Snowdonia Revealed As The Best UK Destination For Astro-Tourism

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llyn idwal 1044919 1280 1

The Best Worldwide Locations For Astro Tourism

  • Snowdonia in Wales ranks as the best spot in the UK
  • Interlaken in Switzerland is the best place worldwide for astro-tourism
  • 28% of travellers are planning to visit dark sky reserves in 2025

From admiring crystal-clear constellations to witnessing the mesmerising Northern Lights, astro-tourism is rapidly growing in popularity. In 2025, the trend is set to reach new heights, with a 53%* increase in travellers seeking destinations to experience the Aurora Borealis, while almost a third (28%)* plan to visit Dark Sky Reserves this year.

To help keen stargazers find the perfect location for their next cosmic adventure, Planet Cruise has conducted a study ranking the top global and UK destinations for astro-tourism.

The research considers key factors such as latitude, average elevation, light pollution levels and the number of Instagram posts mentioning the Northern Lights. From Finland to Hawaii, these are the best locations for witnessing the wonders of the night sky.

The best destinations in the UK for astro-tourism

Rank

Location

Latitude

Avg Elevation (m)

Light pollution

1.

Snowdonia, Wales

52.90053

700

0.4

2.

Wasdale (Scafell Pike), Cumbria

54.45675

351

0

3.

Derwentwater, Cumbria

54.59478

265

0.2

4.

North York Moors, Yorkshire

54.37432

237

0

5.

Yorkshire Dales (Richmond), Yorkshire

54.26081

166

0.2

6.

Shetland Islands, Scotland

60.34662

4

1.9

7.

Black Down, West Sussex

51.06274

385

0.4

8.

Cambrian Mountains (Llanidloes), Wales

52.41609

267

0.4

9.

Carding Mill Valley on the Long Mynd, Shropshire

52.54564

280

0.7

10.

Brecon Beacons, Wales

51.87969

270

0.4

Snowdonia is the best location in the UK for astro tourism

Snowdonia, Wales, tops the UK rankings as the best location for stargazing. With an elevation of 700 metres and extremely low light pollution, it offers breathtaking views of the Milky Way, constellations, and even meteor showers. The vast national park provides numerous vantage points, ensuring an unforgettable stargazing experience.

Wasdale, home to England’s highest peak, Scafell Pike, ranks second. With zero light pollution and an elevation of 351 metres, it provides pristine night skies perfect for observing celestial wonders. Whether from the valleys or the peaks, Wasdale offers unparalleled opportunities for stargazing enthusiasts.

The best destinations worldwide for astro-tourism

Rank

Location

Latitude

Avg Elevation (m)

Avg Light Pollution

Instagram posts mentioning ‘Northern Lights’

1.

Interlaken, Switzerland

46.68582

3,401

2

68

2.

Reykjavik, Iceland

64.13482

67

32.5

41,813

3.

Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, Canada

49.05253

1,481

1.4

10,057

4.

Mauna Kea, Hawaii, USA

19.80781

3,978

0.5

6

5.

Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia

-20.1851

3,723

0

0

6.

Leknes, Norway

68.14699

60

10

15,578

7.

Lapland, Finland

67.73225

249

1.6

5,695

8.

Gantrisch Dark Sky Zone, Switzerland

46.70443

1,776

0.2

68

9.

Hehuan Mountain, Taiwan

24.17857

3,030

0.2

0

10.

Kittila, Finland

67.79493

254

8.1

5,695

Interlaken in Switzerland is the best location worldwide for astro tourism

Interlaken, Switzerland, claims the top spot thanks to its high elevation of 3,401 metres and low light pollution, making it an ideal location for stargazing. The Milky Way is often visible, and the area is popular for winter sports and outdoor activities, making it an adventure-lovers’ paradise.

Reykjavík, Iceland, ranks second, offering some of the best opportunities to see the Northern Lights due to its high latitude. Despite some light pollution in the city, excursions to darker areas allow for spectacular Aurora Borealis sightings, with over 41,000 Instagram posts showcasing its magical displays.

If you’d like to find out more about the best locations for astro tourism, please follow: https://www.planetcruise.com/en/top-astro-tourism-destinations 


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214 COMMENTS

    • Maria Rob Roberts Bless you Maria. It won’t be Snowdon for much longer. All media,TV,Newspapers,Radio,Education have to use the Cymraeg names. give it 20 years and the old english names will be defunct.

