Tromsø & the Northern Lights

Travel Insurance and Safety

Travel insurance is compulsory for all tours with 50 Degrees North. The safety of our travellers, staff and operators is a major priority of 50 Degrees North. With an operational office in Norway, 50 Degrees North has access to an up-to-the-minute flow of information regarding the countries we work in. We are also in regular contact with the various operators we use. Their in-depth knowledge and understanding of their various areas is vital.

Practical information about Scandinavian Hotels

Beds and room types. Hotel rooms across Scandinavia are typically furnished with twin beds that can be pushed together to form a double. Single rooms tend to be smaller than doubles and usually have a shower rather than a bath. Purpose-built triple or family rooms are uncommon. If three people are sharing, expect a standard double room with an extra bed added, which means noticeably less space than a purpose-built triple would offer.

Luggage. Porters are rare at Scandinavian hotels. You will generally carry your own bags, so pack with this in mind, particularly on itineraries with frequent hotel changes.

Wi-fi. Free wi-fi is standard across the vast majority of Scandinavian hotels at all price points.

Tea and coffee. Unlike hotels in many other parts of the world, Scandinavian accommodation at the 3-star level rarely provides in-room tea and coffee facilities. There may be a kettle, but often nothing to go with it. Many hotels do offer complimentary tea and coffee in the reception area or lobby, so it is worth asking on arrival. If this matters to you, it is worth checking with us beforehand or bringing a small supply of your own.

Lunch in winter. On itineraries that include lunch during the winter months, expect a warm soup with bread rather than a full cooked meal. This is entirely typical across the region and often very good.

Remote hotels in Lapland. At more remote properties in the far north, the hotel or lodge where you are staying will be your only realistic dining option for dinner. This is entirely normal and nothing to be concerned about. Menus are typically limited to one or two main course choices, but the food is generally home-cooked and reflects the local landscape and ingredients well.

Laundry. Self-service washing machines and dryers are typically located in the basement. If you are staying in apartment-style accommodation and cannot find them, ask at reception.

Practical budgeting information before your departure to Norway

Budget surprises

Norway has a few items that typically surprise first-time visitors. Alcohol and luxury goods are heavily taxed, so prices are higher than you might expect. On the other hand, everyday necessities such as bread and milk are taxed at a lower rate and are generally good value. Eating and drinking out, particularly in restaurants and bars, is where most travellers feel the difference most acutely.

Alcohol import allowance into Norway

If you enjoy a drink, it is worth bringing your full duty-free allowance into Norway when you arrive. Alcohol bought in Norway is significantly more expensive than in most other countries, and there are many lovely parks, hotel terraces and balconies where you can enjoy what you have brought with you.

Current allowances for travellers entering Norway are set by Norwegian Customs. For the most up-to-date figures, check the official allowances at toll.no before you travel, as these are subject to change. As a general guide, the current duty-free quota for spirits, wine and beer follows a tiered system that allows you to mix and match within set limits. Note that beverages with more than 60% alcohol by volume cannot be imported at all, and you must be over 20 to import spirits above 22% ABV.

It is illegal to bring more than the permitted allowance into Norway without declaring it and paying duty. Customs checks do occur, particularly at ferry and land border crossings.

A few other things worth knowing

One thing that catches many travellers by surprise is the cost of razor blades. Good quality razor blades in Norway are expensive compared to most countries, so it is worth stocking up before you arrive.

Recommended Scandinavian Winter Tour Packing List

This is a general packing checklist for Scandinavian winter travel. You don’t need everything every day, but these items cover most winter conditions across the region.

If you’re new to winter travel, start with our guide to travelling in Scandinavia during winter to understand what conditions are really like. For practical advice on managing luggage and day-to-day winter travel, see our Lapland winter packing advice, and for detailed guidance on what to wear and how to layer, read our Snow Clothing Essentials guide.

