Exciting ways to get away from it all
NATURAL BEAUTY
I want to… SEE THE NORTHERN LIGHTS
Flashes of bright green, painted across an inky night sky – it’s a sight out of another world. No wonder the aurora borealis makes it on to so many must-see lists – witnessing it is one of nature’s most magical experiences.
To catch the phenomenon, you need clear, dark nights and a northerly latitude, upwards of 60°N. Iceland is a great choice; wherever you are, the Northern Lights regularly appear from September to March. What’s more, it rarely gets bone-chillingly cold – think zero rather than the -10C typical of Lapland – and the scenery is spectacular. Even if the aurora plays hard to get (sightings aren’t guaranteed), there are other natural wonders.
Come for a week and start your journey on Iceland’s south coast – a land of rushing waterfalls, glacier-topped mountains and black-sand beaches. In daylight, enjoying geysers and basalt columns. Then, as the long nights draw in, curl up at wood-lined Hotel Rangá (hotelranga.is)