      • Mal Humphreys yes,the media seem to swallow this stuff and totally promote it. I learnt compulsory Welsh in school for five years and those hundreds of hours were a total waste of time because none of that gibberish sank in. I should have learnt plumbing. That’s why I hate the Welsh language and I was born in Wales and have lived here for all of my life. Now they’re trying to force it on us.

      • Tim Cox ‘Hate the Welsh language’in your words. Wow! There we are then. You actually hate the language that was literally,the language your own family members spoke. The very language that led to your own personal existence. Or are you an immigrant or second generation immigrant?

      • Mal Humphreys No one in my family has ever spoken Welsh. I’m 68 and my grandfather came from Worcestershire to work in Barry Docks during the coal rush in the early 1900s and he made his permanent home in Barry from then on. My father,who would be 103 now if he was still alive was born in Barry and lived in Barry all of his life. I was born in Barry and have lived in Barry all of my life. I love Wales and the Welsh and I AM WELSH but why should that make me have any affinity for the Welsh language? To me it’s just an irrelevance and a bloody nuisance. Perhaps I live in the wrong part of Wales.
        Going back to my original comment I believe this over promotion of the language by the Welsh Government is actually detrimental to tourism and a creeping move towards independence. I made the joke of intentionally confusing Yr Wyrru with the Brecon Beacons to make the point that perhaps your Japanese tourist will not have a clue where that is so the bus will take them to London instead.

      • Tim Cox I appreciate your honesty. Japanese Tourist are more likely to be attracted to Yr Wyddfa than Snowdon. I see you’re a second generation immigrant. Which means you avoided our mother tongue by vurtiue of historical timing. If your dad was Welsh your hate for the language may be different. 2nd generation immigrant mate. you’re not Welsh and never have been. that’s who you are. So please,ease off on your Hate for cymraeg fella.
        I buried family members in Welsh language services so you just wind your neck in and show respect.

      • Mal Humphreys Why would you even suggest that I don’t have respect for your ancestors? It seems you are trying to insult me by calling me an immigrant. That is pathetic. I was trying to have an interesting discussion but I think you are a very hate-filled and bigoted person. So I’ll leave it there.

    • By the way,the media don’t swallow this stuff. The media are governed by the King’s Charter to report News as factual.

  1. It maybe the best destination but not the best viewing site.
    The Dark Sky zones in South/Mid Wales offer a better viewing experience.

  2. If you’re going to call snowdon by its Welsh name…then continue the article in Welsh….don’t half do things….its just plain stupid.
    If you’re using English….then its Snowdon…
    If you’re Welsh…then it’s Eryri…

  3. Glyn Jones Welsh is native language of Wales English is not .English only started to be spoken in 19th century because of ind revolution in Wales.Children in schools if they spoke welsh they whould be punished welsh people had no choice but to speak English why shouldn’t we use welsh place names you can still use English.

  4. Glyn Jones you are bigoted Eryri is the welsh name for Snowdonia Eryri is easy to say .And English is not native language of Wales Welsh is. God hep us if choose to use our own language Scottish have there own language so do the Cornish no doubt you will get upset with that

      • Ieuan Evans I’am writing in English so you can understand what I’am saying if i was writing in welsh you wouldn’t understand what was saying why get so upset because I said Eryri is the welsh name for Snowdonia it’s not had to say but if want to use Snowdonia o.k iam proud to be welsh are you ?

    • Hywyn Roberts
      Media:https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia0.giphy.com%2Fmedia%2Fv1.Y2lkPTEyMGMwMTQ3ZTV0OGJkMzZ6Y2gyZHdkNTJxMmVlOWE3Zmd1M2d4aDY2bm01aGV3eCZlcD12MV9naWZzX3NlYXJjaCZjdD1n%2FFPQq0pjDGv76f6URBd%2F200_d.gif&h=AT0OXj8AWJ8OvOxu69KI1LILygpaiMc82pgmHHknt8JvLPaml273b5wgkoPdAdbVytusbnXDNEOzHnfJAS9v0o-qI3Lx6Zk4jus9W_pRyg78xKO-ctCVfAhOVu_EcXXC&s=1

      • Ieuan Evans . I can write in either language i prefer to,that is the benefit of being bi-lingual…this does not change the fact that the official names are now Yr Wyddfa and Eryri. Cymru am Byth.

