See the Northern Lights this half term

This is the absolute best time to try to catch a glimpse of the illusive beauty of the Northern Lights. With the value of the Norwegian Krone down approx. 25 % since summer 2008, and with the British Pound keeping its value against the Norwegian Krone - Norway hasn’t been cheaper for decades.

In February, the length of the day is close to the same as in the UK, but the evenings are dark, and perfect for Northern Light viewing. The good times last well into March, when daytime temperatures tend to be milder. But after March 21st, the aurora starts to fade away…

Tromsø has a lot to offer for a winter break. Activities in the snow is refreshing as well as fun, ranging from the popular dog sledding through reindeer sledding, snowmobiling and ice fishing. Go out in the daytime to enjoy the sight of the magnificent, snow clad landscapes with fjords, island and mountains towering up to 1800m/6000ft. The evening, however, is set aside for the Northern Lights, so make sure you’re out and about in the dark.

The cultural scene is also highly interesting, and the major festival recommendation in February is the Sami week (the Sami were previously known as Laps) from February 2- 8. The grand finale of the Sami week is on Sunday February 8, when the National Reindeer sledding championship makes use of the Main Street of Tromsø as a race track.

In the first week of March is the Latin Music Festival, featuring Latin-American music, including a samba parade in the snow (nosiestafiesta.no).

Tromsø is easy to reach, norwegian.no has a direct flight twice a week to London Stansted.

3-night Tromso Break from Specialised Tours

Specialised Tours is offering a 3-night Tromso Break with flights from Heathrow and three nights Bed & Breakfast in either the four-star Radisson SAS or the Rica Ishavshotel at £735 p.p. They also offer a very good value full-day Husky Safari excursion (or evening Northern Lights Husky Safari) which has been reduced to £150 p.p. It includes scenic transfers of around an hour each way, into the inland region (which offers the best chances of Northern Lights), plus warm clothing a hot meal and an unforgettable safari. Similar Snowmobile safaris are available at £160 p.p.

Book now at specialisedtours.com.

For more information on Tromsø, visit destinasjontromso.no.