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I talk about it a lot, and maybe I’m spreading this island around a bit too much, but Senja really is my favorite place in Norway. Sumptuous landscapes with fjords in a row, iconic mountains, white sandy beaches with turquoise water, and few people, if any (except in summer, when it’s quite popular).
So yes, come and visit Senja! Even if you’re in Tromso, you can visit the island for a day or two (two is better! but maybe it doesn’t fit well into your itinerary). That’s a big day, but it’s perfectly possible to spend a nice day here and make the return trip in the same day.
I’ll explain it all to you, tell you how to optimize your day, how to get here. Let’s have a look!
Oh, and unfortunately, it’s not possible to visit the island by public transport. You can get to Finnsnes from Tromso, but after that there won’t be any buses to take you to the tourist spots. Sorry!
What to see in Senja in one day
For this version, I’m going to assume that you take the ferry from Tromso (Brensholmen) to Senja early in the morning. I’ll go into more detail later, but it really is more convenient! And stay until evening, or even night if the sky is clear, to see the aurora.
The best thing is to sleep close to the ferry, so you can catch it as early as possible. I’d definitely recommend the Sommaroy Arctic Hotel, in a magnificent setting.
So leave early! That’s my first piece of advice.
If you leave from Tromso, then you have to drive to Sommaroy, and this road is magnificent. The drive without stopping takes an easy hour. So with a few stops, it’s a good 1.5 hours. Plan well in advance, because you’ll be taking photos along the way!
Once in Botnhamn, things get serious. Here’s the route I recommend you take:
- Head straight for Husoy, the fishermen’s island, a truly atypical place with a very special atmosphere, linked to Senja by a recently built dike. The view over the island from the car is incredible.
- Next, go to Fjordgard. I love the view from the village, and there’s also a view of mountains like Segla.
- From here, you’ll take a panoramic road that I love, to Mefjordvaer, a nice little town. There, if you have time, go to the top of the small hill overlooking the village. It’s a 10-minute walk max.
- Did you like it? This is just the beginning! Then head next door to the famous devil’s teeth, Tungeneset. A typical toothless mountain. You’ve got a good walking area, but be extra careful because it’s slippery and there’s a lot of current. Definitely take your crampons and enjoy!
- There’s also a lovely view at Steinfjord, with places to rest and have lunch.
- And then, hop! On to the Bergsbotn platform, a magnificent viewpoint over a round fjord. It’s also a great vantage point for the aurora, but it’s pretty windy.
- There are some nice beaches next to Hamn, but I’d advise you to head straight for Gryllefjord, stopping at Ballesvika beach. I like this spot because it offers a lovely view of the mountains.
- And then take the road into Gryllefjord, especially the bridge! Put your car down after the bridge on the left, there’s a parking lot and you can walk across the bridge to take photos. It’s the 2nd most beautiful view on the island, in my opinion, after Sifjord (but you won’t normally have enough time in a single day).
- If the road isn’t snow-covered and icy, you can drive around the fjord and go to the top – the view over the fjord is really beautiful.
- Otherwise, head straight for the village of Gryllefjord. You’ve earned yourself a coffee or a polse at the grill!
If you’ve got the time (I doubt it, unless you’ve got really long days), continue on to Torsken. It’s really the end of the road and the view is really pretty, especially at the top of the pass.
Alternatively, if you’re looking for a little variety, head back to Tromso by road:
- drive to Bergsbotn as before
- take the main road heading south
- head for Sifjord for a final treat
To get an idea of distances and what the route looks like, I suggest you use my map of Senja, which you can access by clicking here!
To get back to Tromso, it’s not quicker to take the ferry. After all, you have to cross the whole island and take the Sommaroy road again. So you can come back by road, it’s about 3h30/4h from Gryllefjord, but with quite a lot of fast road once you’re off the island (watch out for speed cameras on the Finnsnes side!)
But if the weather is good, you can stay in Senja to see the northern lights and return to Tromso at night.
I love watching the aurora in Senja because there are lots of great places to see them:
- Tungeneset
- Bergsbotn
- Ballesvika beach
- around Mefjordvaer
- Anderdalen Park, for example
So it’s definitely worth it, for a slightly different experience (and fewer crowds).
Driving to Senja for the day
Take the ferry from Tromso to Senja
The ferry between Tromso and Senja is super-convenient, providing a 45-minute link between the port of Brensholmen (1h from Tromso, below Sommaroy) and Botnhamn (eastern end of Senja, but not far from the fjord route).
So you need to take it early, the first ferry is at 8:45 a.m. In low season there are no other ferries in the morning, but one around 10 a.m. from May onwards. Otherwise it’s 12:45, which can be a bit late if it gets dark early. So be sure to check the timetables on entur.no! And beware, there are even fewer ferries on Saturdays and Sundays. The price is around NOK 220 per trip (depending on the type of car).
You can’t book the ferry, so you need to arrive relatively early (especially in summer), but the boat takes about 30/35 vehicles, so it’s “normally” fine. And you pay with your Skytellpass badge (or other) or Autopass plate reader.
If you want to save time, you can stay close to the ferry, at the Sommaroy Arctic Hotel. It’s not necessarily a bad idea, as you can drive to Sommaroy the day before, take your time and enjoy it, so you can get more sleep the next morning to catch the first ferry without it being a race. And what’s more, you get a great night’s sleep there.
