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Must See Guide

Svalbard

The high Arctic within reach: glaciers, ice-filled fjords, polar bears and a tiny frontier town under the midnight sun or the polar night.

Best time to go
March to May for snow and returning light; June to August for midnight sun, boats and wildlife; November to February for polar night and aurora
Local time
–
Currency
Norwegian Krone (NOK)
Reading time
9 min
Language
Norwegian

Svalbard is a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean, roughly halfway between mainland Norway and the North Pole. Around 60 per cent of its land is covered by glaciers, and most of the rest is bare, treeless tundra, mountains layered like a cross-section in a geology textbook, and fjords that freeze in winter. It is home to more polar bears than people in some estimates, as well as reindeer, Arctic foxes, walruses and huge seabird colonies in summer. About 2,500 people live here, most of them in Longyearbyen, which has the only airport with regular flights from the mainland.

Svalbard's status is unusual. The Svalbard Treaty of 1920 gave Norway sovereignty but allows citizens of all signatory countries to live and work here on equal terms, which is why Russia still runs a mining settlement at Barentsburg and why a remarkable mix of nationalities calls Longyearbyen home. Nature protection comes first: much of the archipelago lies in national parks and nature reserves, and new environmental rules that came into force on 1 January 2025 tightened what visitors can do. This is a place to travel with guides, to respect the rules, and to come prepared for real Arctic conditions.

The top 8 in Svalbard

  1. 1

    Longyearbyen and Svalbard Church

    Founded in 1906 by the American John Munro Longyear's Arctic Coal Company, Longyearbyen grew up as a coal town and has gradually turned into a centre for tourism, research and education. The colourful houses stand on stilts above the permafrost, old wooden coal-mining structures and cableway towers march up the valley sides, and the main street has shops, bars and restaurants that feel far bigger than the town. Svalbard Church, a timber Lutheran church on the hillside, is one of the world's northernmost churches and welcomes visitors, often with coffee on hand.

    The town is also a place of quirky rules: there are road signs warning of polar bears at the edge of town, and visitors are traditionally asked to take off their shoes when entering hotels, museums and some other buildings, a custom dating from the coal-dust days.

    TipDon't walk beyond the signed edge of the settlement without a guide or proper polar bear protection. Bears do occasionally come into town.

  2. 2

    Svalbard Museum

    In the striking Svalbard Science Centre building, the Svalbard Museum is the best introduction to the archipelago. It covers four centuries of human activity, from Dutch and English whalers and Russian Pomor hunters to trappers, polar expeditions, coal mining and modern science, alongside displays on the geology, wildlife and climate of the high Arctic. Stuffed polar bears, walruses and birds give a sense of scale, and well-chosen objects bring the harsh lives of early overwinterers to life. Guided tours are offered at set times.

    TipAllow a couple of hours, and go early in your trip; it makes every boat trip and hike more meaningful.

  3. 3

    Svalbard Global Seed Vault

    Dug into a mountainside near the airport, the Global Seed Vault stores duplicate copies of more than a million seed samples from gene banks around the world, a safeguard for the planet's crop diversity against war, disaster and loss. It opened in 2008 and is run by Norway in partnership with the Crop Trust and the Nordic Genetic Resource Centre. The vault itself is closed to the public, but the angular concrete entrance, with its light installation glowing in the polar night, is a popular photo stop on sightseeing tours.

    TipThere are no visits inside, but the vault's website and the Svalbard Museum explain how it works. The road out there passes beyond the settlement boundary, so join a tour rather than walking.

  4. 4

    Isfjorden

    Svalbard's largest fjord system opens to the sea just west of Longyearbyen, with many side fjords branching off it. In summer, from roughly June to September, boat trips sail out from Longyearbyen across the fjord to glacier fronts, bird cliffs and old hunting stations, and the open water is a good place to spot seals, whales and seabirds. Fjords such as Tempelfjorden and Billefjorden end in glaciers, and in spring sea ice can fill their inner reaches.

    TipEven on a sunny summer day it is cold on deck: bring a hat, gloves and windproof layers.

  5. 5

    Barentsburg

    Svalbard's second-largest settlement, on the southern shore of Isfjorden, is a Russian coal-mining town run by the state-owned Arktikugol trust, with a few hundred residents, many from Russia and Ukraine. Soviet-era apartment blocks, a bust of Lenin, an Orthodox chapel and a small museum give it a character quite different from Longyearbyen. Its position is sensitive: since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Longyearbyen's tourism businesses have stopped selling ordinary trips to Barentsburg and Pyramiden, while Russian operators have promoted their own tourism. Check current options and your own government's advice before planning a visit.

    TipBarentsburg is reached only by boat in summer or by snowmobile in winter; there is no road from Longyearbyen.

  6. 6

    Pyramiden

    At the head of Billefjorden, beneath a pyramid-shaped mountain, lies the Soviet mining town abandoned in 1998. Its cultural centre, swimming pool, apartment blocks and the world's northernmost bust of Lenin still stand, well preserved by the cold, dry air, with gulls nesting on window ledges. It is one of the most atmospheric sites in the Arctic. Like Barentsburg it belongs to the Russian Arktikugol trust, and visits from Longyearbyen are no longer part of the standard tour offer, so access depends on current arrangements.

    TipPolar bears are regularly seen around Pyramiden. Never wander off alone here.

  7. 7

    Nordenskiöld Glacier

    Across Billefjorden from Pyramiden, the broad blue front of Nordenskiöldbreen meets the sea, one of the most visited glacier fronts in Svalbard and a highlight of summer boat trips from Longyearbyen. Ice calves into the water with loud cracks, and the fjord is often scattered with floating ice. In late winter and spring, snowmobile tours have travelled here over land, though motorised traffic on the sea ice of selected fjords is now banned after 1 March.

