Europe >> Scandinavia >> Norway >> Svalbard >> Ny-Ålesund

Ny-Ålesund is a tiny settlement on the west coast of the island of Spitsbergen, Svalbard.

Culture and History

Located at 78°55′N 11°56′E, Ny-Ålesund is by most measures the northernmost permanent settlement in the world (except for a few military bases). Founded in 1916 as a coal mining town, the town housed 400 people at its peak, until it was shut down in 1962 after an explosion killed 21 people.

Ny-Ålesund reopened in 1968 as a research base. Today owned and run by Kings Bay AS, the tiny town is home to 30-35 people year-round, but the population can swell to over 120 in the summer. Practically all inhabitants are scientists.

Travel to Ny-Ålesund - Visa Requirements

Ny-Ålesund can be visited fairly easily as a cruise stopover, but spending any more time there is difficult, to say the least. Bona fide scientists interested in running a research project at Ny-Alesund may contact NySMAC to apply.

Flights and airtickets to Ny-Ålesund

Lufttransport operates semi-regular flights all year round (2-3 weekly) to Longyearbyen (25 minutes), albeit subject to weather conditions. Reservations can only be arranged via Kings Bay, and seats must be booked well in advance.

By boat

For most non-scientists a cruise stopover is the only way of reaching Ny-Ålesund. The cheapest and fastest way appears to be Spitsbergen Travel's [1] 3/4-day cruises from Longyearbyen, with rates starting at 7900 kr (c. US$1500, cheapest cabin, twin sharing). Cruises operate only from May to October.

Tours and Getting around Ny-Ålesund

Ny-Ålesund tourist attractions and sightseeing

  • Mining Museum. Yes, there's one of these in every settlement on Svalbard.

Ny-Ålesund city tours

Summer

  • Boating
  • Kayaking
  • Hiking

Winter

  • Snowmobile trips
  • Skiing expeditions

Ny-Ålesund souvenirs and shopping

Ny-Ålesund Restaurants: cheap, moderate and expensive

Ny-Ålesund nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs

Ny-Ålesund cheap and luxurious hotels, youth hostels and lodging

  • North Pole Hotel (Nordpol Hotellet). Originally opened in 1936 to house fishermen.
  • There is a free camping ground located near the Zeppelin launch tower and the Italia Memorial.

Get out

This page was last edited by Jani Patokallio. Based on work by Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel. - Content on this page is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 1.0 license

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