Best Places to See the Northern Lights in Tromsø

The best places to see the Northern Lights in Tromsø are dark spots with an open view to the north, away from city lights. On foot, head to Prestvannet lake or Telegrafbukta beach. With a car, much darker skies open up at Ersfjordbotn, Kattfjordvatnet and Grøtfjord — and the famously clear Skibotn "Blue Hole". Below are the top spots by how you're travelling, with a link to our interactive map of all 15.

On foot — walkable from the city

Prestvannet Lake

Highest point on Tromsøya · ~20–25 min walk · darkness 2/5

A nature reserve on the island's high ground with an unobstructed northern horizon. In winter the frozen lake makes a clean reflective foreground. The easiest "proper" spot to reach without transport.

Telegrafbukta

Southwestern coastal park · walk or bus 33/34/40 · darkness 2/5

A beach park facing Kvaløya, good for displays toward the south and overhead. There are benches and space to set up, and it's a short trip from the centre.

Porten til Ishavet (by the Tromsø Bridge)

Waterfront jetty · 15–20 min walk · darkness 1/5

Brighter because it's near the centre, but the iconic foreground — the Arctic Cathedral, the bridge and the mainland peaks — makes it a favourite for photographers on a strong night.

By bus or a short drive

Fjellheisen (Mt. Storsteinen)

421 m summit via cable car · bus 26 · darkness 3/5

The cable car lifts you above the city glow — and often above coastal fog — for a 360° panorama where aurora arcs can span the whole horizon. Check cable-car hours in season.

Ersfjordbotn

Fjord on Kvaløya · bus 425 or car · darkness 4/5

One of the region's most photogenic fjords: steep peaks flanking calm water that mirrors the aurora. A clear step up in darkness from anything in town.

Worth the drive — the darkest skies

Kattfjordvatnet

Mountain lake, Kvaløya · ~40–45 min by car · darkness 5/5

A lake ringed by peaks that block city light, with parking bays along Fv862. In winter the frozen surface becomes a vast 360° stage under the Blåmannen peak.

Grøtfjord

Arctic beach, outer Kvaløya · ~55–60 min by car · darkness 5/5

A white-sand beach facing true north — superb for aurora over open ocean, with no streetlights in the village. The approach road has hairpins; take care on ice.

Skibotn & Signaldalen — the "Blue Hole"

Inland, east of Tromsø · ~1 h 45 min–2 h by car · darkness 5/5

Statistically one of the driest, clearest spots in Norway, thanks to the rain shadow of the Lyngen Alps. When the whole coast is clouded over, Skibotn can still be clear — which is exactly when it's worth the long drive.

How to choose your spot tonight

The "best" place on any given night is wherever the sky is clear. Clouds, not distance, are usually what decide success in Tromsø. So pick a couple of options at different darkness levels, watch where it's clearing, and be ready to move. It also helps to know the aurora is genuinely out before committing to a 60-minute drive.

• Favour an open view toward the north.
• Get as far from city lights as your transport allows.
• Dress for standing still in deep cold, and check road/ice conditions for remote spots.
• Confirm the aurora is actually visible before you set off — see below.