Svalbard (Spitsbergen)
The main attraction of Svalbard is definitely its stunning Arctic nature with polar bears and seabird colonies. The many uninhabited and protected islands of Svalbard, such as Barentsøya, Nordaustlandet, and Edgeøya offer great possibilities for wildlife encounters. Boat tours and cruises on Svalbard waters can take you to these remote places. The Svalbard Islands also have a strong Russian minority, which against many beliefs is not of military origin, but settled in the islands as a working force for the local coal mines. The Russian minority of Svalbard is settled in Barentsburg, a small village hosting nationality-based cultural attractions such as Lenin statues, milk bars and Soviet-style architecture. The village offers also Pomor Museum with stuffed animals such as polar bears, and with a dinosaur footprint.
How to get there. Located in the Arctic Ocean north from Norway, Svalbard can be best reached by air. The main airport of the archipelago is located in Longyearbyen, and offers flights to Svalbard mainly from Norway and Russia. Cruises in Svalbard usually originate from Longyearbyen. For moving around the islands, most people choose boats during the summer or snowmobiles in the winter, but also some rental cars on Svalbard are available. However, keep in mind that there is only 50 miles of road to drive here.
Services. Possibilities for accommodation in Svalbard are concentrated in Longyearbyen, which hosts also most of the restaurants in Svalbard. Shopping possibilities in Svalbard are restricted and concentrated on Lompensenteret, a two-story department store situated in Longyearbyen, which is also the least quiet place on the islands when it comes to the very quiet nightlife in Svalbard. However, as Svalbard has tax-free status, many articles have lower prices in Svalbard than in mainland Norway. Leaving aside the dangers of the Arctic nature such as the polar bears and the extreme weather conditions, Svalbard is a safe destination offering you plenty of stunning landscapes boosted with peace and silence.
A spectacular archipelago located in the icy waters well above the Arctic Circle, Svalbard is full of unique landscapes consisting of magnificent glaciers, deep blue fjords, snow-capped mountains, and picturesque villages. The islands of Svalbard belong to Norway but host also a Russian mining town, offering twofold cultural experiences. As a bonus to this all is the peace and silence offered by these beautiful islands, which are a suitable destination for travelers seeking nature experiences in extreme conditions.
North sea cruise in Svalbard
North sea cruise in Svalbard
Svalbard, scenic arctic islands blending Norwegian and Russian traditions
A remote arctic archipelago ruled by Norway, Svalbard is an interesting mixture of stunning arctic nature and twofold cultural traditions coming from Norway and Russia. The majority of the local people live in Longyearbyen, a small Norwegian town located by a fjord on Spitsbergen Island at the foot of scenic mountains.
Longyearbyen consists of colorful houses that form a picturesque contrast to the mountains and water around, making the town a stunning sight. This capital of Svalbard offers also excellent possibilities for adventurous, most would say even extreme kayaking on Svalbard or hiking on Svalbard next to the astonishing glaciers such as Esmarkbreen, blue fjords and high mountains of Svalbard. During the wintertime, which on arctic Svalbard is amazingly long, there are dogsled and snowmobile safaris on Svalbard available for visitors. During the summer period,cruises from Svalbard offer a nice way for sightseeing.
Longyearbyen consists of colorful houses that form a picturesque contrast to the mountains and water around, making the town a stunning sight. This capital of Svalbard offers also excellent possibilities for adventurous, most would say even extreme kayaking on Svalbard or hiking on Svalbard next to the astonishing glaciers such as Esmarkbreen, blue fjords and high mountains of Svalbard. During the wintertime, which on arctic Svalbard is amazingly long, there are dogsled and snowmobile safaris on Svalbard available for visitors. During the summer period,cruises from Svalbard offer a nice way for sightseeing.
Arctic landscapes of Dvalbard
The main attraction of Svalbard is definitely its stunning Arctic nature with polar bears and seabird colonies. The many uninhabited and protected islands of Svalbard, such as Barentsøya, Nordaustlandet, and Edgeøya offer great possibilities for wildlife encounters. Boat tours and cruises on Svalbard waters can take you to these remote places. The Svalbard Islands also have a strong Russian minority, which against many beliefs is not of military origin, but settled in the islands as a working force for the local coal mines. The Russian minority of Svalbard is settled in Barentsburg, a small village hosting nationality-based cultural attractions such as Lenin statues, milk bars and Soviet-style architecture. The village offers also Pomor Museum with stuffed animals such as polar bears, and with a dinosaur footprint.
Poppies in Svalbard
Remote archipelago of midnight sun and extreme conditions
If the climate of Svalbard should be described with one word only, the word would definitely be cold. Located above the Arctic Circle, Svalbard misses the warm days and has to do with summertime temperatures of around 10°C, which restricts most of tourism in Svalbard to summer months between June and August.
During the winter temperatures on Svalbard stay below zero most of the time, with high average monthly temperatures between December and March dropping below -10°C. During the summer the archipelago enjoys the phenomenal midnight sun, which means the sun stays above the horizon all day.
Arctic cruise in Svalbard
How to get there. Located in the Arctic Ocean north from Norway, Svalbard can be best reached by air. The main airport of the archipelago is located in Longyearbyen, and offers flights to Svalbard mainly from Norway and Russia. Cruises in Svalbard usually originate from Longyearbyen. For moving around the islands, most people choose boats during the summer or snowmobiles in the winter, but also some rental cars on Svalbard are available. However, keep in mind that there is only 50 miles of road to drive here.
Seabirds in Svalbard
Services. Possibilities for accommodation in Svalbard are concentrated in Longyearbyen, which hosts also most of the restaurants in Svalbard. Shopping possibilities in Svalbard are restricted and concentrated on Lompensenteret, a two-story department store situated in Longyearbyen, which is also the least quiet place on the islands when it comes to the very quiet nightlife in Svalbard. However, as Svalbard has tax-free status, many articles have lower prices in Svalbard than in mainland Norway. Leaving aside the dangers of the Arctic nature such as the polar bears and the extreme weather conditions, Svalbard is a safe destination offering you plenty of stunning landscapes boosted with peace and silence.
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