In 60 seconds
Situated midway between mainland Norway and the North Pole at 78° North, Svalbard is an untamed Arctic desert of ice fields, calved tidewater glaciers and tundra roaming with polar bears, reindeer and arctic foxes. From the colourful frontier settlement of Longyearbyen, boat safaris cruise ice fjords in summer and snowmobiles cross frozen valleys beneath the midnight sun and dark polar nights.
Best for
Known for
Skip if
You are looking for self-guided unguided solo hikes without certified polar bear protection, or warm temperate weather.
Your match
Choose a few travel interests and we will show how well Svalbard fits them. Choose interests
See
The things that would make the trip incomplete without them.
Award-winning natural and cultural history museum
An award-winning museum in Longyearbyen detailing 400 years of whaling, coal mining and polar wildlife in the Arctic archipelago.
Famous permafrost portal preserving world crop diversity
The iconic concrete entrance portal carved deep into the permafrost of Platåberget, housing the world's backup crop seeds.
Catamaran boat cruise past tidewater glaciers and wildlife
A high-Arctic catamaran cruise across Isfjorden past towering tidewater glacier fronts, bird cliffs and ghost mining settlements.
Eat
A short list, kept short on purpose. Each entry answers one question: when is this the right choice?
Worth planning the evening around.
Historic fine dining outpost with legendary wine cellar
A world-renowned Nordic fine dining institution set in a historic 1951 community building boasting one of Europe's largest wine cellars.
Panoramic French-Nordic dining overlooking Longyearbyen
Panoramic dining high on Haugen ridge offering French-Nordic cuisine, king crab and views over Longyearbyen and the fjord.
Mornings, and the slow hour between things.
World's northernmost chocolaterie and café
The world's northernmost chocolaterie and café serving handcrafted polar bear chocolates, sourdough toasties and specialty coffee.
Relaxed coffee shop shared with friendly retired sled dogs
A relaxing coffee shop and gift store in Longyearbyen where visitors can enjoy warm lattes alongside friendly retired sled dogs.
Too few picks yet for their own heading, so they share this list.
Rustic wooden pub and steakhouse with polar artefacts
A cosy, atmospheric wooden pub and steakhouse lined with rough timber and historical polar gear serving hearty steaks and reindeer stew.
Maritime tavern inspired by whaling station cookhouses
A welcoming wharfside restaurant celebrating traditional whaling and seal-hunting camp recipes, whale steaks and hearty lunches.
Beyond the obvious
Less obvious, rarely queued for, and usually the part people remember.
Atmospheric preserved coal mine exploration tour
An authentic, frozen-in-time coal mine where visitors don helmets and miners' overalls to crawl into low shafts preserved from the 1970s.
Intimate museum of heroic aviation airship expeditions
An intimate independent museum charting daring polar flights and airship expeditions by Roald Amundsen and Umberto Nobile.
After dark
World's northernmost craft brewery on the Arctic shoreline
The world's northernmost craft brewery brewing crisp pilsners and stouts using pure meltwater from 2,000-year-old Bogerbreen glacier.
Bustling town pub with craft taps and wood-fired pizza
A bustling sports and taproom pub in central Longyearbyen serving local draught beers, burgers and warm hearth hospitality.
Orientation
How the city is actually divided, and what each part is for.
Frontier high Arctic settlement
The main town lined with colourful timber cabins, outdoor expedition outfitters, research centres and restaurants.
Historic miners' settlement up the valley
Former coal miners' barracks beneath steep scree slopes now housing student residences, guesthouses and art studios.
Stay
Areas rather than hotels — pick the right one and the rest follows.
Expedition hotels and lodges
Walking access to all town dining, museums, tour pickup points and duty-free provisions.
Practical
Context
Enough to make what you are looking at legible.
Dutch navigator Willem Barentsz discovers the archipelago, naming it Spitsbergen for its pointed mountain peaks.
American industrialist John Munro Longyear establishes the Arctic Coal Company and founds Longyear City.
The Svalbard Treaty is signed in Paris, granting Norway full sovereignty while granting treaty nations equal economic rights.
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault officially opens deep inside the permafrost of Platåberget.
Further out
Worth a day if you have one to spare.
Preserved Soviet Arctic mining settlement
A frozen-in-time Soviet mining settlement beneath pyramid peaks featuring the world's northernmost Lenin bust.
Active Russian mining town on Grønfjorden
An active coal mining enclave with Russian murals, wooden church and traditional borscht dining.
