Tromsø Guide: Cafés, Food and Things to Do With Kids

Q: What is there to do in Tromsø on a rainy day?

Plenty is indoors: Polaria's Arctic aquarium and bearded seals, the Polar Museum, the Arctic University Museum with its aurora and Sámi exhibitions, the Perspektivet Museum, the Tromsøbadet swimming centre, and a slow afternoon in one of the city's cafés. Opening hours change by season, so check before you go.

Q: Can I combine a Tromsø city break with seeing the northern lights?

Yes. The aurora season runs roughly from September to early April, and Tromsø sits in the auroral zone, so even moderate activity can be visible on a clear, dark night. Spend the day on the activities in this guide and keep the evening free, with an alert set so you know when to step outside.

Q: Is the sun up in Tromsø in winter?

Tromsø has a polar night period in midwinter when the sun stays below the horizon, roughly from late November to mid-January, although there is still a blue twilight around midday. That is why indoor attractions and cosy cafés matter so much in the dark months.

Aerial view over Tromsø city centre and the Tromsø Bridge across the blue sound — Tromsø and the Tromsø Bridge seen from above. Photo: Harvey Barrison, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.

The short version

Coffee: Risø, Kaffebønna and Svermeri for cinnamon buns and a quiet corner.
Lunch: a hot dog on the main square, a cheap lunch menu, or a booked seafood table.
With kids: the Fjellheisen cable car, Polaria's seals, the Arctic University Museum and the Tromsøbadet pools.
Rainy day: museums, the aquarium, the swimming centre and a long café afternoon.
Evenings: keep them free for the aurora, and let an alert tell you when to go out.

A note on how to use this guide. Opening hours, prices and menus in Tromsø change with the season, and polar-night winters run on shorter hours than summer. We have used each venue's own pages where we could and marked anything that comes from a travel guide. Treat the details as a starting point and check the venue's website or map listing on the day.

Coffee and cinnamon buns

Tromsø takes its coffee seriously, and a warm café is the best answer to a cold, dark afternoon.

Risø mat & kaffebar. A local favourite for hand-brewed coffee, soups and savoury lunch sandwiches. It gets busy around lunchtime, and the cinnamon buns can sell out. It is listed on Strandgata, in the centre; confirm the exact spot on a map.
Kaffebønna. Third-wave coffee with several branches (Stortorget and Strandtorget among them). Known for cinnamon buns, dark bread and a stamp card for a free coffee.
Svermeri Kafé. A basement café on Skippergata with vintage decor, cheesecake, meringue pie and carrot cake. It is a little off the tourist route, which is part of the appeal.
Pust Café. Relaxed, with sandwiches, salads, smoothie bowls and the odd live music evening. Many people bring a laptop.
Aunegården. A building more than 200 years old on Sjøgata, serving cakes, lunch and dinner, with quiet back rooms.
Jordbærpikene. Known for cheesecake, with warm meals such as pizza and nachos; takeaway is cheaper than eating in.

Low winter sun over Storgata, the main pedestrian street in Tromsø, with people walking — Storgata, the main street, in low winter light. Photo: WikiLucas00, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Lunch and dinner

Norway is expensive and Tromsø is no different. The trick is to eat your big meal at lunch, when several places have cheaper menus, and to book anything popular.

Raketten Bar & Pølse. A small building on Storgata selling hot dogs, including reindeer, beef, pork and vegan versions. Quick, cheap by Tromsø standards, and usually a queue.
Art Café & Bistro. A small, simple menu in a basement on Richard Withs plass, with local art on the walls. Good for a weekend lunch.
Fiskekompaniet. Seafood by the harbour: fish soup, oysters, king crab and the catch of the day. Book days or weeks ahead, even for lunch.
Mathallen. A modern, industrial-style restaurant on Grønnegata with a short menu that changes between lunch and dinner. Known for its creamy fish stew.
Bardus Bistro. About ten traditional Norwegian dishes, from steamed mussels to butter-poached cod, in an A-frame building with bookshelves.
Indie. An Indian restaurant with a few local twists such as salmon tandoori and cod curry, often good value for the city.
Emma's Drømmekjøkken. Modern Norwegian tasting menus of five to ten courses, for a splurge night.
Full Steam. Traditional seafood inside a fishing museum on the harbour. The menu includes whale, which some visitors will want to skip.

For a drink, Ølhallen on Storgata is a historic beer hall that has served since 1928, with more than 70 beers on tap and a stuffed polar bear by the entrance. Children are not the audience, but it is a classic Tromsø stop for adults.

The pale yellow historic building that houses Ølhallen in central Tromsø — The building that houses Ølhallen, Tromsø's historic beer hall. Photo: Wikimedia Commons, public domain.

Things to do without children

Fjellheisen cable car. The four-minute ride takes you up Storsteinen (421 m) for the view of the city, the bridge and the fjords. According to the operator, a return ticket is 645 NOK for adults, and the Fjellstua café at the top can be booked online. Construction of a new cable car is ongoing, but the old one is running. Wind and snow can close it, so check on the day.
The Polar Museum. Arctic hunting, trapping and exploration history in an old harbour building. Guided tours run on some days, so ask when you are in town.
The Arctic Cathedral. The white, triangular church across the bridge, dedicated in 1965, with a large glass mosaic on its east wall. Its own website noted that the Tromsø Bridge was closed for works until November 2026, so check how to get there before you go. Note: the popular late-evening midnight concerts are in the yellow Tromsø Cathedral in the centre, not in the Arctic Cathedral.
Perspektivet Museum. Local history from the 1950s, photography, and the Cora Sandel paintings, in a historic building on Storgata.
A walk along the harbour and Storgata, with a stop for a hot chocolate whenever your hands go numb.

