and work in. In Tromsø, it’s not so common to draw the curtains at night. Feel free to take a discreet peek into our homes because one thing is certain, in Tromsø the inside of the houses is more important than the outside. It’s inside the houses that we spend the most time, and this is where we really put our pride into making it nice.
DOWNING STREET?
As you stroll along, it’s worth taking a closer look at the doors of the old wooden houses. They are often painstakingly made and inspired by antiquity, as was often the case elsewhere in the world at that time. Sjøgata 10 is a good example. This door has columns carved in the wood and you can see a certain resemblance to the front door of a famous number 10, namely Number 10 Downing Street.
From Cinema to Library
When Focus cinema opened in 1973, it was a modern and funky building. Nevertheless, this large cinema rapidly became outdated. In 2003 the entire old cinema building was demolished apart from its characteristic roof. A new library was built under the roof, and this new library is well worth a visit. You can warm up while enjoying a nice view of the city. If you visit the small bar Perez in the north of the city centre, you can sit on the old cinema seats.
First Line of Defence
The history of Tromsø dates back to the 13th century when a church and a fortress were established here. The fortress was originally situated on an islet with a clear view of the strait. In all likelihood, the fortress was surrounded by a palisade. Today, the fortress is not quite as impressive. There are no towers and walls, but there is a circular earth wall. Modest or not, this was Norway’s first line of defence against a possible attack from Novgorod. It’s fair to say that Skansen was the Western European civilisation’s absolute outpost in the north and east and the beginning of 800 years (so far unfounded) of fear of Russian aggression.
Mix What Tromsø was like
A Square to Warm up in
Tromsø is a region that is rich in food. If you visit Kystens Hus, you can buy fish, meat and other products from traditional, local producers or enjoy local food in the restaurant. The big stairs in the middle of the building provide visitors the opportunity to sit down and watch life go by without freezing or sitting at a café. The architecture is controversial. Some think the black facades are sad, while others perceive it as a stylish, modern building. The Coastal House unites two things that are important to Tromsø: fish and controversial architecture.
Unlike Stockholm or Tallinn, Tromsø does not have an Old Town. Actually, all of downtown Tromsø is an old town. The oldest houses, which are up to 200 years old, are spread fairly evenly across the entire city. At the northern end of the city centre, you will find an area that is characterized by modern architecture to a lesser extent than otherwise. You will also find a street that is built on the model of Tromso in the 19th century. Several older wooden houses have been moved to this area and the street has streetlights that resemble the earliest electric street lights. The street is “macadamised” and not asphalted. The pavement, or trottoir as it was called in Tromsø in the old days, consists of slate slabs and the gutter is made of cobblestones.
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Debate about High-rise Buildings
Building a high-rise hotel on this site has been planned since the early 1990s, but the height was so controversial that for a long time the municipal council opposed it. Every time high-rise buildings are proposed, it triggers debate. However, high-rise buildings have one undisputed advantage: the view from the top. A visit to the hotel’s Sky bar is recommended.
Oldest Street
Sjøgata is the oldest street in Tromsø and Northern Norway. This was the main street in Tromsø until Storgata took over in the late 19th century. Many of the buildings were destroyed during the big fire in 1969, but thankfully some were preserved.
Tromsø Architecture 40
Plush Town
If you wander in the streets slightly above the city centre, you will find the so-called “plush town”. In the late 19th century, the privileged residents built their summer residences here. It was a never-ending party during the brief but bright summers. It was not uncommon for the people here to go from house to house looking for a party without giving a thought to the time. Someone was always awake. In time, these houses became permanent residences year-round, but to this day this is considered a better part of town.
This article is written by a copywriter and architectural journalist Ron Røstad. He has written numerous articles on urban development in Tromsø. You can read more on his blog: ronrostad.wordpress.com (norwegian language).
Iconic Cathedral
Fire Break
The broad axis from the main market square, Stortorget, up to Tromsø’s old city hall, Rådstua, is monumental but it was not built to impress. It was designed to serve as a “fire break” to prevent any fires from spreading. Branngata (Fire Street) served its intended purpose in 1968 when the block south of Stortoget was completely destroyed by fire, but the fire did not spread to the other side of the square.
The term icon is over used, but when it comes to a building like the Arctic Cathedral, or Tromsdalen Church as it is more correctly called, the term is justified. The building is so recognizable that it’s possible to draw the church with just five lines. It’s a hieroglyph meaning Tromsø in the same way that the Eiffel Tower means Paris. The church becomes even more powerful when combined with the Tromsø Bridge. The bridge leading “into” the church is charged with symbolism. The architect, Jan Inge Hovig, designed many important public buildings in Northern Norway in the decades after the war. When Hovig studied architecture, he was in the same class as Jorn Utzon, who designed the Sydney Opera House. Maybe the church is inspired by the opera house?
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The besT experiences and acTiviTies, all in one place! the activity shop is situated in tromsø city centre at radisson Blu hotel. Dog sledding, whale safaris, snowmobile tours and not least, various northern lights excursions are on offer.
We are open all days of the Week Opening hOurs: 15th October – 10th April: Monday – sunday 08.00 Welcome to Sjøgata 7 (Radisson Blu Hotel) participating cOMpanies: tromsø safari | 42
northern lights | 5 – 8 hours chasing/activities dog sledding | 4, 5 and 7 hours snoWmobile safari | 7 hours Whale safari | 3 – 6 hours Whiskey tour | 7 hours rib boat tour | 3 – 6 hours reindeer sledding | 4 and 7 hours sami experience | 3 hours snoWshoeing | 2 and 5 hours cross country skiing | 3 and 5 hours helicopter tour | 1 hour
k from morning to early evening! 0 – 19.00 | 11th April – 14th October: Monday – Friday 09.00 – 16.00 Lyngsfjord adventure | tromsø husky | arctic explorer | Lyngen.com | aurora spirit 43
With its superbl y firm white meat, this giant of the sea ranks among the most impressive and exquisite shellfish you can ser ve. King Crab
Arctic Dishes
Produce grown in the Arctic develops a unique taste. This may be attributed to several reasons: sun around the clock, a cold climate and a lack of pollution.
A
rctic produce has always been highly sought after. Some of our produce is renowned far beyond the countr y’s borders, while others are virtually unknown and are ready for a larger audience. Here are a few details about some of the best known:
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Lamb
The lambs are released onto the pastures in June and the North Norwegian summer, which is rarely too hot, provides an abundance of food and nourishing herbs. Sheep and lamb are a bit fussy about their diet, but find many of their favourite foods in the Arctic regions. They enjoy a varied diet and often wander from mountain peak down to the seashore, which we have a lot of. This generates ver y fit lambs with plenty of marbled fat and lots of flavour. You can almost
taste the North Norwegian nature when you eat the lamb. They wander in the g reat outdoors almost from their birth until they are slaughtered and they consume minimal quantities of g rain feed. Since it is impossible to find better g rowing condition, lamb from the Arctic is among the ver y best in the world.
King crab
For a long time, there was major debate about whether the king crab was actually welcome along
Pan roast of cod loin
The moose is Norway’s largest wild deer species. There is little commercial sale of moose meat, but the moose hunting season each autumn generates large revenues. Moose meat is lean and the taste varies according to the animal’s diet.
Ing redients (4 ser vings) 4 loins Norwegian cod fillets 1 kg potato, new 400 g g reen beans 1 lemon 4 cloves garlic 10 leaves sage 4 tbsp olive oil Pe pper, fresh cracked salt
Procedure
Moose
Spawning cod
Cod is perhaps the main reason why people live in the Arctic. It has been the most important commodity since time immemorial, for e xport as well as domestic
in olive oil and sage. Squeeze in lemon juice, tuck in the lemon skins and garlic cloves.
3. Season with a little salt and pepper
The Old Norwegian is a primitive and extremel y old species of shee p. The y are descendents of shee p that have existed in Norway for more than 3000 years. Combined with other shee p species , the Old Norwegian is light-footed and fast and can g raze outside all year round.
the Norwegian coast. One thing that is not up for debate is that it is a fresh ing redient from the ver y top shelf. The king crab is a versatile ing redient that can be prepared in a variety of ways. It is on a par with Norway lobster and the European lobster. Its legs are crammed full of delicious, juicy meat without a lot of bones and cartilage. As it has no enemies, the king crab has made its entr y along the entire North Norwegian coast and is thriving in our clean, unspoiled and cold waters.
1. Preheat oven to 200*C 2. In large roasting tin, toss potatoes
and roast in oven for 15 minutes.
4. Whilst potatoes roast, blanch green beans in a pan of boiling water for 3-4mins.
5. Drain well then toss through the
potatoes, ensure they are coated in oil.
6. Lay fish fillets on top and season consumption. Cod – and in particular the spawning cod in winter – remains a ver y important part of the North Norwegian livelihood. When the cod (known as skrei in Norwegian) finally reach the coast in Januar y/Februar y after a long mig ration from the Barents Sea, it is in e xcellent physical condition and ready to
with a little more salt and pepper. Drizzle fish with a little olive oil and roast in oven for around 12 more minutes or until fish is opaque and cooked through (cooking time may vary depending on your fillet size).
7. Serve immediately, pouring over the delicious roasting juices.
Cod
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Cloudber r y
The famous North Norwegian chef Adolf Henrik Lindstrøm, partisipated on expedtitions with Roald Amundsen and Fridtjof Nansen. Lindstrøm is the inventor of the dish ’steak á la Lindstrøm”.
spawn. Owing to the long mig ration, the loin is much thicker and the meat quality is far higher than for other cod. It is packed full of flavour and has a wonderful te xture. The meat is as white as chalk and full of nutrients. The Arctic spawning cod is an ing redient that chefs worldwide recognize as something special. It is right up there with the likes of truffle, caviar and foie g ras. It’s a real luxur y product.
Halibut
Halibut is another fish with a long histor y in our Arctic region. It is also called hellefisk (translated as holy fish), which is derived from the Norse name heilag r fiskr. This indicates the status this fish has had throughout histor y. Rock art that is more than 10,000 years old has been found, which celebrates the halibut as a fish of the gods. Halibut was often eaten on special occasions and remains a
Halibut 46
Fish farm
luxur y item. Halibut can be ver y large and it is not uncommon to catch halibut weighing well over 100 kg. The record for the largest halibut ever caught is 314.5 kg.
Shrimps
Shrimps from clean Arctic waters have plentiful access to food. As a result, the shrimps can g row big and fat and develop plenty of flavour. They almost taste a bit sweet. Shrimps can be eaten in the traditional manner with bread and mayonnaise or can be prepared in many different ways. Raw shrimps – shrimps that have not been boiled – have a sweet taste and can be perceived almost like fat on the palate. They are perfect for fr ying and ver y receptive to taste. Tr y shrimp in sushi or salad or perhaps in a wok dish.
In 2014 Norway’s exports of salmon and trout totalled NOK 46.2 billion. The average price for fresh whole salmon was NOK 41.06 per kilo, which re presented a 3.4% rise from the previous year.
Cloudberries
These small orange flavour bombs g row almost e xclusively in the Arctic. They thrive best in marshlands, but can also g row in common heath. They have a sweet characteristic, intense flavour that is a little reminiscent of peaches, but a completely unique and distinctive taste that simply must be e xperienced. Cloudberries are quite susceptible to weather and frost can destroy an entire cloudberr y crop. It takes a long time for cloudberries to ripen and they are often not ready to pick until the late summer or early autumn.
