Northern Lights Locations, Finland and Sweden 2020/2021

These reports are gathered from the end of August 2020 to the end of May 2021. In total there were 477 aurora reports in Finland and Sweden. We started to add cloud coverage and other aurora data to the nordic countries in the middle of the season so the number is very small compared to Norway and Iceland. We believe the aurora community in these two countries is big and we hope to receive more local users from the area in this upcoming season 🤞

Finnish Lapland

You definitely have seen many stunning aurora photos from Finland. The Finnish Lapland is among the best destinations for the best aurora location in the world and the Northern Lights is the best excuse to visit Finland during winter. The region is situated right inside the aurora belt, aurora oval, or the aurora zone however you called it they are the same meaning. The aurora zone is in the Northern Hemisphere from 65 degrees north to 72 degrees north and Lapland stretches eastward from Russia to Sweden which the geolocation is perfectly fitted in the aurora zone.

Whether you are looking for an aurora scene with a ski resort, the arctic igloo, or aurora in the forest, the Finnish Lapland is the best choice for you. There you can experience the aurora in a full nordic style. 

Rovaniemi

Rovaniemi is a city in Lapland where most of our users reported the aurora and it’s known to be the northernmost city in Finland, therefore a good chance for Northern lights 🤩

To look for Northern Lights in Rovaniemi is not difficult at all, you just need to find a dark location where you have a pitch dark sky far from city lights. There are many interesting places for you to picture the aurora and Arktikum is one of them. There you will have a view of the Ounasjoki river with the aurora. The light conditions there might disturb you a bit but this is a good location when you want to see the Northern Lights in Rovaniemi but also stay close to the city. Around Rovaniemi, there are many great locations where you can find a beautiful scene for your foregrounds such as the Ounasvaara Fell and Syväsenvaara Fell. 

Västerbotten

Västerbotten is the second northernmost county in North Sweden. The county is known for its sustainability where foods and products are concentrated on local ingredients and local businesses. To travel to the Västerbotten is very easy, you can either take a flight from Stockholm which only takes 90 minutes or you can take a train, a coach, or a boat, you can choose any transportation that fits your travel. 

Umeå and Skellefteå are the largest cities in the county. Umeå is situated on the Ume River, one of the main rivers in Northern Sweden while Skellefteå is situated at the southern coast of Sweden. There are several aurora locations in Umeå where you can enjoy the show but our users spotted the aurora most at the Lake Bäcksjön. At the lake, you can have the aurora reflected on the still water when the condition is good and the lake is only around 26 minutes by drive from Umeå.

Swedish Lapland

We already talked about the Finnish Lapland above, we cannot forget the Swedish Lapland. The best time to see the aurora in Swedish Lapland is during winter from September to March but you can of course see it in late August when the sky is getting dark.

Kiruna

The most spotted aurora location reported by our users in Lapland is in Kiruna, Kiruna is the northernmost city in Sweden situated 300km above the Arctic Circle right inside the aurora zone. It has a population of 17,000 people and it’s a perfect hub for aurora lovers to stays and enjoys the aurora shows. At Kiruna’s city center you can expect to see the aurora every night and you can either enjoy hunting them by yourself or you can decide to take local tours there. Even Though you can enjoy the aurora while stay cozy in your hotel rooms we recommend taking a small stroll outside of the city center and find a dark place where you can see the lights in full experiences.

Abisko National Park

Abisko National Park is situated in the south of Kiruna. It's around a one hours drive. At the national park, there's a Sky Station where you can take a chairlift up to the top of the station and enjoy the Northern Lights show from there. Another good reason to see the Northern Lights in Abisko is that the area usually has a clear sky and it’s known to be one of the lowest rainfall zones in the Nordic. Clear sky is the main factor we seek when we look for Northern Lights, no matter how intense and active the aurora are you would not be able to see them from Earth if the sky is cloudy. And we are not even mentioning the view here!

Stockholm and surrounding

Even Though the aurora is more visible in the North than in the South, it does not restrict you to see an aurora in south Sweden such as in its capital city. We had users reported aurora experiences around Stockholm in the urban areas. Stockholm is a large city with massive light pollution, if you want to see the aurora in Stockholm we recommend taking a small drive outside of town toward the north and the chance of seeing them will be higher than right inside of the city. However, if you want the best Northern Lights experience in Sweden we recommend visiting Lapland rather than the capital city.

We had users spotted the aurora in the other regions than what we mentioned above but it’s not enough reports to group together. In conclusion, there is no problem seeing the aurora in Sweden and Finland at all just like in other countries. You just need to have patience, keep moving to find a clear sky, and never give up. And don’t forget to turn on your aurora on hello aurora so you get notifications and connect with other aurora lovers! 💚