The Northern Lights are shrouded in legends: the Vikings believed that this was the shine of the swords of Valhalla, and the Icelanders believed that this is how elves dance. Even today this wonderful phenomenon is unpredictable and depends on many conditions. We will tell you about the countries and places where you can see it.
Norway
Norway is one of the best places on earth to see the Northern Lights. The so-called “Northern Lights Belt” runs from the Lofoten Islands to the North Cape; the largest cities in this territory are Tromsø and Alta. The most comfortable way to admire the lights is in the settlement of Longyearbyen, on the Spitsbergen archipelago, where rooms with a glass roof are available (you can book a room here). The most extreme way is to go to the Norwegian part of Lapland and stay in an igloo hotel, and at the same time watch dog sled races.
When to go: from late September to March
Finland
The areas of the villages of Sodankylä, Ivalo and the city of Rovaniemi can boast that the northern lights are visible every second night. In Rovaniemi, the brightest glow is in February, and on this occasion the city hosts the Northern Lights Festival (Revontuli Festivaali). And in the vicinity of the village of Kilpisjärvi, the glow appears every three nights out of four and is reflected in the frozen lake.
In Finland, special hotels have been built for observing the northern lights: Aurora Bubble – round houses with a glass bubble roof, offering panoramic views, or the forest village of Kakslauttanen,
40 kilometers from the village of Ivalo, consisting of hundreds of igloos with a transparent ceiling (you can book a room here).
When to go: October to March
Photo: Fetkulin Andrey
Russia
In Russia, the Arctic Circle crosses the entire country and the northern lights can be seen in many northern regions in winter. From Moscow and St. Petersburg, the most convenient place to go to see the northern lights is in the Murmansk and Arkhangelsk regions.
In the Murmansk region, the lights are best seen in the villages of Vidyaevo, Teriberka, Polyarny and Pechenga. Also pay attention to the Khibiny Mountains in the Kirov region, where the northern lights are visible at the Kuelporr recreation center, where there is a snowmobile and sleigh transfer from Kirovsk, as well as in the urban village of Kukisvumchorr.
From time to time the northern lights can be seen in Arkhangelsk, but it is better to go to the north of the region, where there is less light pollution.
When to go: from late September to late March
Northern lights are shaped like a wolf. Photo: Marja-Terttu Karlsson
Sweden
The Arctic region of Sweden, which covers the entire northwest of the country, is famous for its magnificent northern lights. The best observation deck is considered to be Aurora Sky Station in the national park
Abisko at an altitude of 900 meters above sea level, where up to 200 northern lights occur per year.
When to go: from early September to late March
Photo: Maciej Winiarczyk
Iceland
Iceland is a great place for those who want to admire the lights without experiencing the discomfort of frost: thanks to the warm Gulf Stream, the temperature on the island rarely drops below zero. 60 kilometers from Reykjavik, in the town of Stokkseyri, there is the Center of Icelandic Wonders, dedicated to trolls, elves and the northern lights. Your best chance of seeing the lights is in the city of Akureyri, in the north, where the weather is driest on the island, or in the Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon in the southeast.
When to go: from October to March
The greatest chances of seeing the lights are in dry, cold and clear weather, away from the city, from 21.00 to 01.00. It also depends on solar activity (the higher the activity, the brighter the glow). You can see the forecast of the probability of northern lights on this website.