Outer layers

• Warm windproof and waterproof jacket and trousers, large enough for thick layers underneath
• Rain trousers in waterproof, breathable material

Base and mid layers

• Two pairs of long woollen underwear (merino wool in different thicknesses works well)
• One to two warm woollen jumpers, or a jumper and a fleece
• Woollen or fleece trousers

Accessories for warmth

• Warm windproof hat
• Warm gloves or mittens (mittens are often warmer than gloves)
• Waterproof outer gloves or mittens to wear over warm gloves
• Warm scarf
• Hand warmers

Footwear

• Warm, sturdy winter footwear with good grip
• Two to three pairs of warm woollen socks
• Optional: Nordic Grip anti-slip soles for walking on ice (buy in destination if needed)
• Slippers or Uggboots for indoors (note: it's generally frowned upon to wear shoes indoors)

Everyday and practical items

• Backpack for day trips (around 30 litres)
• Clothes for indoors, such as shirts, T-shirts and jeans or cotton trousers
• Thermo water bottle or insulated cover

Health, documents and electronics

• Personal medication
• Travel documents (including insurance)
• Photo ID
• Camera, memory cards and charger
• Chargers for other gadgets
• Extra camera batteries (cold conditions drain batteries quickly)
• Adapters
• Notebook and pencil

Sun and eye protection

• Sunscreen and lip salve
• Sunglasses

Self-catering in Norway

Written by Jayde Kincaid, an Australian who married a Norwegian, and was happily (albeit with some hesitation) introduced to a world of Norwegian every day food habits.

At 50 Degrees North, we want to encourage our travellers to try local Norwegian food and drink. This may seem daunting in Norway, where restaurants and cafés can be expensive and some of the more remote villages have limited options. There is certainly no street food. One of the best ways to sample local flavours without stretching the budget is by self-catering. You will find friendly locals in small town grocery stores and supermarkets who are happy to help you pick out ingredients. Don't be shy, ask. And don't rush: make the local supermarket part of your holiday experience. Read the notice boards, and enjoy an ice cream out the front when you have finished. It is what the locals do.

Note: Statoil cups - Circle K petrol stations sell a reusable travel cup that gives you free refills of coffee, tea and hot chocolate at any Circle K station. A handy way to save money as you drive around Norway.

Grocery shopping in remote Norway

Norway has an extensive range of grocery stores, and in most small villages you will find at least one, sometimes two or three. Opening hours are limited, and most chains are closed on Sundays, with the exception of Bunnpris. Weekend hours are usually displayed in brackets on the sign out front. If you are heading into the mountains or along a remote coastal route, stock up with staples before you leave a larger town.

A few tips:

• Plastic bags cost NOK 1–2 and you will always need to pack your own shopping.
• Bottles and cans can be recycled at machines found in all stores in exchange for a receipt you can cash in at the till. Norwegians take this seriously and so should you.
• Alcohol sold in food stores, mainly beer and cider, is restricted to certain hours by law. On weekdays sales stop at 8pm and on Saturdays at 6pm. Outside these hours and on Sundays, alcohol is only available in licensed restaurants and bars.
• Any alcohol above 4.7% ABV can only be purchased at Vinmonopolet, the government-controlled liquor store. These are rare in smaller towns and villages, so stock up before you leave the city.

Things to try from a general grocery store:

Meatballs or “meatcakes’: these come in all shapes, sizes and quality. They are generally really tasty, a step up from what you find at IKEA. Pick up a packet of dried ready-made brown sauce to go with them, and look out for lingonberry sauce or jam to serve alongside. Lingonberries are the little red circular berries served quite tart. If you want to make the brown sauce yourself, buy some brunost (brown cheese) and follow the recipe at the bottom of this page.

Hotdogs: known as pølse in Norwegian, hot dogs are the definitive fast food of Norway. They are sold at petrol stations, newsagents, corner stores and fast food outlets, and come with a dazzling variety of toppings and breads. Highlights include the bacon-wrapped variety sprinkled with dried onion, mustard and mayonnaise. You will also find them wrapped in waffles, mostly in and around Fredrikstad, or in lompe, the Norwegian flatbread pancake. Like Norwegian beer, pølse comes in seasonal varieties, with Christmas pølse (julepølse) appearing in the weeks before the holidays. Steer away from the tinned varieties.

Fish cakes: these come in many variations and are generally served with a white sauce and plenty of parsley. Often found in fish shops, fried or steamed and ready to eat. A great quick snack.

