22 Magical Glass Igloos in Norway

During my nine years living in Norway I’ve traveled all over to find my favorite places to see the northern lights. Of course having lived in Tromsø I often recommend staying there as a base for your northern lights trip. But if you want something a bit more adventurous and a totally spectacular northern lights experience, I absolutely recommend staying in a glass igloo!

The northern lights are unpredictable and they can appear and disappear again in a matter of minutes, or sometimes seconds. This means that you always have to have yours eyes on the sky if you don’t want to miss them!

If you’re taking a northern lights tour (which I absolutely recommend), then your guide will watch the skies for you, while you wait by a campfire or in a warm tent or bus. But if you’ll be watching for the northern lights on your own, prepare to wait outside in the cold – unless you book a glass igloo!

In a glass igloo, or clear dome, you can watch the northern lights from the comfort of your own bed.

While glass igloos are incredibly popular in Finland, Arctic Domes are more common in Norway. Arctic Domes are made by a Norwegian company and they’re sort of like canvas and plastic igloos, so you get amazing views outside while staying in a warm little bubble – perfect for experiencing Norway.

I’ve stayed at about a dozen glass igloos and Arctic Domes around Norway and I must say, there’s nothing quite like watching the northern lights from your bed. Just be prepared not to get much sleep if the northern lights are active, as you won’t be able to take your eyes off of them.

A great place to find unique glamping spots in Norway including glass igloos and Arctic Domes is Campanyon. They have a lot of privately run igloos that you won’t find on Booking.com or Airbnb.

Here are my favorite glass igloos and Arctic Domes around Norway. I’ve stayed at most of these, while a few are still on my bucket list – maybe for this winter?!

Glass Igloos & Arctic Domes in Northern Norway

If you want to see the northern lights, you should head to Northern Norway, north of the Arctic Circle (around Bodø or north of Bodø). While we do sometimes see the northern lights in Southern Norway, they aren’t as common, whereas in the north you’ll have excellent chances of seeing the northern lights as long as the skies are clear.

This is why I always recommend also booking a northern lights tour as well, as your guide will drive you as far as Finland to find clear skies. I’ve shared my favorite northern lights tours from Tromsø here.

Glass Igloos in Tromsø

Tromsø is always the first place I recommend to people wanting to see the northern lights in Norway. It’s far enough north that there’s almost always aurora activity each night, so all you need is clear skies.

Tromsø is also very well set up for tourists. There are lots of hotels here and tons of different activities on offer including northern lights chases, dog sledding, whale watching, reindeer sledding, etc. I’ve shared a complete guide to my favorite tours in Tromsø here.

There are only a few glass igloos and Arctic Domes around Tromsø and they book up months in advance, so you do have to be quick to book them. You will also ideally want to rent a car to stay at them.

You can compare prices and book your rental car in Tromsø here, and I’ve written a guide to driving in Norway here, including tips for driving here in the winter.

Aera Glass Cabins

The Aera Glass Cabins are an excellent option because they are a short drive from Tromsø. You can spend a few nights in Tromsø and sign up for some northern lights tours and other fun winter activities, and then you can escape here for a truly special experience.

Check current rates and availability at Aera Glass Cabins here.

Skulsfjorden Dome

Just a thirty minute drive from downtown Tromsø, the Skulsfjord Dome is on the island of Kvaløya, which is connected to Tromsø by bridge. This is where many northern lights tours take visitors, as the skies are darker here, away from the light pollution of the city.

And Skulsfjorden happens to be one of my favorite places on Kvaløya – it’s excellent for northern lights viewing in the winter and I love hiking here with my dog in the summer. Check current rates and availability at the Skulsfjorden Dome here.

Camp North Tour

Camp North Tour has a canvas dome with windows in the ceiling for you to watch the northern lights from. Camp North Tour is a 45 minute drive from Tromsø, also on the island of Kvaløya.

Check current rates and availability at Camp North Tour here.

Glass Igloos in Lyngen

The Lyngen Alps is my favorite mountain getaway from Tromsø. Lyngen is about a two hour drive from Tromsø and the drive itself is mostly on a main highway so it’s quite easy even in the winter when the conditions are snowy and icy.

When I lived in Tromsø I would often head to Lyngen for the weekend, especially in the winter so I could enjoy the snowy landscape.

Aurora Fjord Cabins

The aurora fjord cabins are one of my favorite places to stay in all of Norway. While not technically a glass igloo or dome, these cabins of floor to ceiling windows facing north right over the water, so they’re the perfect place to watch for the northern lights.

Check current rates and availability at Aurora Fjord Cabins here | Read about my stay at the mini Aurora Fjord Cabins here

Lyngen North

Lyngen North is the first glass igloo I stayed at in Norway, and I have now returned to stay there three times. Not only are their glass igloos stunning (with attached bathrooms!), but the location of the igloos is so beautiful.

Oh and they also have an incredible restaurant on site, so you will truly have a luxurious stay here.

And if you don’t want to drive here they can arrange transport to and from Tromsø for you.

Check current rates and availability at Lyngen North here.