Vegetables/potatoes
Not all vegetables are suited to g rowing in the Arctic, but the vegetables that do g row here develop an e xceptional flavour.
Stockfish
Steak à la Lindstrøm Ing redients
400 g mince 1 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pe pper 1 egg 100 ml milk 2 boiled potatoes (diced) 2 T finel y chopped onion 2 T finel y chopped pickled beetroot 2 T gherkin (chopped) 1 T ca pers 2 T butter or cooking oil for fr ying
This article is written by Halvar Ellingsen. He has been a regular member of the Norwegian Culinary Team since 2009. Inspite of his young age, Ellingsen has won several awards. Ellingsen works at the well reputed Palace Grill restaurant in Oslo.
Procedure
1.
Mix the mince with salt and pepper and stir in the milk and beaten egg.
2. Stir the potato, onion, beetroot, gherkin and capers into the mixture.
3. Form into eight high patties. Melt the
butter in a frying pan and fry the patties over moderate heat for 2-3 minutes on each side. Serve with fried potatoes, fried egg and pickled beetroot. Reindeer
Slightly cool summers and slightly harsh growing conditions help the vegetables to develop far more flavour than vegetables that grow elsewhere. North of the Arctic Circle, we cultivate a wonderful potato called gulløye (literally translated as “yellow eye”). It has a delicate yellow flesh, a slightly floury texture and a strong potato flavour.
Reindeer
If there is one ing redient that is truly Arctic then it has to be reindeer. Large areas with abundant food make the Arctic perfect for reindeer. The reindeer is well equipped to sur vive the cold and snow in the north and it has few enemies. Reindeer meat is lean and full of flavour. The meat is tender and can be cooked in a
host of ways, ranging from stews and barbecues to pan-fr ying as steak. These are but a few of the wonderful ingredients we have here. The excellent ingredients enable the chefs to create delicious dishes based on local ingredients.
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EMMAS DRØMMEKJØKKEN
Dreamful cuisine at på Drøm deg bort
Emma’s Dream Kitchen Emmas Drømmekjøkken With its midnight sun in the summertime and the aurora borealis in the winter months, Tromsø, Paris of the North, is a city which attracts royalty and commoners alike. The restaurant Emma’s Godt hjulpet av mange års matstell, en entusiastisk og profesjonell stab og en Dream Kitchen in Tromsø´s city center is another local institution that manages to attract patrons imaginær drømmekvinne, har Anne Brit Andreassen skapt et høyt renommert spisefrom all layers of society with charm. sted hvor detits er homely det høyt under taket og latteren sitter løst. Emmas Drømmekjøkken i Kirkegata 8, vis-à-vis den domkirken i Tromsø With the invaluable helpligger of an experienced, enthusiastic andvakre not least, professional staffsentrum. and not forgetting the imaginary perfect hostess, Brit Andreassen has established highly renowned restaurant with a most HYGGEAnne OG KOS Å innta et måltid på Emmasakan være både intimt og høytidelig, men welcoming atmosphere,først Emma’s Dream Kitchen. It is situated across the road from the beautiful wooden cathedral og fremst hjemmehyggelig og avslappende. Den veltilberedte maten er alltid in the center of Tromsø, velsmakende. in Kirkegata 8.
Comfort and Cosy Sjenerøsitet, omsorg og kjærlighet blandet med høy faglig ekspertise er noen av Dining in Emma’s can besuksessfaktorene both intimate and formal, but above all homely relaxing. The perfectly preparedskal food is always hos Emma og hennes stab. and De yter maksimalt for at gjestene tasty. Emmas and the staff want to ensure that it will be a joy and pleasure to dine at the Dream Kitchen. Generosity, care, kose seg og at det skal være en glede og fest å spise hos dem. love and consideration, together with extremely high expertise have been the main factors behind the restaurant’s success. ÆRLIG MAT FISK I FOKUSdining Emma er vel bevandret i den store franske They do their utmost to EKTE ensureOG their guests haveMED a most enjoyable experience. mattradisjonen, og merker seg trender og moter innen kokkekunsten. Gode ideer fra Genuine and honestverdenskjøkkenet food har hun sans for. Tross dette setter hun størst pris på det som Emma is well versed in traditional French cuisinemat; and also keeps abreast of the latestslik trends, nordpå heter skikkelig veltillaget av lokale råvarer, vårefashion mødreand og culinary beste- skills. She is always open to good ideas from the kitchen around the world, but above all she appreciates as they say in the north, mødre lagde det. Boknafisk av skrei og fiskegrateng er to autentiske nordnorske “real food”: well preparedretter local produce, just like our mothers and their mothers before them used to make. Boknafisk of som ikke tas av menyen selv om man endrer andre sesongbaserte retter minst skrei (short-dried cod) and au gratin areEkthet two such North Norwegian always remain on 5-6fish ganger per år. ogauthentic ærlighet er andre stikkorddishes. for denThey gode opplevelsen påthe menu even though the other dishes are changed at least 5-6 times a year, according to season. Honesty and authenticity are two Emmas Drømmekjøkken. more keywords used to describe the dining experience at Emma´s Dream Kitchen. FOLKELIG OG UPRETENSIØS Emmas Under ligger på gateplan. Der restauranten i øvre down to earth and unpretentious etasje har en klassisk eleganse, har de på Emmas Under grepet tidsånden og skapt Emma’s UNDER is on the ground floor (street level). While the restaurant upstairs has a classic elegance, in Emma’s UNDER et upretensiøst og folkelig spisested. Velkomponerte og svært rimelige menyer ukethey have captured the spirit of a time gone by and created a down to earth and unpretentious restaurant. One can enjoy dagene gjennom er blitt en suksess. Man kan i tillegg få de samme retter på Emmas a meal in relaxed surroundings at prices all can afford. These well composed weekday menus have been a success and are Under som på Emmas Drømmekjøkken om kvelden. Fiskegrateng har blitt stedets very popular with the folk in Tromsø. In the evenings, the dishes served in the Dream Kitchen are also available downstairs signaturrett, og til lunsj serveres denne og flere andre lette og raske retter til svært in Emma´s UNDER. Fish au gratin has become the restaurant´s signature dish. This and many more light, quickly-served hyggelige priser. dishes are included in the lunch menu.
opening hours emmas drømmekjøkken: Åpningstider Emmas Drømmekjøkken: Monday – Thursday from 18.00 Mandag – torsdag Friday – Saturday from 17.30 fra 18.00 Fredagunder: – Lørdag fra 17.30 opening hours emmas Åpningstider Emmas Under: Monday – Saturday 11.00 – 22.00
Mandag – lørdag 11.00 – 22.00
emmas drømmekjøkken
Emmas Drømmekjøkken, 8, 9008Tromsø Kirkegata 8, Kirkegata 9008Tromsø
Telefon: +47 Phone: +47 77 63 77 3077 63 77 30. www.emmas.as www.emmas.as www.facebook.com/EmmasDrommekjokken www.facebook.com/EmmasDrommekjokken
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Arctic Kitchen in the heart of the city
Bardus bistro is a Norwegian reflection of the traditional bistro concept and our menu is based on the ingredients and culinary history of the north. Priding ourself on our strong personal relationships with local suppliers, Bardus is able to create inventive and everchanging menus using ingredients such as moose, reindeer, king crab, fresh fish and whale.We serve food according to season, and to satisfy our own curiosity.
When the sun blesses us with its presence we'll serve you on Tromsø's most sun drenched and sheltered verandah. See you there!
B a r d u s bar is inspired by the interests of those who built and continue to run it. Travel both near and far, our love of atmosphere and light, music and intimacy and a great respect for quality of the products that adorn our shelves and for those that serve them. These things have combined to become the place we love... we will be sure to make you feel like you’re not at home.
A haven of superb beverages and fine refreshments. Cora Sandels gate 4, opposite Public Library bardusbistro@gmail.com | +47 726 74 888
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The overwhelming feeling of taste can sometimes be too much… so enormous that one will have to have a little piece of everything. At Presis one can daydream, laugh and be seduced. Presis is just the place you want to visit after a day of exploring.
Tapas Nordic sTyle
Presis Tapas is located in Storgata 36, in central Tromsø. Since the opening in 2005 the focus has been on casual dining, big flavors and easy service. The interior is as relaxed as the staff, there are even some swings in place of seats which adds to the laid-back atmosphere. But when it comes to the kitchen everything is taken seriously. Presis Tapas is not traditional Spanish tapas alone… we do tapas dishes inspired by the world at large with a Northern Norwegian perspective. Think cured reindeer, King crab and klippfisk (tradional Norwegian salted cod). tue - thu 16:00 - 22:00, fri 16:00 - 23:00, sat 18:00 - 23:00 Storgata 36, above Circa
presistapas.no
presistapas@gmail.com +47 77 68 10 20
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The People of Tromsø
GABRIELA CARLEHED JACOBSEN
Age: 30 Civil status: Married, children Lives in: Apartment Typical weekend food: Taco, lasagne or a good soup Favourite café/bar: Svermeri in Skippergata Tips for tourists: Cable Car/Arctic Cathedral Typical Sunday activity: Sleep
The Swede with an eye for a restaurant Gabriela Carlehed Jacobsen is from Lund in Southern Sweden, but lived in many places before finally settling in Tromsø with her husband and children. Not to mention a gastro bar that has become extremely popular. “I have worked in the restaurant business for a long time and I was ready for a completely new challenge – to open something myself,” says Jacobsen. She met four others who had the same dream while working at a restaurant in Lofoten. They decided to join forces and find a place to open their own restaurant. “We spent a long time searching for the right place. We looked at premises in Oslo, Lund and Lofoten before finding the perfect place in Tromsø,” she says. The five-strong group includes three from Tromsø, including her husband, Marius. “When I got pregnant, another factor that made Tromsø a great choice was being close to his family.”
BAR IN AN HISTORIC HOUSE
Two years ago they opened the gastro bar Hildr in an historic house dating from the 1830s. The house has been
home to people from the upper class, and in the 19th century it was an important venue for the town’s finer social happenings. “The former residents of this house include the famous Norwegian writer Bernt Lie. The name Hildr is borrowed from the title of one of his books. It is important for us to preserve this history of this protected building,” says Jacobsen.
CHALLENGE THE CHEF
Hildr calls itself a gastro bar, but what this actually means is open to interpretation. “We don’t want to put a label on our concept. We serve everything from parts of a course through to set five-course menus,” she says. It is important that the chefs as well as the guests are constantly challenged. “Each of the chefs create a five-course menu that lasts for two to three weeks. They can choose whichever dishes they like, but they must create at least one dish that they have not cooked before,” says Jacobsen.
This is a nice city for children, especially when your grandparents live here. I also like having the nature close by. 52
ALL SORTS
Hildr has proven popular with tourists and locals alike, but
there is no typical Hildr guest. “We are pleasantly surprised by the response. We thought it would take some time for the locals to discover us since we have a concept with a difference. The city has received us extremely well and the clientele is varied. A group of hip young people can be sitting at one table and businesspeople at the next.”
