Svalbard is an archipelago located within the arctic circle at around 80° latitude. The largest island of the Svalbard archipelago is Spitsbergen, where Longyearbyen is located. Longyearbyen is the largest settlement and is also the administrative center of Svalbard. The islands were initially used by whalers as a base in the 17th and 18th centuries. During the 20th century, coal mining began on the islands and many permanent settlements were formed. In the 1920s, Svalbard was officially recognized as part of the Kingdom of Norway. There are still many mining operations, but Svalbard has increasingly become an important research area. Svalbard has a university located in Longyearbyen, and a Global Seed Vault is located there as well. No roads connect the different settlements, so snow mobiles are a primary means of transportation on the island, as well as planes and boats.
Longyearbyen itself is the world’s northernmost settlement with a population greater than 1,000, and it occupies a 7-by-4-kilometer region of the Longyear Valley along the southwestern shore.
Approximately 60% of the archipelago is covered in glaciers, and the ground is permafrost. The islands are home to polar bears, reindeer, arctic fox, and many other seabirds and marine mammals. The archipelago includes 7 national parks, and 23 nature reserves to protect the largely untouched environment.
Getting to Svalbard
It is really very easy to get to Svalbard with regular flights into Longyearbyen. We were starting our leg of this trip in Oslo (check out my post on Oslo here), so we flew from Oslo into Longyearbyen with a 35-minute layover in Tromsø. Our total travel time including the layover was about 4 hours.
Fun fact! Longyearbyen is the world’s northernmost airport with regularly scheduled flights.
Polar Night
Polar night refers to the dark season between mid-November and late January when it is pitch black outside 24/7. When I say pitch black, I mean it truly looks like it’s midnight for 24 hours a day. It is so cool to experience but also very different and takes some adjusting if you’re staying for more than a day or two. The photos below were taken at 1pm!
The locals in Longyearbyen embrace the dark season as a cozy reprieve from the midnight sun. They do, however, look forward to the day each year when the sun peeks over the horizon once again. They celebrate this date each year with the week-long “Solfest” or Sun Party.
Northern Lights in Svalbard
The northern lights are typically easily visible anywhere in Svalbard. One of our guides told us one night that it can be tricky at times to see the northern lights in Svalbard because we were so far north, we were actually north of the northern lights. We didn’t have any issue, however, getting to see the spectacular waves of color multiple times during our stay on Svalbard.
If you’re looking for the best times during your stay to see the northern lights, check out this northern lights forecast website which will tell you how visible they are in different Norwegian locations for the current day and forecasted for the next two days.
Where to Stay in Svalbard
All of these options are located within walking distance of the main shops and restaurants in Longyearbyen, and are comparably priced with rates between $200-$300 USD per night.
Funken Lodge ($$$): We stayed at the Funken Lodge and had a fantastic experience. The hotel used to be an administrative building for the miners of Mine 2, and housed the unmarried administration staff. In 1985, the building was converted to be used for housing visitors to the city, and in 2017 the building was fully renovated with the aim of making the hotel the most elegant building in Longyearbyen, and elegant is it. The rooms are beautifully appointed and the entirety of the hotel is cozy and furnished with rustic yet modern touches. The restaurant and bar inside the hotel are upscale and so delicious. The hotel maintains its cleanliness by requiring guests to take off their boots and shoes upon entering at the front door and changing into slippers they provide. Personal shoes are kept in cubbies securely inside the front door. I loved this requirement; it kept the floors free from snow sludge and added to the cozy atmosphere.
Mary-Ann’s Polarrigg ($): In 1999, owner Mary-Ann Dahle converted this old miners barracks into the cozy and rustic hotel it is today. Offering a wide range of room options, this is a great and affordable option for any type of traveler. Mary-Ann has done her best to keep many historic and authentically Svalbard touches within the buildings and décor, including the red miners bus which stands outside the bar area.
Radisson Blu Polar Hotel, Spitsbergen ($$$): A comfortable and familiar hotel brand to most US travelers, the Radisson Blu offers its usual quality directly adjacent to the majority of the shops and restaurants in Longyearbyen.
Basecamp Spitsbergen ($$): Basecamp operates this hotel as well as an adventure tour company. This rustic hotel is reminiscent of a log cabin, with all the comfort and amenities of a modern hotel. Touted as the modern-day home of arctic trappers, you’ll feel authentically in Svalbard.
Plus many other guesthouse, camping, cabin, and apartment options here.
Getting Around in Svalbard
For such a small place, there are abundant ways to get around. When exploring the town itself, you’ll be able to get around everywhere on foot—just bundle up!
