What to do During Winter in Trondheim

With a population of 187,000 Trondheim is the third largest city in Norway. The town has more than 30,000 students, which reflects the wide range of activities and things to do. It’s also a city with a rich cultural history and beautiful architecture that attracts tourists from all over the world.

Trondheim is a city that has a lot to offer during the winter months either you prefer staying inside at a museum or being active out in the snow. The city is well known for high-quality restaurants and cozy cafeterias but it’s also a popular destination for outdoors enthusiasts.

Bymarka is the perfect place to visit in Trondheim for those interested in enjoying time in the beautiful snow-covered landscape. This popular nature reserve lays just outside the city center and is easily accessible by public transportation such as a bus or the tram, or by car.

If you travel by public transportation you’ll be able to take on the skis right outside the bus or tram stop and begin skiing along the 120km of maintained tracks.

For those who don’t have cross-country skis, these can be rented at Skistua, which also is a popular starting point for many travelers. The cafeteria offers various warm and cold dishes but if you really want to have the Norwegian experience you should stop at the cafeteria after your trip and enjoy a hot chocolate and a waffle.

Granåsen is Trondheim’s main winter sports arena and it's connected to the Bymarka area. During winter season various sporting events such as the World Cup events in Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined are held there.

If you’re visiting when such an event is ongoing be sure to visit the arena and experience the Nordic culture. While watching these events be sure to buy a hot dog and a hot chocolate to keep warm!

Looking for a little adrenaline and excitement in your vacation? How about hitting the slopes at Vassfjellet Ski Park?

In total there are 6 slopes of different difficulties and the alpine facility is suitable for skiers of all levels. There’s also a smaller slope for complete beginners and a freestyle park for those enjoying spending more time in the air than on the ground.

If you’re visiting Trondheim between the 9^th and 18^th of December, be sure to stop by the Christmas Market and get in the Christmas spirit with traditional Norwegian cakes, local food, cultural events and art.

During its 10 days, the market hosts 130 events such as concerts, theaters, talks, horse and sleigh rides and of course you can enjoy local food and beverage around a fire while listening to Norwegian folk tales.

The market is best enjoyed during blue hour, when the sun has just set, as the lights turn on and the real Christmas spirit appears.

Not a big fan of spending the days outside in the cold? Don’t worry! Trondheim has many indoor activities during winter too. Spending the day at Pirbadet is a good alternative and you can stay warm inside while still having a great view of the Trondheim Fjord.

Pirbadet is Norway’s largest indoor water park and is located in the transition between the Trondheim Fjord and land. This allows you to swim inside in a warm pool while watching the waves right on the other side of the glass.

Unlike places such as Lofoten, Tromsø and in general the northern Norway, Trondheim is not particularly known for northern lights. That, however, does not mean that there isn't a possibility of seeing the Aurora Borealis here.

Actually, Trondheim does have quite a lot of northern lights and on active days it can be just as good as further north. However, since Trondheim is a relatively large town the amount of light pollution makes it hard to see the northern lights from the streets.

Image by Grete Øiamo

To increase the likelihood of seeing the northern lights in Trondheim you need to get away from the city center and find an open field that has a good view towards the north. For more tips on how you can see the northern lights take a look at our article: Northern Lights in Norway