Winter Wonderland in Norway

D Pos - Ice and darkness, snow and strange lights dancing across the sky. Norway's rare and singular beauty is at its most breathtaking in winter.


Travellers and tour operators have, in recent years, been discovering what Norwegians have known all along – that the long nights are no impediment to travel.


There are few places that you cannot reach, even in the depths of winter, and coming here at this time opens up a world of wonder.


But it's good to be prepared, so bear in mind that in Tromso the darkness is complete from 25 November through to 17 January, while at Longyearbyen, in the Svalbard archipelago, it lasts from 26 October to 16 February.


Even beyond these dates, the sun sits just below the horizon, bathing the earth in an eerie, but magical, twilight.


Tromso has long been the centre of Norway's winter tourism and it remains the most popular gateway. As the world's northernmost city, it's well placed for the Northern Lights, and is served non-stop from Gatwick once or twice a week.


In the city itself you'll find Polaria (polaria.no; 120 Norwegian krone/£9.30), a museum dedicated to Arctic wildlife, the Polar Museum (polarmuseum.no; 60 krone/£4.70) which is dedicated to polar exploration, the dramatic Arctic Cathedral (ishavskatedralen.no; 40 krone/£3.10), a cable car that opens up glorious views (fjellheisen.no; 150 krone/£11.65; under renovation until February), and the much-loved Mack Brewery, where they've been warming body and soul since 1877 (00 47 776 24 580; ol hallen.no; tours 160 krone/£12).


Tromso also offers the full suite of winter activities from snow-shoeing to snowmobiling, dog-sledging and skiing as well as trips out into the camps of the indigenous Sami people.


However, there's so much more to the Norwegian winter than Tromso, which can also serve as a starting point for an exploration of Norway's jagged coastline and its wildlife.


Nature Trek (01962 733051; naturetrek.co.uk) offers a six-day tour from Tromso to Trondheim that includes birdwatching, fjords and a three-night coastal cruise for £1,495 per person. Flights extra.

travel

Winter Wonderland in Norway

Winter Wonderland in Norway

D Pos - Ice and darkness, snow and strange lights dancing across the sky. Norway's rare and singular beauty is at its most breathtaking in winter.


Travellers and tour operators have, in recent years, been discovering what Norwegians have known all along – that the long nights are no impediment to travel.


There are few places that you cannot reach, even in the depths of winter, and coming here at this time opens up a world of wonder.


But it's good to be prepared, so bear in mind that in Tromso the darkness is complete from 25 November through to 17 January, while at Longyearbyen, in the Svalbard archipelago, it lasts from 26 October to 16 February.


Even beyond these dates, the sun sits just below the horizon, bathing the earth in an eerie, but magical, twilight.


Tromso has long been the centre of Norway's winter tourism and it remains the most popular gateway. As the world's northernmost city, it's well placed for the Northern Lights, and is served non-stop from Gatwick once or twice a week.


In the city itself you'll find Polaria (polaria.no; 120 Norwegian krone/£9.30), a museum dedicated to Arctic wildlife, the Polar Museum (polarmuseum.no; 60 krone/£4.70) which is dedicated to polar exploration, the dramatic Arctic Cathedral (ishavskatedralen.no; 40 krone/£3.10), a cable car that opens up glorious views (fjellheisen.no; 150 krone/£11.65; under renovation until February), and the much-loved Mack Brewery, where they've been warming body and soul since 1877 (00 47 776 24 580; ol hallen.no; tours 160 krone/£12).


Tromso also offers the full suite of winter activities from snow-shoeing to snowmobiling, dog-sledging and skiing as well as trips out into the camps of the indigenous Sami people.


However, there's so much more to the Norwegian winter than Tromso, which can also serve as a starting point for an exploration of Norway's jagged coastline and its wildlife.


Nature Trek (01962 733051; naturetrek.co.uk) offers a six-day tour from Tromso to Trondheim that includes birdwatching, fjords and a three-night coastal cruise for £1,495 per person. Flights extra.