      • Hywyn Roberts it is still Snowdon or Snowdonia.
        Just because a quango of a National Park,ran by braindead,backward looking and inward thinking racists say otherwise,we just ignore them. No legal standing whatsoever.

  5. As happens so often,a positive post about Wales is hijacked by some who have a very negative view of Cymraeg. It’s very sad to see people getting triggered by the existence of a language other than English (even if it is in a country which isn’t England).

      • Glyn Jones When jn Wales,even if you can’t speak Welsh at least call landmarks by their Welsh name rather than after some trumped up aristocrat .

      • Susanne Hurley Wales meaning foreigner in our own country of Cymru. You seem happy too use the country name given by trumped up aristocrats.

      • Susanne Hurley The name “Snowdon”means “snow hill”and is derived from the Old English elements “snāw”and “dūn”,the latter meaning ‘hill’. “Snowdonia”is simply taken from the name of the mountain.

    • When I moved here it was called snlwdonia. When I worked on the summit of snowdon it was called snowdonia I still live here in snowdonia.
      Officially it is eryri and so it should be
      This is Facebook and my memories and my photography and my involvement within the national park have all been done under the name snowdonia. And that will continue.
      Both names are correct and work together.
      I’m also a Welsh nationalist and fully support the fight for the language.
      Bit the silly tit for tat just makes us look weekend and devided between ourselves. It’s both names. You can not delete the history and the power of snowdon and snowdonia. Try and search the history of Llanberis without the word snowdon. See how the snowdon mountain railway company saves Llanberis. Learn about the millions of pounds and hundreds of businesses who have made themselves known using the name snowdonia. They don’t suddenly not exist.
      It’s both names.

  6. Calimero Dafis
    Media:https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia2.giphy.com%2Fmedia%2FkHRDtw0X88kwg%2F200_d.gif%3Fcid%3D120c0147bgfs0e6w1weceghl0xuwu8dkbbl3gz9ia91ux7zx%26ep%3Dv1_gifs_search%26rid%3D200_d.gif%26ct%3Dg&h=AT19d5dt5gbDcfw0UAyvSXFsRzsW-uGS6e7R5P0BjDakhzdO9VAY2eoZHSJQB69ozTi6OB9dKuuaqtfQjl-iRMqj6rHkL4GbEiM93Y3zKXEbMRk6k-jDyUUxGYuFSbab&s=1

    • Steve Joyce use Eryri out of respect and soon enough everyone will know what it is. After all when was the last time even you called Sri Lanka Ceylon….? Keep the English for private conversations among the earful egomaniac monoglots

      • Glyn Jones what’s your problem with calling it by its Welsh name ? You’re Welsh,at least your name suggests as much.. why on earth so you think the Welsh should always bow down to the English… all over the world (thank goodness) those countries taken over by colonialism are reverting to their original names from their own language and here you are fighting for the colonial names to stay … so weird .

      • Glyn Jones you didn’t answer the first … what’s your problem with people calling it by its Welsh name? But actually you already answered it .. ‘ originated from Huntingdonshire’ .. you say everyone else are Welsh fanatics but you have shown that actually it’s you with the problem… anti Welsh … arrogance at its best .old fashioned colonialism .

      • Suki Morys you are an inward looking backward thinking individual.
        Your English punctuation and grammar is appalling.
        You think everyone has to think as stupid as you.
        Just get a little immature you.

      • For someone so concerned about English,I’m surprised that you don’t know when to use ‘its’. What were you saying about respect?

      • Gareth John Roberts you can call it what you want just dont ram it onto those of us who know it as Snowdon.
        95% of Wales speak English .

      • Steve Joyce No-one’s ramming it anywhere hun,you’re the one working yourself up into a tizzy over a Welsh word for a Welsh place in wales. You’re the one attempting to make an issue of this very Welsh word being used freely in an English language news outlet in Wales about a place in Wales. You’ll find even most English speakers in Wales have no problem with this. Now YOU call it what you want. Like the vast majority of people on this thread,we WILL keep calling it Eryri.

