Longyearbyen is the world’s northernmost city. This is a town where the streets have no names, reindeer wander through town, and there are more snowmobiles than people. If you have plans to visit Svalbard, Longyearbyen is where you will eat, sleep, and fill your time in between arctic adventures.
The best things to do in Svalbard happen outside of town: kayaking past glaciers, cruising to an abandoned Russian mining town, and hiking to the summit of a nearby mountain. We cover all of that in our other Svalbard posts. This guide is for everything else: the museums, the quirks, the restaurants, and the handful of things worth doing right in Longyearbyen between adventures.
But first…
A Few Fun Facts about Svalbard
About 2,500 people from 50 countries call Svalbard home. Norwegians are the largest group, but you can also meet a fair number of people from Sweden, Russia, and Thailand.
The streets have numbers rather than names.
July is the warmest month, with high temperatures averaging a balmy 7°C (45°F). It’s coldest here from January through March, with high temperatures averaging -13°C (9°F). That’s cold, but probably not what you would expect for a city located so far north. The western side of Svalbard receives the warm Atlantic current and this helps moderate the temperatures in Longyearbyen.
Cats are banned in Svalbard since they hunt and kill the native birds.
It’s “illegal” to die in Svalbard. Actually, it’s not really illegal to die here, but if you do, you won’t be buried here. The ground is made of permafrost, so bodies that are buried here do not decompose. So yes, there still are perfectly preserved bodies in Svalbard cemetery from 100 years ago.
Giving birth is out of the question, too. Three weeks before a woman’s due date, she must return to the mainland in order to give birth. The medical facilities on Svalbard are not equipped to handle an emergency should one arise during labor and delivery.
It’s customary to remove your shoes when entering hotels, shops, and restaurants in Longyearbyen. This is a tradition that dates back to the coal mining days, as a way to prevent coal dust from being tracked into the buildings.
If you plan to leave town, make sure you are carrying a rifle, just in case you cross paths with a wandering polar bear.
The Essentials
TOWN SIZE | ~2,500 residents, world’s northernmost city
FREE THINGS TO DO | Polar bear signs & statues, Svalbard Church, window shopping
PAID THINGS TO DO | Museums, brewery tour, art centers
BEST FOR | Filling a day or two between excursions
GETTING AROUND | Entirely walkable; most of town is 10–15 minutes on foot
LOCAL CUSTOM | Take your shoes off indoors; it’s expected everywhere, even shops
Best Things to Do in Longyearbyen
1. Svalbard Museum
This small museum teaches you about the history, geology, and wildlife of Svalbard. Learn about climate change, the animals that call Svalbard home, and the local history of Longyearbyen and nearby settlements. If you only have time to visit one museum while in Svalbard, this one gets our vote.
Svalbard Museum
2. North Pole Expedition Museum
Learn about the expeditions to the North Pole that have departed from Svalbard. Told through a large collection of newspaper clippings and posters, there is a lot of information here. This is worth it if you are interested in exploration history. Even though we thought the topic of North Pole exploration is fascinating, we thought the presentation of the information was overly detailed and even a little boring.
North Pole Expedition Museum
3. The Global Seed Vault
Housing over 1.4 million seed samples from gene banks around the world, this vault is a safety net for global agriculture in case of disaster. It’s not a seed bank in the way people assume. It doesn’t distribute seeds, and each depositing institution still owns its samples. It exists purely as backup: if a country’s own seed bank is destroyed by war, disaster, or simple mismanagement, they can withdraw a duplicate from here to rebuild their collection.
Visitors aren’t permitted inside, but you can walk up and photograph the iconic entrance, and a few guided hikes now route past it. Svalbard Wildlife Expeditions’ “Seed to Summit” trek climbs Blomsterdalshøgda and passes the entrance on the way down. Construction happening around the vault during our visit kept us from getting close ourselves.
