We’re unapologetically in favor of slow travel. Fewer places, more time. Staying somewhere long enough to notice how the light shifts, how silence settles in, how weather quietly dictates the pace. In the Arctic, less is often more: winding down in a sauna after a day outside, waiting for the northern lights, watching the snow fall, enjoying a “fika” by the fire.

But we also know reality.

Time off is limited. Flights and hotels aren’t cheap. And winter travel in Lapland adds friction whether you like it or not. So this guide is about experiencing Lapland well in one week — without rushing, without backtracking, and without pretending the Arctic is smaller or easier than it is.

If you’ve got more time, perfect. Stay longer.
If you’ve got seven days, this is how to make them count.

The 2025-2026 northern lights season has been exceptional so far, and one thing is clear: people aren’t just asking where to see the aurora anymore. They’re asking which kind of trip actually fits them.

Short stay or long trip?
Car or no car?
Tour or no tour?
Quiet or social?
First time or return visit?

This guide helps you choose the right northern lights destination based on your travel style, so your trip works in real life — not just on paper.

Travel in 2026 isn’t about ticking off famous places anymore. It’s about how you travel, when you go, and what kind of experience you want once you’re there.

After years of over-tourism, rising prices, and destinations that feel more like theme parks than places, travelers are making calmer, more intentional choices. And the data backs it up, as per Booking.com stats: quieter destinations, off-season travel, and colder regions are driving real bookings — not just inspiration clicks.

That makes us very happy at Penguin Trampoline, as we always encourage responsible travelling, and we are constantly looking for the perfect balance between travellers' and locals’ interests.

Here’s what’s actually shaping travel in 2026, and how to use these shifts to choose better destinations.

Seeing the northern lights is one of those travel dreams that feels almost mythic — until you start planning it and suddenly everything involves icy roads, late-night driving, weather stress, and rental car disclaimers written in very small print.

Here’s the reassuring truth: you absolutely can see the northern lights without a car. In many cases, it’s not just easier — it’s smarter. We’ve done it plenty of times — Luleå, Alta, Kiruna, Rovaniemi, etc. — as we usually don’t rent a car in winter.

This guide is for travelers who want the aurora without white-knuckle winter driving, missed turnoffs in the dark, or constant road-condition checks. We’ll show you how it works, where it works best, and how to choose accommodation and tours that do the heavy lifting for you.

There aren’t many hotels in Abisko — and that’s exactly why we love it!
You’re staying in the middle of a national park under one of the clearest aurora skies on Earth. No city glow, no chaos, just snow, mountains and open sky.

Keep reading to find your perfect Abisko hotel — we promise you an unforgettable Swedish Lapland experience!

And if you’re here for the aurora, you’ll find our best proven tips, the science, season-by-season breakdowns, and photography settings in our full Northern Lights Hub.

We’ve chased the aurora across every corner of the Arctic — Norway, Sweden, Finland, Greenland, Alaska — and Abisko is the one place where we show up relaxed. Clear skies are simply more common here. Locals from Kiruna drive to Abisko when it's cloudy. Photographers love it. And if you’re tired of stressing about forecasts, this is where you go to calm down and actually enjoy the night.

Kiruna in winter feels like stepping into its own Arctic dimension — blue-hour days that stretch forever, forests that glow with frost, and nights where the sky tears open in green. We’ve returned here many times, and every time it reminds us why Swedish Lapland hits differently: it’s calm, quiet, and somehow deeply personal.

If you’re heading north, here are the winter experiences that make Kiruna unforgettable.

Kiruna holds a special place for me (Eli). That’s where my passion for the Arctic was born, back in 2007! As soon as I got off the plane, I knew it was true love at first sight. Maybe it’s the strange mix of mining town grit and Arctic wonder, or the way the Northern Lights appear right above the grocery store. Or the unpretentious authenticity, and the friendly locals.

We’ve been here seven times — long enough to watch part of the town literally move east to escape the expanding iron mine — including the church this past summer (2025). What hasn’t moved is the atmosphere: cozy cafés to warm up while watching the snow fall, locals on snowmobiles or sleds doing their grocery run, and hotels that feel built to survive winter (yes, even made of ice).