Polar Nights: From the North Cape to Spitsbergen

With its centre located on the island of Tromsø, the municipality of Tromsø is more than five times the size of Norway’s capital, Oslo, and is the world’s northernmost university city. Lying 200 miles inside the Arctic Circle, it is known as the 'Gateway to the Arctic' because it was used as a starting point for hunters looking for Arctic foxes, polar bears and seals. In the 19th century it was a base for explorers on Arctic expeditions – a history that is remembered in the city’s Polar Museum, which you can visit on an excursion. Also commemorated in the area is the history of Norway’s indigenous people, the Sami. Visitors can learn about the traditions, heritage and modern preservation of the Sami culture at the Tromsø Museum. Nowadays, Tromsø is a charming mix of old and new, with wooden buildings sitting alongside contemporary architecture such as the impressive glacier-like Arctic Cathedral, which features one of the largest stained glass windows in Europe. Looking down on the city is Mount Storsteinen, and a cable car runs to the top, giving wonderful views over the surrounding countryside of forested peaks and reindeer pastures.

Spitsbergen: The Arctic’s Crown of Pointed Mountains
Spitsbergen is the largest and only permanently populated island of the Svalbard archipelago, a Norwegian territory located deep within the Arctic Ocean, about midway between the northern coast of Norway and the North Pole. It is a premier destination for high-Arctic exploration and a vital center for international research.

Longyearbyen is the biggest settlement in Svalbard. Seat of the Norwegian administration, it also has the best services and infrastructure in the archipelago. Located deep in the Adventfjord, a sidearm of the Isfjorden (Icefjord), Longyearbyen’s airport can be used all-year round, but its harbor is blocked by ice in winter. Most shops, hotels, restaurants and a hospital are within easy walking distance of the port. One of the most prominent buildings in town is the UNIS center, where several Norwegian universities have joined forces to operate and offer the northernmost higher education to both Norwegian and international students. Adjacent to UNIS, and well worth a visit, is the Svalbard Museum, covering the natural history and exploitation of Svalbard. Remnants of the former mining activity can be seen all around Longyearbyen and even in town.

Ny-Ålesund: The World's Northernmost Research Settlement
Ny-Ålesund is the world's northernmost functional civilian settlement, located at 79 degrees north on the island of Spitsbergen in the Svalbard archipelago, Norway. Situated on the southern shore of Kongsfjorden (King's Fjord), it is a remote community with a dramatic history and a crucial modern purpose.Current Function: International Research CenterToday, Ny-Ålesund operates primarily as an international center for Arctic and climate change research.

• Scientific Hub: It hosts permanent research stations for 19 institutions from 11 countries, focusing on atmospheric physics, biology, glaciology, and oceanography.

• Population: The permanent, year-round population is small (around 30–40 people), but it swells with up to 114 scientists during the summer months.

• Ownership: The town is owned and operated by the Norwegian state-owned company Kings Bay, providing all necessary facilities and infrastructure for the global scientific community.

History and Explorer HeritageThe settlement has a storied past, transitioning from industry to exploration and finally to science:

• Mining Town (1916–1962): Ny-Ålesund was originally founded as a coal mining community by Kings Bay Kull Comp. Mining operations were eventually deemed too dangerous and closed down after a series of fatal accidents, including a major disaster in 1962.

• North Pole Expeditions: It served as the starting point for famous attempts to reach the North Pole. Most notably, Roald Amundsen launched his successful 1926 expedition aboard the airship Norge from here, a historic journey that marked the first undisputed flight over the North Pole. The original mooring mast where the airship was tethered is still visible.

Visitor Information and Unique RulesThough primarily a research station, Ny-Ålesund is a port of call for various expedition cruises. Visitors should be aware of a few unique rules:

• Radio Silence: To prevent interference with the Norwegian Mapping Authority’s delicate geodetic station (which measures the Earth's movements), there is a zone of radio silence within a 20km radius of the settlement. Visitors must turn off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on all electronic devices, including phones, drones, and cameras.

• Protected Heritage: The town has Svalbard’s largest collection of protected cultural heritage sites, including many remnants of the old mining community.

