Alta vs. Tromsø: Which Arctic city is best for your winter trip?

Over the last 15 or so years, I have had the pleasure of visiting so many destinations in Norway, and while I have my personal favorites, I am often asked the question, ‘Which is better‘? And more often than not, one of the destinations in question is Tromsø.

In this guide, I break down Alta vs. Tromsø, two incredible cities with similar offerings but enough differences to consider before booking a trip to Arctic Norway.

In years past, I don’t think many people questioned visiting Tromsø. It was ‘the’ place in Northern Norway to visit if you were interested in northern lights, Sami experiences, dog-sledding, and more.

However, with increased tourism come those who want to escape the crowds and visit places that offer roughly the same activities but with fewer people and a more intimate experience. This is where Alta comes into play.

In this guide, I will break down several categories and share my thoughts on each. Some of the topics covered will be:

• Getting there (and getting around)
• Accommodation (includes hotels and unique accommodation)
• Food
• Activities (includes northern lights, dog-sledding, Sami experiences, snowmobiling, and whale watching)
• Cost

Before getting into these topics, I will give a quick overview of each city and what there is to do there.

I don’t want to use this Tromsø vs. Alta post to choose a destination for you but rather encourage you to break down your own trip and see what works for you based on the information I provide. Feel free to reach out using the contact form with further questions!

Alta vs. Tromsø: About the Cities

Here is a map of both Alta (green) and Tromsø (orange/red) so you can see where they are in comparison to each other.

About Tromsø, Norway

Tromsø is no stranger to travelers interested in the aurora and winter travel! The city is the ‘Gateway to the Arctic’ and has a population of just under 80,000 people.

And in the city of Tromsø is a burgeoning culinary scene and offerings that can easily keep a traveler busy for a week or two!

The city is served by the Tromsø Airport, which is on the same island as the city center and has several flights (especially during the winter) operating from various parts of Europe. You can read more about that in the guide below.

Some of the popular places to visit in Tromsø are the Polar Museum, Tromsø Harbor, Fjellheisen cable car and viewpoint, Telegrafbukta, and the Tromsø Ice Domes.

About Alta, Norway

Alta is located where the ocean meets Finnmarksvidda. The city has about 21,000 residents in its greater area and a sizeable Sami population. One thing that is quite interesting about Alta is that the city center is not on the sea.

There were some historical reasons (not that long ago) for why this took place but it is an important thing to know when visiting Alta because it impacts getting around a bit and I will touch on that a bit below. Alta is known for being a northern lights city and it is further north than Tromsø.

The city is served by the Alta Airport, which is located about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) outside the center and on the Altafjord.

Some of the popular places to visit in Alta are the Northern Lights Cathedral, Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel, Trasti & Trine, Laksens Hus, Sami Siida, and Holmen Husky.

Getting There (and Getting Around)

🥱 TL;DR: Tromsø is easier to get to and easier to get around. No contest. The easier city to reach when comparing Tromsø to Alta is Tromsø.

Getting to Tromsø

Tromsø has year-round and/or seasonal flights operating from all across Europe and via the following airlines: Aegean, Air France, Austrian, British Airways, easyJet, Edelweiss, Eurowings, Finnair, Iberia, Lufthansa, Norwegian, SAS, Transavia, Vueling, Widerøe, and Wizz Air. You can learn more about flight routes at Avinor’s site.

Getting to Alta

Alta has far fewer flights coming in but you can reach the city via Norwegian, SAS, or Widerøe year-round. During the winter months, there are flights coming in from Frankfurt (starting in December 2024).

The best way to get to Alta is to first get to Oslo or Tromsø and fly down from there if you’re not driving or taking the Hurtigruten. You can learn more about flight routes at Avinor’s site.

Getting around Tromsø

You do not need a car if you are visiting Tromsø in winter. The city is walkable and has fantastic and reliable bus routes that can take you around if you’re looking to visit Fjellheisen, Telegrafbukta (and the Tromsø Museum), or other places right outside the city center.

Tours will all leave from designated hotels and spots in the city, so there is really no reason to rent a car in the winter months. You can see bus timetables and routes on Svipper’s website.

