Swedish Lapland
Swedish Lapland: northern lights, ICEHOTEL and where to stay
In Abisko the mountains around Lake Torneträsk often hold back the clouds, and the sky stays clear when the coast is grey. An hour and a half to the east, ICEHOTEL rebuilds its rooms from ice every winter. Here is how to plan a northern lights trip to Swedish Lapland, and where we would stay.
Picolo Editorial
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In short: Swedish Lapland
Where: Abisko for the clearest skies, Kiruna and Jukkasjärvi for ICEHOTEL, and Harads for Treehotel.
When: from about September to March.
From the UK: no direct flights. Fly to Kiruna via Stockholm all year, or via Copenhagen between 17 December 2026 and 7 March 2027.
How long: four or five nights, split between Abisko and Jukkasjärvi.
Our first choice: two nights at Abisko Turiststation and one or two at ICEHOTEL. Check availability and prices at Abisko Turiststation
Why Abisko has clearer skies
Abisko lies in a rain shadow behind the mountains, so it often has clear skies when the Norwegian coast is cloudy. The Aurora Sky Station on Mount Nuolja is a minute's walk from Abisko Turiststation. Check the forecast from SMHI each afternoon. If Abisko is cloudy, the weather can be different an hour away, so a hire car helps.
ICEHOTEL in Jukkasjärvi, about 16 minutes from Kiruna Airport
Where to stay: four bases
Abisko: a tiny village by Lake Torneträsk and Abisko National Park, with the darkest skies and the fewest hotels.
Kiruna: the mining town with the airport, restaurants and a choice of hotels. Good for the first or last night.
Jukkasjärvi: a village by the Torne River, about 16 minutes from Kiruna Airport, home to ICEHOTEL.
Harads: a forest village further south, about 77 minutes from Luleå Airport, home to Treehotel.
Our advice: for a first trip, split your nights between Abisko and Jukkasjärvi. Treehotel suits a separate trip via Luleå.
The best hotels in Swedish Lapland
Abisko Turiststation: under the Aurora Sky Station
A mountain station by Lake Torneträsk, connected to the railway station and a minute's walk from the Aurora Sky Station. Rooms are simple, from about 12 m², and the cabins of about 60 m² sleep six. Rated 9.0 out of 10 across 703 reviews.
Check availability and prices at Abisko Turiststation
ICEHOTEL: a night on ice
Ice rooms rebuilt every winter, warm rooms and cabins by the Torne River, about 16 minutes from Kiruna Airport. Rated 9.0 out of 10 across 900 reviews. See our full review of ICEHOTEL
Check availability and prices at ICEHOTEL
Camp Ripan: a spa in Kiruna
Chalets in Kiruna with a spa, indoor and outdoor hot pools and a restaurant, about 12 minutes from the airport. Rated 8.8 out of 10 across about 1,000 reviews. Choose it for the first or last night.
Check availability and prices at Camp Ripan
Treehotel: rooms in the trees
Rooms raised among the pines in Harads, from the Mirror Cube of about 16 m² to the Dragonfly of about 52 m² for four. Rated 9.2 out of 10 across 73 reviews. Choose it for a design trip.
Treehotel in Harads, where the rooms hang among the pines
Getting there from the UK
There are no direct flights from the UK to Swedish Lapland. Fly to Kiruna via Stockholm, which has connections all year, or via Copenhagen between 17 December 2026 and 7 March 2027, according to Time Out. From Kiruna, Abisko is about an hour and a quarter by road or train. For Treehotel, fly to Luleå instead.
Our recommendation
Abisko Turiststation: our pick in Swedish Lapland
For the best chance of the aurora, we would book Abisko Turiststation. It stands by Lake Torneträsk in the rain shadow of the mountains, a minute's walk from the Aurora Sky Station and right by the railway station.
Our verdict
What Picolo would choose: two nights at Abisko Turiststation for the clearest skies, then one night on ice and one in a warm room at ICEHOTEL. For a design trip on its own, choose Treehotel.
Why: Abisko gives you the best odds of a clear sky, and ICEHOTEL adds an experience you cannot get elsewhere, with a short transfer between them.
The trade-off: there are no direct flights from the UK, and the rooms in Abisko are simple. For a shorter trip with direct flights, Finnish Lapland is easier.
Frequently asked questions
Is Swedish Lapland good for the northern lights?
Yes. Abisko, Kiruna and Jukkasjärvi lie well north of the Arctic Circle, under the band where the aurora appears most often. Abisko is known for its rain shadow, which gives it more clear nights than much of the region. The season runs from about September to March, and four or five nights give you several chances.
How do you get to Abisko from the UK?
There are no direct flights from the UK. Fly to Kiruna via Stockholm, or via Copenhagen in the peak winter weeks, then continue about an hour and a quarter by road or train to Abisko. Abisko Turiststation is connected to the railway station, so the train is an easy way to arrive.
Abisko or Kiruna?
Choose Abisko for the darkest and often clearest skies, with the Aurora Sky Station on the doorstep. Choose Kiruna for the airport, restaurants and a wider choice of hotels. Many travellers do both: a night in Kiruna or at ICEHOTEL, and two or three nights in Abisko.
Swedish Lapland or Finnish Lapland?
Choose Swedish Lapland for Abisko's clear skies and ICEHOTEL. Choose Finnish Lapland for direct flights from many UK airports, glass-roofed hotels and Santa Claus Village. For a short trip from the UK, Finland is easier, while Sweden rewards a longer stay.
Where should you stay for the northern lights in Swedish Lapland?
At Abisko Turiststation for the clearest skies and the Aurora Sky Station a minute away. At ICEHOTEL in Jukkasjärvi for a night on ice. At Camp Ripan in Kiruna for a spa and a short airport transfer. At Treehotel in Harads for rooms among the trees.
Sources
Flights come from Time Out, and the weather forecast is published by SMHI. Hotel facilities, room sizes, distances and guest ratings come from Hotels.com. The four bases, the comparison of the hotels and our picks are Picolo's own. Last checked: 2 November 2026.
Happy aurora hunting
Picolo Editorial