In the wake of the polar travellers
In search of the Northern route to get to East Asia, Willem Barentsz arrived in 1596 on Spitsbergen, an area of glaciers, mountains and icy coasts. In this pristine polar wilderness of Norway, the rugged landscape still has a unique flora and fauna. Discover here the domain of polar bears and rich bird life. The various settlements such as Barentsburg, Ny Ålesund and Longyearbyen still exude the mysterious atmosphere of the past when whale and fur hunting were important activities. Today, every effort is made to preserve the fragile nature of 'Svalbard' and two-thirds of the archipelago consists of three nature reserves, six national parks, fifteen bird reserves and one geotopic protected area.
