Tromsø's best cultural spots

Ida Tolou's cultural triangle

From the harbour, we can see a triangular facade stand out against a backdrop of snow-covered mountains. The Arctic Cathedral is Tromsø's most famous landmark and is the first of Ida's three cultural highlights.

"I think this is the first place you should go to when you come to Tromsø. It is an incredibly unique church, with very special architecture."

The cathedral reflects the Arctic nature. Its appearance changes when lights illuminate it in a variety of different colours, and when it is lit naturally by Arctic light and the midnight sun. 

Ida grew up in Tromsdalen, just down the street from the cathedral.

"There weren't any buildings here, so people used to ski down the hill. The cathedral was first built without stained-glass. The problem was that in summer, when we have 24 hours a day of sunlight, people couldn’t see the minister during the service due to the sun shining through the windows. Everybody started to wear sunglasses to church. The minister didn't like that, since he thought they might be dozing, so they had to build the stained-glass."

In addition to being a major tourist attraction, its acoustics have made the cathedral a favourite arena for concerts. This is where Ida's story comes in.

"I started singing in the choir there when I was 10 years old. I have also been a choir conductor for the youth choir, and I worked as a substitute cantor in the cathedral when I was younger," explains Ida.

Scandic Ishavshotel is one of many excellent accommodation options in Tromsø. You can stay in a comfortable hotel in the city centre, with cafés, shops, and culture attractions at your doorstep or get close to nature in a cosy cabin outside of town.

Watch Ida sing 'Nordnorsk julesalme' by Trygve Hoff in The Arctic Cathedral. The song is one of Norway's most well-known Christmas carols.

Discover Ida's own new music on Spotify here.

The Paris of the North

We leave the hotel and stroll through Tromsø's main pedestrian street, Storgata, just in time for the magic hour, when everything is bathed in blue light.

"People really use their city. There are a lot of pubs and cafés, so you have something on every corner," says Ida and points towards a sign that says Kaffebønna ("The Coffee Bean").

"Kaffebønna is Tromsø's answer to Starbucks, you could say. It's where people hang out."

When you shop in Tromsø, you can find everything from handicrafts and souvenirs to high fashion shops.

"Postludium is a cool second-hand shop, where you'll find a lot of vintage stuff. It is good for the environment and the profit goes to the Church City Mission," Ida explains.

Tromsø also has several shopping centres with everything you need. Ida recommends Nerstranda shopping centre and Jekta shopping centre, the biggest in Northern Norway.

Remember to take a detour out to Vervet, a recently developed neighbourhood just next to the bridge. Sample something delicious from the bakery Vervet Bakeri!

Arctic cuisine

In Tromsø, you can almost find more restaurants than people. Many places serve authentic Northern Norwegian seafood and arctic dishes. With the Arctic Cathedral and Scandic Ishavshotel still in sight, we continue to Ida's third and final cultural highlight. The restaurant Skirri at Kystens Mathus has a perfect location by the harbour. Tell the chef you want the catch of the day, and you are in for a real treat.

"It's amazing that the chefs can go to the fish counter in the back room and pick up fresh fish. And that the catch varies. It makes it very lively," says Ida.