Tromsø Shopping

Central supermarket in town.

What to buy: If you are looking for lunch then visit the serve yourself salad bar in the Co-op. Not only do you get the usual salad fare, but you can pile on peeled shrimps and scampi into your salad bowl! I suppose up in Tromso they are cheaper than tomatoes and cucumbers. One of the highlights of my trip!

Rieber is a company based in Tromsø and Bergen. The company deals in many things, and marine mammals is one of them, traditionally whaling and sealing. They still purchase meat and hides from sealers and whalers, and their operations appear clean and legal.
They do seal skin products extremely well and some of their range of products is available on the internet as well as in a well-hidden shop on the Tromsødal side of town. There is no outlet in town apart from a few products available at Husfliden, the souvenir shops and at the Polaria museum shop.
The internet shop is of limited value, with very few products available.

What to buy: Seal skin clothing for cold-weather wear and luxury use. Very good cold-weather hats, gloves, anoraks, parkas etc.

What to pay: Depends on the quality of the actual hand made product, and the size and complexity. A good parka will be above NOK 13.000, a good hat about NOK 1000.

Storgata, Tromsø’s main pedestrian street, is a treasure trove of different shops selling local and international products. Many visitors to the city leave with a painting or print from one of the city’s

many galleries, something nice from our glass blowing or candle making studios, a handmade clothing garment, a pendant that just happens to take their fancy or perhaps Arctic delicacies like reindeer sausages or stock fish.

The typical Troms thing does not exist - at least not for purchase. Sami handicrafts and other locally manufactured stuff is also difficult to find, except during the tourist season when some Sami people set up booths at the Torget market square.
There is some neat handicraft production going on (clothing, jewelry, fur items) but you will not find this easily in Tromsø's shops. The Rieber seal fur aoutlet is across the Tromsø bridge. There is a limited selection of their stuff at Polaria's souvenir shop.
The two downtown souvenir shops keeping open for the Hurtigrute passengers up til 6 pm have good (but the normal choice of) sweaters and a generally tacky selection of souvenirs.
A couple of jewelry shops sell some local stuff that is appreciated and one shop is in Storgaten's pedestrian zone, the other across from the main church in a side street off Storgaten.
The book shops' selections are limited.
It is in fact surprising that Tromsø with such a high pro-tourism verbal profile has little to show for itself

What to buy: Coming northbound by Hurtigruten, the choice of relevant purchases is much better in Ålesund, very close to the beginning of the trip. Fould weather gear likewise, the shops in Tromsø are closed when hurtigruten arrives.

For me the best souvenir shop in the city.
I found many trolls, eachone nicer than the other one. Different sizes also.
Don't miss wood made stuff in the back of the shop and books about Trolls history and names.

What to buy: Absolutely don't miss the Trolls and the books about their history.

This large grocery store is right on the main road from the cruise ship dock to the bridge. You can get whatever supplies you might need for a picnic. Hot food is also available.

What to buy: For us chocoholics, we were impressed by the chocolate selection. The Freya milk chocolate was quite good, as was another brand that featured 60% cocoa mass. We bought several bars for gifts, but I must confess not all of it made it home, making for some disappointed co-workers. Next time, we'll have to be sure to buy more than we need... ;)