Lights, camera, action: Where to see the Northern Lights

The Aurora Borealis will be at its most striking in 2026. This remarkable natural light display in the sky, otherwise known as the Northern Lights, is caused by solar winds made up of charged particles interacting with Earth’s atmosphere. The sun will be entering a “solar maximum” next year, so the solar winds will be at their most powerful in over a decade. That means more vivid colours in the night skies and the further north you go (or south if you find yourself in the southern hemisphere), the better the experience.

The best places to see the Northern Lights

1. Svalbard, Norway

Norway’s Svalbard archipelago is situated at 78 degrees North, which is well within the Arctic Circle. That makes it the ideal location from which to view the Northern Lights. The polar night season runs from October to February and this is the best time to look out for the Lights, as this is when the sky is darkest – the perfect foil for their vivid colours, which are at their most impressive against a backdrop of snow-covered mountains and frozen fjords.

Travel operator Basecamp Explorer has three lodges located around Spitsbergen, the largest and only permanently populated island in the archipelago. Its “Chasing the Northern Lights” expedition is a four-night adventure, based at Basecamp Hotel in Longyearbyen, which combines dog sledding and ice-cave exploration with hunting for the Northern Lights, guided by experts.

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From NOK24,990 (£1,850) per person in January and February 2026 and resuming the following October. Visit basecampexplorer.com for more information.

2. Swedish Lapland

“Witnessing vast, natural phenomena such as the Aurora can lower stress, improve mood and foster emotional restoration,” says Visit Sweden – just what’s needed after a busy festive season. The Northern Lights are visible in the country up to 200 times a year and the village of Abisko, in Swedish Lapland, is consistently ranked among the best places on Earth to view the phenomenon, thanks to its clear skies and microclimate. The peak of the solar cycle makes this a great time to visit.

Operator Lights Over Lapland offers up to eight guests the chance to explore Abisko at their own pace, with a guide, from one of two beautiful homes in the village. Naturally, guests have access to their own private sauna and by day they are free to choose whichever activities they want to do, such as dog sledding, ice fishing, or going on a snowmobile tour. At night, the Aurora Borealis puts on its mesmerising show.

SEK79,995 (£6,445) a night, lightsoverlapland.com.

3. Aino, Finland

Aino is a private island near the town of Rovaniemi in northern Finland. Guests stay in beautifully designed River Suites on the island, which combine comfort and privacy with the surroundings of the winter wilderness outside. The “Arctic Serenity Escape” offered by operator Off the Map includes a thrilling “Husky Forest Escape” – an authentic self-drive sledding adventure along peaceful woodland trails. There are also relaxing outdoor hot-tub and wood-fired sauna sessions, eco-friendly electric-snowmobile adventure, the chance to meet reindeer, scenic snowshoeing and, to cap it all off, dinner served by your own private chef beneath the shimmering Northern Lights.

£10,499 for four nights, excluding flights. Visit offthemap.travel.

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