Settlements and inhabitation of the city have been traced as far back as the Ice Age. The first known and recognized culture to have existed in the region was that of the Sami people.
Tromsø municipality is the largest in Northern Norway, with a population of 78 thousand. The city is also one of the largest north of the Arctic circle. The population is surprisingly international, with more than 100 nationalities represented.
From 18 May to 26 July, Tromsø experiences the midnight sun. This is when the sun does not dip below the horizon at night, and the city is bathed in a long twilight period in which it doesn’t get dark, even though the sun has set.
From 26 November to 15 January, it’s the polar nights, when the sun does not rise. The city doesn’t go completely dark, but for a few hours during the early afternoon, there is some twilight-like light, often with a beautiful blue or purple tint.
The city centre contains the highest number of old wooden houses in Northern Norway, the oldest dating from 1789.
