Remote, mysterious, extreme, the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen is the European doorway into the High Arctic. Part of the Svalbard archipelago, it is a land forged by ice and wind, ocean and snow and by the endless days and endless nights of the polar seasons. Sparsely populated and bereft of roads, the only way to experience the mysterious majesty of Spitsbergen is from the sea and on foot.

Sixty percent of the archipelago is covered in glaciers and snowfields – the rest is jagged peak, Arctic desert and bitter tundra. Treeless and exposed, the island provides a sanctuary for some of the rarest and hardiest flora and fauna on Earth. During the months of high summer, polar bears can be seen at close hand as they roam the wastes in search of food. This supreme, solitary predator covers vast distances and females can be observed sheltering their young in caves and coves along the coast. Ursus maritimus shares Spitsbergen with other stunning species, including Arctic fox, reindeer, seal and walrus.

At 78º north, the tiny capital Longyearbyen is far closer to the North Pole than any coastal base in Antarctica is to the South Pole. Yet the Gulf Stream manages to warm the local people as well as the breezes off the Greenland Sea and the town has a buzzing, ski-town feel.

There are schools, shops, restaurants, coal mines, even a post office dotted around Spitsbergen, as well as dozens of fascinating historic sites. Visits to Ny-Ålesund, Barentsburg and at lonely Moffen Island allow passengers to relive the rich narrative of human endeavour and settlement – from the exploits of whalers, sealers and walrus-hunters in the 17th and 18th centuries to the more recent explorations and achievements of indomitable polar heroes such as Salomon Andrée and Roald Amundsen, Walter Wellman and Umberto Nobile.

Only a short flight from mainland Norway, it is a world apart and a wonderful escape from busy, bustling Europe