The interesting view that Norway offers seems like the dream come true. If you want to enjoy the lights, know about the best places to see Northern lights before you start for your trip. This article will show you the best places to see the Northern lights in Norway.
Norway with spectacular fjords, mountains with snow even in the summer, the Northern Lights, the alps like Lofoten mountains situated on small islands with tropical looking beaches is all very Instagram friendly.
Make sure you have added want to experience the Northern Lights in your bucket list because there is no better natural phenomenon than the Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis on this Earth. The Northern Lights can be seen all through the night of the Arctic Winter during the months from October to March and is one of the best things to do in Norway.
This is definitely one of the must see things in Norway to experience in your life. When these lights start to dance in either green or white curtains of light due to shifting in intensity, they start forming different shapes. Remember, it is not necessary that the Northern Lights will appear at the given time, it is all on your luck.
Do you know what the Northern lights are?
Northern lights are the electrically charged particles. Northern lights are created from a collision and they enter into the earth. The sun is the origin of the lights. The lights show in the dark sky at night. The light dances in the color of purple, green, pink, blue and violet. Aurora borealis is the scientific name of the Northern lights. During cold and dry weather, the Northern lights creates a mesmerizing scene.
What are the best places to see the Northern lights in Norway?
Who knows it can be one of the memorable tours of your life. Watching the Northern lights is like a dream trip to some people. You can see Northern lights in Iceland or Finland. But several spots have made Norway worth visiting. And your trip can be easier if you know the perfect time for seeing northern lights in Norway. The best areas to see the northern lights in Norway are located in Tromso, Svalbard, and Trondheim.
We are going to show you the best spots to see the Northern lights in Norway.
1. Tromso
This is a small town above the Arctic Circle that few people visit outside of Norwegians. It’s charming, beautiful, and romantic, has great food, is surrounded by snow-capped mountains even in the summertime, the sun never sets throughout the summer, and the Northern Lights are easily seen during the winter in Tromso. The nearby fjords and islands are even lesser visited, and even more stunning!
One of the best places to look at this phenomenon is northern Norway. Tromso is the best place in Norway to see northern lights. The Lofoten Islands, and cities such as Kirkenes and Alta in Finnmark province have daily flights from Oslo, warm, comfortable hotels and tour services companies. Alta is also known for its Sorrisniva Igloo hotel, which opens during winter around December 15.
Hurtigruten has just started its Northern Light Promise winter cruise season with a free cruise guaranteed if the passenger cannot see the northern lights because of weather conditions.
We dare to say that Northern Norway is undoubtedly one of the most comfortable and interesting places to see the northern lights, since hundreds of thousands of people live in this geographical area. If you have decided to see northern lights and your chosen destination is Tromso, we give you the keys for your trip.
From May 20 to July 20 the midnight sun shines, which makes it possible to participate in various activities 24 hours a day. If you are looking for a cultural holiday, Tromsø hosts the Tromsø International Film Festival and the Northern Lights Festival and both events attract visitors from all over the world.
Between the end of September and the end of March it gets dark in the early afternoon and there is no light until well into the morning. It is the best time to see the northern lights. Install the app for iPhone, Android or Windows, a forecast of auroras that helps you know when you can see auroras wherever you are.
Tromsø is easily the most charming town. The restaurants, the views, the people, the 360 degrees of snow-capped mountains in the middle of July and a sun that never sets. But the fjords outside of the city are the top highlight. Perfectly blue water, steep mountains, endless fields of yellow flowers, reindeer, its amazing!
Tromsø, a city in northern Norway, is a major cultural hub above the Arctic Circle. It’s famed as a viewing point for colorful Northern Lights that sometime light up the nighttime sky. Tromsø is 350 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle, and is the largest city in Northern Norway. The city is a popular spot for watching the Northern lights in Norway.
Most of the people go to this city as its one of the main attractions for watching the Aurora lights. It is one of the locations where you can reach easily during winter.
Not only the Northern lights, but you also have the chance to explore entire Tromso. A huge number of people come to travel to the Tromso city to see the Northern lights only. People not only from remote locations but also from other countries come to Tromso. The people who want to get hold of the long-awaited vision of the northern lights have a great preference for this city.
A couple of kilometers from the city center of Tromsø is the beautiful Prestvannet lake. This natural reserve without artificial lighting is an evocative place to see the northern lights in a peaceful environment and only 20 minutes on foot from the city center.
To observe the northern lights just north-west of Tromsø, drive for about an hour to reach the charming little Hansnes town. Then take a ferry to the long island of Vannøya or to the smaller, more peaceful island of Karlsøy. From the west of Tromsø you can go by car or bus to the great island of Kvaløya, which has a lot of fantastic places and without many people, such as the small towns of Kvaløyvågen and Skulsfjord, or the beautiful Sommarøy peninsula.
In the opposite direction, towards the east, you will find the Balsfjord fjord, less than an hour away, even if you decide to go to its innermost point, next to the village of Nordkjosbotn.
You can walk along the shore to appreciate the Tromso Fjords or you can take a guided tour which often includes an exertion of a fishing trip that showcases Norweigan’s local cuisine.
2. Alta
If you want to see the lights from its ideal place, it's the Alta city. It's a small town, but according to several studies, Alta city is the most popular place to watch the Northern lights. Swimming under the northern lights can be the most refined Arctic experience in the city of Alta.
As the temperature is warm in Alta, you can stay with your family in Alta. While you are watching the Northern lights, do not forget to see the other top attractions in Alta. There is a museum, which is pretty thorough and offers a lot of information and artifacts. The stone age carvings are really worth a look. The ancient rocks and the Alta museum is the top attraction.
