Where to See the Northern Lights in Poland: 14 Spots

The best place for the northern lights in Poland is a dark spot in the north of the country with a view over sea or lake to the horizon. The aurora sits low in the north, so a clear view north matters more than distance from the nearest town alone.

What to look for

• An open horizon to the north. Water, a field or a beach. Trees and hills higher than a few degrees above the horizon will hide a faint aurora.
• A dark sky. The fewer lamps in your frame, the better. The glow of a large town can be visible from tens of kilometres away.
• Latitude. The further north, the lower the Kp you need. The coast lies at about 54–55° N, the Bieszczady at about 49° N.
• Safe access. Pick places you have seen in daylight. Cliffs, dunes and ice are more dangerous in the dark.

The Baltic coast

This is the best choice in Poland, because the coast lies furthest north and you face open sea. The drawbacks are the lights of resorts and ports.

• Jastrzębia Góra: the northernmost point of Poland, a cliff and the beach below it, about 54.83° N.
• Dębki: a forest village with few lights and a wide beach facing north.
• Hel: a tip with a view north, but a lot of light from the town and port.
• Łeba: the beach east of the port, with forest and dunes beyond.
• Rowy: a small village by Słowiński National Park, darker than Ustka.
• Ustka: easy to reach, with beaches on both sides of the port.
• Darłówko: the eastern beach past the guesthouses.
• Trzęsacz: a cliff with a ruined church and a view over open sea.
• Krynica Morska: the Vistula Spit, darker away from the centre.

Lakes in Kashubia, Tuchola Forest and Masuria

A lake gives you a clear horizon like the sea, and the sky is darker because forests and small villages surround it. Choose a shore from which you look north over the water.

• Wdzydze: Kashubia, southern shore. The horizon depends on the spot you pick.
• Charzykowy: Lake Charzykowskie next to Tuchola Forest National Park, several kilometres of water to the north.
• Zdory on Śniardwy: the southern shore of the largest lake in Poland, about 10 km of water in front of you.

Dark sky parks

Two places in Poland have dark sky park status. They are dark, but they lie in the south, so you will see aurora there less often than at the sea.

• Lutowiska in the Bieszczady: the Bieszczady Starry Sky Park, created in 2013, more than 113,000 ha. Aurora only in the strongest storms, realistically Kp 8 and 9.
• Hala Izerska: next to the Izera Dark Sky Park, created in 2009, almost 75 km² on the Czech border. The ground drops towards the north, so the horizon is low.

A dark sky park does not mean the aurora will appear. It only means that in a good storm you will see it better than in a city.

Rules you need to know

• National parks have their own rules. According to visitor information, Słowiński National Park is open from dawn to dusk. Other parks also have opening hours and trail rules, so check with the park directorate.
• Cliffs erode. At Jastrzębia Góra and Trzęsacz, do not go near the edge and do not cross the barriers.
• Dunes protect the shore. Reach the beach only by the marked paths.
• Ice and breakwaters. In winter do not walk on ice or on icy harbour heads.
• The Bieszczady. Bears live there, so after dark stay by the road and the open fields.

How to choose a spot on the day of a storm

1. Open the aurora forecast and see which place has the highest score. A higher score means a better mix of Kp, cloud and Moon.
2. Choose a place within two hours' drive.
3. Arrive before dark and look at the horizon to the north.
4. Be ready for the cold. It is windier by the water than the town forecast shows.

If this is your first try, also read the guide to the northern lights in Poland and see how to photograph them.