 The Bradt Travel guide is packed with everything you need to know, see and do in Spitsbergen: Svalbard, Franz Josef Land, Jan Mayen.
You can order yours at
www.bradt-travelguides.com
or by calling 01753 893444
RRP £13.95
|
|
Spitsbergen (Svalbard) Holidays
|
| About Spitsbergen (Svalbard) |
|
|
| Set high in the Arctic Ocean is the remote and untouched Svalbard archipelago, covering an area roughly the size of Ireland. Not as cold or as inaccessible as people might think, Svalbard offers the adventurous visitor a truly Arctic experience, on the edge of the inhabitable world. |
| |
| Introducing Svalbard |
The name Svalbard means "cold coast", and the first written mention of the archipelago appears in 12th century Icelandic sagas. Even though people have been visiting for centuries, Norwegian authorities did not permit general tourism until 1990 and even today, it is carefully regulated, the strict guidelines ensuring Svalbard is kept as natural and pristine as it ever was. A variety of well-run excursions from the capital, Longyearbyen give what they promise - a taste of the ‘unspoilt wilderness just outside your door’.
The islands are rich in minerals, particularly coal, and visitors can travel to settlements rich in mining history and still involved today. The fishing and whaling industry of the past have also left their mark and remnants can be found and photographed in many locations - the message is always the same however, visitors may look but mustn’t touch! |
| Where is Svalbard? |
| The Svalbard archipelago extends between 74 and 81° North, about halfway between Tromso in Norway and the North Pole. It is the northernmost place in Europe and is the farthest north people can visit by means of a scheduled flight. |
| Dramatic Scenery |
| Quite simply, Svalbard is spectacular. Unlike ‘High Arctic’ cousins at this latitude - northern Canada and Siberia, which are mostly flat and covered by tundra, Svalbard has the greatest, relative variation of natural features. The nine main islands are a mixture of wild and rugged mountains, glaciers, vast icecaps, endless open tundra and, along the north and west, beautiful fjord indented coastlines. There are no trees although there are bushes as well as a wide variety of Arctic wildflowers, lichen and moss, offering patches of colour among the breathtaking but sometimes stark landscapes. Drift ice or shimmering icebergs floating in impossibly dark blue/green waters provide superb photo opportunities for visitors opting for boat trips – a great way to explore. There are no roads outside of the main settlements which help to maintain the all important ‘unspoilt’ quality. It isn’t difficult to discover that the lure of the landscapes is irresistible. |
| |
| (Continued...) |
|
|
 |
| © Simon Fraser |
|
Iceland
