{"id":5147,"date":"2020-04-02T11:39:33","date_gmt":"2020-04-02T11:39:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/?post_type=artikler&#038;p=5147"},"modified":"2025-09-01T11:14:07","modified_gmt":"2025-09-01T11:14:07","slug":"longyearbyen-on-svalbard-has-more-to-offer-than-polar-bears","status":"publish","type":"artikler","link":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/artikkel\/longyearbyen-on-svalbard-has-more-to-offer-than-polar-bears\/","title":{"rendered":"Longyearbyen on Svalbard has more to offer than polar bears"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-vnn-ingress\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"vnn__ingress\">\n\t\t\t\tThe most northerly shopping trip in the world can be made down the main street of Longyearbyen on Svalbard. Here you will find many things you might not have expected to find only 1,100 km from the North Pole.\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Most of the service functions are clustered together in line along Longyearbyen\u2019s main street; with caf\u00e9s, restaurants, shops, post office, bank and the newly opened cultural centre all lying strategically close. People walking around in one-piece snow scooter-dresses, and a proliferation of small, discreet signs inviting you to \u201cPlease leave your gun here\u201d, nevertheless say something about the conditions up here in the high Arctic. Let it be said once and for all; no-one comes to Svalbard to shop, but it is still fun to spend a little time in downtown Longyearbyen on the way to a snow scooter safari or a kayak paddling trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">As a tax-free zone it&#8217;s not too expensive<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Since the Norwegian territory of Svalbard is a tax-free zone with no VAT or other tax, it is usually a bit cheaper here. The selection in the shops is surprisingly large, probably owing to the relatively high purchasing power of a population who pay little tax, are well educated and\/or work long shifts in the mines.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignwide is-style-faq\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\"><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\n\t\t\t\tPractical information about Longyearbyen\n\t\t\t<\/h3><div class=\"t2-accordion wp-block-t2-accordion\" data-allow-multiple=\"1\" role=\"list\"><div class=\"t2-accordion-item wp-block-t2-accordion-item\" role=\"listitem\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"t2-accordion-title\">\n\t\t\t\t<button type=\"button\" class=\"t2-accordion-trigger\" id=\"where-is-it-and-how-do-i-get-there?\" aria-controls=\"accordion-panel\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\tWhere is it and how do I get there?\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"t2-accordion-icon is-closed-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" height=\"24\" width=\"24\" class=\"t2-icon t2-icon-chevrondown\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M12 14.9c-.1 0-.3 0-.4-.1-.1 0-.2-.1-.3-.2L6.7 10c-.2-.1-.3-.4-.3-.6 0-.3.1-.5.3-.7.2-.2.4-.3.7-.3s.5.1.7.3l3.9 3.9 3.9-3.9c.2-.2.4-.3.7-.3.3 0 .5.1.7.3.2.2.3.4.3.7s-.1.5-.3.7l-4.6 4.6c-.1.1-.2.2-.3.2H12z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"t2-accordion-icon is-open-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" height=\"24\" width=\"24\" class=\"t2-icon t2-icon-chevronup\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M6.7 14.7c-.2-.2-.3-.4-.3-.7s.1-.5.3-.7l4.6-4.6c.1-.1.2-.2.3-.2.1 0 .2-.1.4-.1.1 0 .3 0 .4.1.1 0 .2.1.3.2l4.6 4.6c.2.2.3.4.3.7s-.1.5-.3.7c-.2.2-.4.3-.7.3s-.5-.1-.7-.3L12 10.8l-3.9 3.9c-.2.2-.4.3-.7.3s-.5-.1-.7-.3z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"t2-accordion-item__inner-container is-layout-flow\" id=\"accordion-panel\" aria-labelledby=\"where-is-it-and-how-do-i-get-there?\" role=\"region\" hidden>\n\t\t\t\t<p class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\tLongyearbyen is located on Svalbard, an archipelego located 958km north of Troms\u00f8 at 78 degrees north. Both SAS and Norwegian offer flights to Longyearbyen from Oslo, usually making a passenger pick up stop in Troms\u00f8 on the way. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div><div class=\"t2-accordion-item wp-block-t2-accordion-item\" role=\"listitem\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"t2-accordion-title\">\n\t\t\t\t<button type=\"button\" class=\"t2-accordion-trigger\" id=\"when-is-the-best-time-to-visit?\" aria-controls=\"accordion-panel-1\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\tWhen is the best time to visit?\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"t2-accordion-icon is-closed-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" height=\"24\" width=\"24\" class=\"t2-icon t2-icon-chevrondown\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M12 14.9c-.1 0-.3 0-.4-.1-.1 0-.2-.1-.3-.2L6.7 10c-.2-.1-.3-.4-.3-.6 0-.3.1-.5.3-.7.2-.2.4-.3.7-.3s.5.1.7.3l3.9 3.9 3.9-3.9c.2-.2.4-.3.7-.3.3 0 .5.1.7.3.2.2.3.4.3.7s-.1.5-.3.7l-4.6 4.6c-.1.1-.2.2-.3.2H12z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"t2-accordion-icon is-open-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" height=\"24\" width=\"24\" class=\"t2-icon t2-icon-chevronup\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M6.7 14.7c-.2-.2-.3-.4-.3-.7s.1-.5.3-.7l4.6-4.6c.1-.1.2-.2.3-.2.1 0 .2-.1.4-.1.1 0 .3 0 .4.1.1 0 .2.1.3.2l4.6 4.6c.2.2.3.4.3.7s-.1.5-.3.7c-.2.2-.4.3-.7.3s-.5-.1-.7-.3L12 10.8l-3.9 3.9c-.2.2-.4.3-.7.3s-.5-.1-.7-.3z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"t2-accordion-item__inner-container is-layout-flow\" id=\"accordion-panel-1\" aria-labelledby=\"when-is-the-best-time-to-visit?