❄️ Tromsø and Senja Island: polar conditions in remote locations

The Arctic ‘capital’ and neighbouring Svalbard are a rare combination for a winter workation: letters and phone calls in the morning, hunting for the aurora in the evening. Below are three practical answers: how to adjust your schedule for the polar night, where to go to see the aurora within the city, and which venues are good for evening meetings — from the centre of Tromsø to locations by the water in Senja. No fluff, just what you need to plan your weekdays and stay on track.

🕰️ How to adjust your work schedule to the polar night? [Location: Tromsø][Winter]

The polar night here lasts from around late November to mid-January, with the mountains casting a ‘shadow’ a little earlier and a little later. Realistically plan a ‘light window’ around 9:00–14:00 for walks and quick errands outside the home, and leave in-depth work for the morning/evening. Keep a strict wake-up/bedtime schedule, add a light lamp to your desk, and ‘disconnect’ from screens in the evening. For a change of scenery, the library with meråpent 07:00–22:00 and small rooms (free with reservation) is a lifesaver — an ideal quiet spot before or after work. On ‘energy days,’ you can take the Fjellheisen, which often runs late into the evening in winter (check the schedule).

🌌 Where can you catch the Northern Lights near the centre after 8 p.m.?

The most ‘urban’ spots that are easy to get to right after work:

• Telegrafbukta — a dark edge on the south of the island, easily accessible by bus/on foot.
• Prestvannet — a lake on a hill, less light pollution, often frozen in winter.
• Fjellheisen — the lift to the observation deck offers a clear horizon, and in winter there is a shuttle/bus (No. 26); schedule and wind conditions are available on the cable car website.

If you want to be in ‘safe hands’, check out the evening tours — they often start between 18:00 and 20:00 and last 4–8 hours (meeting point in the centre at Magic Ice/Scandic Ishavshotel). This is convenient when you don't have time to monitor the forecast.

💼 Are there any coworking spaces with evening meetings in Senya/Tromsø?

Tromsø (city centre and waterfront):

• FLOW Coworking (Strandgata 9) — phone booths and meeting rooms that can be booked for Zoom/Teams; users note the view of the harbour. Evening slots are agreed upon at the time of booking.
• Regus, Grønnegata 78–88 — meeting rooms by the hour/day, equipped for video conferencing; convenient for evening meetings ‘in town’.
• City Library — small rooms free of charge (by appointment), access to the building 07:00–22:00 with a meråpent card.

Senja and nearby locations:

• Hamn i Senja — a resort with conference rooms and fast Wi-Fi; suitable for off-site work sessions and evening briefings by the water.
• Mefjord Brygge (north of Senja) — workation format: conference rooms for meetings/workshops, transfers and saunas for after work.
• Finnsnes (near the bridge to Senja) — Kunnskapsparken/Næringsparken and Studiesenteret Midt-Troms with modern meeting rooms and video conferencing; open in the evenings by arrangement. A convenient hub if you live in the south-east of the island.

The winter rhythm is simple: keep your ‘reference’ window open during the day and do your intensive work in the early morning and evening; for quiet, use the meråpent library or a meeting room in the centre. After 8 p.m., head to Telegrafbukta/Prestvannet or take the Fjellheisen lift to see the northern lights — closer to the stars and further away from the lights. For evening meetings and calls, FLOW/Regus in the city and a selection of ‘Sønes’ venues from Hamn to Finnsnes are suitable.

Share your ‘schedule → location → aurora’ combinations in the comments — we'll put together the perfect winter work schedule for the Arctic.