4. See How Many Polar Bears You Can Find
It’s rare to see a polar bear in Longyearbyen, although it does occasionally happen. However, there are still a few places where you can spot a polar bear, whether it’s graffiti, on signs, or as a work of art.
You can find polar statues on the side of the road.
You can even find polar bear graffiti in town.
The most famous of these is the triangular polar bear warning sign at the edge of town, and it is reportedly one of the most photographed street signs in the world.
You don’t need a rifle or a guide to reach it: the sign marks the boundary of Longyearbyen’s safe zone, so as long as you stop there rather than continuing past it, you’re still within town limits. It’s about a 15 to 20 minute walk from the town center along the road toward the airport. We didn’t walk out to it ourselves, since our guide swung by on the drive back from the Arctic Challenge excursion, but it’s an easy independent add-on if you’d rather walk it yourself.
The famous polar bear sign on the edge of town
5. Svalbard Church
This is the northernmost church in the world. Located on hill on the edge of town, you can pop in for a quick visit and enjoy the view over Longyearbyen.
Svalbard Church
The view from the Svalbard Church
6. Go Shopping
Located along the main street in Longyearbyen are several clothing shops. This is the perfect place to go shopping for those unique Svalbard souvenirs: polar bear Christmas ornaments, toys for kids, and the quintessential “I’ve Been to Svalbard” t-shirt.
The main pedestrian walkway through the center of town
7. Svalbard Brewery
Svalbard Brewery is the world’s northernmost brewery, and its origin story is as good as the beer: it was founded by Robert Johansen, a former coal miner and pilot, who spent years pushing to overturn a 1928 law that banned alcohol production on Svalbard. He finally succeeded, and the brewery poured its first beer in 2015.
The beer’s distinct character comes from 2,000-year-old glacial meltwater sourced from the Bogerbreen glacier. A guided tour covers the full story behind the brewery, a look at the production floor through the bar’s windows, and a tasting of five different beers.
8. Café Huskies
This café opened after our visit and has quickly become one of Longyearbyen’s most talked-about newer spots. A handful of retired sled dogs roam the cafe while you sip coffee and eat cake. It’s one of the only places in town where dogs, rather than cats (which are banned on Svalbard), are part of the experience.
9. Pick Your Favorite Restaurant
This came as a complete surprise to us…there are a lot of great restaurants in Longyearbyen. We had no idea that such a small town in the arctic could be home to so many fantastic restaurants.
We were in town for a few days and some of our meals were included on our excursions, so we had limited time to try all of the restaurants on my list. Here is where we ate, plus a few highly recommended restaurants that we wished we made it to.
Kroa. This restaurant was recommended to us by Nanna, our guide on the Arctic Challenge. It was so good we ate here twice! It’s warm and cozy inside, with a rustic décor and animal skins on the walls. The moose burgers are awesome and so is the chocolate fondant cake. If you’re vegetarian, I ate the lentil stew, which was also very good.
Svalbar. This is a great place to go for burgers and beer.
Polfareren. If you want a gourmet meal that doesn’t totally blow the budget, we recommend this restaurant. Everything we ate was amazing.
Fruene Kaffe Og Vinbar. This bakery serves pastries and sandwiches and soups. It’s a great place if you are looking for good, budget friendly food.
Gruvelageret. This is the closest you can get to a Michelin starred restaurant in Svalbard. Located in an old mining hut, you dine on a four course set menu of white bean soup, reindeer, halibut, and profiteroles.
Huset Svalbard. This is Longyearbyen’s premier dining experience. Come here for a gourmet dinner or for a wine tasting. The 20,000 bottle wine cellar is the northernmost wine cellar in the world and receives multiple awards from Wine Spectator.
Funktionærmessen. Located inside Funken Lodge, this restaurant was just named to National Geographic’s 2026 Culinary Collection. We haven’t eaten here ourselves, but that’s recent enough recognition to be worth a look if you’re staying at Funken Lodge or want a splurge dinner.