\" role=\"region\" hidden>\n\t\t\t\t<p class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\tThis all depends on the purpose of your visit. Longyearbyen has polar night from late October all the way until mid february. From mid November to Mid January there is true Polar Night where there is no light in the sky, not even twilight. Therefore if you are visiting for wildlife and nature, the dark winter months can be difficult. The best advice if you do want to visit during the Polar night, is to choose dates where full moon is taking place. The full moon light will illuminate all the scenery you would hope to see, not to mention provide a great setting for watching the midday auroras that are possible to see in Longyearbyen. Springtime, however, is probably the most popular time to visit Svalbard. From late February until early May you transition from short daylight days to 24h sunlight in rapid transition. At the same time, mother polar bears are leaving their winter hideouts with cubs and the sun beams down on the archipelego, but not enough to cause huge melting of the snow. Many snowmobile tours run and boat trips start to various locations around the area. If still cold enough, you can even go glacier caving through the meltwater channels of the glaciers above Longyearbyen. Summer into autumn comprises only of late June to mid August. During this time much of the snow melts and hiking is the way to go and explore. However, never leave the settlement without a gun and or guide. Polar bears are always a threat. Boat tours around the island are popular during this time, and cruises to the east coast especially give guests a high likelihood of seeing polar bears on land, for photographers this means having a good telelens. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div><div class=\"t2-accordion-item wp-block-t2-accordion-item\" role=\"listitem\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"t2-accordion-title\">\n\t\t\t\t<button type=\"button\" class=\"t2-accordion-trigger\" id=\"what-is-the-weather-like?\" aria-controls=\"accordion-panel-2\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\tWhat is the weather like?\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"t2-accordion-icon is-closed-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" height=\"24\" width=\"24\" class=\"t2-icon t2-icon-chevrondown\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M12 14.9c-.1 0-.3 0-.4-.1-.1 0-.2-.1-.3-.2L6.7 10c-.2-.1-.3-.4-.3-.6 0-.3.1-.5.3-.7.2-.2.4-.3.7-.3s.5.1.7.3l3.9 3.9 3.9-3.9c.2-.2.4-.3.7-.3.3 0 .5.1.7.3.2.2.3.4.3.7s-.1.5-.3.7l-4.6 4.6c-.1.1-.2.2-.3.2H12z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"t2-accordion-icon is-open-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" height=\"24\" width=\"24\" class=\"t2-icon t2-icon-chevronup\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M6.7 14.7c-.2-.2-.3-.4-.3-.7s.1-.5.3-.7l4.6-4.6c.1-.1.2-.2.3-.2.1 0 .2-.1.4-.1.1 0 .3 0 .4.1.1 0 .2.1.3.2l4.6 4.6c.2.2.3.4.3.7s-.1.5-.3.7c-.2.2-.4.3-.7.3s-.5-.1-.7-.3L12 10.8l-3.9 3.9c-.2.2-.4.3-.7.3s-.5-.1-.7-.3z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"t2-accordion-item__inner-container is-layout-flow\" id=\"accordion-panel-2\" aria-labelledby=\"what-is-the-weather-like?\" role=\"region\" hidden>\n\t\t\t\t<p class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\tDue to Longyearbyen&#8217;s high latitude and sheltered location temperatures are very cold during the winter months and rarely warm during the Summer either. The lowest temperature ever recorded in the settlement was -46.3 Celsius (-51.3 Fahrenheit) in March 1986 while the warmest temperature was 21.3 Celsius (70.3 Fahrenheit) in July 1979. The daily mean temperature during July is 7.2 Celsius (45 Fahrenheit) and during the coldest month March, -12.2 Celsius (10 Farenheit). It is worth noting that in the last 30 years that mean has increased by 2 degrees Celsius and continues to increase today. Just remember if you are taking a tour out of the settlement it can be much colder where you&#8217;re going, so take all layers at all times. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div><div class=\"t2-accordion-item wp-block-t2-accordion-item\" role=\"listitem\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"t2-accordion-title\">\n\t\t\t\t<button type=\"button\" class=\"t2-accordion-trigger\" id=\"where-can-i-get-more-information-on-tours-and-accomodation-in-longyearbyen?\" aria-controls=\"accordion-panel-3\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\tWhere can I get more information on tours and accomodation in Longyearbyen?