Making the most of Barentsburg
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Depending on sea and weather conditions, passengers from moored or anchored ships are carried to the shore by Zodiac tender.
Svalbard is the Norwegian name for the archipelago that also includes Bear Island and Jan Mayen, although it is commonly called Spitsbergen. Nearly the size of the Republic of Ireland, Spitsbergen has a population of 3,500 spread across five settlements and remains an almost untouched wilderness.
Rugged peaks, broad tundra, ice caps and glaciers define this truly High Arctic island group, located only 600 miles from the North Pole.
Whalers and trappers once came for the abundant wildlife. Today, visitors are drawn instead by immense Arctic seabird colonies and opportunities to observe and photograph walrus, reindeer, Arctic fox and, of course, polar bear.
Barentsburg sits beside an inlet of the enormous Isfjorden, near the fjord entrance on Spitsbergen’s western shore. As the island’s main Russian settlement, it offers visitors a chance to wander its streets and watch a colourful folklore show.
At Barentsburg Husky Center, visitors can meet eight dog breeds used for pulling sleds. Trekking with the dogs is possible, as is dog sledding in both winter and summer, when a cart replaces the sled.
Getting around
Barentsburg is compact and straightforward to cover on foot.
Food and shopping
Visitors are expected to remove their shoes before entering most Svalbard buildings, including certain shops and hotels. In public premises, a prominent rack filled with muddy walking boots usually makes the custom clear.
Money
Norwegian krone (NOK) is the currency throughout Svalbard, including its Russian communities.
Staying connected
Norwegian is official, while Russian is used in Barentsburg. Almost everyone working in tourism can communicate in English.
Svalbard enjoys an excellent internet connection because NASA rents substantial capacity on submarine fibre-optic cables laid across the seabed to mainland Norway for its local experiments.
Opening Hours and
Each community observes the relevant Norwegian or Russian public holidays, alongside several notable local celebrations:
- Polar Jazz takes place in late January as a 4-5 day programme of jazz, blues and bluegrass.
- Sunfest Week falls around March 8th and celebrates the conclusion of the polar night.
- A Blues Festival at the end of October marks the approaching winter with an appropriately blues-focused programme.
- KunstPause Svalbard, held around 14 November, is an arts festival scheduled to coincide with the polar night’s arrival.