✨ Tromsø: polar conditions and evening northern lights

Here, everyday life is dictated by the light: in summer, the sun never sets, and in winter, there is a short blue ‘window’ between twilight and dawn. The good news is that you can quickly get used to this and even get the most out of it for work and leisure. This guide will tell you how to plan your day during the polar night, where to catch the northern lights in the city in the evening, and which waterfront co-working spaces are suitable for video calls with a view of the fjord. Plus, there are quick tips on evening skiing and kayaking for those who don't like to sit still.

🌙 How to plan your schedule during the polar night?

The full ‘dark’ phase lasts from approximately 27 November to 15 January. Due to the mountains to the south, the night feels longer, but during the day there is a soft blue glow and twilight.

The practice is simple:

• keep your ‘anchor’ — stable wake-up/bedtimes;
• schedule meetings and focus tasks for the middle of the day when there is natural light (usually around 9:00–14:00 is the ‘brightest’ part of the day);
• Start your morning with bright light at home or in the office and a short walk.
• For exercise, try lys-løype on the island: illuminated ski trails and walking paths are open in the evenings, which is a great option after work.

In summer, it's the opposite: the ‘polar day’ lasts from around 20 May to 22 July — plan active slots even at midnight.

🌌 Where can you catch the Northern Lights near the city centre?

The rule of thumb is darkness + an open view. According to statistics, the best evening window is between 6 p.m. and 2 a.m. Here are some spots that are easy to get to without complicated logistics:

• Telegrafbukta — the southern tip of the island: a beach with minimal lights, accessible by city bus. A popular ‘urban’ location for your first shots.
• Prestvannet — a lake on a hill in the centre of the island: there is light, but compositions with reflections work even with a weak aurora.
• Fjellheisen (Storsteinen) — a cable car ride up to a viewpoint above the city; convenient when the clouds are broken. Often open until midnight (check on the day).

Safety precautions in winter: microspikes for boots, headlamp, reflective vest, warm layer in your backpack. If you don't want to keep an eye on the forecast and clouds, take an evening tour: guides will take you ‘beyond the clouds’ to Kvælen/Scandinavia.

💼 Are there any coworking spaces with a view of the waterfront?

Yes, and very convenient ones.

• FLOW Coworking, Strandgata 9 — a stone's throw from the water; workspaces, meeting rooms, phone booths. Users note the view of the harbour and mountains from part of the space. Check directly for day passes.
• Regus (Grønnegata) — hot-desk/meeting rooms in the city centre, bookable by the day or month via the website/app.
• Alternative for a couple of hours — the lobby of Clarion Hotel The Edge on the waterfront: powerful Wi-Fi and plenty of seating; for conference calls, it's better to use the meeting rooms in the co-working spaces.

🎿 Bonus: evening skiing and kayaking

• Skiing — illuminated trails (‘lys-løype’) stretch across the island from Charlottenlund to Prestvannet; check the skisporet for grooming and head out after work for 45–90 minutes to ‘reboot.’
• Kayaking — in summer after 6 p.m., you can take tours of the fjords; for independent rental, you often need a våttkort (certificate). The Tromsø Havpadleklubb is active in the city and offers rentals for members. The water is cold all year round — waterproof clothing is mandatory.

The polar night is not a reason to ‘freeze up,’ just a different pace: meetings during the daytime, sports on illuminated trails, and in the evening, head to a viewing platform or the sea to watch the aurora. For work, choose a coworking space by the water (or a meeting room in the centre), and in your free time, take a short trip to Telegrafbukta or climb Fjellheisen.

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