One of the most impressive natural attractions in Norway is a phenomenon so fleeting it is impossible to touch it - and that requires the right circumstances to be enjoyed to the fullest.
Perhaps this is precisely why tourists from both around the world and Norway flock in large numbers to the north every autumn and winter.
The Northern Lights, or the aurora borealis, spectacularly brighten up the skies over northern Norway each year. The phenomenon is at its strongest from the end of September to the beginning of April - and is best experienced with a base in one of the larger northern Norwegian cities.
Dance of the Valkyries in the sky
Most of us have seen pictures and videos of the magical dancing of the Northern Lights across the night sky - most often in the form of a strong shimmer of green, but also often with other colours like blue, pink and purple.
But what are the Northern Lights? The colour display, which is particularly intense in the far north but can sometimes be observed further south on the European continent, is due to particles from the sun that are caught up in the Earth’s magnetic field. These released particles are called solar winds and they create spectacular light effects.
Before research into the Northern Lights really took off in the 1600s and 1700s, the Northern Lights were long relegated to superstition and mystery.
In southern Europe, they were interpreted as a sign of impending war and misery, while the Vikings celebrated the Northern Lights as a sign that the Valkyries - powerful female death spirits - had come to retrieve the souls of fallen warriors.
Places to see the Northern Lights
Today, we know a lot more about the processes behind the Northern Lights. But we are still very much fascinated and excited by the phenomenon. It's all about finding the right place to sit back and enjoy the light show.
Thon Hotels has hotels across the whole of northern Norway and three hotspots for the Northern Lights can be found in Bodø, Tromsø and Harstad.
Here you have the opportunity to participate in activities and organised tours guided by experts on the Northern Lights. You can search for the mythical lights by dog sled, boat, bus, snowmobile or on foot in the mountains. You can even see the lights from your own hotel room.
From Thon Hotel Nordlys in Bodø, you can go on a four-hour sailing trip, with the sea providing the ultimate setting for stargazing at a safe distance from the city lights. In Harstad, Thon Hotel Harstad is an excellent base for excursions to Hinnøya or Aunfjellet, where the views are fantastic.
The two Hotels in the centre of Tromsø, Thon Hotel Polar and Thon Hotel Tromsø, allow you to choose between a Northern Lights tour with an experienced guide and a trip up to Storsteinen with the Fjellheisen gondola, where you can also enjoy a good meal at 421 metres above the ground.
3 tips to increase your chances of seeing the Northern Lights
One thing is important to point out: There is no guarantee of seeing the Northern Lights. But with time, good preparation and patience, the chance is still extremely good.
- Perhaps the easiest and best tip: Find a place with as little light as possible - preferably outside the city centre and with as little artificial lighting as possible - and look towards the north. The Northern Lights are usually brightest between 8 pm and 2 am, but you can also experience the lights before and after these times.
- Since all light affects how strongly the colours appear in the sky, it is also a good idea to avoid a night with a full moon.
- If you download an app that gives Northern Lights alerts directly on your phone and talk to locals who live close to the phenomenon, you'll have an even greater chance of a Northern Lights experience that you're sure to remember for years to come.