Great restaurants, we ate in almost every one in our 8 days there. If you like wild game you are in for a special treat. They also do great vegetarian dishes. Huset is the very best restaurant and a worthwhile splurge. Mary Ann's Polarrig is also very nice, exemplary waiters. Lots of great activities available with knowledgeable guides. We visited mid-November and we were lucky enough to have entire glaciers to ourselves for hikes and snowmobiling and dog-sledding. That was awesome! Everyone was very friendly. The Coop is a fantastic supermarket/general store with a huge selection of affordable souvenir's. Good liquor store! The Svalbard Museum is very interesting and the Galleri Svalbard has an amazing selection of crafts, art and photography. Well worth a visit any time of year. The Global Seed Vault is not open to the public but serves such a great purpose for the world. Very happy to know it exists. SUPPORT AND HELP PROTECT THE ARCTIC, THIS PLACE IS VERY SPECIAL!!!!!

Town limits by the huskeys and up the mountain away from the town were by far the most breathtaking places in Longyearbyen. They provided spectacular views of both the bay and a view of the town from up high. Given we went in winter it was dark but the moon highlighted the mountains in a most dramatic way. And the lights of the town were beautiful from up high. We ate a lot in Kroa, a pub/restaurant. Very popular place, with beautiful local and international cuisine, all reasonably priced. And they're staff there are so friendly and welcoming. Try a glass of Svalbard IPA. Beautifully refreshing! Getting around Longyearbyen was done on foot for us, but hiring a car or snow mobile could've been an option too (driving licence recommended) There's nothing to avoid, explore the area and see the beautiful scenery. The tours are expensive for what they are, but if you're willing to pay you would be shown a side of Svalbard only accessible to the locals or wildlife. But waking around on foot and paying attention to the rules about where to go and not is just as fulfilling and exciting.

Must do's in Winter: - snow scooter trips to see the lights at twilight/ night, the scenery and/or Barentsburg (too light for the northern lights unfortunately) - dog sled rides to experience the "silent" way of travelling - ice cave trip - the 2h sightseeing (by bus) and Svalbard museum was interesting too All worked fine with older kids - however more easily to become cold being passengers on scooter trips... Easy to walk around the centre. Dined at Huset, Svalbar and Fruen - all good - depending on how much you'd like to spend of time and money... We did the above, cold, but lovely weather without much wind, sunny and clear blue sky - though not spotting any polar bears, nor foxes, only raindeers and grouses... If longer stay, or upon our return one day, we'll check out more of the activities offered incl. the mining trips and perhaps boat trips if returning in the summer season...

One of the places you must experience in your lifetime. We circumnavigated Svalbard with the Vavilov, a 10 day expedition. The Arctic is something to behold...full of silece punctuated with a stark beauty emanating from layers of muted colors. Watching pack ice undulate as the ship slowly moved its way forward was like watching a sea of white jello move in super slow motion. Saw polar bears, bearded seals, an artic fox, svalbard reindeers, walruses, beluga whales and many species of arctic seabirds. If you get the chance, do go to Svalbard!

Amazing, extraordinary place to visit with no shortage of thrilling outdoor activities. Great for an outdoors/ nature enthusiast! Fascinating and unique flora, fauna, and geography. It's definitely expensive to visit here, but if you book accommodations with a communal kitchen, you can save on a lot of the food expenses. Longyearbyen is very small and walkable, though there is a great bus to th airport that's easy to use and takes credit cards onboard. If you forget any outdoor necessities, there's a comprehensive sports equipment store, but be prepared to pay dearly so pack wisely. Any excursion outside the city limits requires a guide or tutor own extensive Arctic wilderness experience, w high powered rifle, and knowledge of polar bear safety and applicable laws in Svalbard.

Very interesting town - more to see than I expected! Recommend the polar exploration museum - very well done, quite educational. Check out the bay for wildlife including birds, many right in front of you. Saw a few reindeer downtown - walking the road! I did not get to the dog sledding kennels, but those who did loved the adventure. Stayed here for a day before I left on a cruise around Svalbard, wish I had added another day.

Pyramiden is a can't miss experience -- a ghost town with interesting history and natural beauty at every turn of the voyage and excursion.. The two hour taxi tour with a funny driver is illuminating on many levels and gives the traveler a quick connection to the locals and the landscapes in which they live. The residents are straightforward, smart people who are proud to live here on the edge of the world. Those of us from elsewhere will carry Svalbard within our thoughts and memory banks for a long time to come. Every restaurant I ate at as a single traveler, I was treated cordially by the staffs, and the food was so tasty! The Svalbard Inn has great burgers! The Svalbard Museum had wonderful exhibits and chronological history set up thoughtfully for its visitors. A world-class painter is in town --Olaf Storo, Morten Flygel's jewelry is among the world"s best, Check them out! You'll love their work.

stunning landscape. great experience being in the northern most town. unique settings. great adventurous stuff to do.....dog sledge, snow scooters, cruise to pyramiden, great restaurants, nice people. loved it. Fruen is great to get cafe food. Kroa for burgers and pizza. the svalbard seed vault is a must see for its "idea"