By Teresa Gallo

Every year, hundreds of thousands of tourists visit northern Scandinavia to witness one of nature’s most breathtaking spectacles: the Aurora Borealis, also known as the Northern Lights.

This mesmerizing dance of lights has captured the fantasy of humans for centuries. Considered a harbinger of good by some and feared as a bad omen by others, Northern Lights have been attributed different meanings in different cultures.

In Norse mythology, for example, Aurora borealis was considered the reflection of the Valkyries’ armour shining in the sky while guiding the fallen warriors to Valhalla. Echoes of this myth still persist in some areas of Norway, where the aurora is still affectionately called “the green lady.” 

Sàmi people, instead, believed that the lights were a reflection of the souls of the dead, and preferred not to look at them for fear of being taken away or cause the gods’ wrath.

Dancing lights over the Lofoten Islands’ sky. Image courtesy of Stein Egil Liland

Today we know that Northern lights are a natural phenomenon caused by the collision of electrically charged particles ejected by the sun and our planet’s atmosphere. In fact, Earth’s magnetic field captures some of these particles which then concentrate around the poles creating the spectacular light show of the Aurora Borealis in the northern hemisphere and the Aurora Australis in the southern hemisphere.

Blue, green, red, pink, or purple, the lights can take different colours depending on how solar particles interact with the gases present in Earth’s atmosphere. For example, green and deep red lights happen when solar particles collide with oxygen molecules at different altitudes. Blue, purple and pink hues are the result of a collision with nitrogen molecules. The altitude in which the aurora forms, the sun activity and the atmosphere’s density are other factors influencing its colour.

Where to see the Northern Lights in Scandinavia

In Europe, the Northern Lights can be best admired in those countries located near the North Pole — for example, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland. While southern Scandinavia may experience the aurora occasionally, going north will maximise your chances to witness this breathtaking spectacle. The best area to see the Northern Lights is the so-called “aurora zone” or “Northern Lights belt”, an oval located at 65-72°N on the map.

The best period of the year to see the aurora is from mid-September/October to the end of March. Polar nights, in particular, offer better visibility as the sun remains below the horizon causing total darkness also during the day. Guided tours usually take place between the late afternoon and night.

How to see the Northern Lights in Scandinavia: What the experts say

As with all natural phenomena, Northern Lights can be unpredictable. Weather conditions, solar activity, winds and sky cover all impact visibility. To help you increase your chances of seeing the aurora, we asked expert guides and locals for their best insider tips.

Seeing the Northern Lights in Tromsø, Norway

Located 350 km above the Arctic Circle, Tromsø is a vivacious and compact city with a lot to offer. To get expert advice, we contacted Berth from the Norwegian tour company Northern Horizon. 

Berth has been guiding Northern Lights tours for almost 10 years, helping hundreds of visitors to see the Aurora. He strikes us as a professional yet friendly person with good humour and lots of useful insights. 

He tells us that Tromsø is the place to be for anyone wanting to see the aurora and suggests visiting the area around early October or mid-March because the weather tends to be more stable in those periods. “However” — he adds — “if you want to combine your trip with a whale-watching experience you’ll have to be there between October and the end of January.“

Knowing where to look is crucial as weather forecasts alone may not tell the whole story. Sometimes, spectacular light displays show up on nights when the forecast is unfavourable and, other times, the aurora is not visible even with a clear sky forecast. In this case, relying on expert guides who know the area well and can identify the best places to see the lights can change the outcome of an aurora tour.

Experience, skills and preparation are crucial for a smooth and safe experience. Relying on luck alone won’t guarantee success. For example, Berth and his team are trained to read different weather forecasts and patterns and know a lot about photography, nature and astrophysics. They also know where the odds to see the aurora display are highest. “In the end flexibility is key.” — he concludes — “The Lights are not attached to one location but happen so high above in the sky that we will be able to see them if we can see they sky.“

Another reason to hire a professional guide is safety. Navigating roads can be hard due to harsh weather conditions. Visitors may need to spend long hours outside patiently waiting for the aurora to light up the sky. It is therefore crucial to rely on guides and drivers who know how to navigate different weather conditions and how to keep visitors warm and safe.

Seeing the Northern Lights in Bodø and Lofoten Islands

Green and red aurora in Northern Norway. Image courtesy of Reidar Hernes

Captivated by his stunning photography, we reached out to Reidar Hernes, Bodø resident and Arctic life and photograpy enthusiast. Just located above the Arctic Circle, Bodø was nominated Europe’s capital of culture in 2024.

This “micro-metropolis” is a good place to start chasing the aurora. Reidar, too, stresses the fact that seeing the Northern Lights may not always be easy. To maximise the chances of success — and taking great photos — he suggests getting out of the city and away from light pollution.

