Tromso or Rovaniemi – which is the best place to see the northern lights?

Right, you want to see the northern lights and you’re absolutely right! Except one of the tricky questions that comes up is: where is the best place to see the northern lights. If you’ve landed on this page, it means you’ve already done a good chunk of the journey and some research: Tromso or Rovaniemi. Not a bad choice at all! Both self-proclaimed northern lights capitals have a solid reputation and plenty of advantages beyond the auroras themselves.

I have my preferences, but mostly I’ll try to explain the pros and cons of each so you can make your choice easily! No fuss, no spin — I just want you to know what to expect in both cases so you can see as many auroras as possible 🙂

Tromso or Rovaniemi, which city is best for the northern lights

A quick introduction to Tromso

Tromsø is THE Arctic capital, sometimes nicknamed the “Paris of the North” — and no, not for its architecture (which has nothing to do with it), but because back in the day the Tromsø locals were always dressed to the nines! I love it: a sweet little town centre, wooden houses, not a single tower block in sight, and above all insane scenery all around, between fjords and mountains. It’s THE outdoor city par excellence, and of course the (self-proclaimed but well-deserved) capital of the northern lights. I tell you all about it in my guide to what to do in Tromsø.

To plan your stay, have a look at my article on where to stay in Tromsø and my pick of the best activities in Tromsø (auroras, whales, dog sledding, cable car…).

Pros and cons of Tromso

Tromso is genuinely a great city for seeing the northern lights, in my opinion. Everything is set up for it (lots of operators and facilities, nature just 10 minutes away by car…), and you can easily escape the light pollution. And a week isn’t enough to see it all!

So I’d say it’s the perfect big destination. You see northern lights all the time (weather permitting, we’ll come back to that) because you’re really well located, and you have the option to head far enough away from Tromso to catch the auroras (like crossing into Finland).

That said, Tromso is a tourist destination. You’ll tell me, so is Rovaniemi. And when the weather is fickle, it’s not unusual to find yourself among lots of vehicles in a fairly small area.

Prices keep climbing in Tromso. A few years ago, the city and the activities were affordable; now it’s a lot pricier.

But the playground is huge, the location is fantastic, and the scenery is insane.

A quick introduction to Rovaniemi

Rovaniemi is the capital of Finnish Lapland, and above all the city where EVERYTHING is easy: here everything revolves around snow and winter activities (auroras, dog sledding, snowmobiling, reindeer, ice fishing…).

You come here to live those “just like in the movies” holidays, without the hassle — and it’s also, a detail that makes all the difference with kids, the official city of Santa Claus. Let’s be honest, the town centre itself isn’t the prettiest (it’s Finnish, built to be efficient, and it is), but you don’t really care: you’re here for everything around it. I go into all the detail in my guide to what to do in Rovaniemi.

To organise your stay, here’s my article on where to stay in Rovaniemi (hotels, cabins in the forest, glass igloos…) and the one on the best activities in Finnish Lapland.

Pros and cons of Rovaniemi

I’ll admit I struggle a bit more with the city of Rovaniemi itself, because the centre is less pretty. It’s Finnish-style, built to be efficient, and it is. But luckily, to see the northern lights, that’s not really what we’re after.

Rovaniemi has quite a few advantages. There are lots of northern lights agencies, and plenty of them are good quality. The weather in Finnish Lapland is generally better than in Tromso. Because the Tromso coast is oceanic, whereas here in Finnish Lapland it’s super dry (normally!) in winter, so fewer clouds, but colder. Although when it’s cloudy here, it doesn’t do things by halves!

When the sky is overcast in Rovaniemi, there’s an excellent option: hitting the road to Inari. Up there the weather is usually exceptional, so even though it’s a bit far, it’s a good backup plan, just like heading into Finland from Tromso.

Something I appreciate in Rovaniemi is that you can very easily walk out of the centre to go see the auroras, especially along the river where there’s less light pollution. And besides, outside the city there isn’t a scrap of light left, which is great!

That said, there’s one downside I find fairly significant in Rovaniemi: the location. It’s 600 km further south, and 600 km for auroras is no small thing. Generally speaking, in Finnish Lapland you get the northern lights to the north when you have them right overhead in Tromso.