    • Steve Joyce I don’t speak welsh. But imo no. It’s Eryri,the language is part of Welsh culture. Practice saying it until you can pronounce it correctly. Doesn’t take long.

      • Wil Wallis we also speak English in Wales.
        In Wales we also call it SNOWDONIA.
        It is our choice to use English and speak our native English language and English Welsh cultural.

      • Kath Wilias ???
        Media:https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia4.giphy.com%2Fmedia%2FZlCsLIEg0okec%2F200_d.gif%3Fcid%3D120c0147vaqzpm6j1yva4sx2sfjujzumk3wzm3zms79jxhrh%26ep%3Dv1_gifs_search%26rid%3D200_d.gif%26ct%3Dg&h=AT3_T5VHLSJFlIYU1O-VAvL4EIC7itH-6v4fdUWxD-s4FjgE3FF5Nhin09te-Nheudh4zGd7k4v0OT1x2xig6djyxcmPfl91O3IjUs9WiWYJU3Gkv_WdAYOzspPT8Yo-&s=1

      • Kath Wilias
        Media:https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia4.giphy.com%2Fmedia%2FgIWA6X5hRvUKVxoemE%2F200_d.gif%3Fcid%3D120c0147w6622iq2r4sk08u3p8xqrr7gv3dahdvdqpzqonye%26ep%3Dv1_gifs_search%26rid%3D200_d.gif%26ct%3Dg&h=AT0YZ44UYI3D8GFCppIUHmBNfaqiB-kv8zYJKsPwMAV6xc17UT53TAHBF-zi2zuKp9CxpS13eI_OVWHbHGFcoznpgtK8JEPtvxuPsC6x3AXPVPNGViq3HC6r0kljKQUh&s=1

      • Steve Joyce looks like a fake account ran by a backward thinking,inward looking braindead individual.
        Take care. Diolch

      • Steve Joyce woke? Don’t think so. The language is part of what makes wales different and culturally strong. I contributes to part of our separate cultural identity. I had the right to speak it taken away from me for various reasons but it doesn’t mean I can’t support it.

      • James Stevens
        Media:https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia2.giphy.com%2Fmedia%2Fv1.Y2lkPTEyMGMwMTQ3dGRyYW40bWN5aGVnM3M4aG1iZmpjcjhsbWFjN2lxa2FucXUxNzlkNCZlcD12MV9naWZzX3NlYXJjaCZjdD1n%2FuIKOY301NIMqGwTYhz%2F200_d.gif&h=AT3csEzoTEuvrk9PO6EmCdCiuhdfbmhCFCBymZJeyp9Z1Gn6kdE4R6B58-wiYWa5BkHtRqadMeRcPBxBHFE-pvV4U2ihFymX8ITAc4qr46KycbDoWsU3DIxmm7QDspJO&s=1

      • James Stevens
        Media:https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia0.giphy.com%2Fmedia%2Fv1.Y2lkPTEyMGMwMTQ3djJ5Z3lrYWM2MGdhamR2MGEzNTUyM2piMjk1OXRrYnN1bTh2bWljOSZlcD12MV9naWZzX3NlYXJjaCZjdD1n%2FFPQq0pjDGv76f6URBd%2F200_d.gif&h=AT3JyEygtr5GXOOe7bxQd3jBVsS5d0yJPon66U7OKlJD_5byfa0YgIzA_w9hE71_ON4lAQhUmmtiAXdlUvt6jS0P8-lS1R8VayDLFZcqiGJPPx9MV3ShrfW8QTli-cMs&s=1

      • Suki Morys In reply to your racist comment to Steve Joycee.
        Like myself,he can use whatever language he likes.
        Wales as part of the United Kingdom,use English as a main Language,you need to respect this.