\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"t2-accordion-icon is-closed-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" height=\"24\" width=\"24\" class=\"t2-icon t2-icon-chevrondown\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M12 14.9c-.1 0-.3 0-.4-.1-.1 0-.2-.1-.3-.2L6.7 10c-.2-.1-.3-.4-.3-.6 0-.3.1-.5.3-.7.2-.2.4-.3.7-.3s.5.1.7.3l3.9 3.9 3.9-3.9c.2-.2.4-.3.7-.3.3 0 .5.1.7.3.2.2.3.4.3.7s-.1.5-.3.7l-4.6 4.6c-.1.1-.2.2-.3.2H12z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"t2-accordion-icon is-open-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" height=\"24\" width=\"24\" class=\"t2-icon t2-icon-chevronup\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M6.7 14.7c-.2-.2-.3-.4-.3-.7s.1-.5.3-.7l4.6-4.6c.1-.1.2-.2.3-.2.1 0 .2-.1.4-.1.1 0 .3 0 .4.1.1 0 .2.1.3.2l4.6 4.6c.2.2.3.4.3.7s-.1.5-.3.7c-.2.2-.4.3-.7.3s-.5-.1-.7-.3L12 10.8l-3.9 3.9c-.2.2-.4.3-.7.3s-.5-.1-.7-.3z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"t2-accordion-item__inner-container is-layout-flow\" id=\"accordion-panel-3\" aria-labelledby=\"where-can-i-get-more-information-on-tours-and-accomodation-in-longyearbyen?\" role=\"region\" hidden>\n\t\t\t\t<p class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\tThe best place to find all the information you need is on the Visit Svalbard webpage. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-vnn-gallery gallery-count-4\">\n\t\t<ul><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\">\t\t\t\t<figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/009721_Jarle-Roessland_Visit-Svalbard_Longyearbyen.jpg\" data-size=\"1348x800\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"block-gallery-count\">01<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/009721_Jarle-Roessland_Visit-Svalbard_Longyearbyen.jpg\" alt=\"Longyearbyen in the Polar Night \u00a9 Jarle R\u00f8ssland\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/009721_Jarle-Roessland_Visit-Svalbard_Longyearbyen.jpg\" data-caption=\"Longyearbyen in the Polar Night \u00a9 Jarle R\u00f8ssland\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\">\t\t\t\t<figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/008882_Jarle-Roessland_Visit-Svalbard.jpg\" data-size=\"1200x800\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"block-gallery-count\">02<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/008882_Jarle-Roessland_Visit-Svalbard.jpg\" alt=\"Do not leave town without a guide or a gun \u00a9 Jarle R\u00f8ssland\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/008882_Jarle-Roessland_Visit-Svalbard.jpg\" data-caption=\"Do not leave town without a guide or a gun \u00a9 Jarle R\u00f8ssland\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\">\t\t\t\t<figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/row-of-colorful-wooden-houses-at-longyearbyen-in-P4PKL9M.jpg\" data-size=\"1920x1280\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"block-gallery-count\">03<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/row-of-colorful-wooden-houses-at-longyearbyen-in-P4PKL9M.jpg\" alt=\"Summer in Svalbard, all 2 months of it \u00a9 Northern Norway\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/row-of-colorful-wooden-houses-at-longyearbyen-in-P4PKL9M.jpg\" data-caption=\"Summer in Svalbard, all 2 months of it \u00a9 Northern Norway\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\">\t\t\t\t<figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Edited-16-of-21.jpg\" data-size=\"1916x2048\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"block-gallery-count\">04<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Edited-16-of-21-768x821.jpg\" alt=\"A late February midday with Svalbard reindeer in the foreground that often wander around the cetre and are not scared of humans \u00a9 William Copeland\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Edited-16-of-21.jpg\" data-caption=\"A late February midday with Svalbard reindeer in the foreground that often wander around the cetre and are not scared of humans \u00a9 William Copeland\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/li><\/ul><div class=\"vnn-gallery-figcaptions\"><figcaption>01: Longyearbyen in the Polar Night \u00a9 Jarle R\u00f8ssland<\/figcaption><figcaption>02: Do not leave town without a guide or a gun \u00a9 Jarle R\u00f8ssland<\/figcaption><figcaption>03: Summer in Svalbard, all 2 months of it \u00a9 Northern Norway<\/figcaption><figcaption>04: A late February midday with Svalbard reindeer in the foreground that often wander around the cetre and are not scared of humans \u00a9 William Copeland<\/figcaption><\/div>\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Outdoor clothing is a speciality here<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The selection of outdoor equipment and clothing in the sporting-goods shops is quite impressive. The assistants, all well used to the outdoor life, are highly experienced in using equipment under high Arctic conditions, so there is plenty of good help and advice to be had. Nor is there any shortage of the latest fashionable clothing and interior design. Nordpolet is the place to buy duty-free alcohol and cigarettes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Longyearbyen has regular and gourmet dining options<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The world\u2019s most northerly