    TipBoats must keep their distance from glacier fronts, which can collapse without warning; watch from the deck.

  8. 8

    Ny-Ålesund

    On the shore of Kongsfjorden, about 100 kilometres north-west of Longyearbyen, Ny-Ålesund is a former mining village turned into an international research town, run by the state-owned company Kings Bay. Scientists from many countries study the atmosphere, glaciers and wildlife here, and it is one of the world's northernmost permanent settlements. Its history includes the polar flights of Roald Amundsen: the airship mast from which the airship Norge set off over the North Pole in 1926 still stands, with a monument to Amundsen nearby. There is a small museum, a shop, and a post office.

    TipMost visitors arrive on expedition cruises or occasional day trips. Ny-Ålesund is a radio-quiet zone for research, so visitors are asked to switch off wifi, Bluetooth and mobile data on devices.

When to go

Svalbard has three distinct seasons for visitors. From late October to mid-February is the polar night, when the sun stays below the horizon; from about mid-November to the end of January, there is not even a glow of twilight at midday. It's a time for northern lights, which can even appear at midday, dog sledding and cosy evenings in town. From March to May, the light returns, the snow is still deep and the frozen landscape is at its most beautiful: this is the season for snowmobile and ski trips. The midnight sun lasts from about late April to late August in Longyearbyen, and summer, from June to August, brings open fjords, boat trips, hiking, flowering tundra and seabird colonies. Temperatures in summer are usually a few degrees above freezing; in winter they often fall well below minus 15°C, with strong wind chill.

Getting around

Flights from Oslo and Tromsø land at Longyearbyen, operated by SAS and Norwegian. Svalbard is outside the Schengen area, so passport checks take place at the departure airport on the mainland: bring your passport, and make sure you can re-enter Schengen on the way back. Svalbard itself needs no visa, but you'll need to meet the entry rules of mainland Norway to travel there. Many visitors also arrive on expedition cruises, which sail around the archipelago in summer.

There are no roads between settlements. Longyearbyen has a few kilometres of road, taxis and an airport bus. Everything beyond is reached by boat in summer, snowmobile or dog sled in winter, or on foot with a guide. Joining organised trips with a licensed operator is the norm for visitors, and is the safest way to see the wilderness.

Polar bear safety and firearm rules

Polar bears are a real danger anywhere outside the settlements, including the hills just above Longyearbyen. The Governor of Svalbard requires anyone travelling outside the settlements to carry suitable means of scaring off bears and recommends carrying a firearm; renting one requires a permit and firearms experience. Most visitors avoid this entirely by travelling with guides who carry rifles and are trained for encounters. Inside Longyearbyen, carrying a loaded firearm is forbidden, and you'll see rifles left unloaded at the doors of shops and banks.

Since 1 January 2025 you must stay at least 300 metres away from polar bears, and at least 500 metres from 1 March to 30 June; if you come closer by accident, you must move away. Disturbing or attracting bears is illegal, and fines have been handed out, including for sounding a horn at a sleeping bear.

The 2025 visitor rules

The new environmental regulations change how the Arctic wilderness is visited, especially by sea. Ships carrying more than 200 passengers are no longer allowed in Svalbard's national parks and nature reserves, which cover most of the archipelago. In protected areas, landings are now limited to designated sites, except in a few national parks, and visitors must be accompanied by a guide with knowledge of the natural and cultural environment. Boats must stay at least 150 metres from walrus haul-out sites; drones are generally banned in protected areas and must keep 500 metres from bird cliffs from April to August; and motorised traffic on the sea ice of selected fjords is banned after 1 March. Camping requires a permit from the Governor, applied for in advance. Responsible operators build all this into their trips, but if you plan anything independent, read the Governor's guidance first.

Local tips

  • Book tours and accommodation well ahead for the March to May season and summer; capacity in Longyearbyen is limited.
  • Dress in proper layers: wool base layers, insulated jacket, windproof outer shell, hat and gloves. Operators often lend snowmobile suits and boots.
  • Take off your shoes at the door of hotels and many buildings; it's the local custom.
  • Svalbard is a duty-free zone, and prices for alcohol and tobacco are lower, though alcohol sales follow a quota for residents.
  • Never feed, approach or follow wildlife, and don't pick flowers or remove anything from historic sites: everything from before 1946 is protected.
  • Weather can change fast and ground trips; leave a buffer day before your flight home.

Eat and drink

For a town of its size, Longyearbyen eats remarkably well. Restaurants serve Arctic char, cod, reindeer and seal, alongside Nordic-style cooking and comfort food after a cold day outside. Huset, a historic building on the edge of town, is known for its restaurant and enormous wine cellar, and Svalbard Bryggeri brews beer that is billed as the world's northernmost. In the polar night, candlelit cafés and bars become the heart of the town's social life.

A short history

Svalbard was first reliably recorded by the Dutch explorer Willem Barentsz in 1596, who named it Spitsbergen for its pointed mountains. Whalers from the Netherlands, England and other nations followed, then Russian Pomor hunters and Norwegian trappers who overwintered in isolated huts, many of which survive. In the early twentieth century, coal brought permanent settlements, and the archipelago became a launch point for polar expeditions by balloon and airship. The Svalbard Treaty of 1920, in force from 1925, placed the islands under Norwegian sovereignty while giving other countries equal rights to economic activity. Coal mining has now almost ended on the Norwegian side, and research and tourism have taken its place.

Beyond Svalbard

Svalbard combines well with a trip to northern Norway: flights connect through Tromsø, and the Lofoten islands offer dramatic Arctic scenery, fishing villages and northern lights with gentler access. Many travellers also start or end in Bergen, the gateway to the western fjords and starting point of the coastal voyages up Norway's coast.