To get from the airport to the city center, it is also pretty easy. You can take a bus, an airport express bus, or a taxi. Taxis are actually rather affordable from there and you can book one by downloading the Taxifix app beforehand. The taxi fare should be about $25.

Getting around Alta

Alta is a bit more challenging to get around. While the city center is walkable, in the center you only have a few hotels, a shopping center, Laksens Hus, and a few restaurants/bars. Therefore, I recommend renting a car in Alta if you are planning your trip independently and not booking a package deal.

Sami Siida, Sorrisniva, Holmen Husky, the Alta Museum, and Trasti & Trine are all located outside the center of Alta and will need to be driven to (or have transportation arranged). If you are visiting Alta in winter, you will need to be confident driving on snow and possibly ice.

I visited in February and the roads were slicker than I was used to in Finland (which has a drier climate). One plus is that the city is small and spread out and there is never much traffic, so just drive carefully and be cautious.

If you are keen to take public transportation around, you can check out fares and timetables at Svipper’s website.

Accommodation

🥱 TL;DR: Tromsø has more accommodation choices but is more expensive. Alta has fewer and is cheaper (but can also be outside of the city center). Alta’s ice hotel is my favorite in all of the Nordics and Tromsø’s is my least favorite.

Tromsø has more accommodation options but it is more expensive. Alta is about half the price of Tromsø on average when it comes to accommodation.

Please keep in mind that December is super busy and both places are expensive. You can see the photos below to see how the prices compare for December 23–29 (I picked random dates) between the two locations. Thon Hotel Polar is in Tromsø and Thon Hotel Alta is in Alta.

One thing to know is that a lot of hotels in Tromsø are just independent hotels, and you will not book your tours directly through them (although you can if you want to when you show up).

The lodging in Alta is a bit different. You have three hotels in the center (Scandic, Thon, and Canyon), and others like Sorrisniva, Holmen Husky, Glød, and Trasti & Trine offer packages and do a bit of activity planning for you.

They are also located outside of the Alta city center. Just something to keep in mind.

Ice Hotels in Tromsø vs. Alta

If visiting an ice hotel is on your bucket list, you’re in luck. Both cities have them! Well, kind of. But, in my opinion, one is far superior to the other.

Alta’s Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel is, hands-down, the best ice hotel I have ever visited. And I have visited every single ice hotel in the Nordics! It is phenomenal.

The Tromsø Ice Domes is kind of the opposite for me. I think it is worth a visit if you’re looking for a unique experience when visiting Tromsø, but I would never recommend staying overnight there or expecting too much.

Note: Since writing this, the Tromsø Ice Domes have eliminated their hotel/overnight option. It is now a snow and ice park (I think this is for the better).

It is very small and doesn’t have a proper lobby or anywhere to hang out besides a small ‘gamme’. It feels like a more rustic experience.

Food

Tromsø food scene is really good for the size of the city. You can find everything, including plenty of international cuisines and even a restaurant that probably should have a Michelin-star (Smak).

As for cafes, I found that Tromsø has a bustling little scene while Alta’s is pretty much non-existent except for Uno Cafe (inside the AMFI shopping center). Tromsø also has a good nightlife, while Alta’s is decent for a city its size.

But, the one bar I was excited to check out in Alta was closed except on weekends (and I was there during the week).

I found prices for food to be about the same in both cities. However, since Tromsø has more options, you can find more budget options like kebabs and street food.

Activities and Tours

🥱 TL;DR: Whale watching in Tromsø is an all-day tour (Alta is only half day), snowmobiling is better in Alta, dog-sledding is better in Alta, Sami experiences are good in both but very different (I detail below), and northern lights tours are the same in both but more expensive in Alta.

So, here is where it gets a bit more complicated. Alta and Tromsø essentially have the same types of activities, including whale watching, dog-sledding, Sami experiences with reindeer, ice hotels, northern lights tours, snowmobiling, and more. Here are some of my thoughts:

Whale Watching

Tromsø’s whale watching tours have a lot more people, and it is usually around an 8–12 hour trip (usually closer to the 12 hours). Alta’s whale tour is limited to 8 people and it is only a 4-hour tour, meaning you have the rest of your day to do other things.

The whales have gradually moved north of Tromsø over the last decade, and since Alta is further north, more whales are feeding in the waters near Alta than in Tromsø.