Reindeer: if you are travelling in the far north, try reindeer meat. It generally comes frozen, so look for finely cut reindeer in the freezer section. It is more expensive than other meats but absolutely delicious, if quite gamey. Fry it with mushrooms, a little brown cheese and rømme (crème fraîche), a bit like a beef stroganoff. Serve with boiled potatoes or rice.

Mushrooms: if you are travelling during the chanterelle season in mid to late August, look for the yellow mushrooms in the pine forests. You can pick them yourself, but image search them first so you know what you are looking for. They are wonderful with the brown cheese sauce and reindeer.

Salmon, prawns & fish: always look out for a chance to buy fresh fish. Look for local fish kiosks or fish shops, or small roadside signs pointing to fresh fish sales. The words to look for are reker (small shrimps, not prawns) and fersk fisk (fresh fish). Norwegian shrimps are small, sweet and harvested from the cool North Sea. Peel them and pile them on fresh white bread with mayonnaise, dill, pepper and salt. Norwegian smoked salmon is exceptional. Try the different varieties where you can, and in larger supermarkets or delis you can often taste before you buy.

Tubed ‘kaviar’ (caviar): cheap, practical and a genuine Norwegian staple. This is the thing Jayde's Norwegian husband craves the way an Australian abroad craves Vegemite.

Pre-made dips and salads: Norwegian supermarkets carry a wide range of premade salads and dips with a reasonable shelf life, ideal for sandwiches and picnics. The cubed beetroot salad and potato salads are particularly good. They come in easy-to-carry containers and tubed mayonnaise travels well too. Leverpostei (liver pâté) is also worth trying, served on brown bread with sliced red onion or sweet pickles. It is found on most Norwegian breakfast tables.

Yoghurt: a small warning here. Norwegian yoghurt comes in styles ranging from thick and creamy to very runny and sour. The runny variety sometimes comes in a carton that looks exactly like a milk carton. Sour runny yoghurt is not nice in your coffee. When in doubt, ask a local.

Bread: supermarket bread in Norway generally comes uncut. There are bread cutting machines near the bakery section in most stores, and staff are happy to help the first time. The bread can be fairly plain in the main supermarkets, so look for boutique bakeries in larger towns if you enjoy something more interesting. Keep an eye out for lefse, the Norwegian flatbread similar to a soft tortilla, usually served with butter and sugar, sometimes with cinnamon, and occasionally made with potato.

Waffles: Norwegian waffle stalls are the equivalent of a sausage sizzle. They are the most common community fundraising food and turn up everywhere. Do not expect sweet jam and whipped cream. These are fresh, chewy waffles served with sour cream and homemade tart berry jam. Never walk past one.

Chocolate: try Freia milk chocolate while you are here. It is genuinely excellent.

Berries: in early autumn, roughly mid to late August, the forests come alive with berries. Ask a local where to look and head up into the hills. You may find blueberries, lingonberries, raspberries, and if you are in the far north or the central mountains, the rare and prized yellow cloudberry.

Norwegian farm Produce

On a self-drive journey, always slow down for small farm shops and roadside stands.

Strawberries: if you are travelling during strawberry season, stop. Norwegian strawberries, grown in soil that has rested through a long winter, are extraordinary. If you pass a self-pick farm, put everything else on hold and go in. Norwegians wait all year for this.

New potatoes: look for new season potatoes sold in small stands beside the road, often on an honesty system where you take a bag and leave the money in a tin.

CLASSIC RECIPE: brown cheese sauce

Basic Brown Cheese Recipe – can be used with meatballs, reindeer, with added mushrooms.
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 3⁄4 cup light cream
• 1⁄2 cup chicken broth (optional - just use water if you cannot find this)
• 1 cup shredded gjetost or brown goats cheese
• 3⁄4 cup rømme (crème fraiche)
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley or 2 tablespoons fresh dill

Using the pan from your browned meat, remove as much oil as possible and blend in the butter and flour over heat. Remove from heat and blend in the cream. Add the broth, return to heat and bring to the boil, stirring until thickened. Mix in the gjetost. Turn the heat to low. Blend a little of the sauce into the rømme to temper it, then stir it all back into the pan. Add the parsley or dill and serve.

Happy shopping and cooking!