North Experience

The glass igloos at North Experience Basecamp are just under a 90 minute drive outside of Tromsø, by Lyngenfjord, which I personally think is one of the most beautiful fjords in Norway.

The drive is really easy even in the winter as it’s on one of the main highways in the area, so you should be totally fine renting a car and driving here yourself. 

The glass igloos here are perfect for watching the northern lights from the warmth of your bed. Plus they have an outdoor jacuzzi and a beautiful barrel sauna on the property as well. 

Check current rates and availability at North Experience here.

Glass Igloos in Alta

After Tromsø, Alta is my second top recommendation for a northern lights trip to Norway. Alta is even farther north than Tromsø, and it’s a smaller city that feels very Arctic. While Tromsø is the largest city in Northern Norway with the most bars per capita in all of Norway, Alta has a strong outdoor wilderness culture.

Instead of going out on the town, locals here spend their free time snowmobiling across snowy fields, dog sledding, and ice fishing.

Glød Explorer

The Arctic Domes at Glød Explorer in Alta are actually the nicest Arctic Domes I’ve stayed at in Norway. Glød Explorer is a bit out of town, in a quiet wooded area, but they can arrange transport for you, as well as a bunch of tours and activities. In fact if you book two nights or more they’ll include a free pick up in downtown Alta or at the airport.

They have a set of five domes, so this isn’t the same remote wilderness experience I’ve had other places, but it’s much more accessible, and the dome itself offers a higher level of luxury. It even has an attached toilet, and in the morning before breakfast someone brought coffee to my door and offered to light a fire in my wood burning oven.

There are also showers and a sauna in the main building 30 meters from the domes.

Since staying here I’ve been recommending the Glød domes in Alta to all my friends and family, as they really are such a unique and cosy place to experience the northern lights. If you want northern lights accommodation that’s easy to get to even without a car, with the possibility of arranged tours and activities, then the domes at Glød Explorer are perfect. 

Check current rates and availability at Glød Explorer here | Read about my experience at Glød Explorer here

Flatmoen Nature Lodge Alta

The glass suite at Flatmoen Nature Lodge is sort of half cabin, half glass igloo. The entire bedroom is glass, with glass ceilings for northern lights viewings. And they have an outdoor jacuzzi! Watching the northern lights form a jacuzzi is one of my all time favorite aurora experiences.

I also love that they have a kitchenette with a fridge and a stovetop, so you can make your own food here if you like.

Check current rates and availability at Flatmoen Nature Lodge here

Sorrisniva Arctic Wilderness Lodge Alta

If you want to stay in an actual igloo made of snow and ice, you can stay at the Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel, which you can book here.

And if you don’t want to sleep on a bed made of ice, they also offer rooms and suits with huge glass windows wrapping up around the ceiling at their Arctic Wilderness Lodge.

Check current rates and availability at Sorrisniva Arctic Wilderness Lodge here

Igloo Hotels in northern Finnmark

As you drive north of Alta into the far north of Norway the landscape becomes more barren and you really feel like you are at the top of Europe.

I love northern Finnmark and I’m still quite tempted to move there one day. In the summer you’ll see reindeer wandering all over, and of course in the winter it’s an excellent place to see the northern lights!

Wild Caribou Dome in Lakselv

Lakselv is a 2.5 hour drive from Alta, and they also have their own airport (though flights here are typically more expensive than flights into Alta). Here you can stay at the Wild Caribou Arctic Dome, which is perfectly positioned for watching the northern lights!

Check current rates and availability at the Wild Caribou Dome here

Aurora Glamping in Kokelv

There’s another beautiful Arctic Dome in Kokelv, about a two hour drive from Alta.

I stayed here in the autumn and even the daytime views from the dome were spectacular. The dome is set on the top of a hill so you can see the sky all around the dome, perfect for watching for the northern lights.

Check current rates and availability at Aurora Glamping in Kokelv here | Read about my stay in Kokelv here

Glass Igloos in Senja

Senja is a large island about three hours south of Tromsø. You can rent a car in Tromsø and drive down to Senja (the drive is along the highway, so pretty easy in the winter as well). Or you can fly into Bardufoss, which is about 45 minutes from Senja.

You’ll definitely need to rent a car when visiting Senja, plus you’ll want to explore the island! I’ve written a complete guide to Senja here, as well as visiting Senja in winter here.

Norwegian Wild in Senja

My favorite place to stay in Senja is definitely Norwegian Wild. I’ve stayed in their incredible Lighthouse twice now, but they also offer several glass front huts on the water perfect for northern lights watching!

See all accommodation options and availability at Norwegian Wild here

Aurora Observatory in Senja

The Aurora Borealis Observatory in Senja has one glass igloo on their property, so be sure to book well in advance! Otherwise you can stay in one of their beautiful rooms in their lodge.

Check current rates and availability at the Aurora Observatory here

Glass Igloos in Narvik

Narvik has Norway’s northernmost train station, though interestingly it isn’t connected to the Norwegian rail line but instead to Sweden. From Narvik you can take the train to Abisko and Kiruna, which are the two best places in Sweden to see the northern lights. And you can even take the train all the way to Stockholm!