Summary and why my preference goes to Tromso

If I prefer Tromso to Rovaniemi for the northern lights, it’s not because I spend a lot of time there. In this article on the best places to see the northern lights, you can see that there are, for me, even better spots!

I’d say that, for me, Tromso wins 2-1. It’s 1-1 on the most important points, but then everyone will have their own little tie-breaker. And for me, the deciding factor is the environment, the scenery, which is more varied. For some it’ll be the price of activities, for others the family angle; for me it’s the fjords and my photographer side coming out 🙂

• Location relative to the northern lights: Tromso is much further north, so the odds are higher; you’re much better placed in Tromso for “normal” auroras. Yes, with strong activity, fairly powerful auroras, you’ll get them overhead in Rovaniemi no problem, but that happens far more often in Tromso. So really, for me this is THE number one criterion and it favours Tromso
• Weather and clear skies: this usually favours Rovaniemi (even if last winter proved me wrong), thanks to its much colder winter climate and therefore less cloudy skies
• The scenery around Tromso is truly magnificent. Fjords, mountains, all of it is genuinely beautiful. I love the vast expanses of Lapland, but there’s less variety and relief. A really simple example, look at the island of Kvaloya, on the other side of the bridge, a marvel!

Tromso vs Rovaniemi in detail

Which one has the better location?

Tromso has one huuuuge advantage: the city is genuinely located UNDER the auroral oval, that is, where the auroras have their “classic” entry point. Which means that in Tromso you get northern lights all the time (except when solar activity is really rubbish or someone’s jinxing it), and you see them very well, you get them overhead very regularly, or otherwise slightly to the north.

To be much more concise, in Tromso the KP doesn’t matter at all. It’s the gateway for the auroras, so even at KP0 you get very good auroras. But they don’t reach further south. What matters in that case is the Bz. A negative Bz and you get beautiful auroras to the south too.

Rovaniemi sits further south, more than 500 km after all. Auroras are big, but for Rovaniemi to have them overhead, they need to be strong. Us in Tromso, when we look well to the south and see things kicking off, we know they’re having an absolute blast down there. Sometimes better than us! But being km to the south is no small thing.
This means that to have auroras, unlike Tromso, a KP0 or 1 (even though I hate that index, which isn’t made for this) wouldn’t bring auroras overhead, but rather small ones on the horizon.

So to get auroras overhead in Rovaniemi, you need a fairly cooperative Bz.

In Tromso, we assume we have auroras every night. That’s not necessarily the case in Rovaniemi; the small ones from Tromso won’t be visible 500 km to the south.

Here are two examples, one taken around Tromso, one “normal” taken around Rovaniemi. Now careful, this doesn’t at all mean that’s what you’ll get going to Rovaniemi — you could perfectly well get better. But when it looks like this, it’s overhead in Tromso. That said, thankfully it does still happen to have them much closer in Rovaniemi.

Tromso or Rovaniemi, which has the better weather?

Normally the weather is better in Finnish Lapland because it’s colder and the sky is far drier than in Tromso. In fact, in Tromso the best spots are sometimes places that look a bit like Lapland (but with mountains!): you have to head inland to spots where it gets seriously cold. Do have a look at my article telling you month by month when to go to Tromso.

So the advantage goes to Finnish Lapland. To Rovaniemi — but that was really the case two years ago, whereas last winter the conditions were completely reversed. Until February there was lots of snow in Tromso and little in Rovaniemi, whereas normally Rovaniemi has more and Tromso catches up in March.

So I keep stressing the “normallys” because you’ve probably noticed the weather has tended to shift lately (as I write this, it’s been 40°C in Paris for a week and all I want is to be back in my -20°) and unfortunately the Arctic regions tend to be affected too, with somewhat odd and above all unpredictable behaviour.

Still, keep in mind: Finnish Lapland, it’s colder, the sky is drier, so the sky is clearer.

For the weather on site, use apps and sites that show cloud cover hour by hour, like Ventusky or Windy. It’s essential for tracking the weather and seeing the auroras.

