We departed Svolvaer at 10:15pm on the Hurtigruten coastal cruise ferry. We took a side trip up the tiny 1 1/2 mile long Trollfjord. The narrowest point is 100 yards and the only access to this fjord is on the water. The kayakers are enjoying a midnight paddle.

Our marathon trek to Tromsø started with an overnight on the Hurtigruten. Any segment less than 24 hrs doesn’t require a cabin, so we were able to stretch out in the lounges. We arrived at Risøyhamn at 4:30 am. Fortunately, there was a little waiting area as the bus didn’t leave until 7:05 am. We arrived in Andenes at 8:10 am. Kinda tired.

Arriving in Andenes early allowed us time to walk around. It was quite chilly with rain & a biting wind. We overnighted & caught this car ferry the next morning to Gryllefjord. A lot of the short ferry rides are free to pedestrians & bikes. We caught a bus to Finnsnes, overnighted, & took a ferry to Tromsø. The transportation options are narrowing as we go further north.

Tromsø, located on the island of Tromsøya, is the largest city in Northern Norway, population 77,000. It’s a regional hub with a hospital, large university and many cultural activities. At 69 degrees N latitude, Tromsø is considered the gateway to the Arctic. Tourism contributes to the economy year around, especially northern lights viewing during the winter.

The Arctic Cathedral in Tromsø is actually a parish church of the Church of Norway (Lutheran). Construction was completed in 1965. The windows in front & along the sides showcase a beautiful stained glass wall in the back. We stopped in for an organ concert.

More Sherpa steps! An absolutely beautiful day! We came up these & planned on taking a different route down that would be easier on our knees. We missed the trail…ended up going almost straight down on what seemed to be a goat trail. Made it without injury! Whew!! Had sore shoulders/arms from holding on to birch trees on the descent. A return on those Sherpa steps would have been a whole lot better than what we did!!!

Tromsø has heated sidewalks in the main shopping area! Additional sidewalks are being upgraded with heat. The orange piping is covered with sand, asphalt and then cobblestone. Looks like a huge project, was fascinating to watch! A lot of the work was labor intensive.

The government-funded KORO in Norway provides funding for art in public spaces throughout the country. The aim is to reach out to folks who don’t normally visit galleries or art museums. Their focus is to install art that’s universally accessible, but not necessarily with universal appeal. We liked this one.

We were in Tromsø for the annual Midnight Sun Marathon. There were over 6,000 participants in 5 different races. Starts were staggered, first a children’s 500 meter, untimed event at 5pm. Many of the kids were in costume, some were very young accompanied by encouraging parents. The other races were 5K, 10K half & a full marathon. As the evening progressed the crowds grew. Some of the last marathoners finished around 5am!

We stopped by Blåst, a glass blowing workshop in Tromsø. This gal is making a set of drinking glasses. She made it look easy and explained the process while she worked. She & her boss both learned glassblowing in southern Sweden. The training process is lengthy, 3 years or more as an apprentice. Fascinating!

The street art is amazing! Walking maps aren’t available most places. The artwork goes from painted murals to mosaics to graffiti to stained glass to sculptures small & large. There are no plaques to identify the artist or the piece. They can be along main streets, tucked away in alleys, on rooftops or in the forests. Very fun!

We visited the UiT(Arctic University Tromsø) arctic-alpine botanical garden. The garden is open 24 hours, no barriers and no entrance fees. There is also a planetarium and science center on the university campus. We watched an outstanding northern lights film at the planetarium.