coffee bar serves espresso and quiche, just as on any big city boulevard. The piles of heavy outdoor clothing are, however, indicators of the cold climate outside. Longyearbyen\u2019s restaurants and caf\u00e9s offer a good selection of food, from the finest gourmet dining to simple pizzas and burgers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The essence of the nightlife is humour<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Anyone choosing to spend a few years of their life working on Svalbard is probably relatively self-reliant and fearless. Long, dark winter nights spur people to seek contact with one another, so nightlife in Longyearbyen is very much a fun and inclusive experience. There is no strict dress code; it is more important to turn up with plenty of good humour. The nightlife includes a number of bars, all equipped with a huge and impressive selection of expensive whiskies, brandies and other spirits. The locals are also highly knowledgeable and non discriminating.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-vnn-gallery gallery-count-4\">\n\t\t<ul><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\">\t\t\t\t<figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/003008_Marcela-Cardenas_www.nordnorge.com_Longyearbyen.jpg\" data-size=\"1200x800\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"block-gallery-count\">01<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/003008_Marcela-Cardenas_www.nordnorge.com_Longyearbyen.jpg\" alt=\"Nybyen (literally, &quot;the new town&quot; in Longyearbyen in blue light \u00a9 Marcela Cardenas\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/003008_Marcela-Cardenas_www.nordnorge.com_Longyearbyen.jpg\" data-caption=\"Nybyen (literally, &quot;the new town&quot; in Longyearbyen in blue light \u00a9 Marcela Cardenas\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\">\t\t\t\t<figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Edited-13-of-21.jpg\" data-size=\"1825x2100\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"block-gallery-count\">02<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Edited-13-of-21-768x884.jpg\" alt=\"The mighty cliff edge that hangs over Longyearbyen with old relics of its bygone mining era like patchwork on the slopes \u00a9 William Copeland\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Edited-13-of-21.jpg\" data-caption=\"The mighty cliff edge that hangs over Longyearbyen with old relics of its bygone mining era like patchwork on the slopes \u00a9 William Copeland\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\">\t\t\t\t<figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Edited-1-of-21.jpg\" data-size=\"2042x2232\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"block-gallery-count\">03<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Edited-1-of-21-768x839.jpg\" alt=\"If you visit during late winter or early Spring you can get the chance to venture into the ice caves above longyearbyen. It&#039;s nowhere near as hard as it sounds and it&#039;s a short journey from the centre by snowmobile \u00a9 William Copeland\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Edited-1-of-21.jpg\" data-caption=\"If you visit during late winter or early Spring you can get the chance to venture into the ice caves above longyearbyen. It&#039;s nowhere near as hard as it sounds and it&#039;s a short journey from the centre by snowmobile \u00a9 William Copeland\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\">\t\t\t\t<figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Edited-14-of-21.jpg\" data-size=\"2142x2087\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"block-gallery-count\">04<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Edited-14-of-21-768x748.jpg\" alt=\"The crystal blue waters of Adventfjorden. You can walk down to the waters\/ ice edge and take in the views without venturing far enough away to need a gun \u00a9 William Copeland\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Edited-14-of-21.jpg\" data-caption=\"The crystal blue waters of Adventfjorden. You can walk down to the waters\/ ice edge and take in the views without venturing far enough away to need a gun \u00a9 William Copeland\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/li><\/ul><div class=\"vnn-gallery-figcaptions\"><figcaption>01: Nybyen (literally, &quot;the new town&quot; in Longyearbyen in blue light \u00a9 Marcela Cardenas<\/figcaption><figcaption>02: The mighty cliff edge that hangs over Longyearbyen with old relics of its bygone mining era like patchwork on the slopes \u00a9 William Copeland<\/figcaption><figcaption>03: If you visit during late winter or early Spring you can get the chance to venture into the ice caves above longyearbyen. It&#039;s nowhere near as hard as it sounds and it&#039;s a short journey from the centre by snowmobile \u00a9 William Copeland<\/figcaption><figcaption>04: The crystal blue waters of Adventfjorden. You can walk down to the waters\/ ice edge and take in the views without venturing far enough away to need a gun \u00a9 William Copeland<\/figcaption><\/div>\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Out in the suburbs hide Longyearbyen&#8217;s gems <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Not everything is in Longyearbyen itself. The legendary \u201cHuset\u201d, which was formerly used as a cultural centre with a cinema and theatre stage, has an equally legendary restaurant with an enormous wine cellar, and is situated slightly set apart up the valley. Mary-Ann\u2019s Polarrigg hotel at Skj\u00e6ringa has both a winter garden with a Thai restaurant, a spa and a bar with outdoor hot tub. If you are dressed less warmly for a party, a taxi is included as part of the service in Longyearbyen.