Tromso or Rovaniemi when travelling with family?

Here, no suspense: if you’re travelling with children (especially the youngest), Rovaniemi takes a clear lead. And the reason boils down to two words: Santa Claus.

Rovaniemi is the official city of Santa Claus, and the Santa Claus Village sits right on the Arctic Circle, 10 minutes from the centre. You meet Santa all year round, post a card from his post office, cross the Arctic Circle line… For children, it’s simply magical, and it turns an “aurora hunt” trip (which can be a bit boring for them — late, waiting in the cold and at the mercy of the weather) into a truly fairytale stay where something’s happening even when the sky is overcast.

Add to that the fact that Finnish Lapland is flat: husky farms, reindeer farms and snowmobile outings are more numerous, more accessible and often designed with families in mind. And there are more big resorts offering all-inclusive stays, which hugely simplifies the logistics when you have kids.

Tromsø isn’t a bad choice with family for all that, especially with teens: the city is lively, there are whales from November to January (an incredible memory), the cable car, the Polaria aquarium. But for early childhood and pure Christmas magic, Rovaniemi wins hands down.

In short: young children + Christmas magic → Rovaniemi. Teens or a family in adventure mode → Tromsø holds up very well.

Which has the best infrastructure?

A tie! Both are good cities of roughly equivalent size (80,000 inhabitants for Tromso versus 60,000) that bet everything on the northern lights and winter activities.

So you have lots of aurora guides, plenty of accommodation options, whether in town or outside (in Rovaniemi, by the way, check out the superb glass igloos to watch the auroras from inside!), restaurants, and clothing and gear rentals.

Is there a difference anywhere? I’d say it comes down a little to the other activities. Since Lapland is flat, you find a lot more snowmobiling and dog sledding in Rovaniemi than in Tromso. But in Tromso we have the whales 3 months a year!

So basically, it’s the same thing in Tromso and Rovaniemi 🙂

Tromso or Rovaniemi, where is the most beautiful scenery?

I love Finnish Lapland, its vast expanses of snowy forests, its frozen lakes, its forests, its lakes… it always has insane colour (sunrises and sunsets in Lapland are always magnificent). Buuut I prefer the mountainous, varied scenery on the Norwegian side. It’s far more varied.

On the Norway side, Tromso, there are mountains at the water’s edge. We have quite a few lakes too, some forests but far fewer than on the Finnish side, for sure. But a few minutes from Tromso you have the superb island of Kvaloya, an hour away the Lyngen Alps, Senja a bit further still… Honestly, it’s mainly for the good scenery/aurora compromise that I chose Tromso. Otherwise I’d have gone to Abisko or Inari, the most favourable terrains for auroras.

But the Norwegian scenery, wow!

So it depends on you; I love Finland, but I can never tire of my fjords and mountains in Norway. So advantage Tromso! (that’s also what several people confirmed to me).

Can you see the auroras from the city?

Here I’d say advantage Rovaniemi “normally”.

Because the weather obviously plays a big role. No clear sky, no auroras. No arms, no chocolate. So since just before we assumed that in Rovaniemi the weather is a bit better than in Tromso, logically it’s easier to see the auroras there.

Well yes, but it’s not that simple! Because it depends on light pollution! Tromso is a very (too) bright city, and it’s an island. So if you want a dark spot, it’s not easy. There’s Telegrafbukta beach, reachable on foot, but that’s about it.

Whereas in Rovaniemi, it’s easier. In winter the river is completely frozen, and walking a few minutes you find yourself with no light. On top of that, you have Ounasvaara hill, which offers quite a few options. So if the sky is clear in Rovaniemi, it’s worth a go!

The options if the sky is cloudy on site?

Not easy at all; I’d almost be tempted to call it a tie but…

When the weather is cloudy/rotten on site, whatever you do, don’t tell yourself it’s game over for the northern lights. Grab your weather app (I love ventusky and windy) to study the cloud cover. That’s the most important thing. The cloud cover. It can tell you “hey, in 3 h it clears up 150 km to the east”. So it’s super useful for knowing where and when to go. In short, just to see the northern lights. Because seeing the northern lights from the city is a gamble because of the weather. So you always need to be mobile. Likewise, that’s one of the lessons of the good aurora hunter.

