Annual holidays are a must to rejuvenate yourself after work-related exhaustion has taken over and spend quality time with kids. Everybody has a favourite travel season. Some love the spring, but if you wish to witness an annual cherry blossom, April is the best time before the summer sets in (before July- August).
If you want to visit the Swiss Alps or Italy, winters are your best option. So the months you travel depend on your workload, the country you see, and your travel budget.
Why September Holidays Are A Great Idea?
If someone has free time for a September holiday, that is the autumn months (in the northern hemisphere), looking for September holiday deals well in advance will give the best September summer plans.
It would be best to look at resort availability at top destinations, fewer crowds, food availability, and school holidays in September.
Moderate And Pleasant Climates
September holidays are great. The temperatures in most countries are moderate and bearable. In Spain, Greece, Or Portugal, the temperatures hover around twenty-five degree Celsius (kids can bear the heat). If you are heading to the United Kingdom, expect the daytime temperatures to be around twenty degree Celsius.
Booking.comNo Weather Related Disruptions
When travelling, weather disruption can jeopardise your entire plan. So considering weather-related troubles is vital for a smooth and hassle-free travelling experience.
For instance, it is best to avoid Florida during the late summer as tropical storms caused by high temperatures and moisture can wreak havoc on flight schedules and upset holiday plans.
Likewise, it is best to avoid sea cruises in the Great Lakes during winter, as icebergs caused by low temperatures pose a serious hazard. However, you can plan safe September holidays as the Great Lakes are usually free of weather disruptions so that you can enjoy the holidays to the fullest.
Booking.comNo Maddening Crowds
Despite the weather being fine and the climatic disruptions being minimum, it is not the peak season for most destinations. The low autumn rush may have to do with school and college holiday schedules.
In September, tourist locations are typically less crowded, and September holiday deals are the most profitable. Less crowd automatically translates to less costly flight tickets, hotel rooms, cabs, and even tourist guides due to lower demand.
Best Places To Plan A Holiday: Most Popular Choices
If someone plans a September holiday to a popular destination, several places will cut; some such destinations are listed here.
Croatia
Places on the Adriatic coastline are pleasant and well-suited for the perfect September holiday. The sunshine, sandy coves, stunning shorelines, and sandy shores promise the perfect beach time in Europe.
Booking.comMorocco
With the soothing sunshine, the Mediterranean coast is mesmerising with its sandy shores, and most food markets are open to visitors ( not closed for Ramadan). It makes cheap Moroccan holidays in September a great deal.
Booking.comGreek Islands Of Crete
The Mediterranean climate is well suited to sunbathing and a boat trip (long hours of sunshine) during summer in the Greek Islands of Crete as it has the best beaches in the world.
Booking.comNorway
The temperature is bearable, and the skies are dark enough to see the glorious northern lights. September can be the best month to visit the lights of the north but check out the weather forecast before you book your holiday package in Norway.
Booking.comHow To Experience The Northern Lights In Norway
What Are The Northern Lights?
Northern lights, or aurora borealis, known in the northern hemisphere, are brilliant flashes of light spotted in the winter sky in polar regions. The northern lights are a dynamic pattern of lights seen as sparks, spirals, rays, and even flickers at night.
Scientists believe the interaction of high energy particles (cosmic particles energised by the Sun’s energy) with the earth’s magnetic field causes the auroras or the polar lights. The collision of energised particles with the oxygen and nitrogen naturally present in the atmosphere causes the northern lights.
Why Are The Northern Lights Seen Only In The Poles?
The reason you can encounter a shower of lights in the night sky or Norway and not in any other European country has to do with the polar location of Norway. The earth’s magnetic fields are such that they steer the charged particles toward the poles, where the magnetic field creates two ovals at the magnetic poles.
Best Places To See The Northern Lights: Looking For September Holiday Deals
Norway is a great location to witness the polar lights. However, it is northern Norway or the region located roughly between sixty-five and seventy-degree latitude, best suited for sighting an aurora. So make it a point to visit towns like Tromso and Lofoten to get an enchanting view of the polar lights.
Also, get out of the big cities and hit the smaller towns. Although countries like Norway have pollution levels that match the megacities, light pollution can ruin your experience. Artificial light, and too much of it, from residential areas or industrial hubs often interfere with the natural northern lights.
Visiting a small town can be a great experience; the cost of living will be lower, and you will enjoy the spirit of rustic Norway.When visiting Norway, most tourists visit the big cities in the mornings and travel to the interior locations in the evening.
Reaching Norway
The best way to plan a trip to Norway is to book a direct flight to Oslo. However, the journey will be a bit longer without direct flights. You can take a connecting flight to Sweden or Denmark. Once you have reached Oslo, you must take the bus, flight, and ferry services to view the northern lights. It is best to book a guided tour as it saves a lot of time and money.
