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Longyearbyen

Visit Longyearbyen

Introduction

Longyearbyen, with a population of around two thousand, is Svalbard's main town, with colourful wooden houses and a distinctly frontier feel. Accommodation is in cosy guesthouses and former trapper lodges full of furs and Arctic memorabilia, or upmarket hotels with modern comforts. There are a handful of shops, pubs, cafes and restaurants serving Arctic flavours, all of which give the little town a little bit of buzz.

Most visitors use Longyearbyen as a base from which to explore the ice-clad mountains nearby, or venture further into the Spitsbergen wilds with an experienced Svalbard guide. The town was founded when John Longyear, an American mine owner, established the Arctic Coal Company here, and the entrances to several disused coalmines can be visited.

Longyearbyen is well equipped for adventure tourism - camping, hiking, snow mobile tours and dog sledding are some of the activities that can be tried in this remote but beautiful region of Norway.

 

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Top itineraries in Longyearbyen

The polar Northern lights in Norway Svalbard in the mountains

Svalbard Polar Night Adventure

4-day tailor-made break from £1,100 pp incl. flights

Travel to the ultimate Arctic destination on this action-packed winter holiday. To make the most of your stay, we've included a Northern Lights snowcat tour and an evening at an aurora camp.

Polar bear in Svalbard

Svalbard & Tromso

6-day tailor-made holiday from £1,540 pp incl. flights

This twin-centre break is a superb introduction to the Arctic region, pairing the fun of a stay in Tromso with high adventure in Svalbard, just a short hop from the North Pole.

Polar bear, Ponant (credit: Laurence Fischer)

The North Pole on Le Commandant Charcot

18-day ocean cruise from £31,210 pp incl. flights

Follow in the footsteps of great explorers with this voyage to the geographic North Pole, sailing aboard Le Commandant Charcot, the world's first hybrid-electric polar exploration vessel.

Top places to stay in Longyearbyen

Radisson Blu Polar, Svalbard

Radisson Blu Polar, Longyearbyen

Contemporary hotel

Situated on Longyearbyen, the largest island in the Svalbard archipelago (with a smidgen over 2,000 inhabitants), the Radisson Blu Polar has sweeping vistas of the dramatic Arctic coastline, including the Isfjorden and Adventdalen valley

Longyearbyen articles

Tromso in summer

Best places to see the Midnight Sun 2020-2021

If you want to bask in 24-hour sunlight, follow our guide to the best places to experience the Midnight Sun around the world.

Meet our Longyearbyen experts

Speak to a tailor-made specialist on 020 7590 0637

Meet the team

Why book with Wexas Travel?

At Wexas, we specialise in bespoke travel experiences. Our itineraries are just samples of what we can arrange, and can be changed depending on your precise needs, finances and ideas by our experienced destination specialists.

Contact one of our consultants on 020 7590 0637 to discuss how we can tailor your holiday.

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