So I insist, you absolutely must be mobile! Car, agency, but you have to get out of the city and go as far as needed.

From Tromso, you mainly have the option of heading to Finnish Lapland, to Kilpisjärvi. It’s a 3 h drive. You can go to the southern forests in 2 h (but then you’re blocked by the mountains). You can possibly escape towards Senja or Narvik, but that starts to get a bit far (4 h). There are some really good options.

From Rovaniemi, there are also some lovely options. I was telling you there were two places with a nice microclimate: Abisko (or Kiruna) and Inari/Saariselkä — well, those two spots are roughly 3 h’s drive from Rovaniemi. So if it’s overcast in Rovaniemi, you have an absolutely enormous playground, bigger and surer than in Tromso, I’d say.

So here, it feels strange to say it, but Rovaniemi has the advantage!

On the left, a shot where I had to drive almost all the way to Saariselkä, and on the right all the way to Kilpisjärvi from Tromso. Quite a trek!

Which city is more expensive?

If we look at daily life, Tromsø is the pricier one, and that’s not really a surprise: Norway is one of the most expensive countries in Europe, while Finland, though not cheap, stays more reasonable. But an important nuance: on some activities and especially on “dream” accommodation, the gap narrows, or even reverses. Here’s a quick rundown item by item (indicative winter prices, per person unless stated otherwise).

At the restaurant ️
That’s where it stings most in Tromsø. Count on €35 to €45 for a main in a decent restaurant, and a simple beer runs around €12-15. In Rovaniemi, the same main will cost you more like €25 to €35, beer €7-8, and above all you have the Finnish lunchtime buffets at €12-15 all-you-can-eat, unbeatable. Advantage Rovaniemi.

Hotels and accommodation ️
For a decent double room in the city centre, Tromsø quickly starts at €130-250 a night in peak season, and climbs higher still. Rovaniemi is a notch below, around €110-200. For a cabin or a whole rental, Norway stays pricier (€150-300 a night versus €120-250 on the Finnish side).

But beware the dreamy trap: the glass igloo. There, we’re talking €300 to €850 a night depending on the period, with peaks in December. It’s almost a Finnish Lapland speciality, so that “dream” is paid for mainly on the Rovaniemi side. Advantage Rovaniemi on the standard, a draw if you’re aiming for the exceptional.

Classic activities
That’s where the myth of “Tromsø = Rovaniemi on price” falls apart. For an identical type of activity, the entry price is clearly lower in Rovaniemi, simply because there are far more operators and therefore more competition.

A few concrete examples (“from” prices, per person):

• Guided aurora hunt: from ~€75-90 in Rovaniemi (and ~€120-150 for the quality small groups with photos), versus ~€150 minimum in Tromsø, which quickly climbs to €190-220 in a small group.
• Dog sledding: a short ride starts at ~€60 in Rovaniemi, a real safari around €150-260. In Tromsø, you start more like ~€230 (self-drive) and it goes up to €260-280.
• Snowmobile: from ~€103 in Rovaniemi, where it’s almost a mode of transport. In Tromsø, it’s rare and therefore expensive (often €200+).

In short, in Rovaniemi you find activities under €100, which is nearly impossible in Tromsø. The one thing Tromsø has and Rovaniemi never will: the whales and orcas from November to January (count on ~€150-200 for the boat trip, but what a memory). Advantage Rovaniemi on the wallet, Tromsø keeps the whale exclusive.

The price verdict
For a “normal” trip (restaurant, decent hotel, two or three activities), Rovaniemi clearly works out cheaper than Tromsø, especially on food. Tromsø only catches up if you compare high-end experiences like a glass igloo, where Finland is no longer cheap at all. In short: small or medium budget → Rovaniemi; and in Tromsø, plan a margin, it adds up fast.

What are the best northern lights guides in Tromso and Rovaniemi

OK, asking for the best northern lights guides in the 2 aurora capitals isn’t easy at all, because there are a lot of them. But beware, there’s good and less good! There are the real guides who know their stuff, the enthusiasts, the opportunists, those who know nothing but get hired because they’re cheap, those who do it without a permit.