For example, take a seat just outside the city and enjoy your own Northern Lights outdoor cinema or board a ferry to visit the wilder and quieter landscape of the Lofoten Islands. In any case, Reidar suggests refusing the bucket list mentality and spending more days in Bodø to savour the local nature and culture.

Seeing the Northern Lights in Abisko, Sweden

Considered one of the best places in the world to see the Northern Lights, Abisko is a small village located at 200 km north of the Arctic Circle.  

To learn more about how to see the aurora in this area, we contacted Claudio Comi, an aurora tour guide and nature photographer leading specialised aurora photography tours with the company Lights over Lapland. Claudio is passionate about sharing Abisko’s magic with tourists and was kind enough to provide us with a lot of interesting information!

Northern Lights over a tepee in the wilderness. Image courtesy of Claudio Comi

When we ask him why Abisko is a great destination for seeing the aurora, he replies with a question that immediately capture our curiosity, “have you ever heard of the blue hole of Abisko?“

He explains that Abisko is small village blessed with unique geographical and natural beauty or as Claudio describes it “a dreamy landscape.” Located on the Lake Torneträsk shores and surrounded by mountains and valleys, Abisko is the place to go to immerse yourself in pristine nature. But there’s another fascinating reason to go aurora hunting in Abisko: its unique micro-climate!

Claudio explains that the common name blue hole of Abisko refers to a specific weather pattern that gives the area a higher number of clear nights and better visibility than any other destination inside the aurora oval.

This phenomenon is caused by winds that blow in the same direction from most of the aurora season creating a 10-20 square kilometre opening in the clouds just over Abisko National Park. This “hole” in the clouds is where the aurora often appears and can be admired by visitors.

Claudio also tells us that every month during the aurora season offers different and exciting adventures. October, for example, is the best month for trekking because the snow is still scarce. Photography enthusiasts should visit Abisko in November when the aurora reflects on the fresh ice and on unfrozen water creating stunning visual effects. December is perfect to experience the polar night’s total darkeness while February and March are excellent to try out winter activities. “With a bit of luck” — says Claudio — the aurora can be seen during all these months.

Just like Berth and Reidar, also Claudio reminds us that the aurora is a complex natural phenomenon and therefore difficult to predict. It is precisely this unpredictability that makes aurora hunting so special in his eyes because you never know what you will get.

Tourists should be aware that Abisko, just like most destinations in the Arctic Circle, can be wild and tricky to navigate without the help of an expert guide. For this reason, hiring a professional to search for the aurora may be the best way to ensure a rewarding and safe adventure.

Claudio stresses that visiting the Arctic Circle inevitably means being “in an extreme environment with different rules than those we are used to. It is always better to ask local people before venturing into exploration, the Arctic is wonderful but very dangerous if underestimated!“

His company specialises in small and cozy tours of maximum 8 people which combine adventure with taking the time to savour being in nature. Visitors are led in the middle of the tundra or in the Abisko National Park to wait for the aurora, hopefully take amazing photos of the display and enjoying a hot tea under the stars.

“We often live frenetic lives in big cities, completely disconnected from nature and ourselves. When I take my guests for a walk in the national park at a certain point I stop and tell them to be silent for a minute.

The silence up here is “deafening”, you find yourself alone with your own breathing, the wind, the beating of your heart. Silence is something that does not exist in cities. Or at night, stopping for a moment, looking at the starry sky in a place completely free of light pollution is a moving experience!“ – Claudio Comi.

Tips for seeing the Northern Lights sustainably

The Arctic Circle is an extreme yet fragile environment. Threatened by climate change and geopolitical conflicts, pristine tourist destination in this area require extra care from visitors. We asked our experts to give us their best sustainability tips.

What would you suggest to tourists wanting to explore the local area in a sustainable way?

Berth suggests joining a group tour instead of renting a single car. Group travelling leaves a smaller footprint. In addition, his tours stick to the leave no trace rule. Or, as Berth says “Leave nothing but footprints and take nothing but pictures.“

Also Reidar stresses the importance of leaving no trace in the environment. He suggests spending more days in the same location to truly connect with the nature but also the local community. Many people tend to stay one or two days to see the lights and just cross that item from their bucket list, why not plan a longer stay? “And if you (are) renting a car” — he adds — “that’s a must, rent a electric car. Everyone in now a day’s drive electric.“

Claudio, too, emphasizes that the Arctic is a fragile environment particularly affected by climate change. “Lets simply treat nature as we treat our home and respect it. We should travel with care and attention and to leave no traces behind us. Every little gesture is important.“