Where and how to see the Northern Lights: best places in the world

Seeing the Northern Lights is an experience full of magic, unforgettable for anyone who has ever managed to see them.

But it is common to travel to an area where in theory you can see them, but due to weather conditions, you end up not being able to do so; At least, we are going to propose some of the places in the world where you can best see the northern lights.

Auroras are a phenomenon that has captivated humans since man was man.

It is very curious to try to imagine what the inhabitants of the areas of the world where they can be seen must have been thinking, when dancing green lights illuminated the sky.

There are hundreds of explanations they have had throughout history, especially those related to the Vikings and the power of the dances and spirits of the warrior gods.

But everything changed when Galileo Galilei In 1600 he baptized them, taking the name of the Roman goddess, Aurora, and the Greek word Boreas, which means north.

In reality, what we see as lights that illuminate the sky is a phenomenon without which we could not exist.

But, let us start at the beginning.

What are the northern lights and how are they produced?

La aurora boreal: northern Lights, as they are known in English, is a natural phenomenon in which energy from the SOL and the magnetism of the earth.

This is a phenomenon without which life in the earth It would be very different.

From the incredibly high temperature of the SOL and the enormous pressure that is produced inside its crust, tremendous solar explosions arise that release a multitude of particles.

An ultraviolet radiation that, in fact, is really harmful to man, and that if it were not for the magnetism of the earth It would end up affecting us with DNA mutations.

They are charged particles protons, neutrons y electrons that are spit out by him SOL along with enormous pulses of electromagnetic radiation.

But occasionally the SOL also spits out what is known as coronal mass ejection , and these particles travel through space at high speed until they reach the earth.

Fortunately the earth has an invisible protection method called magnetosphere.

When the constant waves of solar particles hit the magnetosphere, many of them are deviated.

But when the coronal mass ejection, the charged particles manage to pass through the magnetic field of the outer layer.

These particles are free and continue on their way towards the earth and are carried by the planet's magnetic shield towards the poles, until they reach the upper atmosphere at a very high speed, awakening the air molecules and making them shine.

In this way the northern and southern lights, in which the collision with oxygen emits the colors red and green, and with nitrogen, blue.

Therefore, the auroras are the result of the protection of the earth before the arrival of particles from the SOL.

What is the best time to see the northern lights?

The auroras They occur throughout the year, but to see them the darkness of the night is necessary.

Por eso the best time of the year is winter in areas near the poles, where in the months from the end of October to the end of March, even April, there are hardly any hours of sunlight.

The problem is that in arctic areas in winter the days with clear skies They are very rare, and not all of them have the same climate or the same conditions.

Well, you should also look for places far from cities and areas without light pollution to have the maximum possible darkness in the sky.

That is why there are some special places that have the perfect conditions to see the northern lights, some of them even from the end of August.

Furthermore, it must be taken into account the moon, because in the days of full moon the auroras are seen much less.

Where to see the northern lights: best places in the world

The area with the greatest intensity for see them northern Lights, is any population near the north pole, at latitude 60º.

Arctic areas such as Greenland, Iceland, northern Norway, Finland, Sweden and Russia, without forgetting the remote northern lands of Canada and Alaska.

But we are going to indicate the 4 best sites that are more or less accessible from Spain to see the northern lights.

Northern lights in Greenland from August

There are few places as remote in the world, with light pollution as little as Greenland.

It is the land of Inuit, or misnamed eskimos, an abysmal virgin territory covered in glaciers where you can see the northern lights in an impressive way, yes, with nuances of date.

And we say with nuances because Greenland It is a special tourist destination; It has the advantage that only occurs there, that since the end of August You can already see auroras.

Although, of course, they can also be seen throughout the winter, the temperatures and climate of this frozen region is only bearable by the aforementioned Inuit.

Since the end of September Greenland it becomes a freezer that is very difficult or almost impossible to travel to.

So if you want see northern lights but you don't want to travel in the middle of winter, the best option is in Greenland.

Furthermore, it must be taken into account that it is such a sparsely inhabited region that it barely has roads, and the few towns that exist are linked by sea.

The northern Lights They can be seen all over the island, but in the south there is an old American military base, in Narsarsuaq, with two truly amazing places.

And we recommend this area because it is less populated and also has regular international flights from Iceland or Denmark until the beginning of winter, which makes it very easy to visit.

Yes, You can't travel to Greenland on your own. because it is a region that does not have infrastructure, and the only ones that exist have been enabled by specialized agencies, such as Polar Lands, who organize trips to said island.

Northern lights in Norway

Undoubtedly, Norway is famous for its Aurora borealis.

The north of this Scandinavian country is located so close to the North Pole, with emblematic points such as North Cape, which becomes one of the best places in the world to see the northern lights.