Getting to Senja by road
If you have the chance, take the ferry (the view is superb) but you can also go by car. From Tromso, it’s a good 2h30 to enter the island, but it takes another hour to reach the interesting parts.
On the way, you’ll pass one of the cheapest service stations in the region (the top one being at Bardufoss), the one where you turn right to go to Senja in Olsborg.
The stretch between Storsteinnes and Finnsnes isn’t particularly impressive; it’s classic but straightforward, so you won’t waste any time.
Then I’d say that the advantage of taking this road is that you can change your itinerary a little instead of doing the whole northern route. You can go first to Sifjord and then up to Bergsbotn, Tungeneset and on.
If you continue on the northern route eastwards and don’t want to stay for the aurora, then you can take the last ferry, but it depends on the season, as sometimes the last one is at 6 pm, sometimes at 10 pm. Be sure to check!
Organized excursions to Senja from Tromsø
If you don’t have a car, as there’s no public transport to visit Senja, then you’re left with the new and exciting agency option.
From Tromso, day trips are usually to Sommaroy or Grotfjord. Two great places. But now some agencies are offering day trips to Senja, leaving early and taking the Sommaroy route. It’s a pretty busy day because you have to take the ferry, but it’s great because you get to see the main sights of Senja.
So yes, it’s a bit more expensive than a classic outing, but it lasts twice as long and it’s further. And best of all, it’s Senja!
You have several providers, especially for the Chinese (yes yes!) so sorting them out, here’s what I’d recommend:
- NorWonder, from 160€, a Chinese-speaking agency, but they also speak English, so it goes very well. Just avoid the Chinese New Year period, when it’s very busy!
- FRAMTours, a classic agency, this tour is longer and more renowned, but also a little more expensive (230€). The tour is in English.
Practical information about visiting Senja
- Is the visit worth it?
- Absolutely worth it! Even if it’s only a glimpse of Senja, it’s a great one. By car, you’ll be more flexible and will probably be able to see more than by agency, but I’d say that, above all, it will make you want to come for longer!
- In which season to do this outing
- Oh, Senja is beautiful all year round! Summer under the sun, winter under the snow, the colors of autumn… However, I recommend less when the days are very short (December, January), as you have very little time to visit the island with light. I still recommend it, but less so.
- See the Northern Lights at Senja
- If you’re on Senja and you see that the sky is clear, stay for the aurora! As I said before, it’s a really great place to watch them. And in iconic places like Bergsbotn, Tungeneset, opposite Segla…
- If you want to stay longer
- This is a great idea! You can easily stay 3/4 days in Senja. There aren’t many roads, but they’re long and spectacular. So on the following days, you can push on to Gryllefjord if you haven’t had time, you can head off to Sifjord and visit Anderdalen Park, and then further afield. In short, there’s plenty to do!
- Where to stay in Senja
- If you want to stay on site (and it’s a great idea to do so), then I recommend the hotels Mefjord Brygge in Mefjordvaer or Hamn i Senja. Both are on the waterfront, facing the mountains and quite central.
- Do a weather check first
- If the weather looks bad, the trip and the visit can be complicated. If it’s too windy, the boat won’t leave. And if it’s too cloudy or too snowy, you won’t see any of the scenery, which is a shame, because that’s what you’re there for! So check the weather and cloud cover. Yr.no in particular, but more specifically on Ventusky and Windy.
- Spacious and bright apartments
- Magnificent fjord views
- Close to shops and hiking trails
- Hearty breakfast included
- Sea view rooms
- Boat excursions available
- Close to "Devil's Teeth"
- Gourmet restaurant on-site
- Ideal spot for northern lights
- Spacious sea view chalets
- Deck for northern lights viewing
- Gourmet restaurant (reindeer)
In conclusion
So, after all that, if you don’t want to visit Senja, one of the most beautiful places in Norway, I don’t know what more I can do :p More seriously, it’s really an incredible place. Okay, it’s a big day, but it can honestly be done! I do it from time to time, but I must admit that I take advantage of it to stay in the evenings too, for the auroras.
The ferry is very convenient if you’re not too far from Sommaroy, and it takes you directly to the fjord route. So go for it! It fits in perfectly with your Tromso itinerary. And if you ever want to discover the region for longer, here’s a great 2-week itinerary between Tromso, Senja and the Lofoten Islands
Additional resources on Senja and northern Norway
I’ve written quite a bit about Senja, Tromso and the region, so here are the main articles that might interest you:
- What to do in Senja – here you’ll find all the information you need to get the most out of the island.
- Staying in Senja – the best hotels (okay, there aren’t many) and conveniently located apartments!
- Take the ferry from Tromso to Senja – super convenient, this ferry can save you a lot of time
- Senja map – an interactive map with all the best places to see and practical information.
- Visiting Tromso – similarly, a pillar article with all the information you need to prepare your stay in the capital of the Northern Lights!
- All the things to do in Tromso – I’ve listed all the things to do in Tromso, as well as the service providers, so you can make comparisons!
- Accommodation in Tromso – hotels, convenient apartments, in the center or quiet, I tell you everything!
- Discover the Lofoten Islands – everything you need to know to visit Norway’s most beautiful landscapes!