The white triangular Arctic Cathedral with its large glass facade on a green hill under a blue sky — The Arctic Cathedral (Ishavskatedralen) in Tromsdalen. Photo: Godot13, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Things to do with children

Polaria. An Arctic aquarium and exhibition with bearded seals, which are the main draw. On the day we checked its website, the seals were fed and trained at 10:30 and 12:30, and the centre recommended arriving early to watch. Several seal experiences run for an extra fee.
Fjellheisen. A cable car is an event in itself for most children. Child tickets (ages 3 to 15) were listed at 310 NOK return, with a family ticket for two adults and two children at 1,360 NOK.
The Arctic University Museum of Norway. Five permanent exhibitions, including an aurora exhibition where visitors operate a replica plasma chamber to make their own northern lights. The museum aims to be interactive for adults and children. The Sámi culture guided tour is for ages 13 and up.
Tromsøbadet. A swimming centre with water slides, a wave machine, a children's pool and an outdoor pool. Day passes were listed at 240 NOK for adults, 185 NOK for children 4 to 11 and 95 NOK for ages 0 to 3, with family discounts. Children under 12 must have an adult with them.
Simple food that children eat. Hot dogs at Raketten, pizza or nachos at Jordbærpikene, or the milkshakes and cakes at Egon on Storgata, which is open until late.

We could not verify high chairs, kids' menus or baby-changing at individual cafés, so ask when you book. The honest family tip is to plan one activity in the morning, one warm break, and be back at the hotel before the evening cold if the aurora is for the adults.

A cube-shaped aquarium tank at Polaria with kelp, anemones and fish — An aquarium at Polaria. Photo: Lee Vilenski, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

What to do on a rainy day

Rain, sleet and wind are normal in Tromsø, and in midwinter there is a polar night from roughly late November to mid-January, when the sun stays below the horizon. Both are good reasons to have an indoor plan.

Morning: Polaria, timed for the 10:30 seal feeding.
Lunch: a warm bowl. Fish stew at Mathallen, soup at Risø, or an unhurried table at a café.
Afternoon: a museum. The Arctic University Museum for the aurora and Sámi exhibitions, or the Polar Museum for the Arctic exploration story.
Late afternoon: Tromsøbadet, especially good for children who have run out of patience.
Evening: coffee and cake, then check the sky.

The red wooden Polar Museum buildings by the harbour in Tromsø seen across a green lawn — The Polar Museum beside the harbour. Photo: Visem, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Save the evening for the sky

Tromsø sits in the auroral zone, so even a modest night can put on a show when it is dark and clear. The season runs roughly from September to early April. Do not stay awake out of hope: eat well, rest, and let an alert tell you when the activity is rising. If you are new to this, start with how to get northern lights alerts on your phone, check what the Kp index means, and read the best places to see the aurora. A live look at the sky helps too: see our aurora webcams.

Enjoy the day. Let the sky tell you when. Moose is a free, beginner-friendly Android app that alerts you when the northern lights are likely over you. No account, no subscription.

Get Moose

Want this on paper? Download the Tromsø day-by-day guide (PDF).

Frequently asked questions

What is there to do in Tromsø on a rainy day?

Plenty is indoors: Polaria's aquarium and bearded seals, the Polar Museum, the Arctic University Museum with its aurora and Sámi exhibitions, the Perspektivet Museum, the Tromsøbadet swimming centre and a long café afternoon. Hours change by season, so check before you go.

Is Tromsø good for children?

Yes. The city is compact, and several attractions suit families: the Fjellheisen cable car (child tickets are for ages 3 to 15), Polaria's seals, the interactive museum exhibitions and the Tromsøbadet pools. Winter evenings are very cold, so plan warm breaks.

How expensive is eating out in Tromsø?

Norway is expensive and Tromsø is no exception. Cafés and lunch menus are the cheapest way to eat well, and several places sell takeaway for less than dine-in. Fine dining and popular seafood restaurants can cost much more and need booking ahead.

Can I combine a Tromsø city break with seeing the northern lights?

Yes. The season runs roughly from September to early April, and Tromsø is in the auroral zone. Spend the day on the activities above and keep the evening free, with an alert set so you know when to step outside.

Is the sun up in Tromsø in winter?

There is a polar night in midwinter, roughly late November to mid-January, when the sun stays below the horizon, although there is still a blue twilight around midday. That is why indoor attractions and cosy cafés matter so much in the dark months.

Sources

Fjellheisen, official site (hours, prices, construction notice).
Polaria, official site (hours, seal feeding times, experiences).
Arctic Cathedral, official site.
Tromsøbadet, Visit Tromsø day pass listing and opening hours.
The Arctic University Museum of Norway, plan your visit and Visit Tromsø listing.
Wikipedia, Perspektivet Museum.
Traverse Blog, Where to Find the Best Restaurants in Tromsø.
The Norwegian Standard, 7 Cosy Cafes in Tromsø That You Will Love.
Visit Norway, Midnight Concert in Tromsø Cathedral.
Photos from Wikimedia Commons under the licences shown in each caption.

Free printable guide. Take it with you: The Aurora Night Guide (PDF, 3 pages) covers the Kp index, when to go, a packing checklist and phone camera settings.