Whale watching in Tromsø is slightly cheaper but you will have several people on your boat and many other boats will be in the fjord watching the same whales.

One thing to note about the Alta whale-watching tour is that if you do not see whales, they will convert the tour into a King Crab tour, so you will still leave with a unique experience no matter what.

This is only referencing tours that are not on a RIB boat. RIB boat tours are usually more expensive.

Northern Lights

Tromsø has the cheaper tours and they are essentially the same as the Alta ones. I have done tours in both. However, Alta’s tours tend to have fewer people on them, while Tromsø’s are run more ‘mass’ and will have several minivans hired out depending on how many people sign up for the excursion.

I did find that Alta offered a better chance of seeing the northern lights, as we were able to head inland toward Finnmarksvidda, which can offer plenty of clear skies.

I also think it is cool that if you’re staying at Trasti & Trine, Holmen Husky, Glød, or Sorrisniva, you have plenty of dark skies around and can see the northern lights right outside of your accommodation with little light pollution. Tromsø has heavier light pollution.

These screenshots are from the two tours I did in February 2024 (one in Alta and one in Tromsø). These prices will fluctuate over time, but you can see the general difference between the two.

Dog Sledding

Alta has a few husky farms and the two that I went to were Holmen Husky and Trasti & Trine. Both offer unique accommodation and a chance to sign up for dog-sledding tours. Both are highly recommended and renowned for their ethical treatment of the dogs.

In Tromsø, the dogs are treated well, but the farms are much larger and more impersonal. Holmen Husky, in particular, travel around with their dogs, and they participate in large races with the family that runs the complex.

While you will need to book your husky tours in advance no matter which destination you choose, Alta seemed to have more availability when I was there than Tromsø.

Tromsø is dealing with a tour shortage (especially with dog sledding and reindeer feeding and sleighing), and it is extremely hard to get on tours there at the last minute.

Reindeer Farms and Sami Cultural Experiences

So, I actually didn’t see any options for visiting a reindeer farm and participating in a Sami cultural evening in Alta. However, you have the Sami Siida Center, which is an entire cultural center outside of the city (not too far) where you can see reindeer, eat Sami food, and learn more.

It operates more as a center and restaurant, so you don’t have to book an excursion the same way you do in Tromsø. I think this gives Alta the edge if learning about the Sami people and seeing reindeer is a top priority on your trip.

I would recommend making reservations at Sami Siida for dinner or any of their events and experiences during the day.

In Tromsø, the Sami experiences are run more as a tour to different reindeer farms, where you will hear stories from the Sami after you get to feed the reindeer (and go sleighing if your tour includes it). You will also likely get some bidos stew (a traditional Sami dish).

Whether you visit Tromsø or Alta, but experiences are a must in their respective destinations.

Snowmobiling

I did not go snowmobiling in Alta on this trip, but it is known as a good destination for it. I did, however, do a snowmobiling trip in Tromsø and it was one of the worst ones I have ever done.

I went all the way to Finland, and the tour was so beginner-friendly that it was not for me (I have snowmobiled a lot).

So, if you are a beginner, either destination works well, but if snowmobiling is a top priority for you, I would refrain from some of the Tromsø tours and perhaps look into Alta or alternative destinations.

Cost

I have already kind of touched upon this throughout the post, but I will do a quick recap here:

• Getting to and around: Tromsø is likely cheaper to get to as its airport is more accessible. You will not need a rental car in Tromsø but if you are visiting Alta independently, you should get a rental car. (Winner: Tromsø)
• Accommodation: Alta’s chain hotels are cheaper and can be almost half the price. (Winner by a long shot: Alta)
• Food: Tromsø has more options, therefore giving travelers more budget options like bakeries, fast food, etc. (Winner: Tromsø)
• Tours: Because Tromsø has far more tourism, tours are cheaper. But that does not mean they are better. They often have a lot of people on them. (Winner: Tromsø by the slightest margin)

So, while Tromsø may look like the cheaper option on paper, it may actually be better value for money to go to Alta, depending on the type of trip you’re looking for!

Whether you’re planning a trip to Tromsø or Alta, you are in for the time of your life! If you have any questions about planning a trip to Tromsø vs. Alta, please send me a message on the contact form, and I am happy to assist!

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