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-vnn-gallery gallery-count-4\">\n\t\t<ul><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\">\t\t\t\t<figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/round-2-11-of-12-scaled.jpg\" data-size=\"2560x1440\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"block-gallery-count\">01<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/round-2-11-of-12-2048x1152.jpg\" alt=\"Longyearbyen is not a large settlement with a population of only around 2370 \u00a9 William Copeland\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/round-2-11-of-12-scaled.jpg\" data-caption=\"Longyearbyen is not a large settlement with a population of only around 2370 \u00a9 William Copeland\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\">\t\t\t\t<figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/svmGD093.jpg\" data-size=\"1157x800\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"block-gallery-count\">02<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/svmGD093.jpg\" alt=\"Svalbard museum, located next to the University Centre on Svalbard, has a great layout telling the history of the settlement and it&#039;s nature \u00a9 Svalbard museum\/guri dahl\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/svmGD093.jpg\" data-caption=\"Svalbard museum, located next to the University Centre on Svalbard, has a great layout telling the history of the settlement and it&#039;s nature \u00a9 Svalbard museum\/guri dahl\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\">\t\t\t\t<figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/002951_Frank-Andreassen_www.nordnorge.com_Longyearbyen.jpg\" data-size=\"1200x800\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"block-gallery-count\">03<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/002951_Frank-Andreassen_www.nordnorge.com_Longyearbyen-768x512.jpg\" alt=\"You quickly learn to paddle \u00a9 Knut Hansvold\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/002951_Frank-Andreassen_www.nordnorge.com_Longyearbyen.jpg\" data-caption=\"You quickly learn to paddle \u00a9 Knut Hansvold\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\">\t\t\t\t<figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/002972_Marcela-Cardenas_www.nordnorge.com_.jpg\" data-size=\"1920x1280\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"block-gallery-count\">04<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/002972_Marcela-Cardenas_www.nordnorge.com_-768x512.jpg\" alt=\"Longyearbyen at night \u00a9 Marcela Cardenas\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/002972_Marcela-Cardenas_www.nordnorge.com_.jpg\" data-caption=\"Longyearbyen at night \u00a9 Marcela Cardenas\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/li><\/ul><div class=\"vnn-gallery-figcaptions\"><figcaption>01: Longyearbyen is not a large settlement with a population of only around 2370 \u00a9 William Copeland<\/figcaption><figcaption>02: Svalbard museum, located next to the University Centre on Svalbard, has a great layout telling the history of the settlement and it&#039;s nature \u00a9 Svalbard museum\/guri dahl<\/figcaption><figcaption>03: You quickly learn to paddle \u00a9 Knut Hansvold<\/figcaption><figcaption>04: Longyearbyen at night \u00a9 Marcela Cardenas<\/figcaption><\/div>\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n<div class=\"vnn__byline vnn-grid has-author has-date has-tags\"><div class=\"vnn__byline-meta\"><div class=\"vnn__byline-author\">Written by will<\/div><div class=\"vnn__byline-date\">April 2, 2020<\/div><div class=\"vnn__byline-date\">Last updated September 1, 2025<\/div><\/div><div class=\"vnn__byline-tags\"><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/experiences-and-activities\/?fwp_se-og-gjore=eat-and-stay\" rel=\"tag\">Eat and stay<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/experiences-and-activities\/?fwp_omrder=svalbard\" rel=\"tag\">Svalbard<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"featured_media":3585,"parent":0,"template":"","meta":{"_searchwp_excluded":"","vnn_header_layout":"featured","vnn_header_layout_image_id":3585,"vnn_header_layout_image_focal_point_x":0.51,"vnn_header_layout_image_focal_point_y":0.91,"vnn_header_layout_description":"","vnn_header_layout_url":"","vnn_header_layout_url_text":"","vnn_header_layout_photographer":"Emilien Gigandet","vnn_header_layout_video_id":"","vnn_header_layout_yt_id":"","vnn_header_layout_vimeo_id":"","teft_location_geodata_lat":78.218401872273,"teft_location_geodata_lng":15.638571213931,"teft_cards_image_id":3585,"teft_cards_image_focal_point_x":0.51,"teft_cards_image_focal_point_y":0.8,"teft_cards_title":"","teft_cards_excerpt":"","footnotes":""},"todo":[61],"facilities":[],"season":[],"region":[17],"malgrupper":[58],"class_list":["post-5147","artikler","type-artikler","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","todo-eat-and-stay","region-svalbard","malgrupper-local-insider"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.5 (Yoast SEO v25.3.