Discovering the Northern Lights: Where to Fly from the UK This Winter

The Northern Lights – officially called the Aurora Borealis – are a solar light phenomenon which creates a magical effect in the night sky. As the name suggests, the further north you are – or the closer you get to the Arctic Circle – the better your chance of seeing them. They are a thing of sheer beauty and can be seen in many Nordic and Scandinavian countries throughout the winter. Here are the best places where you can see the Northern Lights this winter when flying from the UK.

1. Tromsø, Norway

One of the most popular winter destinations in the world, Norway is an ideal place where to see the Northern Lights. While it is possible to see the Northern Lights from the majority of the country during the winter months, the best place to see them is in the city of Tromsø, in the far north of the country, well into the Arctic Circle.

Tromsø offers very little light pollution when compared to other larger towns and cities in Norway such as Oslo and Stavanger, and because it is so far north, there is an easy chance that you will be treated to the spectacular show of the Northern Lights during your visit, especially if the skies are clear.

Tromsø also has the advantage of having ‘Arctic seasons’, meaning that it is often in total darkness for months of the year, while in the summer it is in never-ending light. Therefore, while the Aurora season lasts from August to April, the best time of year to see the Northern Lights in Tromsø is during the depths of winter, anytime from late November until mid-January.

The peak season for the Northern Lights: August to April

Where to fly from: London (Gatwick, Heathrow, Luton), Manchester

2. Reykjavik, Iceland

Another Scandinavian country, Iceland is an incredibly popular destination when it comes to seeing the Northern Lights. Due to the country’s small population (less than 400,000) outside of Reykjavik, anywhere outside of the city is an ideal place to see the Northern Lights.

However, while Reykjavik is the capital city, its light pollution is much lower than other global capital cities, so it is still possible to see the Northern Lights from Reykjavik if you do not wish to travel out of the city.

However, arguably the best place in Iceland to see the Northern Lights is Jökulsárlón Glacier. While this is around a five-hour drive from Reykjavik, if you really want the best experience to see the Northern Lights while in Iceland, this is the place to go. The glacial lagoon has many icebergs, which create wonderful patterns when the light is reflected off them.

If you wish to visit Jökulsárlón Glacier, the best way to get there is to hire a car.

The peak season for the Northern Lights: September to March

Where to fly from: London (Heathrow, Stanstead, Luton), Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow

3. Rovaniemi, Finland

Found in the heart of Lapland in northern Finland, Rovaniemi is another excellent destination from where you can see the Northern Lights this winter. With Rovaniemi Airport being Finland’s second-most popular airport, it’s easy to see why so many people flock to the Finnish Arctic Circle to witness the beauty of the Northern Lights.

Aside from offering unfiltered views of the Aurora Borealis, Rovaniemi has many other attractions to make the experience even better, such as sledges pulled by huskies, the chance to meet wild reindeer and more – all to combine and make for an unforgettable Arctic excursion.

It’s also a fantastic place to visit if you have young children, as Lapland is traditionally the home of Santa Claus, so you can take them to visit Santa while you’re in Rovaniemi.

The peak season for the Northern Lights: September to March

Where to fly from: London (Gatwick), Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh

4. Stockholm, Sweden

Surprisingly one of the most southern destinations on the list so far, Stockholm is nevertheless an excellent place from which to see the Northern Lights.

The capital of Sweden can have the problem of suffering from light pollution, but a short drive outside of the city to somewhere such as Lappis Beach, which can be reached from the city centre in just a 15-minute drive.

Of course, there are other areas with far less light pollution in Swedish Lapland such as Kiruna (Sweden’s most northerly city) and Jukkasjärvi, but there are no direct flights here from the UK. If you wish to travel there, you can get a 90-minute flight from Stockholm or a 12-hour train ride.

However, we recommend staying near Stockholm to see the Northern Lights because there’s so much to do in the city for the rest of your holiday, too.

The peak season for the Northern Lights: October to February

Where to fly from: London (Heathrow, Gatwick, Stanstead), Manchester, Edinburgh

5. Vancouver, Canada

In British Columbia, Canada, there are many incredible places from which to see the Northern Lights. Flying into Vancouver opens up a world of possibilities – while driving just outside of the city is your best bet, because of its close proximity to the US border, there is also the option to drive into the bordering state of Washington and take a look at the clear night skies there to see the Northern Lights.

Most of the time, you will have a better chance going north of the city, so we recommend hiring a car in Vancouver and driving outside of the city to somewhere such as Cypress Provincial Park, which can be reached in less than half an hour via car for unobstructed views of the Aurora Borealis.

The peak season for the Northern Lights: November to March

Where to fly from: London (Heathrow, Gatwick)

6. Toronto, Canada

Another Canadian destination on this list, this time on the eastern side of the country, and the capital of the province of Ontario: Toronto. Canada’s most populous city may not be the first place which comes to your mind for good views of the Northern Lights, but it’s an excellent place to see them.

As with the other major cities mentioned on this list, getting out of the actual city is your best chance of seeing them. We would recommend hiring a car and making the two-hour journey north to the Torrance Barrens Dark-Sky Preserve. As its name suggests, it is one of the best places in the world to stargaze due to the lack of light pollution and can be reached in a couple of hours from Toronto.

Plus, a further advantage of flying into Toronto is that there’s so much to do in the city when you’re not searching the skies for the Northern Lights in the middle of the night. How about you fuel up with Canada’s national dish of poutine before a night of exploring?

Remember to wrap up warm, though – temperatures in Ontario in the winter months can sink as low as -16℃ in the winter months.

The peak season for the Northern Lights: November to March

Where to fly from: London (Heathrow, Gatwick), Manchester, Glasgow

7. Tórshavn, Faroe Islands

The Faroe Islands, situated in the North Atlantic Ocean between Iceland and Scotland are some of the most remote islands in Europe. As a result, they make for a fantastic place to see the Northern Lights.

The capital of the islands, Tórshavn, is a forty-minute drive from the country’s only airport, so hiring a car is essential to make the most of your visit here.

There are lots of places from which you can see the Northern Lights in the Faroe Islands, so hiring a car makes even more sense. Clear, unpolluted skies are a feature of the Faroe Islands, so the winter months when the tourism season calms down make it even better. While Tórshavn itself offers excellent views of the Northern Lights, a drive over to Mulafossur Waterfall offers even better scenery to take them in.

And there’s no shortage of things to do during the day, either – from walks around nature reserves to history tours of Tórshavn, there’s something for everyone to do in the Faroe Islands on your winter holiday this year.

The peak season for the Northern Lights: December to March

Where to fly from: Edinburgh

8. Billund, Denmark

The final Scandinavian country on this list, Denmark is another country where you can see the spectacular Northern Lights at the right time of year.

While most people opt to fly into Copenhagen, the country’s capital, places further north in Denmark offer a better experience for seeing the Northern Lights. One such place is Billund.

With direct flights from both London and Manchester, this is an ideal location in the country from where you can see the Northern Lights – there is much less light pollution compared to Copenhagen and nearby places such as Jutland can be reached in half an hour by car, or if you’re fancying a road trip, then we would suggest making the three-hour trip north to the tip of Denmark at Kjul Strand, where you will see unobstructed views of the Northern Lights.

The peak season for the Northern Lights: September to April

Where to fly from: London (Heathrow, Stanstead), Manchester