THE CABLE CAR In just four minutes the cable car in Tromsø takes you up to Storsteinen mountain (420 metres above sea level), where you can take pleasure in a fantastic view overlooking the town and surrounding mountains. At the Fjellstua Restaurant, you can enjoy a cup of coffee, lunch or dinner, while delighting in the view. Fully-licensed bar. Outdoor cafe, kiosk and post box with it´s own stamp. Large parking area at the lower station in Tromsdalen. Good bus connections from the city centre (route 26) from Peppes Pizza. Nice walk from the city centre, across the bridge and pass the Arctic Cathedral to the lower cable car station (approximately 30 minutes). THE ARCTIC CATHEDRAL The church is in an ideal setting, centrally located in Tromsdalen and on a slight hill, close to the Tromsø Bridge. It´s location makes it visible from the island itself and from the housing areas on the mainland. Whether travellers come by boat or by car, the church is easily seen and found. The Arctic Cathedral is a name often given to the church. Perhaps because it has become a major tourist attraction in Tromsø? The large, angular formation and the light colour can easily be associated with an iceberg. The frontal part of the building is 35 metres high. Along it´s length there are concrete columns that reach all the way to the ground. These angled columns are covered with a cladding of laquered aluminium plates. The interior lighting is positioned such that it lights the outside of these plates as well as the inside of the church, giving a special effect. The ground area of the main church hall is 900 square metres, with seating for 720 people. The lower floor, or cellar, has an area of 1020 square metres. The former burial chapel is now a lecture and meeting room. Other rooms are the chapel of rest, smaller conference rooms and other practical rooms such as cloakroom and kitchen. MIDNIGHT SUN The Midnight Sun is visible from around May 21 to around July 21. Between November 21 and January 21, the sun disappears under the horizon and we experience the Polar Nights. It is not completely dark during the middle of the day, and the light and colour in the sky is amazing when the weather is favourable. NORTHERN LIGHTS The Northern Lights are particles that are hurled into space after storms on the sun´s surface. They are attracted by the magnetic North Pole, and enter the atmosphere in a ring-like zone around the pole. In a process that is identical to that inside a light tube, the energy is released as light. Tromsø is situated right in the centre of the Northern Lights zone and is, therefore, together with the interior ice in Greenland the tundra in northern Canada, among the best places on earth to observe this phenomenon. Most of the Northern Lights outbursts visible from Tromsø are green, but large outbursts can also include other colours. In order to see the Northern Lights, it must be dark and clear - the reason that we never see the Northern Lights between May and August. The greatest frequency is between 6pm and 2am. Some visitors prefer to see the performance from a mountain top shielded from the city´s lights, while others are just as impressed right in the city centre. THE PARIS OF SCANDINAVIA Tromsø has been given many names, reflecting its great versatility and popularity. The world´s largest fishing village, The gateway to the Arctic. The people of Tromsø know how to go out on town and let their hair down, and their town has plenty to offer in the way of nightlife. Inevitabely, the young population gives Tromsø a hallmark as a lively town with a rich cultural life and nightlife. The numerous cafes, bars, discos and restaurants give room to some 21.000 hungry and thirsty guests. Pretty good, considering the total number of people living in what is often refered to as Paris of the North. Nevertheless, most waterholes and restaurants are popular with the citizens and the many visitors. Tromsø has a rich, active and varied cultural scene. Theatre thrives despite lacking funds and apt venues to perform.