So you really need to be careful when choosing your guide/agency. In the following article I point you to the best aurora guides in Tromso, but to make things easier, here’s a top 3 (knowing you could easily put 10 in the top 3):

• Northern Horizon: the safe bet — guides must have several years of experience before joining the agency
• Northbound : in a small group, two passionate Australians I sometimes run into in slightly off-the-grid spots
• Arctic Breeze: the “cheap” agency (well, if you can call it that) but good quality

In Rovaniemi, it’s much the same principle; the lure of money has spawned several more-or-less legal companies and not-so-great guides.

But there are good ones and very good ones. I know them less well than in Tromso, but still. Let’s say I stay very objective (and that I won’t talk to you about the main agency that tries to crush the others). I can confirm that these 3 guides and agencies are very good, cancel when the evenings look set to be rotten, and really do clock up the kilometres to find you clear skies. Absolutely avoid the buses!

• Lapin Taivas
• Polar Lapland
• Boreak, a tiny outfit run by two French guys!

Which city offers the most activities

My main activity as a tourist, generally speaking, is enjoying the scenery. So there, clearly Tromso wins, as we’ve seen.

But in terms of pure activities, you find more or less the same ones:

• seeing the northern lights, obviously
• dog sledding
• seeing the reindeer
• snowmobiling
• floating in a frozen lake
• fishing in a frozen lake

I think it’s a bit more varied on the Rovaniemi side. For one thing, here snowmobiling is a genuine mode of transport, which isn’t the case on the Tromso side.

You find more operators for these activities, especially dog sledding and snowmobiling because the terrain is much flatter, and reindeer (there are many more farms, and small ones). And ice fishing is a way of life in Finland.

But beware, in Tromso there’s ONE argument that often makes the difference: from November to January there are the orcas and whales.

I also get the impression that activities are pricier in Tromso, since there aren’t many operators but demand is rising.

So I’d call it a tie. Tromso has the whales and the scenery, Rovaniemi has the numbers and the more attractive prices.

Below I’ll put two sets of activities, one row for Tromso and one row for Rovaniemi. You’ll be able to see the difference.

Which one is more touristy

If I’m giving you a Tromso vs Rovaniemi comparison, it’s quite simply because these cities are the two references, the two aurora capitals, and therefore the two most touristy.

Honestly, there’s no big difference. In Rovaniemi you find more all-inclusive stays because there are more “big” hotel resorts (well, big, in a manner of speaking), whereas in Tromso people go more independently or on a cruise.

But both are touristy. So yes, there are plenty of downsides (lots of people, light, noise), but the upside is that for both you very easily and quickly end up in the middle of nowhere, with no one around. And another advantage of big cities like these: everything is super easy to organise.

You should also know that both have an international airport and are very easily reachable on direct flights.

Do you need to rent a car?

Not at all! Well, it’s really not mandatory. In Tromso it’s handy for going to see the scenery, but you can perfectly well visit Tromso without a car. Rovaniemi is much the same. You have all the activities coming to pick you up in the city centre.

A car is useful if you want to roam around, but as I explain in the following article, driving in winter and on snow is sometimes tricky.

So I’d say a car is more worthwhile in Tromso than in Rovaniemi for the variety of scenery. But not mandatory (thankfully).

Food and cafés

I’d better warn you, in both cases it’s complicated. If, like me, you come from France or another foodie country, you’re going to suffer. The basic food isn’t great, and eating well is very expensive at restaurants. Drinking even more so. You know that glass of chianti you pay €4 for at the little brasserie back home? Well, here it’s €12.

That said, both destinations have developed good local restaurants, but it’s really pricey. They also have fairly cozy cafés, nice little atmosphere. They’re not too expensive and they’re pleasant.

But here, impossible to give the advantage to one or the other; it’ll be tough in both cases. Sorry.