PARTY IN THE POLAR NIGHT
Jacobsen enjoys life in Tromsø, and she is not planning to move any time soon. “This is a nice city for children, especially when your grandparents live here. I also like having the nature close by.” The Polar Night is challenging, but Jacobsen has learned to live with it, even if it means sleeping more than in summer. “There always seems to be festivals and other fun stuff happening in the city during the winter,” she says. However, there is one thing that Jacobsen misses in Tromsø. “It’s difficult to travel from Lund to Tromsø. There should be a direct flight to Copenhagen, which is just a short distance from Lund. I think this route would be popular,” says Jacobsen.
by R on R østad
Amedia Ressurs Harstad / Foto: Eva Stensland
Five Friends and a gastrobar After living and working overseas and in other parts of Norway, the five friends – Håkon, Bjørn, Marius, Gabriela and Thoralf – moved back to Tromsø in March 2015 to open their own gastrobar, Hildr. “We used about one and a half years to find the right concept and venue, namely Skansen in the northern part of downtown Tromsø. This is the old part of Tromsø with a history stretching all the way back to the 13th century!” explains Håkon.
The gastrobar’s name “Hildr” comes from the title of a book by Bernt Lie, who lived in the house in the late 19th century. Out of respect to this local author, the literary background is expressed in the bar area with a selfdeveloped library style. “We have removed several layers of wallpaper and panels from this historic building in order to find the old architectural treasures on the ceiling and walls. We then refurbished the building to create each of the rooms with a unique expression and style,” explains Marius.
Hildr combines several changes again. This third concepts under the same roof. concept features “fancier” For lunch you will be served a dishes designed for sharing, cocktails and Danish style open sandwich classic with local interpretations increased focus on the bar by the dedicated kitchen team. The and nightlife. lunch menu also features soups and homemade cakes. In the “We attach great emphasis m so .n o afternoon, Hildr’s dinner to delivering quality. it tr oWe o g li © v is k S l ti je K concept is a social affair, F o to :are passionate about this with pots on the table and have a genuine interest traditional in gastronomy. We put our in good Norwegian style.“Although heart and soul into this so we the dishes are based on can offer something really recipes from all over the special to our guests from world, much of the food is all around the world,” says prepared using local Bjorn. ingredients,” says Marius. In the evening the style
ARCTIC URBAN WILDERNESS
opening hours // Monday: closed • Tuesday-Thursday: 11:00-01:00 • Friday-Saturday : 11:00-02:00 • Sunday: 12:00-17:00 Contact information // post@hildr.no • +47 416 07 779 • www.hildrgastrobar.com 53
Café Sånn is a lunch place that turns into an intimate bar in the evening. This is a typical speak-easy, with candlelit tables and vintage furniture. It offers a great mixture of live bands and speak-easy nights that have put it at the heart of the Tromsø nightlife. The bar has one of the best selections of beer, from all over the world. Open Mon-Thu: Friday: Saturday: Closed on Sundays
11:00 - 01:00 11:00 - 02:00 12:00 - 02:00
(kitchen close 18:00) (kitchen close 18:00) (kitchen close 17:00)
Location: See map in centerfold
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www.circa.as
The common thread running through everything Risø mat & kaffebar produces is ‘no artificial additives’: traditional, homemade north norwegian food, but with a modern twist. Fresh produce from the Arctic Ocean together with old favourites such as beetroot and cabbage, ingredients that have been used throughout many generations.
We provide a reasonably priced lunch with a varied seasonal menu, our speciality is the soup-of-the-day. However, we must not forget our coffee. Imported from many parts of the world such as Brazil, Ethiopia, El Salvador and Kenya, and served to be brewed at your table.
The coffee-menu offer a wide selection for our guests, costumed to the different seasons. We recommend you to combine the coffee with a cinnamon twirl or carrot cake, fresh and home-made. Welcome!
Hours of opening: Monday-Friday: 7.30am to 5pm / Saturday: 9am to 5pm / Sunday: Closed / www.risoe-mk.no
Amedia Ressurs Harstad
RISØ MAT & KAFFEBAR
www.radissonblu.com/en/hotel-tromso
RADISSON BLU HOTEL
IN THE CITY CENTRE OF TROMSØ Radisson Blu Hotel is the perfect base for your own Arctic explorations, localized in the city centre, only 4 kilometers from Tromsø Airport. In winter you often can watch the Northern Lights from the hotel’s glass bridge. Many of the 269 rooms and suites showcase breathtaking views of the city, the Bay of Tromsø or the surrounding mountains. We provide modern amenities like free high-speed wireless Internet and the complimentary Super Breakfast Buffet to fuel your day’s adventure. Phone: +47 776 00 000 | Web: www.radissonblu.com/en/hotel-tromso
cHARLy’S RESTAURANT & BAR A RESTAuRANT WITH A HISTORY
Radisson Blu Hotel opened its doors 45 years ago, and Charly´s was for several decades one of the most popular restaurants in the city. After a major upgrade in 2015, Charly´s again offers hungry guests a variety of dishes with fish and meat from both a seasonal menu and all-year menu. Opening hours of the restaurant: Monday-Saturday 11:30-23:00 | Sunday closed
RORBUA pUB
40 YEARS OF SONg ANd LAugHTER Rorbua has been a meetingplace for inhabitants of Tromsø since 1972 and has given decades of laughter, toasts and sing-along. Rorbua has the greatest frequency of live concerts, artists ranging from apsiring locals to well-known bands. Opening hours: Monday-Sunday 11:30 - 01:30 www.facebook.com/rorbuaPub 56
OPENING HOURS: Monday - Sunday 11:00-23:30 ADDRESS: Samuel Arnesens gate 10, Tromsø Phone: +47 77 66 66 66
www.yonas.no BRYGGA SPESIAL - NANSEN & AMUNDSEN - BERSERK - MANZANILLO.... AND MANY MORE!
y r a d n e Leg �za p
Yonas first turned on their pizza oven in 1974, and have ever since been the real thing when it comes to pizza in Tromsø.
With over 200 seats and a view of the city´s famous Arctic Cathedral one can enjoy a wide variety of flavour combinations of what the locals of Tromso call ”their pizza”. Pizzas from Yonas are that popular that it have been sent by express all across Europe!
Come and �perience an Arctic p�za!
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IN TROMSØ N E H W S E IT S B E g W L U F E S U ormation you need durin inf e th t ge to g gin en all a little ch
ove events or When in Tromsø, it can pr of seeing it, festivals or s ce an ch e th d an s ht c. ern Lig ern Norway and the Arcti rth No t your stay: about the North ou ab g din an rst during owledge and unde that you may find useful maybe more in-depth kn tes da up ok bo ce Fa ted with associa Here are three websites your visit to Tromsø!
How to predict the Aurora
The Northern Lights Forecast is designed to maximize your chances of experiencing the Aurora in the Tromsø region of Northern Norway by using the calendar. Using meteorological and solar data spanning several years, the calendar will check the probability for Northern Lights in
Tromsø at any given time. But be aware: You need clear weather to spot the lights! The chances are best in the hours before midnight, and it is recommended to stay away from the bright city lights, which create a lot of light pollution.
northernlightsforecast.com
From Norse mythology to the Northern Lights At Bivrost.com, you can read numerous stories from the Arctic and about the Northern Light.At Bivrost, we want to share the legacy of the Arctic with you. The ancestors of the Norwegians, the Vikings, called the Northern Lights Bivrost. They regarded it as a magical path from our world to Asgard, the realms of the gods in Norse mythology. At the end of this shimmering Northern Lights bridge resided the gatekeeper Heimdall. By lighting red fire in Bivrost,
he protected Thor, Odin and the other gods from trolls and other unwanted creatures. But Bivrost was something more. It was used as a bridge to the human world, where the gods went from Asgard down to Midgard where the Vikings lived. Today, Bivrost is still a symbol for a bridge, but in many terms: to the Norse world of myths and stories, to the history and culture, and to the people of the North.
bivrost.com
What to do when in Tromsø Many travellers have only few days to experience a city or destination, which makes it crucial to get the best out of your visit! But how do you know where to find a unique café, a typical and traditional Arctic restaurant or a pub with a history? Is there a music festival or a band entertaining at the local bar? 60
This is the website to find the best bars, restaurants, activities and attractions in Tromsø! The Facebook page provides weekly updates about events, festivals and special offers. You will also find the latest menus from the most interesting restaurants.
tromsoexperience.com
DELICIOUS FOOD
SPA- AND WELLNESS FACILITES
THE GUARDIAN: «It may sounds like a scene from Skyfall, but you can live out your Bond fantasies for real on this ship in Norway» We love the contrasts in the arctic. The blistering storms and the calm seas. The sun never setting and the dark winters with its sparkling auroras. The mountains rising from the fjords and the always changing colours of the arctic sea. We are also passionate about sauna and bathing as well as excellent food and “friluftsliv” – the Norwegian way of o u t door life.
In collaboration with the recognized Finnish architect S a m i R i n t a l a a n d b o a t builder Gunnar Eldjarn we transformed the more than 50-year-old fishing vessel to a unique spa- and adventure boat, which has preserved its original charm.
TOURS For individual guests we offer seasonal adventures scheduled on www.vulkana.no Winter 2016/17 we offer: Whale and lunch cruise: 1990,Saturday lunch cruise: 1399,Sunday spa: 199,For private groups we arrange tours all year round on request. Capacity: 12 guests on sea, up to 20 guests while moored. Get in touch with us through email: post@vulkana.no or phone: +47 911 00 626 61
NIGHTLIFE Tromsø has a great variety of clubs, pubs and bars that have combined to give the city a cool and vibrant reputation. From speakeasy bars like Sånn to the club life scenes of Cirka, Tromsø has it all. The reason for the vibrant nightlife is that the city has a relatively large university (the world’s northernmost), combined with a dynamic research and development sector. It provides a wonderful mix of young and old, innovative and conservative people who meet at the city’s many venues on weekdays as well as at weekends. Tromsø has both DJ clubs and more intimate speakeasy bars, all concentrated within walking distance from the city centre.
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From the moment you walk through the door the beating heart of Lugar is obvious; it is the unmistakable scent of an oven and its master baking the most delicious cakes in real time, such are the memories of every well-loved grandchild. These delicacies litter the bar top like rose petals and are served by a staff that are as casual as they are warm so that with the cake comes much love and laughter. If the oven and the staff are the heart of Lugar then the soul is most certainly the piano that resides in the middle of the venue and attracts a variety of musicians, and with it spontaneous jam sessions, and if you are so inclined and you know your way around such a beast, the piano stool is yours.
StorgAtA 34
lugar 34
Party the evening away at Cafè CirCa
StorgAtA 36
One of tromsøs' most trendy and popular bars for several years. Cafè Circa has focus on Club Music, ranging from Soul, funk & Dance to house and electronic music, with guest DJ's from all over Scandinavia every weekend. Check out Cafè Circa on facebook for an updated overview of events.
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Nature’s Light Show It appears like a glowing light, constantly moving and changing its form, strength and colour. The sun, the moon and the stars belong to the everlasting and predictable in the universe. On the other hand, the majestic Northern Lights – or Aurora Borealis – are illusive, changing and unpredictable. The cosmos demonstrates electric and magnetic fields, showing unique movement and colours. The Northern Lights is not something you may experience on the TV. To get the full experience, you need to escape the bright city light, so-called “light pollution”, and head somewhere dark. To improve the chance of Northern Lights sightings, you also need to avoid the coastline in order to find dry weather conditions. Camp Tamok, a 75-minute inland drive from Tromsø, provides the optimal conditions, as you can see on the photo beside.
WHAT IS IT?
