Holiday in Longyearbyen
City in Svalbard — tips, highlights & best time to visit
Country
Svalbard
Type
City
Best time to travel
March to May for light and snow (dog sledding, end of Northern Lights). June to August for midnight sun and boat tours. November-February for polar night and Northern Lights.
Budget/day
180-350 €
Getting there from Germany
Flight to Longyearbyen (LYR, approx. 6-8 h with a stopover in Oslo or Tromsø). SAS and Norwegian from Oslo. No visa required (part of Norway, but outside Schengen).
Deals for Longyearbyen:
What makes Longyearbyen special as a destination?
Longyearbyen on Spitsbergen is the northernmost urban settlement in the world — only 1,300 km from the North Pole. The former mining town in the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard offers extremes in every sense: four months of polar night (November-February), four months of midnight sun (April-August), polar bears as neighbors, and the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, which secures the world's seed supply. The town is surprisingly lively: colorful wooden houses on stilts (due to the permafrost), a brewery (the northernmost in the world), restaurants with Arctic cuisine, and an international research community. It is law that one must carry a weapon against polar bears outside the settlement — Svalbard has more polar bears than people. The Svalbard Global Seed Vault, buried in the mountain, preserves duplicates of seed collections from around the world — an insurance against the loss of crop diversity. The building with its illuminated art facade has become a symbol, but the interior is not open to the public. Longyearbyen is the starting point for Arctic adventures: dog sledding, snowmobile tours to glaciers, ice cave explorations, kayaking among icebergs, and expedition cruises to the far north. The Northern Lights in winter and the midnight sun in summer make every season unique.
What are the top highlights in Longyearbyen?
The top highlights in Longyearbyen include Svalbard Global Seed Vault, Polar Bear Safaris, Dog Sledding, Northern Lights & Polar Night, Midnight Sun.
The places you absolutely must not miss.
Svalbard Global Seed Vault
Global seed vault in the mountain: securing the crop diversity of humanity — the building can be viewed from the outside.
Polar Bear Safaris
Boat tours and expeditions to the polar bears of Svalbard: experience the Arctic up close — with experienced guides.
Dog Sledding
With huskies through the Arctic tundra: one of the most authentic Arctic experiences, possible year-round (summer on wheels).
Northern Lights & Polar Night
From November to February, Longyearbyen is in complete darkness: perfect conditions for Aurora Borealis over the Arctic.
Midnight Sun
From April to August, the sun does not set: 24 hours of daylight for kayaking, hiking, and glacier tours.
Hotels in Longyearbyen
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Reise-SIM für Longyearbyen
Günstig surfen im Urlaub mit travSIM
Pauschalreisen & Rundreisen
Berge & Meer – 170 Tage Cookie
When is the best time to visit Longyearbyen?
The best time to visit Longyearbyen is March to May for light and snow (dog sledding, end of Northern Lights). June to August for midnight sun and boat tours. November-February for polar night and Northern Lights.. 3-8 °C, midnight sun, cool but bright In winter: -15 to -25 °C, polar night, extremely cold but magical
Recommended travel time
March to May for light and snow (dog sledding, end of Northern Lights). June to August for midnight sun and boat tours. November-February for polar night and Northern Lights.
Summer
3-8 °C, midnight sun, cool but bright
Winter
-15 to -25 °C, polar night, extremely cold but magical
How much does a holiday in Longyearbyen cost?
Budget travellers: 100-160 €/day, mid-range: 180-350 €/day, luxury: 400-1000 €/day.
Average costs per person per day
Budget
100-160 €
Hostel, Street food, Public transport
Mid-range
180-350 €
Hotel, Restaurant, Excursions
Luxury
400-1000 €
Boutique hotel, Fine dining
How do I get from Germany to Longyearbyen?
Flight to Longyearbyen (LYR, approx. 6-8 h with a stopover in Oslo or Tromsø). SAS and Norwegian from Oslo. No visa required (part of Norway, but outside Schengen).
Book a package holiday to Longyearbyen
Compare thousands of package holidays to Longyearbyen and find the best deals with flight & hotel.
Compare package holidays nowWhat travel tips are there for Longyearbyen?
Insider knowledge that makes your holiday better.
No visa required — Svalbard is part of Norway. Anyone can enter, but Schengen rules do not apply.
Norwegian Krone — 1 € ≈ 11 NOK. Longyearbyen is extremely expensive: beer from €10, main courses from €30-50.
Weapon outside the city — mandatory due to polar bears. Guided tours provide rifles. Never leave the town alone.
Visit Svalbard Brewery — the northernmost brewery in the world. Try Spitsbergen Pilsner and Arctic Pale Ale.
No burials in Svalbard — bodies do not decompose in permafrost. It is officially prohibited to die in Svalbard.
What should you eat in Longyearbyen?
Typical specialities in Longyearbyen: Reindeer steak — tender game meat from the Svalbard reindeer: Arctic delicacy served in Longyearbyen's restaurants., Whale meat — minke whale from Norwegian catch: polarizing, but part of Arctic culinary culture., Arctic char — fresh fish from the icy waters of Svalbard: fried or smoked, mild and tender., Seal soup — traditional soup of Arctic hunters: hearty and warming at temperatures well below zero., Spitsbergen Pilsner — beer from the northernmost brewery in the world: brewed with glacier water, a unique souvenir..
These specialties you must try!
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