What are the alternatives to these two cities

If by chance I’ve managed NOT to convince you to come to Tromso or Rovaniemi, well, that already means I’ve missed my shot 😀 But if you want something less touristy, here’s what I can recommend, but with their own pros and cons too:

• Inari/Saariselkä: the best sky in Finnish Lapland and few tourists
• Levi: between Rovaniemi and Inari, better located, but the most touristy spot in the country
• Alta: the Sami capital in Norway, a sky worthy of Finnish Lapland, but scenery a bit less nice than Tromso, less touristy, activities but fewer operators
• Lofoten Islands: the most beautiful scenery in Norway, but fickle weather and quite a bit of light pollution
• Senja: my favourite spot in Norway, few tourists in winter, ultra beautiful but not easy to reach

Decision help – What should you choose?

As you’ve gathered, there’s no bad choice: they’re the two aurora capitals for good reasons. But depending on who you are and what you’re after, one stands out. Here’s how to decide without going wrong.

Choose Tromsø if:

• You want to maximise your raw chances of seeing auroras: located right under the oval, Tromsø offers them even when solar activity is low. That’s argument no. 1.
• You dream of a road trip: this is where northern Norway crushes Finnish Lapland. Fjords, mountains, seasides, fishing villages, islands (Kvaløya, Senja, Lyngen)… the scenery changes constantly, whereas in Finnish Lapland you mostly cross, let’s be honest, the same beautiful snowy forest for hours.
• You’re as a couple or with friends and you want a really lively city, with restaurants, bars and atmosphere in the evening.
• You’re smitten with fjords and mountains: the scenery is, to my taste, the most spectacular of the two.
• You want to see whales and orcas (from November to January) — an auroras + whales combo you won’t find in Rovaniemi.

Choose Rovaniemi if:

• You’re travelling as a family with young children: the Santa Claus Village transforms the trip, even on nights without auroras.
• You want to sleep under the auroras from a glass igloo: it’s THE Finnish Lapland dream, and you’ll find very few on the Tromsø side. Check out the most beautiful glass igloos.
• You want a statistically clearer sky and the option to try your luck on foot from the city.
• You’re watching your budget: outside all-inclusive packages, Finland stays gentler on the wallet than Norway.
• You want to stack up activities — snowmobile, husky, reindeer and ice fishing, more numerous and accessible here.
• It’s your first aurora trip and you want something simple, “turnkey”. I’ve met a lot of French people who started with Finnish Lapland and then made their second aurora trip (because you won’t stop at just one) to Tromso.

My heart leans towards Tromsø (2-1, as I was telling you), but if I were arriving with kids, I’d head to Rovaniemi without hesitation. And don’t forget the context: we’re still in a period of strong solar activity, so whichever city you choose, 2026 remains an excellent year to try your luck!

But above all! There’s no bad choice. You have two excellent options in your hands, so in any case you’ll enjoy your trip, the activities and the auroras.

FAQ: Tromsø or Rovaniemi for the auroras

Tromsø or Rovaniemi: where do you have the best chance of seeing the auroras?

On paper, Tromsø. The city sits under the auroral oval, so even at KP 0 you get beautiful auroras as soon as the sky is clear. In Rovaniemi, 500 km further south, you need slightly stronger activity (a cooperative Bz) to get them overhead. BUT Rovaniemi has a statistically clearer sky, which evens things out quite a bit over a week. Let’s say: better location in Tromsø, better weather in Rovaniemi.

What is the best season to see the northern lights?

Broadly: from late August/September to early April, with two peaks around the equinoxes (September and March) when geomagnetic activity is boosted. The nuance between the two: Tromsø goes through the polar night (the sun doesn’t rise from late November to mid-January), Rovaniemi doesn’t. December is the magic of Christmas (especially in Rovaniemi) but often the worst weather. Many hunters, myself included, prefer September-October and February-March: more stable skies, snow already there, long but not endless nights. For the month-by-month detail, see my guide on the best times to see the northern lights.

How many nights should you plan for?

Same for both: 3 nights is doable but stressful because when the weather is bad it can last 3 days, so you’d come for nothing (well, except the activities); 4 to 5 nights is the comfortable minimum; 7 nights and you’re almost certain to get at least one clear night, whatever the month. The longer you stay, the more likely the weather is to give you its window. And honestly, a week lets you really make the most of it, whether in Tromso or Rovaniemi.