Airport Shuttle: there is a shuttle service which will take you between the airport and each hotel or guesthouse. The shuttle bus will depart for the hotels 30-40 minutes after the arrival of your flight, or after the baggage belt at baggage claim is empty. When exiting the terminal, head left to find the bus and let the driver know where you’re going. When returning to the airport from the hotel or guesthouse, ask staff at the reception desk for the shuttle schedule to know when they will be picking up at your location. The shuttle costs 100 NOK per adult one-way or 170 NOK round-trip.
Taxi: Taxis are also an option for airport transfers. Taxis can be found at the Longyearbyen airport, and the trip will cost you about 150-200 NOK.
Car Rental: If you’d prefer to rent your own transportation, car rental is available on Svalbard. There is one car rental company, Arctic Autorent. The cost of a rental car runs around 1,175 NOK to 2,025 NOK before insurance and other fees. Be prepared, however, for the Svalbard roads in the winter. There are regular snowstorms which provide near white-out conditions making it incredibly difficult to drive, and since it is such a small town, there aren’t many road or street markers identifying your route.
Tours: Transportation is almost always included in tours you can book while in Svalbard. Many tour operators will include transportation directly to and from your hotel or guesthouse.
Things to do in Svalbard
Now on to the fun part: what do to while you’re in Longyearbyen, Svalbard!
Shopping: Svalbard is a duty-free zone, so you won’t pay sales tax on goodies you find here. Most of the shops are all located along the same stretch of the main street in Longyearbyen—you can’t miss it—with many of them located within the same building, Lompensenteret. Some of the best places for souvenirs are:
- Gullgruva Arctic Design: Located in Lompensenteret, Gullgruva is a jewelry shop which sells beautiful gold and silver jewelry, some with Svalbard specific designs, which make a great souvenir.
- Frost Spitsbergen: Located in Lompensenteret, Frost is a clothier selling Scandinavian designs.
- Longyear 78°: This shop is an outdoor supplier selling a broad selection of clothing and equipment.
- Spitsbergen Sport AS: This shop sells sport clothing and equipment as well.
- Svalbardbutikken: The northernmost department store in the world, this shop sells groceries, produce, cosmetics, electronics, gifts, and other souvenirs.
You’ll also find a pharmacy in Lompensenteret if you run out of any toiletries or medicine cabinet staples.
Restaurants and Bars: Svalbard has many options for food and drink, but there were a few that stood out that I recommend everyone make their way to when visiting Svalbard:
- Fruene: hands down one of the best purchases we made while we were visiting. This café in Lompensenteret sells incredible coffee, pastries, and light food items, but most importantly they make their own chocolates. The worlds northernmost chocolaterie, they sell gift boxes of various chocolates. We bought a couple boxes of chocolates to bring home for friends and family, and none of them made it home—we couldn’t resist eating them ourselves.
- Kroa: The moose burger and sweet potato fries were so good, I still think about them. Kroa is a more upscale option, and reservations are recommended.
- Funken Bar: The only cocktail bar on Svalbard, located inside the Funken Lodge hotel, is set in the perfectly cozy atmosphere to enjoy a drink or two after a snowy hike or shopping day.
- Svalbar: This is a great option for a much more casual pub-style meal. They have a great selection of food and drinks, as well as a pool table if you’re so inclined!
Longyearbyen in a Nutshell Sightseeing Tour: This tour is such a great activity for all ages, abilities, and activity levels. You will be picked up from your hotel or guesthouse and will get a driving tour from a local tour guide. Our tour guide, Vigo, is known by almost every local you’ll encounter in Svalbard. The day we had this tour booked, a huge snowstorm came through Longyearbyen and we were worried we’d have to miss out on this tour, but Vigo was not about to let that happen. He proceeded with the tour as usual and maneuvered the van around the city masterfully so we were able to still get the full experience despite the snow and winds. You will learn about and see the local mines, the research stations, the town of Longyearbyen, the church and small graveyard, as well as the global seed vault. The driver will provide plenty of stops to get out and explore outside the van and to take photos. Our tour guide was so friendly and knowledgeable, we had such a blast on this tour. Fun fact: legend says that Santa Claus spends all his time before Christmas in Mine 2 on Svalbard! There’s even a mailbox at the base of Mine 2 where children can hand-deliver their letters to Santa!