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Longyearbyen on Svalbard has more to offer than polar bears - Visit Northern Norway<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"From its late 1800s routes, Longyearbyen on Svalbard is now a centre for research, shopping opportunities, nightlife and nature tour opportunities.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/artikkel\/longyearbyen-on-svalbard-has-more-to-offer-than-polar-bears\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Longyearbyen on Svalbard has more to offer than polar bears\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"From its late 1800s routes, Longyearbyen on Svalbard is now a centre for research, shopping opportunities, nightlife and nature tour opportunities.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/artikkel\/longyearbyen-on-svalbard-has-more-to-offer-than-polar-bears\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Visit Northern Norway\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/NorthernNorway\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-09-01T11:14:07+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/009721_Jarle-Roessland_Visit-Svalbard_Longyearbyen.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Svalbrd-1-Foto-Emilien-Gigandet.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@NorthernNorway\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":[\"WebPage\",\"FAQPage\"],\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/artikkel\/longyearbyen-on-svalbard-has-more-to-offer-than-polar-bears\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/artikkel\/longyearbyen-on-svalbard-has-more-to-offer-than-polar-bears\/\",\"name\":\"Longyearbyen on Svalbard has more to offer than polar bears - Visit Northern Norway\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/artikkel\/longyearbyen-on-svalbard-has-more-to-offer-than-polar-bears\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/artikkel\/longyearbyen-on-svalbard-has-more-to-offer-than-polar-bears\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Svalbrd-1-Foto-Emilien-Gigandet.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2020-04-02T11:39:33+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-09-01T11:14:07+00:00\",\"description\":\"From its late 1800s routes, Longyearbyen on Svalbard is now a centre for research, shopping opportunities, nightlife and nature tour opportunities.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/artikkel\/longyearbyen-on-svalbard-has-more-to-offer-than-polar-bears\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/artikkel\/longyearbyen-on-svalbard-has-more-to-offer-than-polar-bears\/\"]}],\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Where is it and how do I get there? \",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"&lt;p class=&quot;&quot;&gt;\\n\\t\\t\\t\\tLongyearbyen is located on Svalbard, an archipelego located 958km north of Troms\u00f8 at 78 degrees north. Both SAS and Norwegian offer flights to Longyearbyen from Oslo, usually making a passenger pick up stop in Troms\u00f8 on the way. \\n\\t\\t\\t&lt;\/p&gt;\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"When is the best time to visit?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"&lt;p class=&quot;&quot;&gt;\\n\\t\\t\\t\\tThis all depends on the purpose of your visit. Longyearbyen has polar night from late October all the way until mid february. From mid November to Mid January there is true Polar Night where there is no light in the sky, not even twilight. Therefore if you are visiting for wildlife and nature, the dark winter months can be difficult. The best advice if you do want to visit during the Polar night, is to choose dates where full moon is taking place. The full moon light will illuminate all the scenery you would hope to see, not to mention provide a great setting for watching the midday auroras that are possible to see in Longyearbyen. Springtime, however, is probably the most popular time to visit Svalbard. From late February until early May you transition from short daylight days to 24h sunlight in rapid transition. At the same time, mother polar bears are leaving their winter hideouts with cubs and the sun beams down on the archipelego, but not enough to cause huge melting of the snow. Many snowmobile tours run and boat trips start to various locations around the area. If still cold enough, you can even go glacier caving through the meltwater channels of the glaciers above Longyearbyen. Summer into autumn comprises only of late June to mid August. During this time much of the snow melts and hiking is the way to go and explore. However, never leave the settlement without a gun and or guide. Polar bears are always a threat. Boat tours around the island are popular during this time, and cruises to the east coast especially give guests a high likelihood of seeing polar bears on land, for photographers this means having a good telelens. \\n\\t\\t\\t&lt;\/p&gt;\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What is the weather like?