The Barefoot Backpacker

How I Spent Three Nights On Svalbard

In August 2025 I spent three nights (four days) on Svalbard. It coincided with the very end of the midnight sun; this wasn’t planned but it is important to note, because of course Svalbard has a very extreme climate / day length and my trip would have been very different had I gone in February. I’ve, as far as possible, included costs of everything; at the time of my visit, £1 GBP was worth about 13.6 Norwegian Krone (NOK); USD$1 was about 10.2 NOK. Obviously prices will have changed since then, but I’m including them to give you a reference and an indication.

I arrived on the Friday lunchtime and left on the Monday lunchtime, so think of it was a long weekend. Here’s everything I did during my time there – use it as a framework to plan your own trips. Or don’t. I don’t care. I’m not your travel agent. It worked well for me, and I think it was the right amount of time; maybe you could have an extra day to fit in one other tour and a different restaurant, but that’s your call. If you want to hear more about Longyearbyen and Svalbard, I also made a podcast episode about it.

Day One

I arrived at 1.30pm on the Friday flight from Tromsø with Norwegian Air. It’s a regular flight, taking two hours from Tromsø, and not only is it a very useful and convenient stopover town, it is in itself a good introduction to the Polar World – by going this way you’re following in the footsteps of polar explorers and traders for many centuries, tho of course they’d sailed.

I arranged for a tour to pick me up from the airport. This was an orientation tour around Longyearbyen, with a company called Longyearbyen Guiding. It’s scheduled to take three hours but it turns out I was the only person on the tour that day, so it took considerably less than that. It cost 1,000 NOK, and it takes you to (outside) many of the most important sites in the town and local area, while a local guide tells you all about the history of the town and the importance of the places you see.

A sparse Arctic hillside stretches across the frame, dotted with patches of low vegetation and scattered rocks beneath a pale, overcast sky. Perched along the ridge are a handful of isolated buildings: a striking red wooden house stands out vividly against the muted landscape, while nearby, a cluster of industrial-looking structures on stilts—metallic and angular—suggest mining or research activity. Wooden utility poles march across the slope, their wires cutting thin lines through the empty air. The scene feels remote and functional, a place where human presence is small but purposeful against the vast, exposed terrain.
The ruins of a mining station stand on one of the ridges above the town.

My guide was a chap who moved to Svalbard when he was four, and who spent a lot of his life here. Although he’d moved away as an adult for about twenty years, he returned in the last few years, so he’s seen the place change quite a lot over that time. One of those ways is the industry; back in the 90s his job was to drive buses for the miners to reach the out-of-town mines; it used to be the dominant industry here but they’ve all closed down now. One of our spots on the tour was to one of these mines, set at the end of the road on the top of a steep hill overlooking Adventdalen – the long valley to the east of Longyearbyen It’s a great place to stand and look out over the region and see how small the town is compared to the surrounding hillsides.

From a high vantage point, a vast valley opens out toward a distant strip of water, its floor crisscrossed by winding, braided river channels that glint faintly under diffuse light. In the foreground, a rust-red industrial conveyor or pipeline stretches across the slope, supported by metal frames and leading toward large cylindrical tanks. The surrounding mountains rise steeply on either side, their muted tones of grey, brown, and green softened by low cloud cover. The scale of the landscape dwarfs the industrial elements, emphasising both the harshness of the environment and the effort required to operate within it.
View from the top of the ridge next to one of the old abandoned mines, looking back along Adventdalen.

On a similar hill bit overlooking the airport is another stop on the tour – the famous seed vault. It’s quite deep down, and you can’t go inside, so all you get to see is two sheds, but it’s an important spot to stand and read/hear the history and provenance of.

A modern, angular building clad in weathered steel juts dramatically out over a rocky slope, supported by dark metal stilts that lift it above the ground. Its sharp, geometric form contrasts with the soft curves of the surrounding mountains and the calm, silvery water of a fjord visible below. A gravel road winds past the structure, marked by thin red poles, where a small group of people walks toward a concrete entrance set into the hillside. The entire scene feels stark and windswept, blending contemporary design with the raw, rugged beauty of the Arctic environment.
All that’s visible above ground at the Seed Vault.

The tour also takes you around all the bits of Longyearbyen town itself, like the church, the old graveyard, and the sundial, and while you could visit them independently, the tour gives you some context and background to them all. It’s one thing seeing some old ruined buildings, but quite another to know they’re old houses and schools and childrens’ homes that your guide grew up in and around.

