The Most Magical Place To Experience The Northern Lights

If you’ve decided to tick the Northern Lights off your bucket list, there’s no place better to experience the celestial phenomenon than Norway’s Alta. Culture Trip has teamed up with Princess Cruises to explore the ‘City of the Northern Lights’ and the unique culture and atmosphere that make seeing the aurora all the more special.

The best thing about experiencing the Northern Lights in Alta is the incredible culture which surrounds this remote town. Alta is home to Northern Europe’s largest concentration of ancient hunter-gatherer rock art, preserved in situ at the World Heritage Rock Art Centre. Norway’s only prehistoric monument offers a vivid insight into early social history and was finally protected as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1985.

Alta is so famed for its connection to the Northern Lights that a church inspired by the aurora opened in 2013. The Northern Lights Cathedral, also called Alta Church, is unlike any other place of worship around the world. With its unusual circular shape and eye-catching altarpiece, this architectural masterpiece is a must-visit.

If you thought that staying in a mountain lodge was the ultimate Norwegian experience, then guess again. One of the unique things about Alta is its semi-nomadic Sami population, who have homes nearby. Guests can visit the Sami Siida and Sami village, Maze, for a traditional meal of reindeer meat and potatoes. You’ll also have the rare opportunity to hear the Sami people’s stories and learn more about their way of life.

As if ancient art and new culinary experiences weren’t enough, there’s also Alta Canyon to explore. Take a riverboat or canoe along the Grand Canyon of Northern Europe, or a guided tour of the Alta Dam and Hydroelectric Power Station, that help make Norway one of the most sustainable producers of electricity in the world.

Then there’s the aurora borealis, which can be seen throughout Alta. The phenomenon can be experienced in a variety of ways, including from the comfort of your cosy cabin in the woods, around the Sami campfire or while traversing the staggering beauty of Norway’s northern wilds. As anyone will tell you, finding the Northern Lights is an art, not a science. There are places where the probability of catching the ethereal aurora are greater, but weather conditions can conspire against you at any moment.

Reaching Alta can be tough, but luckily Princess Cruises has you covered. Its Search for the Northern Lights round trip from Southampton, new for 2019, includes a two-day stopover in Alta. With additional stopovers in Ålesund, Tromsø and Stavanger, it’s a great way to experience the best Norway has to offer.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

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