Where to see the Northern Lights

published 20 January 2014

The frozen ship Spitsbergen, Norway

It has "ten well-equipped cabins, two lounges, a restaurant and licensed bar," says Aaron Millar in The Independent. "Accessible only by snowmobile or dog sleigh and miles away from civilisation, this is a real Arctic Aurora adventure, but with a warm welcome at the end."

Prices start from £159 for a double room (00 47 79 02 4600, Basecampspitsbergen.com).

The glass igloo: Hotel Kakslauttanen, Finnish Lapland

You can view the spectacle from the warmth of your bed with a stay at Kakslauttanen, 155 miles north of the Arctic Circle.

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You stay in one of the hotel's log cabins for most of your stay, but you can spend a night in a glass igloo, a short stroll away in a forest clearing. "Outside it was -10C, but I was snug underneath the covers and a specially designed condensation-proof geodesic dome ready to watch the greatest astronomical show on earth," says Richard Green in The Sunday Times. "It's toasty inside", too, and the cabins have wood fires and saunas.

Four nights at the Hotel Kakslauttanen three in a log cabin and one in a glass igloo costs from £1,141pp, half-board, including flights with Taber (01274-875199; Taberholidays.co.uk).

The Icehotel Swedish Lapland

You can take an overnight trip in search of the Northern Lights; guests can "choose between a snowmobile or a howling dog sled team".

A three-night break costs from £933 per person, including flights (01737-218801,Icehotel.co.uk)

The hot tub Iceland

Prices start from around £148 for a double room (00 354 487 5700, Hotelranga.com).

The train: St Petersburg, Russia

"Stop off along the way for specialist aurora excursions and visits to the Unesco World Heritage city of Vladimir and the Golden Ring town, Veliky."

There are two train trips each winter, book now for winter 2015. From £6,395 per person for a ten-day trip (0161-928 9410, Goldeneagleluxurytrains.com).

Ruth Jackson-Kirby is a freelance personal finance journalist with 17 years’ experience, writing about everything from savings accounts and credit cards to pensions, property and pet insurance.

Ruth started her career at MoneyWeek after graduating with an MA from the University of St Andrews, and she continues to contribute regular articles to our personal finance section. After leaving MoneyWeek she went on to become deputy editor of Moneywise before becoming a freelance journalist.

Ruth writes regularly for national publications including The Sunday Times, The Times, The Mail on Sunday and Good Housekeeping, among many other titles both online and offline.