A small, red wooden church with a steeply pitched roof and a narrow steeple stands quietly on a barren hillside, its simple form both striking and comforting in the otherwise sparse landscape. The building’s white-trimmed windows and neat lines give it a tidy, almost storybook appearance, while a larger, pale building sits just behind it. The surrounding ground is rough and treeless, with low hills rising into mist in the background, partially obscured by cloud. The overall mood is calm and contemplative, as though the church offers a quiet refuge in an otherwise stark and windswept place.
View of the church.

The tour dropped me off at my accommodation – an AirBnb not far from the Radisson Blue hotel. After checking in, dumping my backpack, and having a bit of a rest, it’s time to go out and explore the nightlife.

I say nightlife. Longyearbyen is home to the world’s most northerly brewery, and on Fridays a brewtap opens inside the brewery itself. It’s definitely a good plan to go there if you can – it’s not a large room but it is quite open-plan so you’re going to be sat on a table with other people, so it’s a great place to socialise and meet people. And these people could be locals, they could be other visitors, or they could be some of the many seasonal staff who come over to work in the local businesses or the tourist industries for a few months. There’s other places to drink in the town centre itself, but many of them are inside hotels or restaurants, so this feels a little more like a genuine ‘community’ place to meet up.

Day Two

Your first full day on Svalbard, and you might as well make the most of your time here. After all, you didn’t come here to spend all day on your bed.

My Saturday was spent on one of the hiking tours. Longyearbyen is built in a valley surrounded by hills and mountains, and the island itself is incredibly mountainous – you can tell that from the aeroplane on the way in. There’s thus many tours you can choose from, each set with a difficulty level determined by length, altitude gain, and steepness, amongst others.

I chose one up Sarkofagen, a mid-level hike on all criteria that starts at the southern edge of town. It’s close enough to the town centre to be accessible, but equally, once you’re out of town it’s remote country regardless where you go so you’re not losing much by going further.

A rough hiking path winds diagonally up a steep hillside covered in loose, broken rocks of varying sizes, creating a challenging and uneven surface. The slope is almost entirely barren, with only occasional patches of hardy vegetation clinging to the ground. A few distant figures can be seen higher up, emphasising the incline and the effort required to climb it. The sky above is pale and overcast, adding to the stark, rugged feel of the terrain.
Oh my, that’s a bit steep and rocky.

One thing to say about the scenery is that it is very bleak. You don’t notice it, indeed you might not realise it until someone points it out, but Svalbard has no trees, it has no bushes, it barely has any grass. So all of the hills are more-or-less bare rock, and when you’re hiking up them they’re quite stony and pebbly (scree), narrow, and sometimes quite precarious and sheer. At one point on the way back I came down on my bottom because it was easier and safer for dyspraxic me It’s not the easiest place to hike if you’re not used to that sort of terrain, and you very definitely need walking boots. This is not a place for barefoot hiking, even if the weather was warmer.

A lone figure stands on a narrow, rocky ridge high above a wide Arctic valley, with a small settlement and fjord visible far below. The person, bundled in layers with a hat and colourful clothing, provides a vivid contrast to the muted tones of the surrounding mountains. Steep slopes drop away on either side, leading down to braided river channels that wind toward the water. The scale of the landscape is immense, making the human presence feel both adventurous and fragile against the vast terrain.
I made it up, and it’s a pretty good view from there.

Our hike wasn’t very long, maybe no more than 5km, but it felt a lot further and a lot harder than that because of the terrain. But it was definitely worth it – the trail took us past the edge of a glacier and then along a ridge that ended in a sharp point with great views over the town and the surrounding hills.

There are tours you can take that go over the glaciers; they supply crampons and other specialist equipment; I didn’t feel that was the sort of hike for me but I’d imagine it’d be really spectacular.

A broad, gently sloping glacier stretches across the frame, its pale, streaked surface cutting through a barren valley of dark rock and gravel. The ice is marked with lines of debris and meltwater channels, giving it a textured, almost striped appearance. Low clouds hang heavily over the surrounding hills, partially obscuring the higher ridges and softening the horizon. The overall scene feels cold and subdued, with the glacier quietly dominating an otherwise stark, lifeless landscape.
The glacier at Sarkofagen. Possibly my first glacier, tho surely I saw one in Iceland.

That tour was with Spitsbergen Adventures AS, lasted about five hours, and cost 1,300 NOK. This price included hiking poles, a bottle of water, and a small packet lunch on the ridge top – one of those dehydrated meals so beloved by long-distance hikers. There were quite a few people on the tour, maybe 12-15, including a couple of children (tween-age), so you shouldn’t feel Svalbard isn’t a destination for family holidays.

After resting for a couple of hours in my accommodation, I then went back to the brewery for a more-dedicated event. It’s described on the website as a brewing ‘tour’ but in reality most of the brewing equipment is visible from the main bar room anyway, and it’s more a ‘tour’ of the beers they make.

