The beating heart of the Arctic - rugged landscapes, extreme climates, and a welcome powered by true polar spirit. Tromsø is a place to host incentive trips that are truly out of the ordinary.

With wildly varying seasons, Tromsø is the arctic outpost offering near eternal darkness or light. The land of the midnight sun during the summer months, Tromsø offers an experience like few other places.

Events hosted in the city deliver a true disconnect from daily routines – the daylight alters minds, the activities are unique to the region, and the event venues are wonderfully quirky and resolutely arctic.

Activities in Tromsø take place on the sea and land. There are floating saunas, arctic swimming, sailing, whale watching, brewery tours, northern lights tours, hiking and biking. Tromsø is all action.

The polar spirit thrives in Tromsø with welcoming locals offering easy conversations. With an airport just minutes from the city centre and all the main landmarks in the central area, Tromsø is outstanding for incentive events.

3 reasons for an incentive travel trip to Tromsø

Person diving into the arctic waters from a floating sauna

Unique activities

Take a dip in the arctic waters. Enjoy the atmosphere of a floating Norwegian sauna and then dive into the frigid ocean.

72 beer taps in a Tromso bar

Nightlife

Work your way through the 72 beers on offer in the world's most northerly brewery. When you've finished at the Mack brewpub, head for the atmospheric bars of central Tromsø.

Northern lights above boats in Tromso harbour

Northern Lights

In the autumn and spring, the Nothern Lights should be visible at times. Light shows are also available for those visiting the Mack Brewery.

Tromsø island city

Located on an island 69° north in the Norwegian Arctic, Tromsø is surrounded by frigid waters and mountains. The island offers a range of activities and entertainment, as well as polar and university research institutions. Staff and students give Tromsø an international feel. Storgata is the main street in Tromsø, with shops and entertainment congregating there.

This is where the main social activity on the island takes place, with people browsing shops, enjoying the long days on café terraces or socialising in the bars during the evening. Low-rise, attractive, yet rugged – Tromsø is built to survive the long winters as well as enjoy the arctic midnight sun. There is a really unique feel to Tromsø, being on top of the world offers a wonderful sense of escape and event attendees can truly experience a reset of the mind.

Tromsø island is just 10km in length. Its compact central area is easy to navigate and accessible from the airport, which lies 5 km from the city centre. The central area gives way to the harbour on the island's east coast. This is a fantastic part of Tromsø, with views over the water, shipping and yachts, and a wonderful pedestrian waterfront that is expanding to the north.

During the long summer days, the quayside terraces are atmospheric and busy. Directly across the water from the harbour is Tromsdalen, the eastern suburb accessed by a road and pedestrian bridge. This area is home to the iconic Fjellheisen cable car, the Arctic cathedral, and some enviable suburban Tromsø dwellings.

Activities in Tromsø

Dominated by water and the wild expanses of arctic tundra, Tromsø is an outdoor Mecca. Activities on the water include whale watching and RIB tours. The local peak, Fjellheisen can be reached by cable car and is the gateway to many hiking trails.

Another unmissable activity in Tromsø is the floating sauna. Crank up the core temperature and then leap headlong into waters of single-digit temperatures.

Tromsø has many cultural activities, including ateliers making glass and jewellery. The island is a centre for polar research, and there are museums chronicling the region's history.

No trip to Tromsø is complete without gazing skyward in search of the world's biggest physics demonstration - the Northern Lights.

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Tromsø dining

Fishing remains a key industry in Tromsø, and seafood is a mainstay on the menus of the city’s restaurants. The region is also home to large reindeer herds and this meat forms the basis of some wonderful regional dishes.

Restaurants in Tromsø tend to offer superb quality and identity rather than Michelin pomp. Cosy, authentic and offering a truly arctic experience, there are several fantastic dining options in Tromsø.

Tromsø restaurants are predominantly located in the city centre, but the quayside and the nearby Fjellheisen peak offer wonderful, diverse dining and socialising locations.

Awarded national sustainability accreditation, Tromsø has a great regional menu as well as a growing number of vegetarian kitchens, often relying on locally sourced produce.

Tromsø nightlife

Tromsø nightlife reflects its seasons. The winter nightlife is characterised by intimate bars and restaurants, escaping the cold and the dark. Norwegians, though, celebrate the seasonal flipside and spend as much time outdoors as possible.

During long daylight hours, Tromsø terraces are thronged with guests enjoying drinks or food, often with a view. The Quayside is a fantastic place to enjoy the scenery of Tromsø, while Storgata is lined with bars and shops, offering a real buzzing atmosphere. Typically Norway, the bars are either historic or wonderfully modern and stylish.

The oldest pub in Tromsø, the Ølhallen is an absolute icon of city life and has been welcoming locals and visitors for around 100 years. There are a record-breaking 72 beer taps to feed clients and the venue can accommodate large group events.

It is possible to hire space outside of the main Ølhallen bar, whilst tours of the adjoining Mack microbrewery are a fascinating event activity. Meetings can also be held in the brewery. The population of Tromsø has a real international mix and for much of the year, Tromsø has a wonderfully vibrant atmosphere.

Alternatives to Tromsø

View over the Lofoten islands

Other incentive travel options in Norway

Many incentive event planners overlook Norway. Unfamiliarity and cost are two reasons given. However, in terms of costs, Norway offers better value than many European cities, especially in terms of dining and accommodation. Furthermore, the unfamiliarity evaporates in minutes, such is the warmth of the Norwegian welcome.

Floating sauna in a harbour in arctic Norway

Alternatives to Tromsø - Bodø

South of Tromsø is the Arctic city of Bodø, a quirky, fascinating destination that is the gateway to the Lofoten Islands and the cultural and nightlife capital of the region. Floating saunas, Northern Lights, a wilderness on the city limits - Bodø has much of what Tromsø has to offer, only less well-known.