When we think about choosing a holiday and begin looking for sights to see and places to go, we often think of what we can do during the day time. While it’s great to have a wide range of activities and excursions to keep you busy when you’re not soaking up the rays, have you ever considered a destination based on what it looks like at night?
Beachy destinations look very similar during the day – beautifully soft sandy beaches and inviting blue waters. These destinations set themselves apart thanks to their jaw dropping scenery as soon as the sun sets.
Maldives
The Maldives are an enticing destination at any time of day or year, who wouldn’t want to be lounging in their very own private water bungalow surrounded by a peaceful ocean as far as the eye can see?! However, thanks to the islands’ chosen form of accommodation, usually groups of water bungalows connected by wooden piers, they create a spectacle when the sun goes down.
Boardwalks are carefully lit to ensure guests can reach their accommodation safely, but this ground-level lighting creates a beautiful effect on the wooden planks and it looks like you’re about to step onto a magical blanket floating along the sea!
Each water bungalow has lighting too, making a beautiful display especially when looking at them from afar. When relaxing outside your own bungalow, you can also see the beautiful starry sky thanks to there not being much light pollution around you. The Maldives is just above the equator, meaning you can enjoy constellations from both the northern and southern hemisphere.
Oia, Santorini
Often when you think of Santorini, the first thing that springs to mind is white buildings and blue domed roofs. This is the famous sight of the quaint town of Oia and when the sun goes down, there’s even more beauty to be found.
Thanks to the many buildings spilling down the cliffside, as it begins to get dark, a sea of twinkling lights appear, lighting up the walkways of this beautiful coastal town. Evening food and drinks will be super romantic here, dining in a dimly lit outdoor restaurant under a blanket of stars.
Though there are lots of lights throughout Oia, the sea is plunged into darkness as night falls, meaning sunset cruises are always a hit for stargazing lovers. Sail out just as the sun is starting to set, to take in the beautiful sunset colours, then enjoy an evening of stargazing as well as admiring the beautiful coastline of Oia.
New York City, USA
We couldn’t do a beautiful places at nighttime blog without including the city that never sleeps! New York City is best known for its bustling and vibrant atmosphere at all hours of the day. After dark, the towering billboards, shop window displays and street lighting begin to glow, lighting up the streets of New York as if it were daytime.
Christmastime in New York is extra special, thanks to the city not holding back when it comes to Christmas decorations. With some of the biggest and most recognised department stores in the world, New York’s shop windows are filled with festive scenes and displays. One of the best known sights in New York at Christmastime is the huge Rockefeller Centre Christmas Tree, which is lit in a public ceremony following Thanksgiving.
Thanks to the city’s reputation as an insomniac, there are plenty of activities and excursions that you can take part in on a night time including night bus tours, walking tours and even a helicopter trip to see the city from above, lit up in all its glory!
Dolomites, Italy
The Dolomites are a beautiful Italian mountain range with 18 peaks perfect for climbing and skiing. They have also been named a UNESCO protected site, dubbed one of the most beautiful mountain ranges in the world. With that, comes some of the best views, of course.
At 10,000 ft above sea level, you’re sure to find plenty of snow-blanketed landscapes to cast your eye on, but it’s what reveals itself at night time that really captures your attention. Thanks to being so high up, you’re exposed to uninterrupted views of star constellations that feel so close you could almost touch them.
Hidden in the valleys of the Dolomites, there’s also lots of little villages which are lit up come nightfall, creating scenery that looks like it should be on a postcard. Just remember – if you plan on going exploring at night, make sure you are well equipped and take a guide if necessary.
Iceland
One of Iceland’s best known sites is, of course, the Northern Lights. Aside from this spectacle, Iceland is a fantastic place for stargazing lovers, thanks to minimal light pollution and its positioning on the globe.
Depending on the conditions, and the time of year you visit, you have the chance to spot some fantastic constellations, and even some planets! If you’re wanting the best view of the milky way, plan your visit when there will be no moonlight, this will give you a better chance of spotting this magical sight.
It is said that Hotel Rangá has the best view for stargazing and the hotel has its very own observatory. On clear nights, between September and April, the hotel hosts an evening of exploring constellations led by an expert astronomer. You can still access the observatory on an evening if you aren’t a guest of the hotel, meaning you can still enjoy one of Iceland’s best sites no matter which hotel you choose!
Feeling Starry Eyed?
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