Iceland: A Winter Wonderland of Northern Lights

Are you planning an Iceland vacation? So, never miss visiting the fascinating northern lights in many parts of the country. These dancing lights are at the top of many bucket lists and bring thousands of visitors to Iceland every year. They are the most spectacular natural wonders anyone would love to visit in the land of fire and ice. In Iceland, the Aurora Borealis is up there with glaciers, ice caves, and volcanoes which is one of the main reasons for a perfect tourist spot. Just imagine a dark sky with sparkling lights, giving magical auroras in the best weather. This would bring you an awesome feeling which is so much worth it. Excited right? So, let’s look at some of the most magical places where you could explore the northern lights for real in Iceland. We have listed below the 5 best places to witness the magical northern lights.

5 Best Places To See Northern Lights

Myvatn
Vik
Blue Lagoon
Reykjanes Peninsula
Jokulsarlon Glacial Lagoon

1. Myvatn

The most beautiful northern lights could be seen in the northern part of Iceland. The area around North Iceland’s Myvatn is home to volcanoes, steaming mud pools, and famous lakes from where it got its name. If you travel around the northern part of Iceland, never miss witnessing the spectacular Aurora Borealis in the night sky. Increase your chances for exploring more in the north. You would enjoy the shows that happen in the town, and get to know more about the place from the Icelandic locals. Lake Myvatn baths are one of the most relaxing experiences you could get. The skies are dazzling, and you could also enjoy witnessing the beautiful glaciers in a colorful sky.

2. Vik

Are you a black sand beach lover? Then this is the perfect place to visit and explore the breathtaking views of the beaches during the day and also get a magical feel witnessing the beautiful northern lights during the winter’s evening hours. You can enjoy spending time in a tranquil atmosphere. If you are an adventure junkie, you could also visit the famous ruins of the Solheimassandur plane crash for a truly chilling backdrop. You could get the best scenic views all around the Vik. This is one of the best places to see the Northern Lights.

3. Blue Lagoon

Never miss the most iconic bathing experience in your Iceland vacay. You could enjoy the bath with dazzling light shows. The lights usually appear green, but occasionally also purple, red, pink, orange, and blue. Enjoy a soak under an illuminated sky with the beautiful dance shows. While the lagoon closes earlier during the winter, you can still be one of the lucky ones to see the dance while enjoying a soak – just don’t forget to look up! This could be one of the most memorable experiences during your vacation.

4. Reykjanes Peninsula

This is one of the best places to witness the spectacular northern lights. Thousands of tourists visit this place every year. Many travellers also enjoy a sleep with the fantastic sky views and relax here. A perfect tour during the darker months of the year, could be a great experience. While you can sometimes see this surreal light show from the streets of Reykjavik, the Northern lights are best viewed far from the lights of cities, surrounded by Iceland’s natural beauty. If you want less crowds, you can also find a great spot near the coast and enjoy the darkness alone.

5. Jokulsarlon Glacial Lagoon

This is an amazing place to witness the majestic views of the northern lights in Iceland. You can see the crystal-like icebergs and enjoy the fantastic views of the water all around. You can plan a visit to this picturesque site during the darker hours for the chance to catch a glimpse of the Aurora dancing above. Never miss witnessing the dazzling glaciers below, surreal skies above, which is one of Iceland’s famous glacial lagoon. Enjoy the best vacation with your loved ones in Iceland and bring back beautiful travel memories. You can check on the below tips for more clarity. Also, don’t forget to check the weather forecast for the places you are gonna visit.

Photo by Huper by Joshua Earle on Unsplash

Pro Tips

Iceland is bitter cold in winter, so make sure you are well wrapped up when you go hunting for the northern lights. As many of the best places are in remote and rocky areas, sturdy hiking shoes or boots are a must. Iceland is a vast but sparsely populated country. Especially if you decide on a self-drive tour, better rent a 4×4, make sure you fill up your tank and have GPS, flares, and a first aid kit. Names of locations are often spelled in very different ways, so make sure you know where you are going. The currency is the Islandic Krona. They drive on the right. Note that your headlights must be switched on at all times, day or night. You can the best adventure rides here.

Let’s Plan Your Vacay!

You will surely enjoy the tasty food too in Iceland. The most delicious are lamb chops with lava salt butter, skyr, which is a dip resembling a mix of yogurt and cottage cheese, and smoked or raw herring with new potatoes. You can explore its beautiful history and science behind its attractive views. Some saw it as a blessing from the Gods, some as a signal sent by the universe to start farming. Whatever the beliefs or folklore associated with it, Aurora Borealis is sure a thing of beauty, an angel sent from the heavens. So, enjoy visiting the best Northern Lights places in Iceland. There is no going back from that Wanderlust. You will long to spend more time here and love to visit again. Want to book your Icelandic trip? Visit Pickyourtrail or choose from this Europe Tour Packages or Iceland Tour Packages. Unwrap Iceland with Pickyourtrail!