Where can I see the Milky Way in Europe?

Where can I see the Milky Way in Europe? - Traveler standing on car at starry night

I'd like to see the Milky Way. There is a lot of light pollution in the area I live in (a value of around 6 on the Bortle scale). I can see a few stars at night, but not the Milky Way. I understand the Milky Way becomes visible at a value of 4 on the Bortle scale, but I would really like to see it clearly, so I am looking for a place with a value of 3 or lower.

I've looked on http://darksitefinder.com/maps/world.html but most decent-looking spot appears to be in inaccessible areas, like Eifel National Park which is closed at night.

Where in Europe can I clearly see the Milky Way with the following restrictions:

  • Within a day's trip from Antwerp (say up to 8 hours by car or plane+drive and the next day to get back).
  • Accessible without a visa for EU-citizens.
  • Maximum brightness of 3, preferably 2 or even 1 on the Bortle scale.
  • Accessible. I'd like to go there by car or regular public transport. I'm willing to walk up to 10 km if needed. No special gear needed to get there.
  • Accessible at night. If this site is in a park, the park should be open at night (seasonal opening hours are fine, one time a year is not).
  • Not crazy expensive or to access (think private plane or boat).
  • Optionally: an event that creates a dark site where I can see the Milky Way, like all lights out in a city.

enter image description here Photo by Greg



Best Answer

One of the best astronomical sites in the world: Pic du Midi Observatory in the Pyrenees mountains.

enter image description here (photo from official website)

Tourists are welcomed up there and you can spend a night at the summit (€399 for a double room, including diner and guided star observation).

Toulouse airport is at two hours drive.




Pictures about "Where can I see the Milky Way in Europe?"

Where can I see the Milky Way in Europe? - Photo of Stars and Galaxy
Where can I see the Milky Way in Europe? - Narrow pedestrian street between old residential buildings at twilight
Where can I see the Milky Way in Europe? - Narrow cobblestone pedestrian passage between old apartment buildings with burning electric lights in windows at twilight



Quick Answer about "Where can I see the Milky Way in Europe?"

  • La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain. La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain. ( ...
  • Alqueva, Portugal. A view of the Milky Way from Alqueva, Portugal. ( ...
  • Iceland. An Icelandic night sky. ( ...
  • Bodmin Moor, UK. ...
  • Zselickisfalud, Hungary. ...
  • Galloway, Scotland. ...
  • Pic du Midi, France.


  • Is Milky Way visible from Europe?

    The Milky Way is visible throughout the year all around the world. However, \u201cMilky Way season,\u201d as it's popularly known, is the time when the most spectacular region of our galaxy, the Galactic Center or \u201cGalactic Bulge,\u201d is visible in the sky.

    Where is the darkest place in Europe?

    Valentia Island is a small island in south-western Ireland that has earned the title of \u201cdarkest sky in Europe\u201c. Thanks to the presence of a population of only 600 people, it has a very low light pollution.

    What countries can you see the Milky Way in?

    After this, I'll also show you how to find the best places to see the Milky Way!
    • Arches \u2013 The best place to see the Milky Way in the US. ...
    • Banff \u2013 One of the best places to see the Milky Way in Canada. ...
    • La Palma \u2013 the best place to photograph the Milky Way. ...
    • Dolomites \u2013 The best place to see the Milky Way in Europe.


    Where is the Milky Way most visible?

    Any national park located a good distance away from an urban area is ideal for seeing the Milky Way. Many of these are located in the western half of the United States, from Arizona up to Montana and Idaho, as far east as the Rockies, and at least two hundred miles away from the populated cities along the west Coast.



    Where Are the Stars? See How Light Pollution Affects Night Skies | Short Film Showcase




    More answers regarding where can I see the Milky Way in Europe?

    Answer 2

    Naturpark Westhavelland

    enter image description here

    Despite being only 70 km from Berlin away, it is one of the darkest places in Middle Europe, equaling even Namibia with 21,78 mag/arcsec². It was considered a Star Park by the International Dark Sky Association (IDA) at 2014. Even airglow and polar light observation is possible.

    German website: http://www.sternenpark-havelland.de/

    Answer 3

    Going by the map you provided, Vlieland seems to be a good option. It's not too far from Antwerp and about as dark (according to your map) as Galloway Forest Park mentioned in the accepted answer.

    Answer 4

    Spain has some of the darkest skies (and lowest population densities) of western Europe. Two relatively accessible locations are the surroundings of the Cijara reservoir and the Serranía de Cuenca. Both are within less than 3 hours drive from Madrid airport, and both are Bortle class 2 sites (here and here). Both sites have unrestricted access and have accomodation and other services more or less nearby.

    I know this answer is terribly late but I hope it helps someone.

    Answer 5

    While maybe not as dark as you ask, many locations in the Belgium Ardennes will be dark enough for a good view of the sky at night.

    It might even be possible to get back to Antwerp in time for work the next day.

    Answer 6

    The further north, the better your chances. Given where you live, Scandinavia would be the best bet in my opinion. You want to be further from a city, ideally. Winter gives you enhanced opportunities to see it, due to the longer nights up north (at the expense of the temperatures being colder). You want some place with a good probability of clear skies.

    Also understand that the aurora can be fickle. You can go weeks or months without seeing it in some places, and then have it several days in a row. The more flexible your travel plans are, the better chances you have to see them.

    I live in prairie Canada at latitude 50.5 north. I see them off to the north several times a year, but I have seen them directly overhead only three or four times. (One has to be available, and one has to know they're visible.) When they're really good we drive a half an hour out of the city toward the north (so that the northern sky is darker) onto the prairie, where we have clear seeing in all directions.

    Because the magnetic pole affects the location of aurora, at a given latitude, you're more likely to see them in in western and central North America than in Europe, but the same latitudes in Europe are much more populated and easier to traverse.

    EDIT: To see the Milky Way, it's a lot easier. You just need a very dark sky (and ideally a clear view in all directions). Much of the same advice as for the aurora will work, but the northern destinations appeal more for the long nights and the distance from city lights than for other reasons. I'd recommend trying to do both at once - it would be fun!

    Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

    Images: Lachlan Ross, Lucas Pezeta, Maria Orlova, Maria Orlova