Longyearbyen

Longyearbyen, on the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard, is the world's most northerly settlement of any size — a former coal-mining town at 78° North, within the Arctic Circle, where polar bears outnumber humans on the archipelago, the Northern Lights are visible for months and the Midnight Sun provides 24-hour daylight from April to August. The town itself is a peculiar, utilitarian place — colourful wooden houses on permafrost-stabilised stilts, the decommissioned mine infrastructure visible on the mountainsides above, and a surprisingly well-developed infrastructure of hotels, restaurants and expedition outfitters. The Svalbard Global Seed Vault, carved into the mountainside above town, is the world's most important gene bank — a backup of 1.3 million seed varieties from every nation on Earth. The landscape around Longyearbyen is extraordinary — vast glaciers (accessible by snowmobile in winter, boat in summer), tundra valleys carpeted with Arctic wildflowers in summer, walrus colonies on the beaches and polar bears in the wilderness. The Governor of Svalbard regulations require a firearm to be carried outside town limits due to polar bear risk. Guided snowmobile safaris in winter and boat-based wildlife cruises in summer are the main activities. Dog sledding is exceptional in spring. The Northern Lights season (October–February) is the most spectacular period for this remarkable destination.