A close-up of a partially filled glass of golden beer shows bubbles clinging to the sides and a thin ring of foam near the top. The glass is branded with the text “SVALBARD BRYGGERI” and a geometric logo, clearly visible through the amber liquid. Warm indoor lighting gives the beer a rich, glowing colour, while the background is softly blurred, hinting at a bar or tasting setting. The image captures a simple, satisfying moment of refreshment after a day in the cold.
It is actually pretty good beer too.

You get a flight of five of their beers – they regularly brew just over 10 in total, plus they make the occasional one-off or seasonal beer – and you’re told a bit of information about each. In between samples, they give a brief overview of the brewery and its history, and also the history of alcohol in Svalbard in general. I’ll do a post about the brewery and its history more specifically, but what they did say is that of the beers they make, their Pilsner is the most popular, accounting for around 50% of their output.

Inside a bright, modern tasting room, a group of people sit around long wooden tables, chatting and sampling drinks from rows of small glasses arranged in front of them. The room is warmly lit with recessed ceiling lights, contrasting with the cold environment outside, and shelves with snacks and a large wall-mounted screen add to the casual, social atmosphere. People of different ages are engaged in conversation, some smiling and leaning toward each other. The scene feels relaxed and convivial, a welcome indoor pause after time spent in the harsh Arctic landscape
Inside the Brewery’s taproom.

This visit cost me 525 NOK, obviously including the beer, but doesn’t include transport to/from the venue. It’s scheduled to last an hour and a half but with socialising and drinking-up time you can allow a bit longer than that. The brewery also sells merch, so I got a T-shirt.

Day Three

On the Sunday I did one of the boat tours. I wanted to do one hiking and one water tour while I was on Svalbard and these ended up being the best combination for me.

Inside a modern ferry lounge, passengers sit on cushioned benches and chairs, chatting, resting, or looking toward large wall-mounted screens displaying a map of the surrounding fjords. Warm lighting and clean, light-coloured interiors create a comfortable atmosphere, a contrast to the cold, foggy conditions outside. Drinks and small tables are scattered around, with people dressed in casual outdoor clothing. The scene captures a relaxed, communal moment during a journey through remote Arctic waters.
Inside the boat I took on the tour.

The trip I did was called “Wildlife and Glacier”, on a Hybrid Catamaran. It was a large cruise-ship type vessel, and the tour had over a hundred people on it, so it was a big change compared with the other tours and places I’d been.

Low cloud clings to a steep mountainside, partially veiling dark rock and streaks of green vegetation beneath a shifting layer of mist. At the base of the slope, a narrow strip of shoreline hosts a small cluster of colourful tents pitched beside calm water, their bright hues standing out against the muted Arctic palette. The mountain looms above, its upper reaches disappearing into fog, giving the scene a quiet, slightly mysterious atmosphere. The still water in the foreground reflects the grey sky, adding to the sense of isolation and calm.
View of one of the ridges along the fjord, well outside town.

It sails up Billefjorden, which is the fjord that runs north opposite Longyearbyen, and is around 19km long. It travels all the way to the glacier front at Nordenskiöldbreen which is about 48km from Longyearbyen, and for much of the journey you run alongside remote steep ridges, past lonely huts that the locals rent for a weekend, take a small boat, a gun, and a few bottles of beer, and just rest in the nature. Disappointingly I did not see a polar bear on the rocks. Take a pair of binoculars though as the whole area is great for birds and sea creatures. Although remember you are at 78°N, the weather is changeable, and the landscape at both land and sea is wide and open, so there’s no guarantee that you’ll see any wildlife of note. Don’t go with the expectation of seeing walrus and whale and bear; if you do it’s a bonus not a given.

An industrial pier juts into pale, glassy water, dominated by a tall, dark metal loading structure and a crane rising beside it. A small blue-and-white vessel is moored alongside, dwarfed by the heavy machinery and the long warehouse building stretching behind. The entire scene is softened by thick fog, which obscures the background hills and gives the structures a faded, almost ghostly presence. The muted colours and quiet water create a stark, utilitarian Arctic harbour scene.
The closest I got to the abandoned town of Pyramiden.

The Russian town of Pyramiden is on Billefjorden and although we didn’t go into it, we passed it slowly and could make it out in the gloom and the mist. It looked quite a forlorn and austere place, a lot of grey, in an environment mainly made up of grey. At that distance I could not make out the Lenin statue.

A wide glacier face spans the horizon, its blue-white ice broken into jagged ridges and crevasses that meet the calm sea. The water in the foreground is smooth, marked by gentle ripples that reflect the pale tones of the ice and sky. Mist hangs low over the glacier, blurring its upper edge and blending it into the overcast sky. The scene feels vast and silent, with the cold, textured ice dominating the landscape.
The huge wall of ice at the end of the fjord – Nordenskiöldbreen.

