Holiday in Svalbard

About Svalbard

Svalbard is one of the northernmost inhabited places on Earth and a location that sparks the imagination. Located halfway between the Norwegian mainland and the North Pole, this archipelago is a world of glaciers, ice fjords, and Arctic wilderness, where polar bears outnumber the human population. Longyearbyen, the capital and northernmost town in the world, is a quirky place full of contrasts. Colorful wooden houses on stilts above the permafrost, a surprisingly good restaurant scene, and strict rules: anyone leaving the town limits must carry a weapon against polar bears. The settlement has an astonishingly international population from over 40 nations. The nature of Svalbard is of a beauty that seems almost unreal. Massive glaciers calve into the sea before the eyes of visitors, and the turquoise ice formations of the Nordenskjöld Glacier glow in an otherworldly blue. Boat tours through the Isfjorden and Billefjorden pass by colonies of puffins, walruses on ice floes, and, with a bit of luck, polar bears searching for food. The polar night from late October to mid-February envelops the island in complete darkness — simultaneously creating ideal conditions for the Northern Lights, which appear here in their most intense form. In contrast, the midnight sun from mid-April to late August means the sun does not set, bathing the Arctic tundra in 24 hours of daylight. The Svalbard Global Seed Vault, the "Doomsday Vault," is located in a mountain tunnel near Longyearbyen and preserves seed samples from around the world as a backup for humanity. Although the vault itself is not accessible, the futuristic entrance portal is a popular photo opportunity. Dog sledding, snowmobile tours, and glacier hikes are among the main activities in winter and spring. In summer, kayaking among icebergs and hiking through the blooming Arctic tundra offer a contrasting program. The wildlife is overwhelming: Arctic foxes, Svalbard reindeer, beluga whales, and of course, the king of the Arctic — the polar bear.