Photo: a snowy Arctic landscape via Pexels. This is a general High Arctic scene rather than a specific Svalbard viewpoint.
Most towns have a few unwritten rules. In Longyearbyen, the northernmost settlement of any real size on Earth, the rules are written down. You should not leave town without a rifle or a guide who has one. You should leave your shoes at the door of almost every building. Cats are not allowed. And for more than seventy years, you could not be buried there, because the permafrost refuses to let the dead decompose.
Welcome to Svalbard, the Norwegian archipelago roughly halfway between the mainland and the North Pole, at about 78 degrees north. It is part of Norway, yet it works differently from the rest of the country in almost every way. If you have read our guides to the midnight sun and the polar night, Svalbard is where both phenomena run to their extreme.
Where Svalbard Is and Why It Is Different
Svalbard is a group of islands in the Arctic Ocean. The largest, Spitsbergen, holds nearly all of the population. The name is usually translated as “cold coasts” and appears in Icelandic annals as early as the 12th century. The Dutch explorer Willem Barentsz is credited with the modern European sighting in 1596, and whalers, trappers and coal miners followed.
For centuries nobody owned it. That changed with the Svalbard Treaty of 1920, which recognised Norwegian sovereignty while giving citizens of the signatory countries equal rights to live and work there and to exploit its resources. The treaty is the reason Svalbard is demilitarised, and it is also why you do not need a visa to settle there, whatever your nationality. You do, however, have to support yourself. There is no welfare safety net for newcomers, and the authorities will send you home if you cannot pay your way.
Longyearbyen: A Small Town With Odd Rules
Longyearbyen has roughly 2,500 residents from more than 50 countries. It was founded in 1906 by an American, John Munro Longyear, whose mining company gave the town its name. For most of the 20th century it was a company coal town. Coal mining has wound down in recent years, and the economy now leans on research, education and tourism. The University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS) brings in students and scientists from all over the world.
Some of the local rules sound like jokes but are serious:
- Shoes off. Coal dust was once tracked into every building, so the habit of removing your boots indoors is nearly universal, including in many shops and hotels.
- No cats. Cats are banned to protect the nesting birds. Dogs are fine, and sled dogs are a familiar sight.
- No dying in town. Burials stopped in the 1950s because bodies in permafrost do not decompose and can preserve disease. People who are gravely ill are traditionally flown to the mainland. Your cemetery options in Longyearbyen are essentially closed.
- Rifles outside the settlement. The Governor of Svalbard requires anyone travelling outside the settlements to carry appropriate polar bear protection. Visitors do this by joining a guided tour.
The Polar Bear Question
There are an estimated 3,000 polar bears in the Svalbard region, which means that, in the wider archipelago, bears can outnumber people. Most visitors never see one, and nothing is guaranteed. The bears are protected, and rules require you to keep your distance if you do encounter one. Guides carry flare guns and rifles, but the main goal is avoidance. Warning signs mark the edge of the safe zone around Longyearbyen, and heading beyond them without protection is not just reckless, it can be an offence.
A Light Show Both Ways
The seasons are extreme in a way that is hard to picture until you have lived through them:
- Midnight sun: From about mid-April to late August the sun does not set. You can hike, kayak or take a boat trip at 2 a.m. in full daylight.
- Polar night: From roughly November to late January the sun stays below the horizon. Residents get by with lights, music, and the glow of twilight around midday.
- Northern lights: Because Longyearbyen is so far north, the best aurora viewing is during the dark months, and the sky can be clear for weeks. Our Northern Lights Season Tracker shows the best times for different destinations, and the guide to photographing the lights in Norway covers the mainland alternatives if Svalbard feels too remote.
The Global Seed Vault
The most famous building in Svalbard is the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, dug into a mountainside outside Longyearbyen and opened in 2008. It is a backup freezer for the world’s crop diversity, storing duplicate samples from gene banks in case a flood, war or funding crisis destroys the originals. The collection now holds well over a million seed samples. Permafrost and a cold, dry tunnel keep it frozen even if the power fails.
You cannot go inside, as the vault is closed to the public. You can see the striking concrete entrance on a guided tour from town, which will usually include a safety briefing and a guide with a rifle.
Things to Do in Svalbard
- Dog sledding: In winter, huskies pull you across frozen valleys. If this appeals, our guide to dog sledding in Norway and Finland explains what to expect on the trail.
- Snowmobile trips: Guided safaris run to ice caves, glaciers and abandoned mining settlements.
- Boat trips: In summer, boats visit glaciers and bird cliffs and offer the best chance of seeing walrus, seals and, sometimes, whales. For a mainland alternative, read about whale watching in Norway.
- Ice cave visits: Guided tours go into glacier ice in winter.
- Barentsburg and Pyramiden: These are former Soviet-era mining towns. Barentsburg is still a working Russian settlement with a distinctly different atmosphere. Pyramiden has been mostly abandoned since 1998.
- Museums: The Svalbard Museum in Longyearbyen is a good introduction to the archipelago’s whaling, hunting and mining past.
Practical Tips for Visiting
- Getting there: Direct flights run from Oslo and Tromsø to Svalbard Airport, Longyearbyen. Book early for the summer and the aurora season.
- Money: Svalbard uses the Norwegian krone, and it is an expensive place. Our guide to currency in Norway covers the basics.
- Clothing: Layers matter more than any single heavy item. Even summer temperatures hover only a few degrees above freezing, and wind chill is brutal.
- Leave no trace: Cultural remains older than 1946 are protected, and the environment is fragile. Tour operators are strict for good reason.
- Book a guide: Outside town, a guide is not a luxury but a legal and practical necessity.
Is Svalbard Worth the Trip?
Svalbard is not a cheap or easy destination, and it will not suit someone who wants nightlife and shopping. But if you have always wanted to see a genuine High Arctic landscape, with silent glaciers, wildlife and a tiny community that has made the extremes feel ordinary, it is unforgettable. It also makes a fascinating counterpoint to the rest of Norway, which you can explore further in our roundup of famous landmarks in Norway and our list of 49 interesting facts about Norway.
Bring a warm coat, a sense of humour about the shoe rule, and a willingness to follow your guide’s instructions to the letter. The bears will thank you.