It is a phenomenon that occurs when the solar winds originating from the sun are more powerful than usual, sending charged particles towards the earth. The particles are electrons and protons, glowing when colliding with the earth’s atmosphere. The Northern Lights occur at a height of more than 100 km above the ground, and may be observed in the night sky in a belt around the Magnetic North Pole. It is often in a wave movement, sometimes filling the sky with blue, green, red and orange light. Aurora Polaris (polar light) is called Aurora Borealis in the northern hemisphere and Aurora Australis in the southern hemisphere.
SEASON FOR SIGHTINGS
The Northern Lights is present year-round, but may only be observed when it is dark. During summer in the far north, the sun never sets and it is light around the clock. The mystical Northern Lights are visible again from September and on many clear evenings right up to the middle of April. From mid-April, the amount of darkness each day reduces sharply and from May 21 you can see the Midnight Sun in Tromsø. The contrasts are enormous in the Arctic.
by John A. Angelsen
REAL
STARDUST 65
Othere’s Journey Explorations of the first North Norwegian
In the late 9th century, a man named Ohthere (or Ottar in Norwegian) visited King Alfred the Great of Wessex. He told the king that he lived “north-most of all Norwegians”.
O
there’s descriptions of the life in the northernmost part of the Viking ’s world, about different ethnic groups and travel routes, the aristocracy and trading places, make his account an invaOTHERE’S luable JOURNEY con-
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temporary source. Ohthere’s account is one of our most important and most frequently cited sources from the Viking Age. Ohthere’s account is a contemporary account of the latter part of the 9th century AD. It has survived as an addition to an anonymous translation into an Anglo-Saxon, or Old English, version of a Latin historical book written early in the 5th century by Paulus Orosius called Historiarum Adversum Paganos Libri VII or Seven Books of History Against the Pagans. His work was a historical overview – from a Christian perspective – ranging from ancient Assyria to
the author ’s own time. The work began with a brief geographical overview. However, this overview only covered the part of the world that Orosius had personal knowledge of; namely Europe south of the Alps.
RECORDED BY SCHOLARS
In conjunction with its translation into Old English, and possibly also as part of King Alfred’s own programme of education, the original work was supplemented by a description of Europe north of the Alps. It is in this context that we find Ohthere’s account. It is believed that the account was recorded in writing by scholars at King Alfred’s court in
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This article is written by Inger Storli. She is the head of the Department of Cultural Sciences at the Tromsø University Museum.
Denmark
Storli has a long list of publications on topics including the political conditions in Northern Norway from the 3rd to 10th century AD.
Original page from Othere’s journey in the Seven Books of History Against the Pagans.
connection with a journey Ohthere made at some stage during Alfred’s reign, in the period between 871 and 891 AD.
LENGTHY VOYAGE
En route to England, Ohthere visited two of Scandinavia’s most important marketplaces, Skiringssal and Hedeby. Skiringssal was located in what is now the Norwegian county of Vestfold, while Hedeby was located in Schleswig in what is now Germany, just south of the border with Denmark. Details in the account can indicate that this was not the first time Ohthere completed a journey of this distance. He had also undertaken a lengt-
hy voyage north and east, all the way to the White Sea, to explore lands unknown and also due to the walruses, “because these are very fine bone in their tusks – they took some such tusks to the king – and their skin is very suitable for ship’s ropes”. Consequently, we can see for ourselves that the journey to the White Sea was undertaken before the journey to England precisely to obtain tusks that he could sell at markets, and which he also presented to King Alfred.
VIKING IN THE TRUE SENSE
No explanation is given in the text about Ohthere’s motives for travelling to England or for visiting
King Alfred. The trading places were clearly among his intended destinations, but we should not rule out the possibility that he also plundered when the opportunity arose. Admittedly his account contains no information about the Viking raids but, among the Vikings, dealings usually went hand in hand with plundering and robbery. In the Viking ’s world, travels were of great importance for a man’s good reputation and were crucial for his political and social position. The travels were quite simply part of their refinement and created clever and wise men. In that sense, Ohthere was a Viking in the true sense of the word. 67
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Winter vold, an independent local jeweler ( goldsmith) in Tromsø since 1984 . We specialize in classic and modern design and top craf tsmanship. We have an exciting range of jeweller y from highly innovative and acknowledge nor wegian and international designers. In today´s modern world, there is still a great demand for the combination of skilled, and exclusive design. Our jewellers provide professional and personal ser vice.
SOME THING SPECIAL
Winter vold is a combination of goldsmith and galler y where gualit y and ser vice are a mat ter of course. Welcome !
o p enin g h o ur s :
JEWELLERY
Monday - friday 9.30am - 5pm TTHHEE FFUUSSI O I ONN (late night thursday to 6pm) CC OOLLLLE10am O ECCTT-I4pm I ONN Saturday Out of hours appointments by agreement
AND GIF TS WHICH ME ANS JUST THAT LIT TLE BIT E X TR A
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Quality clothing and personal service. White Tromso offers our customers an exclusive range of brands, for both men and women. For men we have Gant, Lindeberg, Matinique, Tommy Hilfiger, Stenstroms og Amanda Christensen. Armani, Riccovero, Tommy Hilfiger, Coster Copenhagen, Polo Ralph Lauren, Cedrico og Gant.
Opening hours: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 10 – 17 Thursday 10 – 19 / Saturday 10 – 17 / Sunday Closed We look forward to welcoming you to our store in the city centre: FRedRiK LAnGeS GATe 20, TRoMSø
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Amedia Ressurs Harstad
For women we have Karen By Simonsen, Soaked in Luxury, Sisters Point, Part Two
LEGOLOFTET
Amedia Ressurs Harstad
and the old alike! g un yo e th r fo t es al treasure ch The Lego Loft is a re and fantasy & sci-fi ga an m s, ok bo ic lection of com , We have a huge se , Magic cards, Lego es am dg ar bo as l el w ecial books in English as shirts and many sp tol co , ts ki el od m Wars, Playmobil, plastic Harry Potter, Star C, D d an l ve ar M om collectors’ items fr me! Thrones etc. Welco of e am G , gs in R e Lord of th
PECIAL
FOR THAT EXTRA S
riday 10am to 5pm, Thursday Hours of opening: Monday-F
ACE TO VISIT! L P E H T IS T F O L O G PRESENT, THE LE 69 74 handel/ •• Tel: (+47) 77 68
uktbok sed •• Facebook: tromsobr ay 11am to 4pm, Sunday Clo
10am to 7pm, Saturd
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BlĂĽst was established in 2002, and has become a natural stop for visitors to the Paris of the North. The owners blow glass at the workshop virtually every day, and it might be possible to see the transformation from molten glass to the most beautiful objects. Be aware, it will be as hot as a sauna. Production includes everything from drinking vessels of all kinds to vases and bowls for the more sculptural and unique items. All glass blowers participate in the formulation and design. Most likely, you will find something to your liking. Opening hours: Mon-Fri 10:00 - 17:00 Saturday: 10:00 - 16:00 (Closed Dec 25 - Jan 5) facebook.com/nordensparistromso
Location: See map in centrefold
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The Polar Museum The history of Norwegian trapping, Arctic science and polar expeditions
Opening hours 11:00 - 17:00 (Aug 15 - Jun 14) 09:00 - 18:00 (Jun 15 - Aug 14)
Tromsø has long been an important base for many polar expeditions. The Polar Museum exhibits and presents this polar seafaring tradition. temporary exhibitions based on new and ongoing research in the Arctic region. The Museum is situated in a hist-oric Custom warehouse, which dates back to 1840s and has an idyllic location on the waterfront in the historic Skansen area.
EXHIBITIONS: ■ Overwintering in the Arctic ■ The trapper Henry Rudi who killed 713 polar bears ■ The first female trapper to winter in the Arctic – Wanny Woldstad ■ Seal hunting in the Arctic Ocean ■ The life and expeditions of Fridtjof Nansen and Roald Amundsen ■ Helmer Hanssen and Hjalmar Johansen, who accompanied Amundsen to the South Pole ■ Svalbard, Wilhelm Barents’ discovery of the region in the 16th century ■ Whaling in the 17 and 18th centuries and Russian overwintering. Address: Søndre Tollbodgate 11, 9008 Tromsø. Phone: (+47) 77 62 33 60 Web: www.uit.no/polarmuseet
Photo: Tomaz Wacko, Tromsø University Museum
Photo: June Åsheim
Tromsø has been the centre of seal hunting in North Norway, and the town was established as the “Gateway to the Arctic” in the late 1800s. At the museum you will meet men, women, vessels and equipment that were essential for life on the sea and in the Arctic. The Polar Museum also presents
POLAR MUSEUM 73
The city of Tromsø has always been a hotspot for polar expeditions. Several of the most famous polar heroes were trained by local trappers.
P
erhaps the best known polar hero is Roald Amundsen. Amundsen led his famous expedition in the race to reach the South Pole in 1911. His rival was the British explorer Robert Falcon Scott. Amundsen’s right-hand man was Helmer Hanssen from Tromsø. Hanssen was a navigator and a highly skilled musher. Since only a short distance remained, Hanssen made it seem as if his dogs were tired so that Amundsen would become the first man to reach the South Pole.
Polar Heroes
THE TRAGEDY
Englishman Scott and his companions reached the South Pole a month later. They died on the way back from disappointment, cold, exhaustion and scurvy. Hanssen was full of admiration for Scott’s achievement and thought that in terms of sheer willpower his expedition was far greater than the Norwegian expedition. Scott and his crew pulled the heavy sledges themselves for great distances, while the Norwegians had learned from the Eskimos and used dogs to pull their sleds. Describing Amundsen’s expedition, Hanssen wrote in his memoirs: “Amundsen’s brilliant planning, our comrades’ careful preparatory work and our dogs’ endurance had made the journey into a recreational trip.”
AMUNDSEN DIES
Like the other famous explorers, Amundsen learned seamanship from Tromsø’s many trappers. Most of his polar expeditions started in Tromsø, including what proved to be his final expedition - a rescue mission to save his Italian colleague, Umberto Nobile.
Polar Heroes
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Nobile went missing in the far north in 1928. Amundsen went on a rescue mission using a seaplane. The plane was last seen as it took off from the port of Tromsø in June 1928. No one has been able to find the wreck of Amundsen’s seaplane, but Nobile was found in
good shape. When he arrived in Norway, the grief of losing Amundsen was felt so badly that Nobile did not step onto Norwegian soil. A landing from a ship was added directly into the train that transported the Italian out of the country.
Robert F. Scott
Fridtjof Nansen
Helmer Hanssen
Roald Amundsen
Roald Amundsen (left), Helmer Hanssen, Sverre Hassel and Oscar Wisting. Photo taken by the team’s fifth member Nils Bjaaland.
TRICKERY
The great explorer and Nobel Peace Prize winner Fritdjof Nansen also had Tromsø as a starting point. Nansen financed an expedition for Amundsen to conduct research in the Arctic. Amundsen had other plans, and
just after the ship had left the dock he told the crew that the destination was the South Pole. Nansen never forgave Amundsen for this, although the South Pole expedition was a success. Ironically, Scott is the reason we can state with certainty that Amundsen’s expedition was the
first to reach the South Pole. The finding of Scott’s tent, and thereby Scott’s diary and photographs of Amundsen’s tent, provides the proof that Amundsen had been to the South Pole. by T hor A . Angelsen 75
VISIT THE ARCTIC AQUARIUM
Polaria has an Arctic aquarium, interesting knowledge-based exhibits, a panoramic cinema, a gift and souvenir shop and a cafeteria. In our panoramic cinema, you can look forward to the Ivo Caprino film ”Svalbard Arctic Wilderness”. A little auk takes you on an airborne trip with you in a helicopter, along the west coast of Spitsbergen - the largest island in the group known as Svalbard. We also show the film ”Northern Lights in Arctic Norway”. In this film, the famous Tromsø-photographer Ole C. Salomonsen show you Northern Lights as it can be in Tromsø in his beautiful work. After the film, visitors are taken along the ”Arctic Walkway” where you can experience some of the elements of Arctic nature and the research that is performed in these areas.
