Can You See The Northern Lights In Switzerland? The Honest Truth By A Local [2024]

By Gemma Tedaldi | Published: 30th May 2024 | Updated: 29th November 2024

Can You See The Northern Lights In Switzerland?

The short answer is yes you can see the Northern Lights in Switzerland, however the long answer is yes, but the conditions have to be perfect and the solar winds very high.

We have been lucky enough to see the Northern Lights in Switzerland, in fact from our home in Basel, (which is completely bonkers as it was clearly visible over the city!), and although it lasted for hours, and the colours were incredible, it is very rare that Switzerland actually gets the chance to see the Northern Lights.

With the current solar activity, there is a predicted peak sometime in 2024 or 2025 before it will start to reduce again, but this runs on a roughly 11-year cycle, so there are plenty more chances to see the Northern Lights in Switzerland, or other locations across the world that you might not be able to otherwise.

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Best places to see the Northern Lights in Switzerland

If the Northern Lights are likely to be visible in Switzerland, then the best places to see them will be out of the cities, away from any artificial light sources like streetlights, and somewhere higher up. This makes the higher altitude locations throughout the Alps ideal locations to see the Northern Lights from, so around the Bernese Alps, Zermatt and Valais, as well as the more northern locations such as the Jura. That being said, when we saw them, we were on our balcony at home in Basel!

How To Increase Your Chances Of Seeing The Northern Lights in Switzerland

✨ Have an Aurora app downloaded so that you can keep an eye on when any particularly high levels of activity may be visible. We have the ‘My Aurora Forecast & Alerts’ app, and it’s great.

✨ If there is a possibility in your area, check on the local live webcams to see if it is actually visible before you head out. You can clearly see if they are this way, and it is the reason we headed out to the nearby fields when the Northern Lights hit Switzerland most recently. The MeteoSwiss app shows webcams from local weather stations, or you can check on the regional tourism board website for the live cams as well.

✨ Head somewhere with low light pollution and at a higher elevation with views to the north – with the most recent solar activity in Switzerland, we could see them clearly from our balcony as well as the nearby fields to the south of the city, both of which are elevated in comparison to the city centre.

Can You See The Northern Lights In Switzerland FAQs

What causes the Northern Lights?

The Northern Lights are caused by solar storms / solar winds, which cause charged particles to collide with oxygen and nitrogen in Earth’s atmosphere, normally at the northern and southern poles, hence the Aurora Borealis – Northern Lights and Aurora Australis – Southern Lights.

Why Are The Northern Lights Different Colours?

The Northern Lights are different colours due to the altitude and the gas make-up that the charged particles are interacting with.

✨ Green: high concentrations of oxygen in the atmosphere at around 60 – 190 miles / 100 – 300km altitude, and the most common aurora colour to see.

✨ Red: less concentrated oxygen at 180-250 miles / 300 – 400km altitude, normally only seen with really high solar activity.

✨ Blue / Purple: nitrogen at 60 miles / 95km or less, normally only seen with really high solar activity.

✨ Yellow / Pink: These are a mix of the other auroras and are quite rare to see, again they are normally only seen with really high solar activity.

Can you see the Northern Lights in the Alps?

Yes, you can see the Northern Lights in the Alps, but as previously mentioned, the conditions have to be perfect, with clear skies and high solar activity. If you are lucky enough to see them whilst in the Alps though, be prepared for the snow to light up all the shades of the aurora!

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What is the best time to see Northern Lights in Switzerland?

Generally, the best time to see the Northern Lights in Switzerland, and across Europe, is in the winter so the months of October through to March depending on your location. However, we witnessed the Northern Lights in Switzerland in May due to the intense solar storms and winds that happened, so keep your eyes on the skies and get an Aurora App to notify you if they are likely to be visible.

Which country is best for viewing Northern Lights / Where is the best place to see Northern Lights?

The best place to see the Northern Lights is somewhere very dark and somewhere preferably looking north. This is what makes the Nordic countries some of the best places to see them, especially during the winter when the very north of the countries, (or most of Iceland), have limited sunlight. Canada and Greenland are also great places for seeing the Northern Lights as well.

Can you see the Northern Lights in other countries in Europe?

Yes, the Nordic countries of Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Finland regularly get shows from the Northern Lights throughout the winter and early spring and late autumn. We have even been lucky enough to see the Northern Lights in Iceland during our trips there. If the solar winds and therefore the Northern Lights are particularly strong then you can also see them across France, Germany, Austria, the UK and Ireland to name a few as well.

Conclusion: Can You See The Northern Lights In Switzerland

So yes, you can see the Northern Lights in Switzerland, but the conditions have to be 100% perfect and the solar activity extremely high. It is not impossible to see them though, as we have been lucky enough to see them in Northern Switzerland in the spring.

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Here are a few other articles you may find useful for planning your trip:

📍 How To Visit Switzerland On A Budget

📍 Switzerland in Spring: Best Things To Do & Places To Go

📍 Switzerland in Summer: Best Things To Do & Places To Go

📍 Switzerland in Autumn: Best Things To Do & Places To Go

📍 Switzerland in Winter: Best Things To Do & Places To Go

Gemma Tedaldi

Gemma is the owner and author of The Travelling Tedaldi, a travel blog helping travellers to discover the best road trips and travel itineraries throughout the UK and Europe. When she isn’t writing about her favourite travel destinations, she can often be found out exploring local hikes or planning future trips.