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"&lt;p class=&quot;&quot;&gt;\\n\\t\\t\\t\\tDue to Longyearbyen&#039;s high latitude and sheltered location temperatures are very cold during the winter months and rarely warm during the Summer either. The lowest temperature ever recorded in the settlement was -46.3 Celsius (-51.3 Fahrenheit) in March 1986 while the warmest temperature was 21.3 Celsius (70.3 Fahrenheit) in July 1979. The daily mean temperature during July is 7.2 Celsius (45 Fahrenheit) and during the coldest month March, -12.2 Celsius (10 Farenheit). It is worth noting that in the last 30 years that mean has increased by 2 degrees Celsius and continues to increase today. Just remember if you are taking a tour out of the settlement it can be much colder where you&#039;re going, so take all layers at all times. \\n\\t\\t\\t&lt;\/p&gt;\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Where can I get more information on tours and accomodation in Longyearbyen? \",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"&lt;p class=&quot;&quot;&gt;\\n\\t\\t\\t\\tThe best place to find all the information you need is on the Visit Svalbard webpage. \\n\\t\\t\\t&lt;\/p&gt;\"}}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/artikkel\/longyearbyen-on-svalbard-has-more-to-offer-than-polar-bears\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Svalbrd-1-Foto-Emilien-Gigandet.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Svalbrd-1-Foto-Emilien-Gigandet.jpg\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/artikkel\/longyearbyen-on-svalbard-has-more-to-offer-than-polar-bears\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Longyearbyen on Svalbard has more to offer than polar bears\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/\",\"name\":\"Visit Northern Norway\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Visit Northern Norway\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Logo_Vertikal_EN.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Logo_Vertikal_EN.png\",\"width\":2482,\"height\":1754,\"caption\":\"Visit Northern Norway\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/NorthernNorway\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/NorthernNorway\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/northernnorway\/\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/nordnorsk-reiseliv-as\",\"https:\/\/no.pinterest.com\/northernnorway\/\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/VisitNorthernNorway\/\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Longyearbyen on Svalbard has more to offer than polar bears - Visit Northern Norway","description":"From its late 1800s routes, Longyearbyen on Svalbard is now a centre for research, shopping opportunities, nightlife and nature tour opportunities.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/artikkel\/longyearbyen-on-svalbard-has-more-to-offer-than-polar-bears\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Longyearbyen on Svalbard has more to offer than polar bears","og_description":"From its late 1800s routes, Longyearbyen on Svalbard is now a centre for research, shopping opportunities, nightlife and nature tour opportunities.","og_url":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/artikkel\/longyearbyen-on-svalbard-has-more-to-offer-than-polar-bears\/","og_site_name":"Visit Northern Norway","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/NorthernNorway","article_modified_time":"2025-09-01T11:14:07+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/009721_Jarle-Roessland_Visit-Svalbard_Longyearbyen.jpg","type":"","width":"","height":""}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_image":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Svalbrd-1-Foto-Emilien-Gigandet.jpg","twitter_site":"@NorthernNorway","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":["WebPage","FAQPage"],"@id":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/artikkel\/longyearbyen-on-svalbard-has-more-to-offer-than-polar-bears\/","url":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/artikkel\/longyearbyen-on-svalbard-has-more-to-offer-than-polar-bears\/","name":"Longyearbyen on Svalbard has more to offer than polar bears - 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","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"&lt;p class=&quot;&quot;&gt;\n\t\t\t\tLongyearbyen is located on Svalbard, an archipelego located 958km north of Troms\u00f8 at 78 degrees north. Both SAS and Norwegian offer flights to Longyearbyen from Oslo, usually making a passenger pick up stop in Troms\u00f8 on the way. \n\t\t\t&lt;\/p&gt;"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"When is the best time to visit?