Longyearbyen - Spitsbergen/Svalbard

[Kindlychap]

We're visiting Longyearbyen later this year. The ship has no option at all for a trip.

 

We are therefore forced to be independent - which is no bad thing. Other than looking round the town itself (and I am not expecting a cosmopolitan city as I know it is a frontier town!) is there anything obvious available outside the town?

 

Or should we wrap up warm, sit on the balcony and enjoy the view during tea?

[Saga Ruby]

Kindly Chap, you will be docked at an industrial commercial pier - rather bleak. There is a souvenir shop (of course) immediately off the gangway. Last June, there was a brisk wind and light blowing snow. A shuttle service runs from the pier area down a road which bends back on itself to go into the town, you cannot see anything but the dock area from the ship.

 

A British attorney did the tramping shore excursion and really enjoyed it. Not my cuppa. The rest of us went into town on the shuttle. "Town" is the Radisson, and one very long block of buildings stretching from the coastline road up into the "town." The fun of it was the General Store - I bought a beautiful etched crystal sculpture of polar bears for USD85 and it is a treasured memory of that trip. Anything you want to buy, from cards to tyres to crystal, are in that store. There is a fine statue of a fierce miner in the plaza and there is a bar and restaurant.

 

It seems like a shame to miss this stop but obviously you can decide when you get there.

 

Ruby

[Kindlychap]

Thanks. Sounds the sort of place my mother will love!

 

I'm right in thinking that there is nothing that needs planning in advance? Just inspiration on the day?

[Saga Ruby]

"Planning" would consist of getting on the shuttle bus! The buses are quite prompt, no more than 5 mins. between bus runs. They'll whisk you into the plaza with the shops and general store, and you can make your decisions about what you want to do in that plaza.

 

If you spin around in a circle with your arm pointed out, everything there is to see in Longyearbyen is at hand. I assume you know that anyone leaving town is required to own or rent a heavy-duty rifle in case of bear encounters.

 

It ain't the Champs d' Elysee!!

Ruby

[Cleopatra]

KindlyChap:

 

Check the following website:

 

http://www.galenfrysinger.com/longyearbyen.htm

 

Longyearbyen looks rather interesting in the photos.

 

Enjoy your travels.