Countries like Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden offer some of the best vantage points for witnessing the Northern Lights.
(Anna Mardo via Getty Images)
2026 is shaping up to be a great year for catching the Northern Lights. The trouble is, getting yourself somewhere dark enough to actually see them tends to cost a fair bit.
The Aurora Borealis did make a surprise appearance as far south as Cornwall in the UK not long ago, but the best seats are still firmly in the Nordic region — Iceland, Finland, Norway, and Sweden — all of which are known for being expensive. That said, with some careful planning, a decent smartphone, and a willingness to hunt out deals, you can cross the Northern Lights off your list without doing serious damage to your bank account.
Choose a Package Wisely
Bundling your accommodation and excursions into a travel package is one of the easiest ways to keep costs down.
TUI, for example, offers winter packages to Iceland that include two excursions as standard: a Northern Lights hunt and a Golden Circle tour. Expedia lets you build your own package for various Northern Lights destinations, including Finnish Lapland, mixing and matching flights and accommodation to suit your budget.
Hostels, budget hotels, and Airbnb all help with accommodation costs. Half-board options are worth looking at too — Home Hotels, part of Strawberry Hotels, bundles in breakfast, fika (the traditional Swedish coffee break), and dinner, which can take a real chunk out of your daily spend.
The Northern Lights illuminate the sky above the Lyngen Alps near Tromsø, Norway.
(Natalie Marchant)
If you want something genuinely memorable, consider making your accommodation part of the experience itself. A night in a glass-roofed cabin in the Lyngen Alps near Tromsø costs over £300 per adult, but that covers all transport (road and ferry), accommodation, activities like snowshoeing or snowmobiling, and meals for the full day — so the per-item cost is more reasonable than it first looks.
It’s also worth getting creative with how you combine travel and accommodation. Travel blogger Beatrice Searle of Wild Bee Outdoors saved hundreds by flying into Helsinki instead of Rovaniemi and taking an overnight train north — a choice her family found exciting rather than inconvenient.
Utilize Free Smartphone Apps
Your phone can do a lot of heavy lifting on a trip like this, well beyond just checking in and booking things.
An aurora app is essential. My Aurora Forecast & Alerts, available on both the Apple Store and Google Play, sends alerts when conditions look good for a sighting — just make sure you’ve given it location access.
Nordic countries tend to be largely cashless, so avoid getting stung by foreign transaction fees. A travel card or multi-currency account like Monzo, Revolut, or Wise will save you money you’d otherwise not notice losing.
Smartphones can capture stunning images of the Northern Lights.
(Everste via Getty Images)
Navigation apps like Google Maps or Citymapper are worth having, and Google Translate will come in handy too. If your phone plan doesn’t cover roaming, an eSIM through Holafly or Airalo keeps you connected without needing to hunt for Wi-Fi.
One thing many people don’t realise: modern smartphones can actually photograph the Northern Lights even when they’re barely visible to the naked eye. Pack a small tripod and a portable charger — cold temperatures drain batteries fast, so keep your phone in a warm pocket when you’re not using it.
Cut Costs on Meals and Drinks
A handful of apps can genuinely reduce what you spend on food. Too Good to Go connects you with restaurants selling surplus unsold food at reduced prices — good for your wallet and for cutting waste.
Food delivery services like Wolt and Foodora are active across the Nordic countries and regularly offer discounts. Local apps are worth a look too — Barhopp, for instance, is tailored to Iceland and includes a real-time happy hour tracker, which is handy given how expensive a drink can be.
The famous Raketten hot dog kiosk in Tromsø serves up delicious reindeer hot dogs.
(Ian Macpherson Europe)
Street food and kiosks punch well above their weight in this part of the world. The legendary Raketten kiosk in Tromsø has built a reputation on its reindeer hot dogs and mulled wine, while Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur in Reykjavik has been turning out organic meat sausages for decades.
Bakeries are everywhere and are one of the best budget options around — a Korvapuusti (Finnish cinnamon bun) or a Kardemummabullar (Swedish cardamom bun) with a coffee keeps you warm and well-fed for next to nothing. Bring a thermos and top it up at breakfast; it’ll save you buying hot drinks throughout the day.
Explore Free Walking Tours
Free walking tours run in towns across Europe, the Nordic countries included. They typically work on a tip-only basis, so you give what you can.
Mauricio runs daily free walking tours in Tromsø in both English and Spanish. In Iceland‘s capital, CityWalk Reykjavik runs twice-daily English-language tours. Free walking tour apps on your phone are another option, and Google Maps is useful for tracking down specific attractions in between.
Dress warmly and wear sensible footwear — a thermos helps here too. Most guides are happy to recommend places to eat and things to do, and some keep their own Google Maps lists they’ll share if you ask.
Escape Urban Brightness
Once night falls — and in December or January, that can happen as early as lunchtime — you need to find somewhere with as little light pollution as possible.
Northern Lights tours and ferry rides out of popular tourist towns can be expensive.
The Northern Lights over Kleifarvatn, Grindavikurbaer, in Iceland are best viewed away from urban glare.
(Amazing Aerial)
Go under your own steam instead. Keep your aurora forecast app running with location enabled and you’ll get an alert when conditions improve.
In Tromsø, Telegrafbukta park is one of the best spots and is just a short NOK 50 (£3.90) bus ride from the city centre. In Rovaniemi, the Arctic Garden at the Arktikum Science Centre and Museum gives you a good viewing spot that’s walkable from the town centre.
It’s worth noting that some Northern Lights tours — particularly in Reykjavik — offer a free second attempt if the aurora doesn’t show on your first night. Read the small print before you book and leave enough time in your schedule to take them up on it if needed.
Consider Staying in the UK
If international travel isn’t on the cards, heading as far north as you can within the UK is a genuine option.
The Northern Lights casting a glow over Skerray on the northern coast of Scotland.
(Ashley Cooper pics)
Northern Scotland sits at a similar latitude to Stavanger in Norway and offers a decent chance of seeing the “Mirrie Dancers,” as the locals call the Northern Lights. The Hebrides, Shetland, Orkney, and Caithness are all worth considering, and sightings have been reported as far south as the Borders.
Dark sky reserves in northern Wales, England, and Northern Ireland are also worth seeking out — Snowdonia National Park, the North York Moors, and Northumberland National Park are among the best-known options, along with stretches of the northern coast of Northern Ireland.
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