Spitsbergen
The main island of the Svalbard archipelago, Spitsbergen, is the only one that is permanently inhabited; its settlements (three Norwegian and one Russian) have a total population of around 3000. With just over 1500 inhabitants, the only Norwegian settlement of any size is Longyearbyen, which huddles on the narrow coastal plain below the mountains and beside the Isfjord, roughly in the middle of the island. It was founded in 1906, when John M. Longyear, an American mine owner, established the Arctic Coal Company here. Longyearbyen is now well equipped with services, including shops, cafés, a post office, bank, swimming pool, several tour companies, a campsite, a couple of guesthouses and three hotels – but note that advance reservations are essential for all accommodation.
Longyearbyen practicalities
Longyearbyen airport is 5km west of town and an airport bus, the Flybussen (March– Sept; 50kr) links the two; a taxi will cost 90–100kr. The settlement itself trails inland from the Isfjorden for a couple of kilometres. The few buildings that pass for the centre are located about 600m in from the fjord; one of them contains the all-year tourist office (Mon– Fri 8am–6pm, Sat 9am–4pm, Sun noon–4pm; 79 02 55 51, www.svalbard.net), which has a full range of leaflets on the archipelago as well as information on a wide range of trips.
Longyearbyen has a healthy supply of accommodation. Cream of the crop is the plush Radisson SAS Polar Hotel ( 79 02 34 50, www.radisson.com; Kr1200 and above) just to the north of the tourist office. More distinctive, if frugal, lodgings are available in old miners' quarters to the west of the centre, across the river, at the Mary-Ann's Polar Riggen guesthouse ( 79 02 37 02, www.polarriggen.com; Kr800-1000). Similarly economic, though not perhaps as agreeable, is the Spitsbergen Nybyen Gjestehus, on the southern edge of town ( 79 02 63 00, guesthouse@spitsbergentravel.no; Kr800-1000). Finally, Longyearbyen Camping ( 79 02 14 44, www.longyearbyen-camping.com; late June to early Sept), out near the airport, charges just 80kr per person per night. Surprisingly, they don't have any cabins, but there is a kitchen, laundry and (thank goodness) heated toilets. Obviously enough, you must come fully equipped to survive what can be, at any time of the year, a cruel climate.
For food, the Radisson SAS Polar Hotel's Restaurant Nansen is the best place in town, serving all manner of Arctic specialities from char through to seal and (like it or not) whale. For drinking, the liveliest hangout is the Funken Bar, part of the Spitsbergen Hotel and situated just to the south of the centre. The Radisson SAS Polar Hotel's Barents Pub is both smarter and more sedate.
Discover more to see and do in Spitzbergen at www.roughguides.co.uk
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