Can you combine Tromsø AND Rovaniemi on the same trip?

Honestly, better to choose. There’s about 600 km between the two, no convenient direct flight (you go via Helsinki or Oslo) and nearly 10 h of driving. On a one-week trip, you’d spend your time in transit. The only exception: if you’re specifically heading out for a big road trip, then Tromsø + a detour through Finnish Lapland makes total sense.

Are “guaranteed tours” worth it?

Watch out for the word “guaranteed”: no one can guarantee an aurora, it’s a natural phenomenon. What some agencies guarantee is to take you out again for free if you saw nothing. It’s a good safety net, but read the conditions. The real “guarantee” is a good guide who clocks up the kilometres, several nights on site, and patience. The good agencies really do everything they can to find a clear sky with the tools they have.

Is it too cold?

Rovaniemi is colder (-20 to -30 °C possible), but it’s a dry cold, more bearable than you’d think (and it’s the friend of clear skies!). Tromsø is milder thanks to the ocean, but humidity and wind sometimes make it feel more biting. In both cases: dress in layers, and rent the big thermal suit on site for the evening outings. Why do I love seeing the northern lights in autumn? Largely because it isn’t cold!

Can you see the northern lights every night?

Assume there are auroras every night. Stack the odds in your favour and go out — that’s what you’re here for! Unless the weather is truly rotten and it’s not worth it, but really, better to go out and risk seeing an aurora than to stay in and miss it. There are evenings with zero activity. It happens. Not even a faint one, nothing. It’s rare but it can happen. That’s nature!

Smartphone or camera?

A recent smartphone in night mode is more than enough to bring back lovely memories. For a “postcard” look, you need a camera with manual mode and, above all, a tripod. I go into the settings in my guide to photographing the northern lights

If you need more information, don't hesitate to ask me by clicking here 🙂How can I help you ?

In conclusion

There you go, now you know everything! There really are pros and cons in both. So it’s not for me to tell you where to go, but rather what the best choice would be depending on what you’re after.

Bearing in mind there are other options too! Levi is also in the same style as Rovaniemi but much smaller, lively and more natural; Ylläs is very natural and family-friendly… you can see all this in my article on the best places in Finnish Lapland.

And the same goes for Tromso. If you’re after peace and nature, then the island of Senja is made for you, for example!

But once again, I’d say the location matters but not that much for the auroras. All these options are good choices, but above all you need to know how to see the northern lights

Other resources to plan your trip

Here are some other blog posts to help you with your preparations:

Rovaniemi

• Travelling to Finnish Lapland – all the essential information for planning your stay
• the Map of Finnish Lapland – an interactive map with the most beautiful spots and useful info
• Where to go in Finnish Lapland – there are lots of tourist resorts; I help you make your choice
• Sleeping in a glass igloo – to fall asleep under the northern lights
• What to do in Rovaniemi – why head to the capital of Lapland
• Where to stay in Rovaniemi – here’s a selection of accommodation (hotels, hostels, cabins in the forest)
• Seeing the northern lights in Finnish Lapland – all the essential tips for seeing the auroras!
• The best activities in Finnish Lapland – dog sledding, reindeer, ice fishing… and many more!

Tromso

• Discover Tromso – the article that tells you absolutely everything about the Arctic city
• Where to stay in Tromso – the interesting places to stay, the cheapest, the most authentic
• An itinerary for Tromso in winter – 7 days to discover the best of Tromso and its activities
• What to do in Tromso – discover the essential and most surprising activities!
• The best northern lights guides in Tromso – to help you avoid the trap, here are the good agencies and the criteria for choosing well
• The best places to see the northern lights in Tromso – far from light pollution, other people and roads, here are some nice recommendations!

Northern lights

• Tips for seeing the northern lights – a really important article to know everything before you go
• Where to go to see the northern lights – here are 9 top spots to see them in Europe!
• How to hunt the northern lights well – step by step I show you how to prepare before heading out
• When to see the northern lights – here, month by month, are the tips for going to see the auroras
• How to photograph the northern lights – a timeless article to be ready to pull out the camera at the right moment!