Nordenskiöldbreen is a huge wall of ice, and as someone who’d never really seen a glacier before this trip, it was pretty impressive. We didn’t come much closer than 800m from the edge of it, but even at that distance we could feel its impressiveness. We were told it was about 1km tall, and later research suggests it’s around 22-25km long, 10km wide, and covers an area of around 210km². Looking at some of the boulders at the sea edge and knowing they were house-sized was again quite sobering.

Passengers gather along the open deck of a ship, many bundled in jackets and hats as they face outward toward a distant glacier stretching across the water. Some people hold up phones or cameras, capturing the view, while others simply stand and watch. The glacier forms a long, pale backdrop under a grey, foggy sky, with the calm sea separating it from the ship. The human activity in the foreground contrasts with the immense, still landscape beyond.
View of the ice glacier wall from the boat. You can get a sense of the scale of it.

This trip was operated by Hurtigruten Svalbard, and was (understandably) quite expensive at 2,895 NOK. This price includes transfer to/from the port area, and a meal on board that was a very nice vegan roast vegetable soup with bread.

Many of the tours are around 5-6 hours, which means they take up more than half the day – so you can’t do two big ones consecutively – but you have enough time either before or after to do little things like wander the town or visit the museums.

A dark wooden building labelled “North Pole Expedition Museum” stands under a grey Arctic sky, its simple facade accented by white lettering and a mounted model of an airship on the wall. A short staircase leads up to double doors, while a ramp runs alongside, where a small white polar bear statue sits as a playful detail. Flags flutter at the entrance, adding a splash of colour against the otherwise muted tones. In front, a wooden picnic table rests on the gravel, reinforcing the remote, practical feel of the setting.
The outside of the North Pole Expedition Museum.

Longyearbyen has two quite similar museums quite close to each other near the t-junction in the centre of town. One of them is a polar museum, which I didn’t visit because the reviews suggested it was very similar to other polar museums I’d been to, including one in Tromsø and the Fram museum in Oslo. But if you’ve not visited either, then definitely visit this one. It covers the polar explorations that took place in and around Svalbard, and a bit about the fur trappers too who based themselves here.

A lifelike polar bear display dominates a museum exhibit, the large white animal posed mid-stride on a bed of small stones. Around it, other Arctic wildlife displays—including seals and birds—are arranged in a stylised landscape with blue-toned backdrops suggesting ice and water. Informational panels line the walls, adding context to the natural history setting. The scene blends realism and curation, giving the impression of stepping into a frozen Arctic environment indoors.
Inside the Svalbard Museum.

The museum I did visit was the Svalbard Museum (I don’t recall how much it cost, sadly) which which looks at Svalbard as a whole. There’s sections on its history, on why people have been here, not just the traders and the explorers but also the miners and speculators, and why Svalbard has some of the specific and unique laws and culture that it does. It also shows the culture of the island, its wildlife, its resources, and a bit about its future.

In the evening I booked myself into one of the restaurants in town – Vinterhagen. It’s quite well-regarded and it serves local food in a very nice, plant-filled setting. I had a three-course meal with a couple of beers from Svalbard Brewery for about £75. This meal included seal steak. I’ll talk about that on another post too.

Day four

The shuttle bus left around 12.30pm on my last day so that gave me a couple of hours in the morning spare. I spent them wandering around town, including visiting the inside of the church and looking out from the sundial. The church isn’t large but it is quite bright and airy inside. The main part is upstairs and part of it is a dedicated cafe space. On my visit people were using it as a place to read and do some work.

Inside a small wooden chapel, rows of simple light-coloured chairs face a modest altar framed by a painted mural depicting religious figures. Soft daylight filters through stained glass windows on either side, casting gentle colour onto the walls and floor. A chandelier hangs from the ceiling, adding a touch of elegance to the otherwise understated space. The atmosphere feels शांत and intimate, with clean lines and warm wood creating a calm, reflective environment.
Inside the church, looking at the altar and the bright windows.

The sundial is only small, but it’s set on the road coming out the church to the south, and so looks out over the town and the fjord from a height. It’s notable for having a polar bear instead of the usual ornamentation.

I had lunch in a cafe called Fruene – it doubles as a yarn and souvenir shop – before popping into the co-op supermarket to get another t-shirt. It’s quite a large place, given the size of the town, but equally it’s pretty much the shop that sells everything – not just food but also electric white goods, clothes, and all manner of other things.

Getting the shuttle bus was simple; though the bus stop is generally unmarked, you’ll know when

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