10. Hike up Plåtafjellet
So this technically is not in Longyearbyen, but if you want a bird’s eye view of town and like the idea of hiking, put Plåtafjellet on your list. You will need to hire a guide, since you are leaving Longyearbyen and heading out into polar bear territory. It takes about 3 hours round trip and what a view!
We did not do this, choosing instead to hike Hiorthfjellet, but it’s on our list if we are lucky enough to visit Svalbard again.
Another view of town
11. Nordover Art Centre & Cinema
Gallery Svalbard, which used to occupy this spot, closed in 2021. Its legacy carries on through Nordover Art Centre & Cinema, now located in the town center. Rotating exhibitions curated by Nordnorsk Kunstmuseum explore how Svalbard’s landscape, mining history, and people have shaped its culture, and a daily 25-minute film, Cold Coasts: A Brief History of Svalbard Art & Culture, plays on the half hour. There’s a regular cinema program too, if you want an evening indoors.
12. Spitsbergen Artists Center
For the Nybyen art experience Gallery Svalbard used to offer, head to the Spitsbergen Artists Center, a working artist residency and craft center housed in a 1947 former miners’ store. It’s about a 30-minute walk from the town center, passing glaciers, mountains, and old mining remnants along the way, and hosts exhibitions, workshops, and a shop selling locally made art and crafts. Opening hours are limited (open a few afternoons during the week), so check before you go.
Frequently Asked Questions about Longyearbyen, Svalbard
What is there to do in Longyearbyen besides book excursions?
Plenty. Longyearbyen has several museums (Svalbard Museum, North Pole Expedition Museum), two art centers, the world’s northernmost brewery, a church with panoramic views, restaurants worth a trip on their own, and polar bear statues, signs, and street art scattered around town. It’s easy to fill a day or two on foot without booking a single excursion.
Can you see polar bears in Longyearbyen itself?
It’s rare, but it does happen. Polar bears occasionally wander into town, which is part of why the “carry a rifle outside town” rule exists. Inside Longyearbyen, your best odds of spotting one are the artistic kind: street signs, statues, and graffiti around town.
Do you need a guide to walk around Longyearbyen?
No. Longyearbyen itself is considered safe to explore on foot without a guide or a rifle. The rule only kicks in once you leave the town’s marked boundaries, where polar bears become a real possibility.
Are there any free things to do in Longyearbyen?
Yes. Spotting the town’s polar bear statues, signs, and graffiti, visiting Svalbard Church, window shopping along the main street, and simply walking around town are all free. Museums, the brewery, and the art centers charge admission.
How many days do you need in Longyearbyen itself?
A day is enough to see everything in town, including the museums, the church, a walk through the shops. Most visitors end up spending more time here anyway, since it’s your home base between excursions, but the in-town sights themselves fit into a single day.
Longyearbyen (we took this photo near the Svalbard Church)
More Information about Svalbard
Longyearbyen is a very cool town to visit, but the best part about a visit here is leaving town and venturing out into the wilderness. Cruise the fjords, go on a snowmobile or dog sledding expedition, go kayaking or hiking…there are tons of adventures to choose from. We spent several days in Svalbard and went on three excursions. Check them out:
- Glacier Kayaking in Svalbard
- Kayaking Adventfjord and Hiking Hiorthfjellet: A One Day Adventure in Svalbard
- Cruising to Pyramiden, A Russian Ghost Town in Svalbard
We also have several detailed guides about how to visit Svalbard:
Where We Stayed
We stayed at two very different hotels during our visit: the Basecamp Hotel, warm and rustic, and the Radisson Blu, the biggest hotel in town with sweeping views over Adventfjord. Full details on both, plus four more options, are in our Svalbard Itinerary guide.
If you have any questions about the best things to do in Longyearbyen, let us know in the comment section below.
More Information for Your Trip to Svalbard & Norway
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