PRICES & HOURS WINTER OPENING HOURS Sept. 1 - May 17: 10:00 - 17:00 Dec 24 and 25: 13.00-16.00
TICKET PRICES (NOK) Adult: 130 125 / Children:65 60 / Senior: 90 / Student: 70 / Family: 280 +47) 77 75 01 00 www.polaria.no 76
TRAINING AND FEEDING Training and feeding of the seals every day at 12:30 and 15:30
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In the aquarium, the main attraction are the bearded seals and the harbour seals. The bearded seal is an Arctic species, and they are very popular among children and adults alike, due to their quiet disposition and intelligent nature. The aquarium also has interesting exhibits of the most common species of fish and other bottom species you can find in the Barents Sea.
ACTIVITIES
AND RENTALS
EXCITING ACTIVITIES / THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT / PROFESSIONAL ADVICE
Tromsø Outdoor is Activity and Rental Center specialized in outdoor activities for individual guests and groups.
It is also the only company in Tromsø providing top notch equipment for most of outdoor activities through the year for rent. You find there winter clothes and boots touring and xc skis, tripods, camping gear and much more!
SUMMER OFFERS Guided hikes and bike trips. Touring, road, mountain, city and electric bikes for rent! Amedia Ressurs Harstad
Tromsø Outdoor crew is always ready to provide professional advice on what to do to enable you to experience most of what Tromsø and it’s vicinity has to offer.
GUIDED SNOWSHOE TRIPS 2 hours tour, Nok 695 pp The best way to start your day! Fun and short tour in easy terrain, perfect for novices and families with children. 5 hours tour, NoK 1095pp Choice for those who want to explore more! Challenge yourself with the hike and meet North Norwegian elements at their best. GUIDED CROSS COUNTRY SKIING Beginners ski course 3 hours tour, NoK 995 pp Tour planned with novices and beginners in mind. We ski on flat terrain, mostly on prepared trails. Always good fun! 5 trips for individual guests every day. Trips for groups up to 150 people on request.
Opening hours: November 1st - April 30th, everyday 9am to 5pm Our summer opening hours are: May 1st to October 31st 9am-4pm (10am-3pm weekends) tlf +47 975 75 875 • post@tromsooutdoor.no
www.tromsooutdoor.no
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EXPLORE AND ENJOY Tromsø Safari provides a wide range of scenic day and evening tours embracing the natural beauty and culture of Tromsø and the surrounding areas in Northern Norway. From 5 September until the end of March, we take you to the best locations to observe the awe-inspiring Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights. Along with knowledgeable Englishspeaking guides and local hospitality on our Aurora Base Stations, this trip will ensure that your stay in Tromsø will be an unforgettable experience. Our Base Station are available from the 1 November until 31 March. Office for information and booking: Radisson Blu hotel in the city centre Phone: +47 953 03 888 // E-mail: info@tromsosafari.no // Web: www.tromsosafari.no For easy booking, please go to our website and book all the activities you would like to do during your stay in Tromsø! 78
sen, Tromsø Saf ari Photo: Roger Lar Tromsø Safari Photo: Truls Iverse n,
Tromsø Safari Photo: Truls Iverse n,
NORTHERN LIGHTS SERVICE 1: BASE STATIONS To achieve this, we have established four Base Stations. Each in located in a different area to cover different weather regimes. Each Base Station has a warm shelter (a traditional lavvu tent or a heated and cosy building), toilet facilities, campfire and outdoor benches.
NORTHERN LIGHTS SERVICE 2: The Northern Lights Bus Travel by minibus (16 seats) to the best spots around Tromsø to view the magical Northern Lights. Last season we saw the Northern Lights on almost 90% of our tours. It is a fascinating way of finding the Northern Lights and enjoying the beautiful landscape, even in the darkness of the Polar Night.
Pick-up: Radisson Blu Hotel at 18.30. Duration: 5-7 hours.
Pick-up: Radisson Blu Hotel at 19.00. Duration: 5-7 hours.
Prices: Aurora Base Station: ...................995 NOK p.p. With hot meal: ............................1,225 NOK p.p. Child under 12: ...............................500 NOK p.p. With hot meal: ................................730 NOK p.p.
Prices: Adult: ................................................1,350 NOK p.p. Child under 12: ...............................950 NOK p.p. Not suitable for children under 6.
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Giants of the Sea The sea outside Tromsø offers several locations where there is a high probability of observing these large and majestic marine mammals.
Some of the best locations for whale observations are Sommarøy (see page 82), located west of Tromsø City, and of the coast of the large island Senja (see page 84), southwest of Tromsø. Both these locations offer the opportunity to join guided tours with experienced crews. The humpback whale and killer whale are the most common species found in shallow water close to the coast. There are also populations of smaller whales, several species of seal and a rich bird life.
THE HUMPBACK WHALE
The humpback whale, which reaches a length of between 15 and 18 metres, can weigh up to 50 tonnes. The female is a little bigger than the male. Humpback whales are easily distinguished from other whales by their 5 m long flippers and the hump on their backs. The bumps found on the head are called tubercles. Each tubercle contains a single hair follicle, similar to a cat’s whisker. The humpback whale varies in colour from grey to black with white markings on their underside. The varying patterns on the tail flukes are sufficient to identify individuals. Humpbacks sing some of the most complex animal songs ever recorded. The sounds consist of a complex series of whistles and deep calls sung in a specific order, which may last for several minutes or sometimes as long as half an hour. Their WHALES songs are not inborn – they learn them from
each other. The whales feed on krill (small shrimp-like animals) and small fish and eat up to 1.5 tonnes of food a day. Their food is trapped to be swallowed by baleen plates, not teeth.
THE KILLER WHALE
The killer whale (Orcinus orca), also referred to as the orca, is a toothed whale of the dolphin family. These whales are found in all the world’s oceans. A typical killer whale has a black back, white chest and sides, and a white patch above and behind the eye. Killer whales typically range from 5 to 8 metres in length and can weigh up to six tonnes. Some feed exclusively on fish, while others hunt marine mammals such as sea lions, seals and walruses. Sometimes a group of killer whales might even attack other whales. Orcas are apex predators, meaning that they lack any natural predators.
FAMILY GROUPS
Orcas (killer whales) live in family groups called pods, each containing up to 40 individual killer whales. A pod may contain up to four generations of orcas. Interestingly, most males never leave their mothers. The average life span of a killer whale in the wild is 50 to 80 years. The lifespan of killer whales in captivity is typically significantly shorter, usually less than 25 years. However, a few have reached their 40s. Killer whales have their own culture, since their hunting techniques and vocalisations are passed down generations. Each group of whales has a unique dialect of calls. In general, their language. by John A . Angelsen 81
Photo: Liga Sirava
Photo: Truls Iversen, Tromsø Safari
WHALE SAFARI
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Whales, the giants of the ocean, visit the coast of Kvaløya outside Tromsø every year. The most common whale species we see are the humpback whale, killer whale, pilot whale, harbour porpoise and sometimes the fin whale. It’s an experience you will never forget!
Depart by boat from Tromsø harbour. We cannot guarantee that we will spot whales, but the chances are very high as humpbacks and orcas come close to the coastline to feed during the winter season. They o en come close to the boat as they are very curious, so be prepared for big splashes. Remember to bring your camera, and you could take the shot of your life, not just of whales, but also of other wildlife like seals or sea eagles.
Duration: 3,5-6 hours Season: Daily from 22 October until the end of February. (depending on the whales we can start earlier or end later). Pickup: Radisson Blu hotel: 08:45 What is included? Guiding, warm clothes, life jacket, hot drinks, biscuits Price: adults: 1,200 NOK p.p./ Children under 12 years: 600 NOK p.p.
TROMSØ WHALE SAFARI BY RIB
How would you like to explore the wilder- ness of the ords around Tromsø by rigid-inflatable boat (RIB) and get a close-up encounter with the humpbacks and Orcas? We offer you both the excitement of the RIB and the comfort of the catamaran. You take the journey out to where we usually see the whales on our comfortable and speedy catamaran, “Aurora Explorer”, which is based in Tromsø city centre. A er a few hours, you put on your survival suit and spend the next hour in a RIB. This will enable you to take good, close-up photos of the majestic mammals. A er some time on the RIB, you are ready to go back on board the “Aurora Explorer” to warm up and return quickly to Tromsø city centre.
Duration: 3-6 hours Season: Daily from 1 November until the end of February Maximum: 12 guests Pickup: Radisson Blu hotel: 08:30 What is included? Guiding, survival suit, hot drinks, biscuits Price: Adults: 1,200 NOK p.p. The minimum age is 14 (no special children’s prices)
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TROMSØ WHALE SAFARI
Office for information and booking: Radisson Blu hotel in the city centre Phone: +47 953 03 888 // E-mail: info@tromsosafari.no // Web: www.tromsosafari.no For easy booking,, please go to our website and book all the activities you would like to do during your stay in Tromsø!
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GO
Airborne
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TROMSØ BY HELICOPTER
Tromsø Safari offers the Tromsø city guiding by helicopter: a private tour around the island of Tromsø, crossing the mountain Tromsdalstind (1238 m / 4042 ft above sea level) . You will first get safety instructions, before heading off for the round-trip (duration 15-20 min). From the helicopter you will get a magnificent view of all of Tromsø city, and be given a taste of the Lyngen Alps. During the tour, you will receive guding about attractions, history of the city, land-
marks and imporant bulidings. Private transfer and longer sightseeing trips are also available, please contact us for more information and price. INCLUDED: ■ English-speaking guide ■ Tour by heilcopter ■ Safety instructions ■ Transfer (by taxi) from hotel to airport and back. EXCLUDED: ■ Sunglasses
TROMSØ BY HELICOPTER Season: October 1st – April 30th Departure: Departure: Radisson Blu Hotel ( Time by request) Duration: 1 hour (15-20 min flight time) Price:
NOK 6 995 pr. flight (max 5 guests)
Booking by request: info@tromsosafari.no +47 9530 3888 (08:30 - 19:00)
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Regional Map 86
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History of Mala Mala means border in Old Norse. Malangen has long been a border fjord between the agricultural society and “the wilderness people” (the Sami) dating back beyond 1200 AD.
M
alangen can also be called a melting pot because it the meeting place of three cultures: The Sami, Norwegian (Norse) and Kven (people of Finnish stock). Owing to the borderless culture of the Sami people, at some point they were forced to pay taxes to the Norwegian, Swedish and Russian governments.