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"&lt;p class=&quot;&quot;&gt;\n\t\t\t\tThis all depends on the purpose of your visit. Longyearbyen has polar night from late October all the way until mid february. From mid November to Mid January there is true Polar Night where there is no light in the sky, not even twilight. Therefore if you are visiting for wildlife and nature, the dark winter months can be difficult. The best advice if you do want to visit during the Polar night, is to choose dates where full moon is taking place. The full moon light will illuminate all the scenery you would hope to see, not to mention provide a great setting for watching the midday auroras that are possible to see in Longyearbyen. Springtime, however, is probably the most popular time to visit Svalbard. From late February until early May you transition from short daylight days to 24h sunlight in rapid transition. At the same time, mother polar bears are leaving their winter hideouts with cubs and the sun beams down on the archipelego, but not enough to cause huge melting of the snow. Many snowmobile tours run and boat trips start to various locations around the area. If still cold enough, you can even go glacier caving through the meltwater channels of the glaciers above Longyearbyen. Summer into autumn comprises only of late June to mid August. During this time much of the snow melts and hiking is the way to go and explore. However, never leave the settlement without a gun and or guide. Polar bears are always a threat. Boat tours around the island are popular during this time, and cruises to the east coast especially give guests a high likelihood of seeing polar bears on land, for photographers this means having a good telelens. \n\t\t\t&lt;\/p&gt;"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"What is the weather like?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"&lt;p class=&quot;&quot;&gt;\n\t\t\t\tDue to Longyearbyen&#039;s high latitude and sheltered location temperatures are very cold during the winter months and rarely warm during the Summer either. The lowest temperature ever recorded in the settlement was -46.3 Celsius (-51.3 Fahrenheit) in March 1986 while the warmest temperature was 21.3 Celsius (70.3 Fahrenheit) in July 1979. The daily mean temperature during July is 7.2 Celsius (45 Fahrenheit) and during the coldest month March, -12.2 Celsius (10 Farenheit). It is worth noting that in the last 30 years that mean has increased by 2 degrees Celsius and continues to increase today. Just remember if you are taking a tour out of the settlement it can be much colder where you&#039;re going, so take all layers at all times. \n\t\t\t&lt;\/p&gt;"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Where can I get more information on tours and accomodation in Longyearbyen? ","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"&lt;p class=&quot;&quot;&gt;\n\t\t\t\tThe best place to find all the information you need is on the Visit Svalbard webpage. \n\t\t\t&lt;\/p&gt;"}}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/artikkel\/longyearbyen-on-svalbard-has-more-to-offer-than-polar-bears\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Svalbrd-1-Foto-Emilien-Gigandet.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Svalbrd-1-Foto-Emilien-Gigandet.jpg"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/artikkel\/longyearbyen-on-svalbard-has-more-to-offer-than-polar-bears\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Longyearbyen on Svalbard has more to offer than polar bears"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/#website","url":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/","name":"Visit Northern Norway","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/#organization","name":"Visit Northern Norway","url":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Logo_Vertikal_EN.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Logo_Vertikal_EN.png","width":2482,"height":1754,"caption":"Visit Northern Norway"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/NorthernNorway","https:\/\/x.com\/NorthernNorway","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/northernnorway\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/nordnorsk-reiseliv-as","https:\/\/no.pinterest.com\/northernnorway\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/VisitNorthernNorway\/"]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/artikler\/5147","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/artikler"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/artikler"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/artikler\/5147\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15632,"href":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/artikler\/5147\/revisions\/15632"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/wp-json\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5147"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"todo","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/todo?post=5147"},{"taxonomy":"facilities","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/facilities?post=5147"},{"taxonomy":"season","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/season?post=5147"},{"taxonomy":"region","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/region?post=5147"},{"taxonomy":"malgrupper","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nordnorge.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/malgrupper?post=5147"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}