Snow makes everything wonderful and Svalbard is living proof of that!
This Arctic destination conquers everything and everyone and we wanted to find out more with the help of a very special guide.
Check it out!
By Ana Roque
Photography courtesy of Cecilia Blomdahl
You may know Cecilia Blomdahl from Tiktok. She lives in Svalbard, Norway, “an island close to the North Pole”, as she says in almost all of her videos.
She is responsible for placing this island on the “social media map” when she shared a video that went viral.
The island’s snow and natural beauty made people all over the world fall in love with and plan to visit this magical place.
Such is her success that, nowadays, Cecilia works mostly as a photographer and videographer for her social media.
Cecilia has lived in Svalbard for six years but before that, her life took a few turns.
“I originally come from Gothenburg, Sweden. When I was 11 my family moved to Ireland for a few years, which was one of the most amazing experiences of my life.
When we had to move back to Sweden, I was heartbroken and had a hard time feeling like Sweden was my home.
After high school I travelled a lot, searching for that feeling that I had when we lived in Ireland. I felt like I had no roots and was looking for my home.”
She found what she was looking for in 2015 whenshe landed in Svalbad.
Today, she and her boyfriend Christoffer live in a cabin outside of town with their lovely dog, Grim, who is also a true social media success.
Cecilia’s life is everything she ever dreamed of.
Svalbard is definitely a spot to put on the bucket list and we asked Cecilia to guide us through it.
LEMON Magazine: First of all, why Svalbard?
Cecilia Blomdahl [C.B.]: Longyearbyen and Svalbard are like nowhere else. Since there is no indigenous population in Svalbard, everyone has moved here from somewhere. This creates a village full of likeminded people who want to be here and who are here for a reason. Then of course there is the scenery. To live next to glaciers, polar bears, reindeer and pure arctic beauty is unreal. Life here is very nature focused and peaceful.
The island basically went viral because of you. How did that happen?
I’m not sure if Svalbard went viral just because of me [laughs] but I do think I have brought a lot of great attention to this location and motivated a lot of people to visit! It all began with me posting a Tiktok back in November 2020. It blew up and after only a few days I had gained 600 thousand followers who were super curious about life on Svalbard. So after that, I just kept sharing my unusual life here in the arctic.
What is the most magical thing about Svalbard?
The nature, the stillness, the people. Svalbard is not really one thing for me, it is the whole thing. The good and the bad are what make this place. Our seasons are madness, with three months of polar night, then four months of midnight sun. Svalbard is very much about the extremes and to enjoy living here you have to take all sides of it.
Is it a good choice for a family holiday?
Absolutely! For a family with younger kids I would recommend perhaps visiting in the summer, when the weather is milder (an average of 6C). You can book amazing boat trips, see whales, walruses, perhaps even polar bears. There are many activities around town as well that could suit a family. We have reindeer walking around everywhere so that could be exciting for kids to see! I think this is a great destination for anyone wanting to get close to nature for a few days and experience something different.
What is the best time of year to visit the island?
Sunny winter is our high season for a reason (March-May). It is an incredible time of year. The perfect time to do all the adventures and see a lot of Svalbard. It is also the time of year that is generally pretty cold, so it might not suit everyone. Every season has its own magic, so it is difficult to say when the best time of year is. February is one of my absolute favourite months as a photographer though because of the blue hour. The sun comes above the horizon for the first time on the 15th of February, and before and after that you have this amazing twilight that colours our entire world in blue and pink hues. It is unlike anything I have ever experienced.
What places cannot be missed?
Svalbard is not so much about the places as it is about raw nature. Everything is a destination. Snowmobiling to ice caves 100km away from the village, driving to see the east coast, which is full of huge blocks of glacier ice, everything outside your door is a destination. When it comes to villages, we have Longyearbyen which is the Norwegian village of 2400 people, then Barentsburg, which is the Russian village with about 550 people. Then there is the ghost town Pyramiden, which has about 10 people living there. You also have research stations like Ny-ålesund and a couple of smaller ones.
What experiences suit those who want to “go on an adventure”?
Come during sunny winter, book a snowmobile trip to the east coast with one of the tour companies here. You will drive over glaciers and through valleys and see so much of Svalbard. I would also put on the itinerary a trip to Pyramiden (if it is possible, as it is weather dependant). A stay at the Hotel there for a night is an experience! Another incredible location is the Nordenskiöld cabin, which is located just at the foot of the Nordenskiöld glacier, where you can stay for a few days. Truly a remarkable experience.
In your videos, you warn about the proximity of polar bears and their dangers. What precautions should tourists take while travelling?
Both tourists and locals are forbidden from moving around within the village limits with a gun. And not just anybody can rent a gun without proper documentation and training. So when visiting, you need to book your adventures with a guide.
On the Internet, we can read that it is forbidden to die in Svalbard…
I am not really sure just how that rumour caught on as well as it did [laughs] because it is not forbidden to die here. You cannot, however, be buried here due to the permanently frozen ground. You would be sent to the mainland for a burial.
In one of your YouTube videos, you show a “card” that you use to buy alcoholic beverages, whose consumption is limited…
Alcohol here is rationed, so we all have a card stating how much we can buy each month. This is an old rule, from when there was mostly coal mining on Svalbard. To keep the coal miners from drinking too much, they rationed beer and spirits. But since the officials all drank wine, they did not put a ration on that. So we can essentially buy as much wine as we want, but the spirit and beer quota is rationed. This does not include going out to drink in a bar or restaurant, there is no limit on that.
Where to eat
”We have a very good assortment of restaurants in our village, serving everything from fine dining to pub food and sushi.
I would head to Kroa and eat their Klippfisk to enjoy a very local environment with great decor.
Eat the set menu at Gruvelageret for an incredible authentic ambiance and storytelling.
Coffee and chocolate at Fruene, and then the Karlsberger Pub to drink (1955 Armagnac, for example).”
Where to stay
“For a fancy experience I would stay at Funken Lodge, for a themed vacation in full Svalbard fashion at Basecamp Hotel, and for budget accommodation Guesthouse 102.”
Travel essentials
“Be prepared for any weather. Wool is your best friend. Your first layer needs to be 100% wool thermals, and then just layer on that as much as you need.
Your boots need to be at least one size too big to keep your toes warm. Always have a wind-proof jacket with you, good gloves and of course a good beanie.”
Follow Cecilia adventures here
And get lost in her amazing photos here
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