MALANGEN AND THE PEOPLE
At the base of the fjord, we can see traces from the hunting folk who lived in the fjord. We believe that huntergatherers settled in these areas when the ice melted about 10,000 years ago. The rock carvings are about 4000 years old. From the 7th century, Norse settlements were established along the fjord, and many archaeologists believe that the Norse chief Ohthere lived here. He gained fame for visiting King Alfred the Great of Wessex in 890 AD. In the 12th century, Malangen was the border between the Kingdom of Novgorod and Norway, and the final border was settled on 3 June 1326. From the 16th century, Norwegian people moved from the south in search of land. They were later joined by immigrants from North Finland who came to Northern Norway to escape from poverty and hunger. This mixture of cultures sometimes led to violent acts - mostly between Norwegians and the Sami – but there was love too. There were intercultural marriages, including on the Malangen farm at Nordby88
Map of Nordkalotten (The Cap of the North) dating from 1626
nes. A wealthy Norwegian man from the south married a Sami girl here. As the generations went by, the three cultures melted together. However, Skutvik, where Malangen Resort is situated, was the last bastion of the Sami people, even into the 19th century.
WHO OWNED MALANGEN?
This is a complicated question to ans-
wer briefly! In the 18th century, all citizens had rights on “their” property. They entered into contracts with the landowner to use the land. Initially there were only two landowners: The King and the Church. After the Kalmar War in 1613, the Danish-Norwegian king controlled Northern Norway and Finnmark. From the 17th century, most of the Malangen was owned by the king. Only one
ngen This is what the old sawmill looks like now.
The Historic Sawmill The Aursfjordsaga (Aursfjord sawmill) was built in 1796 by Ingebrigt Eliassen. As soon as the landowner, Moursund, discovered this, he shut down the sawmill. A year later, Eliassen was allowed to saw timber for his own use, but not for sale. In 1818 Eliassen finally received a license to saw for other people. The license was issued by the Swedish king (Norway didn’t have its own king at that time). Using hydropower from the river and waterfall to power the sawmill and produce timber panel boards for building houses was a huge ad-
farm was owned by the church, Forøy in outer Malangen. The users of the properties were a mix of Sami, Norwegians and Kvens. During the mid 17th century, the king decided to sell part of his baggage, to relieve the debt resulting from years of war. One individual to whom the king owed most of the money, Joachim Irgens, received all the
Crown land in northern countries in 1666. That is about half of all registered farms from Helgeland to Troms. In other words, from that day on the farms in our area belonged to the Danish landowner and businessman Joachim Irgens. After Irgens’ death, the estate was divided into several smaller parts. One of these included the Tromsø
vance for the settlers in Malangen and Målselv. In 1977 Arne Pedersen from Aursfjord began to reconstruct the sawmill. He is a direct descendant of Eliassen Thanks to his efforts, we now have a unique building that shows the first technological steps taken in Malangen. The sawmill is currently owned by the Midt-Troms Museum, and is open for demonstrations from May to October. It is still used to saw timber to build houses.
by Hans-Olav Holtermann Erik sen
district (and Malangen), which was taken over in 1783 by Hans Andreas Moursund. His son and then grandson continued as landowners for nearly 100 years. Until approximately 1900, most of the goods sold to the users, i.e. the farmers in Malangen.
by Hans-Olav Holtermann Erik sen 89
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The AurorA DesTinATion of Tromsø Malangen Resort is a destination in itself. A modern hotel with a high-end restaurant, the wilderness centre of Camp Nikka, seaside cabins and the intimate Naust bar.
BuT mosT imporTAnT- A whole menu of AcTiviTies. everyThing in wAlking DisTAnce of The resorT. The norThern lighTs AT mAlAngen
AcTiviTies DAily from The resorT
Malangen Resort is located in one of the most visited Northern Light hotspots in the Tromsø area, and has developed the Northern Lights Watch. “The Watch” enhances your opportunity of seeing the lights – your guide will be up until early morning every day ready to wake you up with our Aurora Alarm to make sure that a single nightly dance on the sky will not slip pass your eyes.
The nights are dedicated for finding the Lights, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t enjoy the daylight hours as well! Drive your own team of huskies through the peaceful forest or feel the thrill of snowmobiling in some of the most amazing sceneries you could ever imagine. Relax in a private Jacuzzi at the seaside, with a view of the Malangen fjord.
www.malangen.com / +47 77 65 58 00 / booking@malangenresort.com
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A group of people skitouring in the Lyngen Alps high above the fjords.
Lyngen Alps
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Vertical Landscape The Lyngen Alps are famous for off-piste skiing. You can literally ski from the summits down to the sea.
High altitude view of two skiers on a mountain ridge in the Lyngen Alps
T
he wide chain of peaks starts out on the tip of the Lyngen Peninsula, between the two big fjords, the Ullsfjord and the Lyngen Fjord. The peninsula between the fjords is 15-20 km wide, and in both fjords mountains higher than 1000 m drop vertically down in the blue water.
you find beautiful valleys, forests, cascading rivers, and countless lakes. Still the area is dominated by the wild peaks, several glaciers and deep ravines. The highest mountain, Jiehkkevarri, is 1833 m above sea level. And “above sea level� in the Lyngen Alps area means that the sea it self is the foot of the mountain.
100 KM LONG
EXTRAORDINARY WILDLIFE
The mountain chain continues on the peninsula, all the way to the Swedish border. This makes the Lyngen Alps more than 100 km long, depending on definition. Between the peaks, there are also more gentle hills and plateaus. Here
The first signs of settlement are from the Stone Age, but the first churches in the area came as late as the 18th century. The population in the area today is still low and scattered. The largest settlement, Lyngseidet, has a population of approximately 800.
The wildlife is extraordinary, with whales, seals, white-tailed eagles and a wide variety of other bird species, as well as all kinds of Arctic mammals on land. You can catch cod, coalfish, wolf fish and haddock in the fjord. In the mountain lakes you can catch trout and Arctic char.
OFF-PISTE
The Lyngen Alps are famous for off-piste skiing. You can literally ski from the summits down to the sea. Several companies provide return transfers by boat to the most fabulous locations. by John A . Angelsen
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Welcome to THE MOUNTAINS! BOOK NOW! • Only 20 minutes from • Only 20 minutes from Bardufoss Airport Bardufoss Airport • Less than two hours flight from Oslo • Less than two hours flight from Oslo (several daily arrivals and departures) (several daily arrivals and departures).
• 2-3 hours drive from Tromsø, • Only 2 hours drive from Tromsø Narvik or Harstad. • Skiing, northern lights safari, Guided tours - try our Northern Lights • dog sledding, snowshoeing, snowmobile, Safari, Dog Sledding or Ice Fishing ice fishing, sami culture
At the heart of Troms you will find Målselv Mountain Village, Experience skiing in beautiful scenery. You will find surroundedfantastic by beautiful white mountains. The inland climate wonderful ski slopes, skipark, lights cross-country trails with panoramic here is perfect for northern and snow activities. views, restaurant, pub, sporting goods store and much more. Here you can experience unforgettable Northern Lights dancing in the sky at night combined in good trails and for crossWe have nice apartments withwith one skiing or three bedrooms country cabins, and downhill skiing. All inand a breathtaking landscape. modern some with sauna outdoor jacuzzi. Try the unique experience of sleeping in a lavvu, a traditional We willtent do everything make your stay fantastic, whether Sami or choose to modern apartments or cabins, someyou of come visit us with your family, your co-workers or your friends. them with sauna and outdoor jacuzzi.We will do everything to
make Your stay fantastic, whether you come visit us with your Welcome! family or your friends. Welcome!
• Great place for all seasons! • Great place for all seasons! www.malselvfjellandsby.no booking@malselvfjellandsby.no +47 9414 0000
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Welcome to Vollan Gjestestue Just 1 hours drive from Tromsø. Close to nature and the Lyngen Alps.
Since 4th of July 1948 we have served traditional homemade food with «A Taste of Balsfjord» 22 Hotel rooms from NOK 995,- incl. Breakfast 10 Studio Apartments from NOK 895,- incl. Breakfast
Mon-Tue Thu-Fri Sat Sun
Cafe 07.00 - 21.30 07.00 - 21.30 09.00 - 21.30 10.00 - 21.30
Reception 06.30 - 23.00 06.30 - 23.00 07.00 - 23.00 07.00 - 23.00
Breakfast 06.30 - 10.00 06.30 - 10.00 07.00 - 11.00 07.00 - 11.00
Pizzeria 16.00 - 20.00 16.00 - 02.30 14.00 - 20.00
Vollan Gjestestue - Torgveien 2, 9040 Nordkjosbotn - +47 777 22 300 www.vollangjestestue.no - post@vollangjestestue.no - facebook.com/VollanGjestestue
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A visit to Scotland inspired the founding of the world’s northernmost distillery, situated at an old NATO base in Lyngen in Troms County in Northern Norway.
The World’s Northern T
he story behind the Lyngen distillery is interesting in itself. Hans-Olav Eriksen was a general practitioner who started with adventure tourism – Lyngsfjord Adventure – in 2008. It soon became apparent that the tourism industry needed a quality standard, and Eriksen travelled to Scotland in 2010 to investigate their Quality Assurance scheme. The trip proved to be an eye opener.
RESEMBLES SCOTLAND
Eriksen observed that the Scottish fauna, landscape and nature had a 96
striking similarity to where he grew up by the Lyngenfjord near Tromsø. The nature was the raw material for the Scots’ most important product: whiskey. Hence, it was entirely transferable to the conditions in the cold north. Eriksen toyed with the idea of creating an Arctic whiskey, but others regarded this idea as a joke. ”However, the first batch of gin was finished in September 2016 and the whisky will be ready for storage in the middle of November, Tor Petter Christensen says. He is the CEO at
the newly constructed distillery Aurora Spirits at Årøybukt in Lyngen in northern Norway. The distillery has its name from the aurora borealis, more commonly known as the northern lights.
SWEETER INGREDIENTS
The world’s northernmost distillery is built on a former NATO coastal fort from the Cold War and stores its casks in old tunnels once used for military purposes. Christensen thinks the combination of cold climate and arctic ingredients will produce a unique
AURORA BOREALIS IN NORSE MYTHOLOGY ■ ■ During the cold and dark winter months, the Aurora Borealis- northern lights- might be seen waving across the sky in the polar night. ■ ■ The ancestors of the Norwegians, the Vikings of the north, called the Northern Lights Bivrost.
most Distillery Norwegian line of spirits. “Ingredients are sweeter in northern Norway because of the midnight sun. Arctic berries, grains and herbs will shape our products together with our water source: Meltwater from the surrounding glaciers.,” says Christensen.
IDEA FROM SCOTLAND
Scottish distilleries directly inspired the creation of the distillery.. “We saw how distilleries shape the identity of local Scottish communities and attract tourism, and we wondered why we
weren’t doing the same,” Christensen admits. He is now using Auroras visitor centre to actively promote the identity, culture and heritage of the Arctic. “The people of northern Norway are extremely social, outgoing and fun, but we still have a way to go in telling that story to the world. That’s changing fast, and I’m very optimistic about the future,” the CEO concludes.
■ ■ They regarded it as a magical path from our world to Asgard, the realms of the gods in norse mythology. ■ ■ At the end of this shimmering northern light bridge resided the gatekeeper Heimdall. ■ ■ By lighting red fire in Bivrost he protected Thor, Odin, Frey and the other gods from trolls and other unwanted creatures. ■ ■ But Bivrost was something more. It was used as a bridge to the human world, where the gods went from Asgard down to Midgard where the Vikings lived.
by Thor A. Angelsen 97
L NGEN RESORT
LYNGEN RESORT – the Arctic legacy Since the Viking age around 1000 AD, the area has been settled by three tribes: Norse, nomadic Sami people and the Kvens, who were emigrants of Finnish descent. In old times, the bay was known as the meeting place of the three tribes. At Lyngen Resort you will learn about their history, culture and the Arctic legacy.