      • Angharad Williams
        Media:https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia1.giphy.com%2Fmedia%2Fv1.Y2lkPTEyMGMwMTQ3NGtvcGRuOWM2YWwwZ2NkY25nN3R0NHhnMmRmZW5tcmkzdmJsZzhzcyZlcD12MV9naWZzX3NlYXJjaCZjdD1n%2F1O1bHxv9ZzuRo4B0cs%2F200_d.gif&h=AT3Bt5IsuHBuPMd_NvDBWAEqoJgfZBrmOLLrvBqbU78F1_6SGqdMbnGqbagV8ujJYpGQjm0-NGt1k39Cbhmfc8Z_SHNQZjnnEmzFeEogweTBjNnVqHosTeCXbk0FzU5t&s=1

      • Angharad Williams you
        Media:https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.tenor.co%2FOcNuhesSbQAAAAAM%2Falert-crazyalert.gif&h=AT1F9_uyYcLKvDfxkWa2z1jQ5WmzFBxhyAkV43kfFDwiaiO8alL8fIX2TVAFM-gHp-4NzS6GX4NlVbAeWfISaDgpbx2sTO1keeVz1izIx3IMoz7DHik1jszcwKVLbLgC&s=1

      • Glyn Jones that’s not racist. It’s in response to your cognitive dissonance. It’s a diagnosis of your condition.

    • Steve Joyce I am English. I speak no Welsh. I have lived in N Wales since 1980,more than half my life. I totally support the use of Welsh and Welsh names. People from England are often unaware of Welsh speaking and during the Brexit debate many used England as synonymous with the UK. We have had far too much of English colonisation,thank you

    • Steve Joyce its name has changed. It’s not difficult to pronounce. However,cognitive dissonance is a bit more difficult to deal with.

    • Lee James I have altered the name on Facebook,but sadly as it’s a press release I have not got access to the main article to alter it,I will be mentioning to the editor

      • West Wales Chronicle and it is still known as SNOWDONIA.
        The Snowdon Mountain Railway / Rheilffordd yr Wyddfa uses both names.
        So can you.

      • Glyn Jones why do you object to us using our own language in our own country?
        I suppose you are the kind of gammon who goes to Spain and demand the menus are in English and have a tantrum if you can’t have egg,beans and chips

      • Emyr Jenkins English is a native language of Wales and Snowdonia is in the language I wish to use.
        Not only are you a bigot,but a racist as well.

      • Glyn Jones I think that’s you actually.
        We can add imbecilic tantrumic manchild to that as well
        Only a total idiot would say English is a native language of Wales.
        Grow up and learn our language you xenophobic poltroon

      • Lee James Snowdon or Snowdonia in my language.
        Media:https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia0.giphy.com%2Fmedia%2Fv1.Y2lkPTEyMGMwMTQ3djJ5Z3lrYWM2MGdhamR2MGEzNTUyM2piMjk1OXRrYnN1bTh2bWljOSZlcD12MV9naWZzX3NlYXJjaCZjdD1n%2FFPQq0pjDGv76f6URBd%2F200_d.gif&h=AT29hge0rOcDaVgJnrqkQ7IsqyOMF9AU72ApTWeqkT0kmsI2Y-e0SSO_DCM9ucOmPfNMydha5iNWeyf6k-PyvCmYPKkddypJvrkhJPfTrjMyfU9jBYGMkoR2r3rxDuxn&s=1

      • Glyn Jones you can call it whatever you like. Unlike you,I’m not trying to impose a language on others. But if you mean the National Park,its name is Eryri. Sorry if that fact upsets you.

      • Stephen Wild so you are the one IMPOSING a language onto me and others.
        We will call it Snowdon and Snowdonia and you can not stop us.

      • Glyn Jones as I said,you can call it whatever you like,in whatever language you prefer. The National Park is a legally constituted entity,which has chosen the name Eryri. I’m genuinely sorry (and completely baffled) that this upsets you so much.

      • Stephen Wild the National Park Committee are simply racists.
        Both names worked well. Wales is a bilingual Country and these racists can not force generations to change names.
        My dad was a Welsh speaker and always called it Snowdon.

      • Glyn Jones get yourself onto the board. Using Welsh is not racist,by the way. Neither is using English. I’m baffled by your hate. But I’ll leave you to it. Mwynhewch!

      • Glyn Jones The romans called the native Combrogi people (Britons)they’re not the same as the made up colonist words Britains or British,the Cymry never willingly joined the Act of Union,they were annexed by the invading colonist English.
        The two invading colonists (scotti)&(english).forming British / Britain,(Uk).those terms are a concept of the Act of union between those colonists and are not the same as who the romans called Britons.

    • James Hagley the names,where seats have two names,should have been bilingual.
      With technology,I would doubt if the costs would have been different.

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