Northern Lights Guide: Best Places & Time to See the Aurora

Witnessing the Northern Lights is a genuine once-in-a-lifetime experience, and with the right planning, seeing the aurora borealis is well within reach on a Europe trip. Here's how to maximise your chances.

Best Destinations

Iceland, Norway's Tromsø and Finnish Lapland offer the highest chances of a clear, strong aurora display, thanks to their high latitude and relatively low light pollution outside the main cities.

Best Time to See Them

The best viewing window runs from September to March, ideally on clear, moonless nights away from city lights — the aurora is visible year-round at these latitudes, but summer's near-constant daylight makes it invisible.

Tips for Viewing

Head well away from city lights, check an aurora forecast app or website for real-time activity levels, and dress warmly for potentially long waits outdoors, since displays can be unpredictable and sometimes only last a few minutes.

Photography Tips

For photography, use a tripod for stability, a wide-angle lens to capture as much sky as possible, and manual settings with a slow shutter speed (typically 5-15 seconds) to properly capture the light without blur.