Tromso

The northernmost big city in the world, the northernmost university town, and well north of the Arctic Circle. But summertime is surprisingly mild, and also coupled with the fact there is sunlight for 24 hours, you don’t really need much in the way of warm clothes. Stay by the harbor side. Beware of seagulls. There was a great pizza parlor next to our hotel, and no sooner had I got my pizza, I had to fend off menacing seagulls all looking for a slice. Go for a walk in the town, visit the university area, stroll by the harbor, go to the oceanic center and watch the seals, ask the locals if they have seen polar bears (please note – polar bears are NOT found on the Norwegian mainland, they are only seen in Svalbard, an island several hundred miles north of even Tromso). Finally, climb to the top of the hill to see the midnight sun in all its glory, when it dips but never goes below the horizon, and again comes back up.