Walk #6: Introduction to Tromsø Walk – 3 km, rated 1A
Relative to its size, the city of Tromsø has a surprisingly large footprint in the history of Norway. Its Norse and Sami heritage is ancient, but its influence in the modern age can be traced to rich fishing grounds here and the breaking of Bergen’s monopoly over the cod trade in the late 1700s.
By the end of the 19th century it was a major Arctic trade center and served as a productive training and recruiting ground for Norwegian polar explorers Fridtjof Nansen and Roald Amundsen (South Pole).
Tromsø’s link with education began with the 1848 teacher training college established to educate Sami scholars, continuing to the mid-20th century advent of Tromsø University, the city’s largest employer.
We embark in a walking tour of the city from our hotel this morning, followed by free time to stroll the interesting city center or explore museums such as The Polar Museum or the Polaria aquarium.
Late this afternoon, our final Sami experience begins with a guided visit of the Sami exhibits at the Tromsø Museum. If we are lucky, we may even encounter a local Sami willing to share stories about about Sami culture, life as a reindeer herder, and perhaps even perform a joik (traditional Sami folk song) performance.
A farewell dinner in a fun local restaurant near the water is a perfect way to finish the Land of the Midnight Sun extension.