When it gets darker at night in Sweden in the fall and winter, you can see the northern lights. So, the sky is a perfect place to see the northern lights or the stars twinkling. It takes over the sky in swirls of color when this happens. It looks like they were painted in the sky. But sometimes they move to their own beat. It can be magical and take you on a trip to see something like this.
What are the Northern Lights?
Some people might be curious about what the northern lights are. They are also known as the polar lights, the aurora borealis, and, of course, the northern lights. There is a technical term for these light waves: they come from the solar wind upsetting the magnetosphere. When this happens, the particles in the night sky become charged, turning the sky into a rainbow of colors. A lot of different stories have been made up about the northern lights from all over the world. Find out more about them here. Check out the AuroralZone if you want to learn more about the science behind the Northern Lights.
Northern Lights in Sweden
You can see the northern lights best in the auroral zone, which is what the name says. That’s why you need to be in the right auroral zone if you want to see the northern lights. Check out a research article about the Auroral zone over the last 3,000 years if you still want to learn more about this amazing event.
Best Times to Visit the Northern Lights Sweden
In Sweden, the best time to see the northern lights is usually when it gets dark and rainy. From September to March, this can happen. The nights are also longer at this time, which makes it easier to see the beautiful sky come to life at night. When is the best time to look at the stars? That depends on where you are, but it’s usually between 9pm and 2am. Sweden is one of the best places to see the northern lights because there isn’t much light pollution and the country is full of nature.
“Think about this: Even if you go to the very north of Sweden, there’s no guarantee that you’ll see the Northern Lights.”
Kiruna
Because this city is so far north, it’s a great spot to see the Northern Lights in Sweden. There are a lot of reindeer around because you’re in northern Sweden. For that reason, the Sami people who live there own many of them and let them do what they want. There are only about 23,000 people living in this area, so there is a lot of nature and land that hasn’t been touched. There is almost no pollution in the air here, and the winter nights are the longest in northern Sweden.
When you book a tour with Get Your Guide, you can see the Northern Lights and have dinner, too. You will have dinner in a traditional Sami tent while on this tour. The food will be BBQ. Click here to find out more about it. You can even go on a tour where you ride snowmobiles through the woods. Find out more about it here!
You can find a list of tours in Kiruna on Get Your Guide. A lot of them include seeing the northern lights. Take a look at them here.
Things to See
It snows hard on the ground, covering it even more. Since it snows more and thicker, it makes sense that the buildings were made the way they were. This is the Gothic style of the Kiruna Church. Some parts of the roof touch the ground. This keeps the snow from putting too much weight on the roof. Also, it’s interesting to see a building like this. This is one of Sweden’s biggest wooden buildings. It’s being called “The Shrine of the Nomadic people” because it will be moved in 2025 so that the mine in Kiruna can grow.
How to Get There
It will take you about 14 to 15 hours to drive from Stockholm to Kiruna. But you can also take the train, which takes about the same amount of time. You can even take a plane, but I don’t recommend it because it’s expensive and better for the earth to find another way to get there. You can see what it looks like if you drive there on Google Maps.
Abisko National Park
The beautiful mountains in the background rise high above the Abiskodalen valley. The biggest alpine lake in Scandinavia is in this valley. It is a beautiful turquoise color. Meadows have many natural colors that cover them, making them look peaceful as you take a deep breath. What a beautiful place! Even in the winter, you can’t miss the beauty there. It’s best to have good snowshoes and winter gear now than at any other time of the year.
Aurora Sky Station in Abisko National Park
When people in Sweden think of the northern lights, Aurora Sky Station comes to mind because of its amazing views of them. A lot of people in Sweden know about this place, and you can see it at Aurora Sky Station. They give tours and have great views while you eat. Even when it’s not winter, they have great tours and views of the midnight sun. Visit Get Your Guide to learn more about the tours they offer.
Or you can check out Get Your Guide to see all of the tours offered in Abisko area. There, you’ll see many of the tours are to venture out and see the Northern lights.
Things to See
If you want to visit this beautiful area, you should know that the tourist station is open all year. Check out the tourist office to learn more about the beautiful Abisko National Park, especially about the northern lights and fun things to do. Around December, the Tornetrask lake freezes over and becomes a thick, clear glass. This makes it a beautiful place to ice skate, full of its own unique challenges.
How to Get There
You can easily get to Abisko National Park from Kiruna or Narvik by car, bus, or train. This is because the national park is crossed by European Route 10 and the train. You can get to this national park by train, and the station is called Abisko Turist. Next to it are the tourist station and the Naturum visitor center. In this case, buses also go to this spot, and the ride takes about an hour and a half. You can also use google maps Google Maps to figure out how to get there.