I’ve written more about visiting Abisko, Sweden here. I’ve also shared my 1 – 2 week itinerary including Narvik, Abisko, and Lofoten here.

Arctic Dome in Narvik

The Arctic Dome in Narvik stands alone on the side of the mountain above Narvik, so you’ll have your northern lights views all to yourself.

Check current rates and availability here | Read about my stay at the Arctic Dome here

Glass Igloos in Lofoten

Lofoten is one of the most spectacular places in Norway – and that’s saying a lot, considering how beautiful this entire country is. The views in Lofoten can’t be beat, and it’s a hiker’s mecca in the summer. But I’ve also visited Lofoten many times in the winter, and it’s wonderful to get to explore the islands without all the huge tourist crowds of the summer.

Lofoten lies above the Arctic Circle, so they do get a lot of northern lights, however the weather here is quite unpredictable, so you might be unlucky with cloudy skies. In the dozen or so times I’ve visited Lofoten I’ve only seen the northern lights there a few times.

But I still think Lofoten can be a wonderful choice for a northern lights trip because even if you don’t see the aurora you will have a wonderful time here. It’s just so beautiful!

Arctic Dome Lofoten

This Arctic Dome is in the north of Lofoten, a 40-minute drive from Svolvær Airport. It’s tucked out of the way from the main tourist trail, whiles still near some popular hikes and incredible views.

It’s also close the the Vesterålen Islands, north of Lofoten.

Check current rates and availability at the Lofoten Arctic Dome here.

Ramberg Glamping

Ramberg Beach is one of my favorite spots in Lofoten, so I was so excited when they put up some glamping domes here! These Arctic Domes might just have the best view in all of Norway.

Check current rates and availability at Ramberg Glamping here

Glass Igloos in Helgeland

Helgeland is my favorite region in Norway! Helgeland extend south of Bodø to the southern point of Northern Norway. Because most of Helgeland lies right below the Arctic Circle, it’s not the best place to see the northern lights, but it’s still in Northern Norway, so you’ll have much better chances here than in places in Southern Norway like Trondheim or Bergen.

When I lived in Mosjøen in Helgeland I saw the northern lights a few times a month, but nowhere near as often as I saw them when I lived farther north in Tromsø.

Helgeland is stunning, and as it’s not as well known amongst tourists as Lofoten it’s much quieter – and the locals here are so friendly! The Arctic Domes here are also the cheapest you’ll find in Norway. Typically it’s a summer destination, but back when I lived in Helgeland I loved the winters there as well.

I’ve written a complete guide to Helgeland here.

Yttervik Camping in Mo i Rana

Mo i Rana is right below the Arctic Circle, so while you won’t have the best chances of seeing the northern lights here, your chances will still be pretty good! I used to visit Mo i Rana a lot when I lived in Mosjøen because they had the nearest H&M and my favorite second hand store in all of Norway (Askeladden).

Yttervik Camping near Mo i Rana has a spectacular igloo perfect for watching the northern lights.

Check current rates and availability at Yttervik Camping here.

Alstahaug Arctic Dome

I believe the Arctic Dome in Alstahaug is the cheapest Arctic Dome or glass igloo you’ll find in Norway. It’s on the island of Austbø, a short ferry from Sandnessjøen.

Check current rates and availability at Alstahaug Arctic Dome here.

Seløy Globe

The Seløy Globe is also on a little island with views out over the sea – also perfect for spotting the northern lights in the winter. This would also be a lovely place to stay in the summer!

Check current rates and availability at the Seløy Globe here.

Glass Igloos in Southern Norway

While the northern lights typically only appear a few times of year in Southern Norway, it’s still fun to stay in a glass igloo or dome even without the northern lights!

The Eye Igloo near Trondheim

The Eye Igloo has become a favorite escape for locals in Trondheim. The Eye isa 1.5 hour drive from Trondheim and would make a fun nature escape if you’re planning a weekend in the city. I’ve shared my Trondheim guide here.

Check current rates and availability at The Eye here.

Trollheimen Treetop Cabin & Dome near Trondheim

Also a 1.5 hour drive from Trondheim, the Trollheimen Treetop Cabin is gorgeous and it has a clear dome on top with a bed so you get to stay in a treehouse AND dome! This is one of the coolest places to stay in Norway, and the Trollheimen mountain area is stunning.

Check current rates and availability at Trollheimen Treetop Cabin & Dome here.

The Mirror On Grautaneset near Kristiansund

The mirror on Grautaneset, near Kristiansund, isn’t exaclty a glass igloo. Instead it’s a mirrored cabin with views out three walls. It also has a hot tub and looks like the most special place to stay if you’re ever near Kristiansund.

Kristiansund also happens to be near Norway’s most famous road: Atlantic Ocean Road.

Check current rates and availability here

Aurskog Dome near Oslo

The Aurskog Dome is a clear dome a 45-minute drive from Oslo. The owner also has a farm nearby where you can meet his alpacas!

Check current rates and availability here

Åsbygda Igloo near Oslo

Åsbygda is another igloo near Oslo, about an hour’s drive from Oslo, with views of the Vikerfjell, Norefjell and Gaustatoppen mountains.

Check current rates and availability here