In modern times, an important NATO base was established at the same site, which became a crucial element in the Cold War. Visit the commando centre of the Lyngen line and learn more about the Cold War in our NATO base experience. The RIB tour on the Lyngen fjord is also available for our guests.
MORE INFORMATION AND BOOKING: www.lyngen.com I www.auroraspirit.com I Phone- all services: +47 900 96170 98
AURORA SPIRIT – the world’s northernmost distillery At Lyngen Resort, Aurora Spirit has established the most modern distillery in the world. The Lyngen Alps, the fjords and the Arctic wilderness gives en excellent frame for making whisky. Based on local herbs, berries and glacial water, Aurora Spirit makes one of the purest drinks in the world. At our spectacular visitor centre Bivrost Lounge you can learn about making alcohol under the Northern Lights.
DISTILLERY GUIDED TOUR OF AURORA SPIRIT
OTHER ACTIVITIES AT LYNGEN RESORT
You will be guided through the process of manufacturing various types of spirits such as vodka, aquavit, gin and whisky in the worlds northernmost distillery.
Lyngen Resort offers a number of activities available at Lyngen Resort that you can add to the Distillery Tour. Note: you have to pre-book before departure from Tromsø.
Season: 10th December- 31st March Price per person: NOK 1 495 Duration: 7 h 15 min including tranfers and a meal Pick-up in Tromsø: Every day at 8.45 at Scandic Ishavshotel. Return to Tromsø 16.00. Included: Transfer, a plate of local produce at Bivrost Lounge, the distillery tour
RIB Tour on the Lyngen Fjord 45 min | NOK 990 | Starts at 1100 Aroybukt NATO base guided tour 45 min | NOK 299 | Starts at 11.15 / 12.00 Outdoor Jacuzzi overlooking the fjord and Lyngen Alps (private use) 90 min | NOK 499 | Starts at 12.00 The Arctic Legay of the Three tribes 45 min | NOK 395 | Starts at 13:00
FOR UPDATES PLEASE SEE FACEBOOK: Lyngen I Aurora Spirit 99
VINMONOPOLET // The State’s Wine and Spirit Store // The art of making a monopoly a success Supermarkets and food chains in Norway are only allowed to sell the normal beers. Wines and spirits are sold at the state owned off licences, which are situated in most towns and cities across the land. FOCUS ON GOOD SERVICE Although it's a monopoly, norwegians are mostly positive towards the Vinmonopolet. The main reason being because they have for a long time focused on good customer service with highly competant staff. There's a wide and varied selection of wines, whiskeys, cognacs etc and the norwegians find the prices to be acceptable, especially for the best wines.
There are two Vinmonopolet in Tromsø: City Centre - Nerstranda shopping mall By the airport - Jekta shopping center
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THE JEKTA VINMONOPOL The general manager at Tromsøs largest Vinmonopolet at Jekta, explains: "Many years ago now, we made big changes internally which resulted in us focusing on customer service and a broad knowledge of the products for our employees." LINES IN ACCORDANCE WITH LOCAL DEMAND "Furthermore, we now have more control over the selections we are able to order in to each individual store. It is now possible to offer special or particular lines in accordance with local demand."
A WIDE SELECTION Vinmonopolet is known for it's wide choice of wines from all parts of the world and it's large selection of other alcoholic drinks from both home and abroad. "But most of all, many of our overseas visitors are surprised over the wide selection of wines, spirits and other varieties that we have on offer. We are proud of the good service and the multitude of choice available for our guests from all over the world", concludes Stig Skogeng.
Opening hours: Monday – Friday: 10 – 18 / Saturday: 10 – 15 Sunday: Closed
Amedia Ressurs Harstad
BREWERY TOUR AT GRAFF BRYGGHUS Meet the Brewer Mr Graff himself! Welcome to the Graff tour – a visit to the most recently opened brewery in Tromsø. Meet the brewery's co-founders and owners, Graff and Amundsen, who will share their story with you and give an insight into their Arctic Beer's brewing process from fresh local ingredients to the final bottled product we see on the shelves. The brewery is in walking distance of the city centre.
Scheduled Tours: Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays 15.00 – 16.00 Price: NOK 595 per person
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rctic photographer Ole Salomonsen’s long commitment to photography in the Arctic has given him a unique insight into photography in these conditions, not to mention knowledge of the region and this part of the world. In time his work has become a major branded article for Tromsø and the region. For many years Norway’s national tourism authority, Visit Norway, has used Salomonsen’s films to showcase the most outstanding the region has to offer to potential tourists and visitors. In this article, Salomonsen shares advice that will help you to take better photos in the Arctic Light.
Arctic Light
CAPTURING TWO SEASONS
Trying to put all this beautiful light into words is difficult. It’s something you simply have to experience. It begins with the onset of autumn in September signalling the arrival of the Northern Lights and darkness and ends with the return of daylight and the Midnight Sun in April. Capturing photos of the Northern Lights together with the colours of a sunset is simply amazing, and for many this is the ultimate photo (check out the cover photo). Perhaps this is because capturing two seasons in the same photo is so exotic to achieve.
GOLDEN HOUR
During the winter, the sun disappears for a two-month period (in Tromso from 27 November to 21 January). This period is widely known as the Polar Night, but this name is somewhat misleading because it’s never completely dark during the day although the sun is always below the horizon. In fact, it is before, during and after the Polar Night that the most beautiful Arctic winter light appears in all its glory. During this period, you can experience that white mountains turning pink from the low sun combined with a purple, pink or bright red sky. The so-called “golden hour” is a popular time for photographers as it provides the most magical, best light. At these northern latitudes, this “golden hour” extends for many hours and often a whole day. In addition, this
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Ole Salomonsen recently completed a two-week expedition around Svalbard and into the pack ice
Arctic light is more beautiful than any other light or sunset, especially as a backdrop to the Arctic nature, leaping whales, mountains and dead calm fjords.
THE RIGHT LIGHT
In other words, this long period of low sun and the absence of sunlight provide the basis for wonderful Arctic
light by day, complemented by the dancing Northern Lights by night. It is simply amazing for photographers and is something that people can quickly become addicted to. Take me for instance. The very best foundation for great photos is the right light. This applies no matter what type of photography you are doing. If
Photography To some the term Arctic light is synonymous with the Northern Lights. But to award-winning nature photographer and film maker Ole Salomonsen (43), it is a collective term for all the magical light you can experience in the Arctic – or north of the Arctic Circle – in winter.
hunting photos of polar bears and Arctic nature.
you visit our region, you will be in a unique position to experience and photograph possibly the world’s most beautiful light.
MILD CLIMATE
As well as being wonderful, the Arctic Light in the north of Norway is also easily accessible. Northern Norway and Tromsø have an extremely well
Photo: Ole Salomonsen
developed infrastructure with an international airport just a short drive from all amenities, many hotels and many activities and guides. Perhaps most important of all, despite being situated so far north Tromsø has a relatively mild climate. This mild climate may be attributed to the Gulf Stream that warms the entire coast year-round. Another
advantage of Tromsø as a base for hunting the Arctic Light is the convenient location and proximity to both the coastal and inland climates. If the weather is poor and cloud is forecast on the coast, you are only 1-2 hours away from the colder inland climate which often leads to better weather.
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Northern Lights photography – When and where? Location, location, location. This basic rule of photography remains just as relevant as ever.
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The coast of Troms County offers everything you could wish for a wonderful landscape photo: fjords, mountains, valley, frozen lakes and snow-covered
trees. The possibilities are only limited by your own imagination. Spend time before you come to find good locations and mark them on your map. You can photograph the Northern Lights here from September to March. Each of the periods has their own charm. Some people prefer full winter and snow, while others prefer the autumn darkness and silhouettes. Sometimes the Northern Lights are stronger round the autumn and spring equinoxes, but the entire season provides good opportunities to take good
photos of the Northern Lights. It’s a good idea to plan by using websites with long-range Northern Lights forecasts. This is achieved by monitoring so-called coronal holes on the surface of the sun. Such holes cause strong Northern Lights and often follow the sun’s 27-day rotation. Don’t be afraid to use the moon when planning to photograph the Northern Lights. Some moonlight helps to illuminate the foreground, which is often be too dark.
The basics
Shooting photos in a cold environment can be demanding, but you lay a better foundation if you come well prepared. Some people opt to hire a guide to show them around, while others prefer to explore and travel around on their own by car. Many good guides are available who will do their utmost to ensure you get great photos. However, for many it’s best to explore independently with the freedom that provides. In that case, the first thing to do is to learn a bit about the region. Surf the internet, look at other people’s photos and note down nice locations and how to get there. Basically landscape photography in winter is no different to in summer. It’s all about capturing the right light and the moment, which can require waiting, time and patience. Consequently, having the right clothing is particularly important in winter. You need warm, windproof and waterproof clothes, while good footwear is a must. Even though Tromsø’s climate is relatively mild, you will feel it in your legs if you have to stand outside for hours on end waiting for the Northern Lights to appear. A warm jacket and hat are of little help if you if your legs are freezing. This will spoil your evening and in many cases you will need to head back.
The technical stuff
Luckily, you don’t need the best equipment in the world to photograph the Northern Lights or winter light. Unwritten rules and customs
Unwritten rules include showing consideration with headlamp and vehicle lights and not leaving any rubbish. When you visit places like Tromsø for photography, it’s important to be considerate to others. If you are driving a car, so remember to switch off the motor and lights. There may be other photographers nearby who you don’t see, and you run the risk of inadvertently damaging their photos by unnecessary use of headlamps and car lights. Be considerate to others and nature. Remember to leave nothing but footprints and to take all rubbish with you when you leave.
Good equipment certainly helps, but it’s not essential. Most modern cameras are equipped for taking good photos in winter conditions. The most important feature is the aperture, which determines how much light enters your camera. The aperture or brightness is described by an f-number, which should be f/2.8 or less. By reducing the fnumber, you increase the light intensity. The following equipment is important for taking successful photos of the Northern Lights and winter light: • Good camera and lens • Tripod and tripod mount • Remote shutter release • Extra battery • Extra memory card 105
Tips for landscapes and the Northern Lights Try to create a good composition at your chosen location. You won’t always get the Northern Lights where you want, but be patient.
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A well composed landscape in which
the Northern Lights are one of the elements is nicer than a Northern Lights photo in which the landscape is clearly secondary. Remember to set your camera before you head out. Use manual settings, the widest possible aperture and infinity focus. You can use tape to lock the focal length and focus. It’s easy to touch these settings when you are out in the darkness, which can lead to damaging your photos. A
typical lens used for Northern Lights photography is a 14 mm wide angle and fast aperture of f/2.8. Be careful not to overexpose the highlight values so the Northern Lights appear burned out. Moreover, don’t be afraid to use a high ISO value. A photo with a little image noise due to high ISO is often better than a photo with unnecessarily long exposure.
Tips for whales
If you are photographing whales in the Arctic light, it’s important to use a fast shutter speed. As with Northern Lights photography, you should not be afraid to use a high ISO. A wide aperture is important. A typical lens used for this type of photography is 70-200 mm and an aperture of f/2.8. You can also use a lens with an aperture of f/4.0.
