Fascinating northern lights, impressive humpback whales and orcas right on your doorstep, adventurous snowshoe hikes and a stroll through Tromsø, Norway's northernmost city. Northern Norway in winter is addictive. Outside as well as inside. Because when it's stormy outside, an interesting book in front of a cosy fireplace, cinnamon buns from the oven and healthy sweating in the sauna by the fjord are waiting inside.

Every Saturday in the winter half-year, a non-stop flight from Switzerland takes you to the north of Norway in just under four hours. The arrival formalities are quickly completed and you already have your luggage back. It's stormy outside. That is not uncommon here. But with a winter-proof rental car equipped with spikes, even the Norwegian winter storms are easy to master and get you from A to B on dry feet. Or like us: from Tromsø airport to the neighbouring island of Kvaløya. Here I rented a rorbu with my family directly on the fjord. The converted red fisherman's cottages are equipped with everything you need for a winter holiday in Northern Norway: a cosy living room with a fireplace, a wooden terrace with a fabulous view of the fjord and a sauna just around the corner. This is a good way to spend a week or two. If you come here between the end of November and mid-January, you can even experience the polar night. The sun doesn't make it over the horizon. But that doesn't mean it's pitch black all day. At 10 am it dawns and between 12 and 3 pm there are excellent light conditions to explore the surroundings. When it gets dark again, everyone starts to get nervous.

The app is checked, is the Northern Lights coming or are thick clouds hiding the spectacle in the sky? There is still time for one or two saunas. To cool down, simply jump into the cold fjord water or trudge barefoot through the snow.

Afterwards, there is time for a good book and a delicious coffee, accompanied by fragrant cinnamon buns from the oven. And the gaze always wanders outside. The chances are good today - the sky is clear and the atmosphere cold. To see the hoped-for northern lights, all you have to do is open the door and stand right in front of the cottage on the terrace. We are lucky! Around 6pm the sky brightens and the lights start dancing, the green reflecting in the fjord, what a spectacle! If you want to photograph auroras, be sure to pack a tripod. Otherwise the pictures will be blurred because you have to set a long exposure time. And look for a place where light pollution is as low as possible.

The next day brings the next spectacle - not in the sky, but on water. A blow in the fjord makes our hearts beat faster. Humpback whales and orcas gather in the waters around Tromsø between October and January for the big meal; during this time there are plenty of herring - the hunting season is open. This spectacle can easily be arranged by boat through a local organiser, or if you're lucky - as in our case - you can watch the whales up close and free of charge from the shore as they form circles, blowing huge bubbles of air to scare the herring, and then shoot up to the surface together as a group of whales, mouths wide open to grab as many fish as possible.

More contemplative, but no less interesting, is an excursion to the pleasant town of Tromsø.

The gateway to the Arctic, or "Paris of the North", is the largest city in Northern Norway with a population of just under 75,000 and is not half as sleepy as one might expect. On the contrary: almost 12,000 students, a very lively city centre as well as the fantastically beautiful nature around the town ensure that one does not get bored. The centre can be easily explored on foot. The pavements are snow-free thanks to integrated heating. Things to discover in the old town include Mack's Brewery, the northernmost brewery in the world, the Cathedral Church in the town centre and the old Bryggen quarter, where the Polar Museum is also located. Those interested in the history of polar expeditions should take a look at the museum, which is run by the University of Tromsø. Here you can learn all about the various polar expeditions, polar bears and explorers like Roald Amundsen. It's also worth visiting Polaria, where films about Spitsbergen and the Northern Lights are shown, for example. On the Arctic tour you can learn how the melting of the ice affects nature. The native fish of the Barents Sea and bearded seals can also be admired here.

Of course, a visit to the Ice Sea Cathedral, the northernmost cathedral in the world, which impresses with its 23-metre-high glass mosaic, is not to be missed in Tromsø. Concerts are held regularly in both the summer and winter months.

From here, and with a little time and stamina, you could climb the local mountain, Storstein. It is also easily accessible by cable car Fjellheisen. At the top, there is a postcard view of the city with the striking arched bridge and the Ice Sea Cathedral. With a bit of luck, you can also photograph the dancing northern lights above the illuminated city from up here in winter. Tip: Don't buy the ticket from the driver first, but get it at the Narvesen Shop, for example, where you can load the required rides. This makes the trip much cheaper, instead of 50 NOK you pay 30 NOK each way.

Back in town and before heading back to the cosy cottage on Kvaløya, I recommend a well-deserved coffee break at Risø, where you can get a delicious café latte with milk foam topping, a tasty slice of apple pie and a cosy sitting area with a view of the street. Tromsø also offers various options for filling your belly, a particularly popular place is Emma's dream kitchen - Drømmekjøkken - just opposite the big church. Here Emma serves local specialities. How about reindeer fillet, celery mashed potatoes and blueberry sauce? And for dessert, a lemon sorbet with vodka. Food is generally expensive in Norway, but the prices at Emma are fair in comparison, the quality of the food is excellent and the team is nice.

If you are looking for even more variety for your trip to the far north, there are countless activities to do in Tromsø and the wider area. Whether it's a dog sled ride, a visit to a reindeer farm or a speedy ride on a snowmobile, you're sure to find an experience that suits your taste.