To get to Aurora Sky Station, there’s several ways to get there and if you plan on driving a car, there’s parking near the area. You can learn more about how to get to the Aurora Sky Station at their website.
Contact:
Aurora Sky Station
STF Abisko Turiststation
SE-981 07 SWEDEN
Phone: +46 980-402 00
Email: bokningen@stfturist.se
Jokkmokk
The 400-year-old winter market brings this small town to life. A lot of people come from all over the world just to see the Sami people’s handmade goods. A sound comes from the area at this point, and music starts as they start the event. In Sweden, this town in the north of Lapland is a great spot to see the beautiful northern lights. There’s no one place here because this whole area is known to be surrounded by nature. Thus, there is no need to worry about light pollution.
Things to See
If you go to Jokkmokk, Sweden, to see the Northern Lights, don’t forget to check out the wonderful winter market. You probably would come to this area around the same time that they celebrate this event. Also, reindeer are often seen walking along roads or just hanging out in the open. The reindeer belong to the Sami people, who let them roam freely. The reindeer don’t care about people or cars, which is both good and bad. So, watch out when you drive!
Kebnekaise‘s peak is covered in snow and seems out of reach. Read my article about my trip up Sweden’s tallest mountain if you want to know how to do it yourself. There are two paths: the longer one is safer, but it takes longer, and the quicker one winds through glaciers. I did the bigger one. I can’t trust my weak legs for the other one! Find out more about the Kebnekaise snow mountain.
How to Get There
There’s a variety of ways to get to Jokkmokk from Stockholm. If you drive, it will take you about 12 hours. If you want to learn more about renting a car to travel there, check it out here. Or check out google maps for driving there.
Jukkasjärvi
While I sit by the clear lake, I feel relaxed because everything around me is quiet. The 548 people who live in this town used to be a Sami market. So, its name comes from the Sami language. There’s a lake near this peaceful spot, so the name comes from the lake itself. While you wait for the northern lights to show up, you can visit the ice hotel and enjoy its stunning beauty. The carvings in the ice are very detailed.
Check out Get Your Guide to learn more about the tours that they offer.
Things to See
Because it’s made of ice and stands tall, the ice hotel will make you feel like you’ve been taken to a different time! Every year, they do it again but this time with a new theme or style. You may spend the night there or in a nearby house if you wish. Just seeing the northern lights near this lovely place is amazing. Find out more about the ice hotel.
How to Get There
From Stockholm, it will take you about 14 hours to drive here, but the views along the way may be worth it. You can also take a train and a bus together to get there. That will take about 19 hours, though. Taking a plane is the last choice. Click this link to find out more about how to get there. Think about using Google Maps if you want to drive.
Luleå
There is a lively vibe in the air in Luleå, a college town. There are lots of things to see and do in this area while you wait to see the Northern Lights in Sweden. View the pretty wooden homes or the 1400s-era stone Nederluleå Church. You can learn more about this place’s past just by walking around it.
Things to See
If you go to Sweden, the northern lights would look great if you went near the water. Near Luleå, there are more than 1,000 islands, making it an archipelago with beaches and seals that fight. The Treehotel, which is in Harads, Sweden, is another great place to visit. Many people, including reporters and tourists, are interested in this one-of-a-kind house that seems to float in the trees.
How to Get There
It takes about 10 and a half hours to drive from Stockholm to Luleå. You can get to this beautiful town in other ways, though. It will take you about 12 hours to get there by train. You could also fly, but I don’t think that’s a good idea. As you go further north in Sweden, whether you drive or take the train, you can see some of the most beautiful natural sights. Just seeing that is reason enough to go to the north. There are no better views, and the trip itself is an experience. Use Google Maps to see how to get there by car.
Places to Stay
Right now, there’s a deal going on for places to stay on Booking. Check it out before the discount ends! You can find all kinds of different places you can stay. There’s many different kinds on Booking and Hostelworld.
Northern Lights in Sweden and Outdoor Adventures
Take on the night sky’s wonders and have some fun with it. During the best times to see the northern lights, there are a lot of things to do all over Sweden. The sky is full of bright colors at night, and you can go Snowmobiling on a cold night and night hiking.
If you want to learn more about some exciting things you can do in beautiful Sweden, check out Adventures in Sweden. There are lots of outdoor activities that the whole family can enjoy. In addition, if you enjoy being outside like I do, you will love the things that page suggests.
Berry Picking in Sweden
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