

More importantly for you, it offers the clear night skies necessary to see the aurora. It was the site of Iceland’s Parliament between the 10th and 18th centuries and where the Silfra drift (the meeting of the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates) is located. Þingvellir (Thingvellir) National Park is historically significant in the country. Iceland is a sparsely populated country, so you don't have to go far to get away from light pollution. If you only have a few days in Iceland and plan to stay in its capital Reykjavik fear not: there are plenty of places near witness the northern lights. Best places to see the northern lights in Iceland around Reykjavik Take a look at the best places to stay in Iceland: an expert's guide. It's also worth noting that the further north you go, the better your chances will be, as the natural phenomenon is triggered by the North Pole. That aside, there are some places in Iceland which will give you the optimum chance of seeing the northern lights while offering a particularly magical experience.

Where to go to see the northern lightsįirst of all, you need to be somewhere with dark, clear skies – away from the city. So you're not left in the dark (pun intended), keep an eye on the Aurora Forecast so you know how likely it is that activity will occur on any given night. In December, the sun rises around 11 am and starts setting not long after 1 pm - bad news for your internal clock, but good news for your chances of seeing the northern lights.

If you're visiting Iceland in winter, remember to wrap up warm as temperatures can dip to -10☌ and you'll likely be waiting for some time outdoors in the cold. The aurora activity happens throughout the year, but the long daylight hours of the summer make it incredibly difficult to see. Some years they can be seen as early as August. That said, you'll have more chances from October to March. The "season" for seeing the aurora borealis runs from September to April. Best time to see the northern lights in Icelandīefore we get into the best places to see the northern lights in Iceland, first thing first: it's all about timing.