• Attractions: Key sites include the small Ny-Ålesund Town and Mine Museum and the world's northernmost post office.

• Nature Protection: Visitors are asked to strictly remain on designated roads and wooden pathways to protect the fragile Arctic tundra and wildlife.

Spitsbergen: The Arctic’s Crown of Pointed Mountains
Spitsbergen is the largest and only permanently populated island of the Svalbard archipelago, a Norwegian territory located deep within the Arctic Ocean, about midway between the northern coast of Norway and the North Pole. It is a premier destination for high-Arctic exploration and a vital center for international research.

Spitsbergen: The Arctic’s Crown of Pointed Mountains
Spitsbergen is the largest and only permanently populated island of the Svalbard archipelago, a Norwegian territory located deep within the Arctic Ocean, about midway between the northern coast of Norway and the North Pole. It is a premier destination for high-Arctic exploration and a vital center for international research.

Almost half way between Tromsø and Svalbard is isolated Bear Island – considered the southernmost island of the Svalbard Archipelago. The unglaciated island is an impressive Nature Reserve of steep, high cliffs that are frequented by seabirds, specifically at the southern tip. Brünnich’s Guillemots, Common Guillemots, Black Guillemots, Razorbills, Little Auks, Northern Fulmars, Glaucous Gulls, Black-legged Kittiwakes, and even Atlantic Puffins and Northern Gannets nest along the cliffs south of Sørhamna. Because of the large numbers of birds and the isolated location, Bear Island has been recognized as an Important Bird Area. It was once a hotspot for whaling and walrus hunting, and at one stage even mining. Bear Island received its name because of a polar bear encountered by early explorer Willem Barentsz. Today polar bears rarely visit the island and its only settlement is a meteorological station manned all-year round on the north side.

Searching in 1553 for a northeast passage to India, British navigator Richard Chancellor came upon a crag 307 yards above the Barents Sea. He named the jut of rock North Cape, or Nordkapp. Today Europe's northernmost point is a rite-of-passage journey for nearly all Scandinavians and many others. Most cruise passengers visit Nordkapp from Honningsvåg, a fishing village on Magerøya Island. The journey from Honningsvåg to Nordkapp covers about 35 km (22 miles) across a landscape characterized by rocky tundra and grazing reindeer, which are rounded up each spring by Sami herdsmen in boats. The herdsmen herd the reindeer across a mile-wide channel from their winter home on the mainland. Honningvåg's northerly location makes for long, dark winter nights and perpetually sun-filled summer days. The village serves as the gateway to Arctic exploration and the beautiful Nordkapp Plateau, a destination that calls to all visitors of this region. Most of those who journey to Nordkapp (North Cape), the northernmost tip of Europe, are in it for a taste of this unique, otherworldly, rugged yet delicate landscape. You'll see an incredible treeless tundra, with crumbling mountains and sparse dwarf plants. The subarctic environment is very vulnerable, so don't disturb the plants. Walk only on marked trails and don't remove stones, leave car marks, or make campfires. Because the roads are closed in winter, the only access is from the tiny fishing village of Skarsvåg via Sno-Cat, a thump-and-bump ride that's as unforgettable as the desolate view.

With its centre located on the island of Tromsø, the municipality of Tromsø is more than five times the size of Norway’s capital, Oslo, and is the world’s northernmost university city. Lying 200 miles inside the Arctic Circle, it is known as the 'Gateway to the Arctic' because it was used as a starting point for hunters looking for Arctic foxes, polar bears and seals. In the 19th century it was a base for explorers on Arctic expeditions – a history that is remembered in the city’s Polar Museum, which you can visit on an excursion. Also commemorated in the area is the history of Norway’s indigenous people, the Sami. Visitors can learn about the traditions, heritage and modern preservation of the Sami culture at the Tromsø Museum. Nowadays, Tromsø is a charming mix of old and new, with wooden buildings sitting alongside contemporary architecture such as the impressive glacier-like Arctic Cathedral, which features one of the largest stained glass windows in Europe. Looking down on the city is Mount Storsteinen, and a cable car runs to the top, giving wonderful views over the surrounding countryside of forested peaks and reindeer pastures.