The only really stunning building in the town is the Northern Lights cathedral which will ravish anyone interested in architecture. Alta is nice, the town is quite spread out by the shore of the fjord so it can take some time to go from one end to the other. The view is over the sea and hills is pretty, and if you drive towards the plateau, you meet a beautiful forest, the canyon and then the emptiness of the tundra. This is quite a diversity of views.
3. Bodo
If you are thinking that you will not go to the Tromso for watching the Northern lights, we can suggest you go to Bodo city. It is a great destination for Northern light photographers. The city is 3 kilometre away from Norway. When you are getting yo the Bodo, you are getting more chances to see the lights more precisely. The clouds in the sky have made it more challenging to observe the lights. You can see Mount Ronvik from Bodo.
4. Svalbard
Svalbard is an archipelago of islands in the Arctic Circle, 900 km (590 miles) north of Norway. Svalbard is located in between the North Pole and mainland Norway, at 78° latitude. Spitsbergen is the largest island of the archipelago. Visitors can find themselves in great solitude if they want to sport polar temperatures and monumental glaciers.
Svalbard is a quaint little mining town that also happens to be the second-most least populated northern area in the whole world. Known for being one of the most crucial areas for witnessing the Northern Lights in Norway, Svalbard also witnesses Polar Nights between every November and January. During this time, the sun does not rise in Svalbard, and the sky never turns brighter than twilight.
Svalbard with its breathtaking beauty is a dreamland with three main seasons, Polar Summer, Northern Lights Winter, and Sunny Winter, with their unique charms and delights. From October to February the mystical Northern lights are visible in this heavenly place.
The classic nature adventures and the polar bear sightings are a beautiful experience in Svalbard. The midnight sun with its beautiful contrasts of color shining upon the glaciers and majestic mountains are worth a soul-soothing sight.
Visiting this place for northern lights experience is best if you are staying in Longyearbyen. The long polar nights between November to February in Svalbard are in darkness on a 24/7 basis. So, it’s an ideal place to consider when coming to Norway for northern lights.
This place is silent and calm. You can hear the sound of the wind. Sometimes, as you keep walking, you feel, as if you the only person on this planet. Dog sledging is fun. It is a wonder how these dogs survive in such extreme cold conditions. You don't need visa to visit Svalbard. But, the rule is, your flight should directly land in Svalbard. If there is such a flight, then you don’t need visa.
Its one of the popular places to see the Northern lights in the world. Travelers find it an unique place for watching the northern lights. Explore the Svalbard Archipelago – home to massive glaciers and a variety of Arctic animals. Catch a glimpse of the minke whales, polar bears, and seals. It is known to people worldwide that it is one point where people can see the lights during the day time.
Longyearbyen, the administrative capital of the Svalbard Islands is located halfway between mainland Norway and the North Pole and is one of the best places to see the northern lights in Scandinavia. Some tourists think they need to travel to the end of the world to see the northern lights, but my motto is that there is no reason to go further than what is necessary.
While one is involved in the darkness of Svalbard, this magical experience will be the same anywhere. Use the aurora forecast app, which alerts you when the phenomenon may occur, so as not to leave it at random. And so as not to miss the opportunity, one should be well prepared to take some decent pictures of the northern lights.
Photography lovers should bring a tripod, something that will have a huge effect on the outcome. Trying to capture the Northern Lights is like trying to take a photo of a hyperactive child.
The most preferred time to stay in Svalbard is from the month of November to the month of February. If you are going within this time, you can enjoy the dog sledding along with watching the Northern lights. But know one thing about Svalbard before the start. Traveling to Svalbard is more expensive compared to other places. If you are travelling via Norway, you will need a Norway visa or a Schengen visa.
5. Lofoten
One of the best places to see the Northern lights are the Lofoten. You will not believe the view unless you watch it with your eyes. Small fishing villages are part of the view. The beach lies in it which gives it a mesmerizing view of the sky. If you are a night photographer, no other place on the earth can be better than the Lofoten.
Best time to see the Northern lights in Norway
While you are going to travel somewhere, you should know about the best time to go to the spot. In the same way, if you know the best month to see Northern lights in Norway, you can enjoy the time. So what are the best months to see Northern lights in Norway? If you decide to go from late April to early September, you can enjoy the Northern lights.
This time is considered the perfect time to watch northern lights in Norway because it gets dark during this time. The best season for visiting Norway to experience the northern lights is November to March. Because the nights between these months are much longer as compare to the whole year. An ideal month considered for northern lights is March. You can either see the aurora by waking up the whole night or set the alarm for every hour.
Which will be best season to see the Northern lights in Norway?
In one word, it's winter. Winter is the perfect time to see northern lights in Norway. As the sky remains dark during the winter, you get the chance to see the lights properly. If you are going during the summer, you cannot enjoy the lights. The month of May to August is the summertime in Norway. It does not get dark during summer. So it is better if you are going in winter.
Moreover, there are many hotels based in Norway who provides the wake-up service to the tourist coming here for northern lights. So, you can sleep without worrying about waking up at the wrong time.
You already know everything about your destination. Now it's time to prepare everything for the trip. Do not forget to take the camera equipment with you. Check that you have taken every equipment with you. If you forget to take photos, you cannot save your memory. Bring every moment with you. Once you get back, give your photos the desired look.
If you were searching for the best places to see the Northern lights in Norway, you have got everything that you need to know. We have tried to give you the best authentic information. I hope that you have got everything so that you can start on your trip.
