Due to the location north of the Arctic Circle, the weather on Spitsbergen stays cold throughout the year. The high temperature of a summer's day on Spitsbergen is only around 12° Celsius (54° Fahrenheit) and -12° Celsius (10° Fahrenheit) on an average winter day.
Spitsbergen experiences three fascinating natural phenomena:
- The Polar Nights in Spitsbergen means total winter darkness from November until February.
- While it's dark, Spitsbergen is one of the best locations to view the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights).
- In the summer on Spitsbergen, there is lots of time for outdoor activities with constant daylight from late April until August - the so-called Midnight Sun phenomenon.
How to get to Spitsbergen: Most transportation to Spitsbergen departs from Oslo or Tromso in Norway. Travelers can fly to Longyearbyen on Spitsbergen, book a room on a regular cruise ship, or participate in an expedition-style cruise (for more adventurous travelers). Both types of cruise are offered by Spitsbergen Travel AS.
Accommodation on Spitsbergen: Your best bet for accommodation on Spitsbergen is Svalbard's capital. Hotels in Longyearbyen offer high quality accommodation and are bookable online. Longyearbyen also offers dining.
The wildlife on Spitsbergen is quite unique. Nature has adjusted to the cold climate and arctic temperatures. There are walruses, polar bears, Little Auks, reindeer, and Arctic Foxes here.
Besides experiencing the Arctic and the rugged wildnerness this far north, popular activities on Spitsbergen include snowmobile tours, skiing, dog sledding, hiking and boat tours in the summer.
Fun fact about Spitsbergen: Spitsbergen has 2,500 inhabitants, the same number that it has in polar bears.
