Our trip to Tromsø — Day 4
Since we had been on a Northern Lights tour the previous day and gotten back to the hotel quite late, some time between midnight and 1 am, we slept in and had a long morning. We had booked a Sami tour in the evening, with check-in to the tour at 17:45 at the Radisson Blu hotel in Tromsø, which was just a few minutes walk away from the Scandic Ishavshotel where we were staying, so despite a long morning, we had almost a full day without any planned activities. We decided to visit the Arctic Cathedral, and spent some time in the afternoon napping to avoid being too exhausted for our evening Sami tour.
Arctic Cathedral
We had initially planned to visit the Arctic Cathedral on our second day in Tromsø, to combine it with a trip up Fjellheisen since the Arctic Cathedral and Fjellheisen are on the same side of the Tromsø Bridge, opposite of the town center and hotels. However, when we got to the Arctic Cathedral on the second day of our stay in Tromsø, it turned out to be closed due to a religious service. In hindsight, we should have checked the Arctic Cathedral homepage since they announce changes to regular opening hours there. They also have a phone number listed on the homepage, which visitors can call to check on changes to regular opening hours.
Getting there
There are a number of buses connecting the two sides of the Tromsø Bridge, and bus stops right by the Arctic Cathedral. We didn’t have cash, and it wasn’t clear to us how to get tickets. It turned out that the app for tickets used elsewhere in Norway (“#Ruter”) did not provide tickets valid in the Tromsø area. Instead, the Svipper App can be used to purchase tickets in Troms County, where Tromsø is located.
Finding the above information was a bit of a hassle on our phones, and we ended up walking. The walk across the Tromsø Bridge is definitely also a recommendable experience, as it provides spectacular views of the fjord, mountains, and the Arctic Cathedral growing closer as it is approached coming across the bridge.
Inside the Arctic Cathedral
The atmosphere inside the Arctic Cathedral was very calming. There was a couch and table along with pieces of paper with puzzles for kids, that the kids enjoyed solving. Some books on the history of the Arctic Cathedral were also available to browse and read, providing a nice opportunity to relax a bit. The Arctic Cathedral was very impressive both from the outside and inside, and the mosaic artwork visible from the inside was dazzling.
On the lower floor, there were bathrooms, and a photo exhibition of the building process of the Arctic Cathedral.
Lunch at McDonald’s
For a quick lunch on the way back to our hotel, we went to the now northern-most McDonald’s, apparently recently opened. This was a pretty standard, you get what you expect, McDonald’s experience. It wasn’t too busy, so the waiting time for our food was short. It was clean inside, as were the bathrooms.
Sami culture and history and reindeer sledding
After lunch, we had taken some hours to rest and get some sleep in our hotel room, as we were quite exhausted after getting to bed late after our Northern Lights tour the previous evening. Drowsy after waking up from an alarm we had set, we started dressing in our many layers to stay warm for the Sami culture and reindeer sledding tour we had booked for the evening.
We made our way across the street from our hotel to the Radisson Blu where the meeting point for the tour was. It turned out this was the meeting point for a number of different tours departing at around 18. After a bit of confusion as to which of the buses was the one for the tour we had booked, and asking the other people waiting in the area, we found the correct line. After the guide in charge of check-in had found our names on the list of participants and marked us as present, she pointed us to the correct bus to get in.
As described in the tour information, the bus ride to the Sami camp offered magnificent views of snow-covered mountains and lakes, such as the one below.
Upon arriving at the Sami camp, we were split into two groups. One group went on the reindeer sled ride first, followed by a chance to feed some of the reindeer, whereas the other group did these two activities in reverse order.
Our group started with the reindeer sledding, and we got onto the sleds in pairs. Each sled had room for two people, sitting next to each other. Blankets were provided, and it was very cozy. One thing we noticed, which is likely just our ignorance and lack of understanding of reindeer, was that some of the reindeer seemed to struggle a bit pulling the sleds. We felt bad for the reindeer when we noticed this. In hindsight, we should have thought to ask about it. Our guide was very friendly and open, and happy to answer questions and share his knowledge, so he would probably have been able to give a good explanation. The scenery during the ride was beautiful. We had been a bit worried whether the ride might be too fast, but this turned out to have been an entirely unnecessary worry as the ride was at a very leisurely pace.
After the ride, it was our turn to feed the reindeer. Only some of the reindeer were in the feeding area, as the people in charge of the camp were careful to only allow feeding of animals whose nature was compatible with human proximity and would not be stressed. We were given thorough instructions on how to approach the animals, and what to keep in mind both for their and our safety. Feeding the reindeer and getting so close to them was fun.
After the reindeer activities, we gathered in one of the huts where we were served bidos (traditional reindeer stew) for dinner, which was very delicious, and the kids enjoyed as well. While inside the hut, our guide, a Sami from a family of herders, described various aspects of Sami culture and history in a very engaging and lively manner. Our guide even had traditional Sami dolls and pieces of clothing that he sent around for everyone to have a chance to look at up close.
At around 10:30, we settled back on the bus, which took us back to Tromsø.
Even though the reindeer part of this tour seems to be what is highlighted most in marketing material, our family enjoyed the history, culture, and storytelling most.
Summary
Starting the day with a pretty walk across the Tromsø Bridge to the Arctic Cathedral was a good, relaxing activity, since we were quite tired but not quite tired enough to sleep. It turned out that our afternoon without any booked activities provided a good opportunity for some much needed rest after our Northern Lights tour the previous day, and if you are planning a trip including a Northern Lights experience, I would highly recommend prioritizing a planned chance to nap the following day. We enjoyed our trip to a Sami camp, but not so much for the reindeer part, more the culture, history and stories part.
You might also be interested in going to the post giving an overview of our trip to Tromsø, which also includes links to more details of each day we were there.
