Sweden highlights Arctic sky therapy as part of world-first travel prescription

As the world’s first country to be recommended for its health benefits, Sweden is now shining a light on one of its most awe-inducing wellness experiences: the Northern Lights.

With interest in “northern lights travel” on the rise and 61% of travelers naming the aurora borealis as the top natural phenomenon they want to experience, the timing couldn’t be better. A rare solar maximum is underway, making aurora displays brighter, more frequent and easier to catch. Sweden offers front-row access to one of nature’s most powerful mood boosters. Abisko in Swedish Lapland is consistently ranked among the best places on Earth to view the Northern Lights, thanks to its clear skies and unique microclimate.

“The time in Abisko was calming and beautiful,” says Chris Brown from Louisiana, USA, who recently traveled with Lights over Lapland.” Seeing the Aurora was an experience we will never forget and left us with a deep awe of nature.”

The health benefits of awe are well-documented. Studies show that witnessing vast, natural phenomena like the aurora can lower stress, improve mood, and foster emotional restoration.

"Seeing the Northern Lights is a great way to connect with the night sky, and my research suggests that this connection is beneficial for our mental health and happiness,” says Dr. Chris Barnes, psychologist at the University of Derby in the UK.

With the Northern Lights visible up to 200 nights a year in Sweden—and peak conditions expected through 2026 due to the solar cycle—this natural spectacle is both timely and therapeutic, often enjoyed from saunas, outdoor hot tubs, forest cabins, or silent reindeer rides under the Arctic sky.

For those seeking warmth and comfort while experiencing the aurora, Sweden offers a range of cozy viewing spots that combine natural immersion with Nordic hospitality. Here’s a selection of warm and wondrous viewing spots.

8 Cozy Places to Watch the Aurora in Sweden:

1. Aurora Safari Camp – Råne River Valley
   Heated Sámi-style tents with wood-burning stoves and no light pollution. Includes a floating sauna and private aurora alerts.
2. Arctic Bath – Harads
   A design-forward floating spa hotel on the Lule River. Watch the lights from the outdoor pools or spa lounge.
3. Treehotel – Harads
   Architect-designed treehouse suites with heated interiors and sky-facing windows for silent aurora viewing.
4. Pinetree Lodge – Särkimukka
   Log cabin charm with outdoor hot tubs, lakeside sauna, and the secluded Aurora Hideaway Cabin.
5. Máttaráhkká Northern Light Lodge – Kiruna
   Seven-room lodge run by Sámi hosts, featuring rooftop hot tubs and panoramic sky views.
6. Camp Ripan – Kiruna
   Family-run hotel with private chalet-style rooms and an Aurora Spa featuring heated outdoor pools.
7. Arctic Gourmet Cabin – Kaalasjärvi
   Two private guest cabins with a tiny fine-dining restaurant and aurora views from your doorstep.
8. Fjellborg Arctic Lodge – Väkkäräjärvi
   Fully private, lakeside retreat reached by sled, with sauna, outdoor hot tub, and dogsledding options.

Never miss a moment – download an Aurora Alert App
In Sweden’s north, the aurora is often just above the treetops—if you know when to look. Several apps provide local forecasts and real-time notifications such as My Aurora Forecast, Aurora Now and Hello Aurora. The IRF Aurora Alert app, developed by the Swedish Institute of Space Physics, focuses specifically on Kiruna and its surroundings, including Abisko, and is free to download on iPhone and Android. Travelers can also check the IRF’s all-sky camera in Kiruna for live updates. Many local lodges complement this with their own personalized wake-up calls, ensuring guests never sleep through the show.

Sweden Backs Nature-Based Wellness Travel
A recent YouGov survey* for Visit Sweden found that nearly two-thirds of respondents would consider traveling to nature if prescribed by a doctor - yet only a fraction had ever received such guidance. The Swedish Prescription, Visit Sweden’s wellness initiative encouraging nature as medicine, bridges that gap with a curated list of science-backed, wellness-forward activities, from forest bathing and fika to cultural rituals and sky gazing.

*Source: Visit Sweden/YouGov Survey, June/July 2025

Press information:
Places to see the Northern Lights and how to capture them
The Swedish Prescription
YouTube video how it works

Imagery:
Cover image: Northern lights in Abisko, Swedish Lapland. Credits Göran Strand/imagebank.sweden.se (Download)
The Swedish Prescription
Northern Lights

Contact: Josefin Haraldsson, Head of PR Visit Sweden USA: pressusa@visitsweden.com