Northern Lights Evening at Camp Barentz: This experience is a must-do when visiting Longyearbyen. The excursion includes pick up directly from your hotel or guesthouse, transportation to Camp Barentz, a rustic 2 course dinner, a presentation about Svalbard and the Northern Lights, time for photo opportunities, and transportation back to your hotel or guesthouse. We booked this tour for our first evening in Svalbard and it is still one of my favorite travel experiences. The presentation was so interesting and informative; the guides taught us in detail about the Northern Lights and the history of the archipelago while we dined on reindeer stew (surprisingly delicious!) and sipped on local Norwegian beer and shots of Aquavit (a true Norwegian welcome). After the presentation and dinner, we had ample time to view and take photos of the Northern Lights outside, and we had a wonderful display. Our guide even stopped our bus on our way back to the hotels because the Northern Lights exploded in a dazzling display of color outside, and they wanted us to be able to fully take it in. I cannot say enough good things about this experience and it needs to be at the top of the list for everyone visiting.
Ice Cave Tour: If you have the ability, this is such a cool once-in-a-lifetime kind of adventure. There are many different ways to explore the ice caves within the glaciers of Svalbard. We took a hiking tour up to the ice cave, but there are also tours that travel mainly by snowcat or dog sledding to the ice cave. The ice caves are natural carvings inside the glaciers and some passages during these tours can be very narrow, so be advised: if you don’t do well in tight spaces, this may not be the best option for you. All of these tours include transportation from your hotel, helmet with headlight, crampons, snowshoes if needed, and hot drinks once inside the ice cave. Make sure to dress warm for these tours! You’ll be out in the elements for multiple hours, and the weather can be very cold and windy at times (check out my post coming soon on what to wear in Svalbard in the winter). While all of these tours include some degree of hiking within the ice caves, the full hiking version of this tour is definitely not for those unaccustomed to difficult hikes. The hike to the ice cave takes about 2 hours up and climbs 350 meters elevation. The total duration of this tour is 6 hours, and it’s available from November to May. The dog sledding tour lasts about 6-7 hours, and is available from January to May. The Snowcat tour lasts 3 hours, and is also available from January to May.
Northern Lights Safari with Snowcat: This is another driving tour in search of the Northern Lights, but this time in a snowcat. The snowcat has a large cabin where you’ll sit and be able to see the wilderness and Northern Lights through large windows as you travel. Plenty of opportunities to get out and observe outside the vehicle and take photos are included. This tour takes about 3 hours and is great for all ages, abilities, and activity levels.
Museums: The Svalbard Museum and the North Pole Expedition Museum are also wonderful additions to your time in Svalbard. The Svalbard Museum showcases what it was like to live as a whaler, a miner, and a trapper in historic Svalbard with interactive exhibits. The North Pole Expedition Museum tells the stories of expeditions to the north pole with airships, skis, dog sledges, and boats.
Svalbard Bryggeri Brewery Tour: You will learn about the history of the Svalbard brewery, the brewing process, and of course you will be able to taste different brews of the world’s only Arctic beer. Tours and tastings are available every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 6pm. Tours must be booked in advance, include tasting of 5 beers, and last about 1.5 hours. Alternatively, every Friday, the brewery bar is open to all from 4pm-10pm; reservations are recommended.
Check out my other posts on our Norway vacation! My post on Oslo is here, and my post on Tromsø is here.
Other Tips on Visiting Norway in the Winter
Language: Everyone we encountered spoke English fluently, so you won’t need to worry about a language barrier, but I like to learn a few phrases in the local language when I travel, so here are a few!
| English Word/Phrase | Norwegian Word/Phrase | Pronunciation |
| Hello | Hei | Hi |
| Goodbye | Hadet | hah-deh |
| How are you? | Hvordan går det? | vor-dahn gor deh |
| I’m well, and you? | Bra, med deg? | brah, meh dye |
| Good, thanks | Bra, takk | brah, tahk |
| Please | Vær så snill | var soh snil |
| Thank you | Takk | tahk |
| You’re welcome | Vær så god | var soh gooh |
| Yes | Ja | yah |
| No | Nei | ny |
| Do you speak English? | Snakker du engelsk? | snah-kerh doo engelsk |
Currency: Norway uses the krone (kroner, plural) which is equivalent to the US dollar. The krone is divided into 100 øre (equivalent to US cents). Foreign currency is not typically accepted; however, you can use electronic payments just about anywhere you go, and there are plenty of ATMs if you’d prefer to have some cash with you. Just be sure to check your bank and credit card’s foreign transaction fees and notify your bank of your travels before you go!
Tipping: Tipping is not necessarily expected in Norway, but always welcome! The standard we followed was 15-20% at bars and restaurants, and for tour guides.
Weather: Coming from Chicago, the weather in Norway in the winter wasn’t too much colder than what we can experience in the US in the winter. The average temperatures were about 25-30F (about -3 to -1C). Since Norway is situated so far north, however, daylight hours differ greatly depending where you are (the further north you go, the shorter the daylight hours in the winter).