How To Improve Your Viewing Experience
Planning a trip to Norway during September is only the first step toward viewing the Northern Lights. There are several things to remember if you want to ensure you get all of the fun.
Try To Stay Up All Night
Viewing the spectacular northern lights is a life-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Missing a new hour of sound sleep is worth the magic that unfolds in the polar skies late at night. So if you are someone who hits the bed early, entrain your sleep cycle so you can stay wide awake between 11 PM and 2 AM. Carry some food and a hot drink from one of the food joints to keep you busy.
It is also worth remembering that the lights are the most active in the north and the northwest direction. Also, the lights can change directions, so you must be clear if you see them dancing over your head, moving from north to south or vice versa.
Be Prepared For The Cold, Dark Night
The cold and darker night of late September promises a great time. The nights are long in winter, and the darkness after sunset makes spotting the colours in the skies easier. So if you have a low tolerance to the cold, wear enough layers to keep you warm throughout the night.
Keep An Eye On The Weather
The weather conditions have to be perfect to have a great time. Ideally, these lights can be seen on all winter nights (starting late September) if the sky is clear. But you must check the forecast as solar activity, which sends energised particles to the earth, is crucial for the lights. Moreover, the sky must be cloudless so the lights are not hidden or out of sight.
Do Not Be In A Hurry
When waiting for long hours with a group of tourists, all of whom are waiting to visualise a geological wonder, excitement is natural. However, keep the excitement and impatience from disrupting your viewing experience and ruining your September holiday. It does not matter how experienced your guide is or how favourable the weather forecast is; these lights have a flexible schedule. There is a natural phenomenon; you may have to wait hours to see a tiny flicker in the night sky.
You can see them any moment after the Sun has set, so you have to wait all evening and probably the entire night, but when you see those magical lights, the wait will be worth it.
Book A Guide
You may be fond of exploring and discovering things all by yourself. But hiring a guide is worth it; guides know the exact time and weather conditions that make the northern lights visible. Viewing the northern lights is an experience of a lifetime, and even if you are on a tight budget, you won’t want to ruin your experience by not turning up at the right time or at the right location.
Do Not Stay Away From All The Activities
Staying awake for the northern nights may become dull in no time. If you want to remain engaged, engage in fun activities and interact with the local crowds, which will be a bonus. Again, your tour guide is the best person to ask for advice.
A tour guide knows precisely how much time a dog sledging, reindeer sledging expedition, or snowmobile ride will take and how exhausting a visit to the Nordics can be. If the polar lights are difficult to spot or you are waiting for a patch of cloud to clear away, ask your tour guide and book a few fun activities.
Capturing Memories
It does not matter whether you are a professional photographer or not. When you view something as spectacular as the auroras, you must try to capture the moment. However, capturing the northern lights is easier said than done; even in this case, your tour guide can help you with the camera settings. You must pay attention to several considerations to capture the magnificence and brilliance of the auroras.
You must set the focus to infinity. Also, go for manual settings. Use a wide aperture so that the lights are in focus. Select a low shutter speed. If the light in the night sky moves slowly, the exposure time is to be increased, and if it moves fast, the exposure time is to be decreased.
Best Places In Norway To View The Polar Lights
The Lofoten Islands
The latitudinal position of Lofoten Island is sixty-two degrees North, making it one of the best destinations for auroras. Even low activity can be spotted easily at such high latitudes (close to the Arctic Circle). The nights begin to get dark in September, and if you visit Norway in early September, it is best to go all the way north (places close to the poles) to avoid even minute activities.
You can go to Uttakleiv beach in the Lofoten islands, which gives you a clear view of the horizon. You could also go to Haukland Beach, which you will come across on your way to Uttakleiv Beach.
The Haukland beach is one of the best locations when the aurora is active. A mountain slightly conceals the horizon from your sight, so there is a possibility that the mountain may shield minor activities like flares or dim lights, but when there is high activity, the mountains and the horizon create one of the most picturesque sights that one can behold on this planet.
Tromso
Tromso is located somewhere in the middle of the aurora region. It is the largest city in the northern part of Norway and is a major hub for northern light camps. If you are keen on enjoying fun activities like dog sledging, snowmobile riding, or reindeer sledging under the northern lights, Tromso is the place to visit.
Another major reason why Tromso is the most popular aurora hub (it has resorts) is that it is highly accessible from all major European cities. So it does not matter if you stay in London, Paris or Madrid; making a trip to Tromso will be smooth.
Bargain Holiday For Each Month Of The Year
The Northern Lights: Parting Words
Visiting Norway to see the auroras is an excellent option to experience the beauty of the northern lights. Tourist footfall is low in September, making booking tour guides, hotels, and accommodation quite affordable.
If you can engage on a leisurely trip in September, book your tickets to Norway and get ready to be blown off your feet while viewing one of the most beautiful natural phenomena on the planet.