And I won't even tell you if you travel to the svalvard island, much further north, a true paradise of northern Lights.

The city of Tromso, located above the Arctic Circle, is considered as the Gate to the Arctic en Norway, and it is a place where you can now see the northern lights without problems.

In fact, we have even seen them arriving by plane to Tromso.

Another good place to see them is the city of High, also a common stage on winter trips through northern Norway, or the lofoten islands, another emblematic place in Norway.

Now, the continental part of Norway that has the best conditions is Kirkenes, already next to the border with Russia, where we have seen some of the best northern lights.

Northern lights in Iceland

If we talk about a ideal place to see the northern lights, where the force of the northern Lights It's huge, that's it Iceland.

The intensity of the auroras in this country is one of the highest that can be seen, but Iceland It has the disadvantage that it is a place where it is almost always cloudy.

That is why it is one of those places from which you can return without having seen them, or, on the other hand, you can have had an incredible experience, as was our case.

We were able to see the auroras when we arrived directly from the plane; Before landing we had already seen them.

In fact, the strength they can have makes them also visible from the capital, Reykjavik, a city of more than 200.000 inhabitants, and that despite light pollution, which may raise doubts.

But we have been able to verify that it is true, since upon our arrival the Aurora borealis They were there to impress us from the first moment.

And we must recognize that Iceland It is the place where we have seen them with the most intensity.

Obviously there are many on the island incredible places to see auroras, where light pollution is zero, areas such as the lava deserts in the south of the island, or the fjords in the west, or the lonely areas in the north, are perfect places.

We could also see them near the town of Hella, which was one of the places where we slept on our recent trip to Iceland with Polar Lands.

Northern lights in Finland

Finland and, specifically, the region of Lapland, is probably one of the most iconic places to see them northern Lights.

Even in its capital Helsinki They can be seen, especially on the outskirts, but it is a city with a lot of light pollution.

That is why it is necessary to move away and look for other smaller cities in the north of the country.

The one known as the Country of a Thousand Lakes, with its enormous snow-covered forests and frozen lakes in winter, has a totally different landscape from those of Greenland and Iceland.

It is a country very adapted to receiving visitors seeking the northern lights, which is why there are many hotels that are fully dedicated to enjoying them.

That is the case of the hotel we visited in Kemi , with cabins whose walls and ceilings are made of glass, where you could see the auroras from your own bed on the shores of a frozen lake.

But Finland If there is one place where everyone wants to see the auroras, that is Rovaniemi, city in the Arctic Circle where we all travel to see the Santa Claus House.

sign up night excursions known as northern lights safaris, is one of the main activities that can be done in the city, so in vans or snowmobiles you go into the forests to find the best conditions on the shores of a frozen lake.

That is, in Finland There are other cities that are much less light polluted, such as the ski resort area of Hand, next to the Russian border, an even more ideal place to see the famous auroras.

Other places in the world where you can see the Northern Lights

In addition to these places where you can get to them relatively easily from Spain, we are going to point out other places on the planet where you can also see the Northern Lights.

In any case, any area above the Arctic Circle, at 60º latitude, is a susceptible place to see them, especially in isolated areas where there are no populations.

Northern Lights in Canada

Canada It has a huge extension in latitudes where you can see the northern lights, and it is such a large territory that it is very difficult to summarize.

But it must be taken into account that they can be easily seen in the northern territories, in locations such as Yewollknife, riding a Whitehorse in the state of Yucón, or in Iqaluit, the capital of Nunavut.

And, of course, without forgetting the northern quebeq, or even in the Rocky Mountains on days of strong activity.

Northern Lights in Alaska

AlaskaOf course, it is also a good place to see the northern lights in locations such as Firebanks, although everything Alaska es aurora zone in winter.

How much does a trip to see the Northern Lights cost?

One of the things you ask us most is how much a trip to see the Northern Lights costs.

We are going to try to help you by comparing prices of different destinations, taking as a reference the trips offered. Polar Lands, an agency specialized in trips to arctic areas.

We have already traveled with them twice, so we attest to the quality of the trip, and since the routes include all expenses, it is an easy way to compare prices with the final cost.

The best places to see the northern lights

In short, these are our favorite places to see the northern lights.

This is a personal selection, in most cases, based on our own experience, and based on the quality of the auroras, how beautiful the places are to see them and the accessibility in order to make a trip from Spain.

We have not included places that are a real odyssey to reach and are absolutely isolated from the world.

• Tasiusaq – Greenland
• Polar Lands Camp in Qaleraliq – Greenland
• Kirkenes – Norway
• Lofoten – Norway
• Svalvard – Norway
• Hella – Iceland
• Kállfafel – Iceland
• Rovaniemi – Finland
• Ruka – Finland