This article is written by Ole Salomonsen. He is an award-winning nature photographer and film maker based in Tromsø, Norway. Ole has hunted the Arctic light with his camera for the past decade and his images and films have been seen by millions around the world. In particular, his films and images of the Northern Lights have attracted international attention with his work being used by international heavyweights such as BBC, Apple, NASA, National Geographic, Discovery Channel and CNN to name but a few. Many consider Salomonsen to be among the very best in the world in his field. You can see more of his work at: arcticlightphoto.no
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Fairytale Island Senja is Norway’s second largest island and is located a short distance southwest of Tromsø.
The landscape in the eastern and southern parts of the island is somewhat milder and the mountains have more rounded tops. The inland valleys contain small villages and farms.
for novices and experienced hikers alike. All hiking trails on Senja are well marked in the terrain and on hiking maps available from the local tourist information office.
ou can reach Senja from Tromsø via ferry in the summer. It is also possible to access Senja year round by a bridge further south. The island covers an area of 1,600km² and has a population of nearly 8000. Senja is well known for its varied landscape. The island’s outer coast, the part that faces west and north towards the open sea, is characterized by dramatic mountains and beautiful sandy beaches. Some fishing villages are scattered on the few spaces of flat land. The eastern side of the island, which faces the mainland, is dominated by rolling hills and birch forests.
CONTRASTS
SUMMER HIKES
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The island offers a rich array of natural and historical attractions. On a drive of a few hours around the island, visitors will experience dramatic and varying landscapes. There is a high chance that you will see the white-tailed eagle while you are exploring by car or from your doorstep if you stay overnight. The seasons in the Arctic provide contrasts with the Midnight Sun in the summer months and the majestic Northern Lights in winter. The distance from the coast to the highest mountain peaks is short, offering excellent hiking opportunities
Ideal ways to explore this exciting island include hiring a bike, kayak or boat. There is a wide range of guided adventures on offer all year round, and the surrounding sea is a paradise for deep-sea fishing and whale watching safaris. Senja offers exciting and varied accommodation options, and the many mountain peaks are perfect for summer hikes and winter ski ascents, all of which are rewarded with spectacular views. By John A . Angelsen
Mefjord Brygge on Senja ISland Hunt the Northern Lights, experience whale and sea eagle safari and ski. Enjoy the Arctic nature all winter!
Located by the waterfront
Unforgettable ces! experien
Mefjord Brygge is a leading tourism company on Senja island. We provide memorable experiences, comfortable accommodation by the waterfront , transfer and traditional local food. We are located by the fjord between the sea and stunning mountains, which rise directly from the fjord. We are easily accessible from both Tromsø and Bardufoss airports. Express boat or private transfer. Our winter trips run throughout the winter season from October until April. We are ready to surprise you. Where the road ends, the adventure begins! Contact us and book your activity package now - firmapost@mefjordbrygge.no +47 77-85-89-80 / www.Mefjordbrygge.no / MefjordvÌr, Senja Island 109
Life in the Wilderness Camp Tamok is located in the Tamok Valley, a 75-minute drive from downtown Tromsø.
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T
his is the wilderness camp belonging to Lyngsfjord Adventure. It consists of several lavvu (Sami herdsmen’s tents),
timber cabins, an outdoor hot tub and sauna, toilet facilities, a husky yard and a reindeer enclosure. There is no plumbing or electricity. The heating and lighting is by open fire, wood stoves and oil lamps. It is primitive, but accordingly authentic and genuine, with a special atmosphere. It is never impersonal, as there are only guided tours with a
limited number of guests and staying at the camp is an Arctic experience in itself.
EXCURSIONS
In wintertime the camp is the starting and ending point for excursions by dog sled, snowmobile and reindeer sled. The trails start from the camp and lead into wilderness areas with
no signs of human activity. The camp’s large lavvu and main cabin are where the hot meals are served after sledding, ski school, snowshoeing and other winter excursions. Camp Tamok is located in an area with optimal conditions for experiencing the Northern Lights. Although Camp Tamok is located only a 75-minute drive from downtown Tromsø, it is in a different and drier climate
zone, with clear inland mountain weather. The dry climate generates many cloud-free night skies in winter, as well as during summer.
GOOD SNOW CONDITIONS
The camp’s location away from the bright artificial lights and inhabited areas makes it perfect for your own Arctic experience - especially also for taking photos of the Northern Lights.
Camp Tamok is of course the destination for a guided Northern Lights visit. You can also choose to spend the night at the wilderness camp. The camp is situated 280 m above sea level, with stable snow conditions. You can often go dog sledding in the period October-May, when down at sea level is often no snow at all at the same time.
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OVERNIGHT PROGRAMME
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yngsfjord Adventure, unlike other adventure providers, gives you the opportunity to tailor your own experiences. Would you like to spend a day at Camp Tamok with adventures daytime and evening, or rather spend a night in the camp with evening and daytime adventures? Just pick and choose the adventures and accommodation options that you prefer and we will handle the rest. All overnight programmes include an evening adventure and a daytime adventure the following day - three experiences in one.
On our website you may choose the excursions and accommodation option you prefer. You may sleep in a heated lavvu (Sami herdsmen’s tent), a timber cabin or in a private chalet (small heated wooden hut for two people. INCLUDED:
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Transportation by bus/minibus 3 meals (2 hot) Insulated body suit Winter sleeping bag English-speaking guide
RECOMMENDED:
■■ Warm under garments (wool or fleece is recommended)
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ou can choose your preferred excursions and accommodation options. There are three options for overnight stay at Camp Tamok: A heated lav vu (Sami herdsmen’s tent) with a maximum capacity of 12 guests. Each sleeping alcove sleeps two, and you sleep in a warm winter sleeping bag on reindeer hides.
OVERNIGHT PROGRAMME
A timber cabin with six small rooms each sleeping two guests and a common living room and guest kitchen.
An Aurora chalet is a small heated wooden hut for two guests, with a glass roof to enhance your chances of seeing the Northern Lights at night.
Season:...............................................November 15 – March 31 Minimum:...........................................Two guests Departure:..........................................17:00 outside the Ishavshotel. Return: ...............................................16:00 the following day Duration:............................................19.5 hours + transport, 23 hours total Price:...................................................Depends on choice of excursions Booking:.............................................www.lyngsfjord.com +47 77 71 55 88 (09:00 - 17:00) 112
FULL-DAY ADVENTURE
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yngsfjord Adventure, unlike other adventure providers, gives you the opportunity to tailor your own experiences. Would you like to spend a long day at Camp Tamok with adventures daytime and evening, with a meal and rest in between? Just pick and choose the adventures that you prefer and we will handle the rest. The “Full-day Programme” includes a daytime adventure, interesting time spent at the camp and then an evening excursion with chance of seeing the Northern Lights - three experiences in one.
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n addition to a meal in between the adventures, you will have access to cabins, tents and the facilities of the camp. Two extra services may be booked during you Camp Stay:
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Private use of wood-fired sauna at Camp Tamok: Towels, changing room and cold drinks are included (maximum of 5 per group, but 1-2 at a time).
On our website you can choose the excursions you prefer. In addition to a meal in between the adventures, you will have access to cabins, tents and snowshoes. INCLUDED:
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Transportation by bus/minibus 3 meals (2 hot) Insulated body suit Boots, gloves and headwear Access to snowshoes English-speaking guide
RECOMMENDED:
■■ Warm under garments (wool or fleece is recommended) ■■ Vegetarian food will be provided if advance notice is given
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Snowshoeing and Arctic survival: a guided tour into the Arctic wilderness using snowshoes. You will learn about how to survive in the extreme Arctic climate, and get information about the fauna and wildlife of the area.
FULL-DAY ADVENTURE
Season:...............................................November 15 – March 31 Minimum:...........................................Two guests Departure...........................................09:00 outside the Ishavshotel. Return: ...............................................24:00 Duration:............................................11.5 hours + transport, 15 hours total Price:...................................................Depends on choice of excursions Booking:.............................................www.lyngsfjord.com +47 77 71 55 88 (09:00 - 17:00) 113
The People of Tromsø
JØRN-HÅVARD EDVARDSEN
Age: 27 Civil status: Single Lives in: Apartment building Typical weekend food: Pizza Favourite café/bar: Compagniet Bar Tips for tourists: The Cable Car Typical Sunday activity: Relax with friends
The taxi driver with a window to heaven Jørn-Håvard Edvardsen drives a taxi in Tromsø. After recently investing in a new car, he can offer an attraction out of the ordinary. “I think it’s important to enjoy my work and to have satisfied customers. In order to achieve this, I want to offer something extra. My new car has a panoramic window in the roof so passengers can see the Northern Lights without being outside in the cold,” says Edvardsen. Tourists wishing to see the Northern Lights are usually transported by bus. “When you arrive after a bus trip, you watch the Northern Lights for 10 or 15 minutes before you head back, but some tourists wish to be out longer than that. Last winter I had three Chinese tourists with expensive cameras and tripods. I was out with them for three hours and they got to see and photograph the Northern Lights. They had originally planned to be out for an hour and a half, but they decided to spend longer,” says Edvardsen. They appreciated the panoramic window. “It was cold outside
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Tromsø is a lively city and people go out every
so they could sit inside and warm up but still check the sky,” says Edvardsen.
LIVELY CITY
Driving a taxi in Tromsø involves a lot of night work and meeting different people. Most passengers are permanent residents keen to get home after being out on the town. “Tromsø is a lively city and people go out every night of the week. Driving at night means I get to hear a lot about people’s lives. People tell many things about themselves, especially when they are drunk. Sometimes I feel a bit like a hobby psychologist.” Edvardsen is young and single, and he likes to go out too. “The best days are Thursday and especially Saturday. On Friday, people often go out right after work and get tired early. There is less activity on Friday evenings than on Thursday or Saturday,” he says.
TROMSØ IS UNIQUE
For people from out of town, Tromsø seems like a challenging city to drive in. This is particularly the case in winter with slippery roads. “I use non-studded winter tyres and have no trouble getting around. The biggest annoyance isn’t ice and snow, but the rule about giving way to the right that
applies in many intersections around the city,” he says. Regardless of where in the world you are driving, there is one thing that always applies. “Drive calmly. You won’t live any longer if you get agitated about things in traffic. The passengers also appreciate the driver being calm”.
REASONABLY PRICED
Visitors from other parts of the country experience some peculiarities when they travel by taxi. “A survey a couple of years ago confirmed that Tromsø has the cheapest taxi fares in Norway. I have had passengers from Southern Norway who have been surprised by the price level. The other thing is that many people, especially Americans, ask if Uber exists in Tromsø. I haven’t heard of it here. Perhaps the market isn’t big enough here.” Edvardsen enjoys life in Tromsø and has no plans to move. “I especially enjoy the summer. I cycle a lot and go on mountain hikes. I lived for part of my childhood in Henrikvika, which is located just outside Tromsø. The nature there is wonderful and the hike up the mountain Nattmålsfjellet is great,” says Edvardsen. by Ron Røstad
Amedia Ressurs Harstad
Welcome to a comfortable and pleasant hotel in the heart of Tromsø, and with reasonable prices. Well situated in the city centre and just a short distance from most of Tromsø’s shops, restaurants and activities. Our wish and priority is that your stay with us is most enjoyable. All our rooms are well equipped with cable tv, coffee and tea kettles, trouser press with iron, hairdryer and minibar. There is wifi access throughout the hotel and a PC for guests available in reception. From 1pm (2pm Sundays) to 5:30pm you can bake your own waffles. Coffee and tea are generally always available.
In the heart of Tromsø!
Contact info: post@amalie-hotell.no www.amalie-hotell.no +47) 77 66 48 00 115
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