A tale of two cities—at opposite ends of the Earth

On opposite ends of the Earth, Longyearbyen, Norway, the northernmost city in the world, and Ushuaia, Argentina, the southernmost, mirror each other in remarkable ways. They both exist at the very edge of human civilization, surrounded by endless icy wilderness. But they also boast startling individual quirks and oddities.

The former experiences polar nights and midnight sun while the latter experiences all four seasons in a single day. One has extreme cold, while the other has extreme wind. One is the gateway to 90 percent of Antarctica cruises; the other is the gateway to Arctic adventures. One started as a coal mining colony, the other as a penal colony for Argentina’s most dangerous criminals. Ushuaia is literally the end of the road as the southernmost point of the Pan American Highway. Longyearbyen has no road at all beyond town. 

Despite their remoteness, both have universities, music festivals, museums, fine dining, and brightly painted houses to lift spirits. For travelers, they offer a chance to see unspoiled landscapes that are rapidly changing, rare bucket-list animals, and vast glacial ice. 

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Geographic opposites

Geography defines life in both places.

The largest town of the Svalbard archipelago far above the Arctic Circle, Longyearbyen is halfway between mainland Norway and the North Pole. It sits on Spitsbergen, the largest of Svalbard’s islands in the Arctic Ocean. Tucked between two glacier tongues, the town of just 2,400 people (representing a remarkable 50 countries) is marked by industrial buildings, shipping containers, and abandoned mining detritus. Stark treeless Arctic tundra blankets the landscape, ringed by sharp-peaked, snow-tipped mountains. “It feels like you’re at the top of the world,” says Richard Bolstad, receptionist at the town’s Funken Lodge.

Ushuaia, on the other hand, is a lively port in the Tierra del Fuego archipelago where the jagged, snowcapped Martial Mountains, part of the Andes range, screech to a halt at the Beagle Channel. To the south, the Drake Passage’s ferocious currents separate South America from the Antarctic Peninsula. With 82,000 residents, it’s a jumble of steep streets where souvenir and outdoor gear shops cater to down-jacketed visitors on their way to Antarctic expeditions, treks, or other adventures.

“The scenery is one of the highlights,” says Santiago Mendizabal, operations manager at Ushuaia’s Los Cauquenes Resort. “The diversity of landscapes throughout the year is just spectacular … how the mountain range and the sea are constantly shifting in appearance depending on the light, the season, and the weather.”

Extreme weather

The sun never rises in Longyearbyen from October to February, bathing the town in surreal twilight. From April to August, daylight never fades, illuminating the landscape with the midnight sun’s golden glow. Locals use blackout curtains in summer and special lamps in winter to regulate sleep. Intense Arctic cold dominates life.

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Lacking true polar night because it’s just north of the Antarctic Circle, Ushuaia still has long dark days in June and July and 17 hours of daylight from December to January. Because of ferocious winds, residents weigh down rooftops with stones to keep them from flying off. And some trees even grow sideways thanks to the polar gusts. But temperatures are surprisingly mild, reaching 58° Fahrenheit. 

The people and lifestyle 

Both populations live by strict environmental rules. In Longyearbyen, you cannot own a cat as a way to protect the vulnerable bird population. You also can’t be buried in the permafrost. That permafrost also requires buildings to sit on stilts. In Ushuaia, waste disposal and wildlife protection are tightly regulated to preserve fragile ecosystems. 

With hundreds of polar bears in the Longyearbyen region, residents are required to carry rifles when leaving town. And remarkably, nobody locks their doors so people can duck into any home if a bear is in sight. People also remove their shoes inside most public places—a holdover from mining days. 

Despite the challenges of life at the edge, the shared isolation fosters resilience, camaraderie, and a pride of place in both places. Ushuaians, especially, trumpet their land’s-end bragging rights: There’s the End of the Earth Museum, End of the World Train, Inn at the End of the World, End of the World Post Office, World’s End gift shop; and T–shirts with the obligatory fin del mundo.

“People stay (in Ushuaia) because life here offers something that’s hard to find elsewhere. There’s a strong sense of community, a deep connection with nature, and a pace of life that allows you to appreciate the small things,” says Mendizabal. “We don’t feel remote or cut off—we feel lucky.”

"Everyone helps everyone," says Longyearbyen resident Ruth Sainz, a marketing executive with Hurtigruten Svalbard. "There’s a ‘Svalbard effect’ here, which makes people want to stay," adds Sainz.

What to eat

Artisanal chocolate and craft beer are apparently must-haves at the ends of the Earth. Longyearbyen’s Fruene Cafe sells handcrafted bons bons, while Ushuaia has a handful of chocolate shops. Residents of Longyearbyen sip brews made with glacial water from Svalbard Brewery, while Ushuaians drink Beagle beer.

Otherwise, cuisine celebrates the unique bounty of each environment. Longyearbyen’s Huset Restaurant offers an exquisite 14-course tasting menu of unusual Arctic ingredients: reindeer, seal (Norway permits seal hunting), ptarmigan, Arctic king crab, sea urchin, plankton, sea buckthorn, mountain sorrel, and cloudberry. Funktionærmessen Restaurant showcases similar items. 

Thank the waters near Ushuaia for such specialties as southern king crab, black hake, large mussels, and Patagonia king salmon. Ranches provide the iconic Fuegian lamb with its rich, earthy flavor while local forests proffer blueberry-like Calafate berries. Sample these ingredients at eateries such as Kaupé Restaurant, Kalma Restaurant, and Le Martial Restó.

What to do outdoors

Longyearbyen offers kayaking, ATVing, ice cave touring, biking, and fishing, as well as snowmobiling, dog sledding, and glacier hiking across Svalbard’s pristine snowscapes. Pinch yourself if you catch the Northern Lights from September to March or the occasional polar bear in summer. Wildlife lovers can spot reindeer (even in town), Arctic foxes, walruses, seals, dolphins, whales, and hundreds of bird species.

With Tierra del Fuego National Park, Ushuaia is an adventure hub for hiking, alpine skiing, snowboarding, sailing, kayaking, fishing, and even scuba diving. Enjoy panoramic views of the park’s mountains, forests, and glaciers on the End of the World Train and count the endless adorable penguins, along with sea lions, seabirds, and whales on ocean excursions.

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