Discover the stars

Whether you’re heading off for a long weekend or a long-haul trip, star-gazing will add an awe-inspiring element to your getaway. Read on to discover locations all over the world where you can experience the night skies at their finest. Simply click below to uncover more details

Battlesteads Observatory

England

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Dark Sky Alqueva

Portugal

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Terra Firma Dark Sky Safaris

Ireland

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Redesdale Arms

England

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Kielder Observatory

England

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Elan Valley

Wales

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Beacon Hill Farm

England

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Trout Point Lodge

Canada

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Jasper Dark Sky Festival

Canada

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Hotel Ranga

Iceland

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Holiday River Expeditions

USA

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Teide By Night

Canary Islands

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!Xaus Lodge

South Africa

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Silver River Stargazing

New Zealand

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Dark Ranger Telescope Tours

USA

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Visit County Durham

England

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Absaroka Ranch

USA

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Mayo Dark Sky Festival

Ireland

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Eddington Lodge

England

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Troedyrhiw Holiday Cottages

Troedyrhiw Holiday Cottages

Wales

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Star Castle Hotel

Star Castle Hotel

Isles of Scilly

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Ross Farm Cottage

Ross Farm Cottage

England

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Coastal Cottages of Pembrokeshire

Coastal Cottages of Pembrokeshire

Wales

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Galloway Astronomy Centre

Galloway Astronomy Centre

Scotland

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Ewe Barn Cottages

Ewe Barn Cottages

Wales

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Cottages Ireland

Cottages Ireland

Ireland

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Loch View Guesthouse

Lochview Guest House

Scotland

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Hostelling Scotland

Hostelling Scotland

Scotland

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Casa Ferrobo

Casa Ferrobo

Portugal

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Battlesteads Observatory

The only hotel in the UK with an on-site observatory, Battlesteads is the perfect place for a stargazing escape. The award-winning eco-friendly hotel is located on the edge of the Northumberland Dark Sky Park, and the observatory has been awarded Designated Dark Sky Discovery status. Battlesteads offers a range of stargazing events for all abilities, all year round, with expert guidance to help you discover the magic of the night skies.

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Dark Sky Alqueva

At Dark Sky Alqueva, on a dark night you can find a pulsating sky filled with stars to the limit of naked eye detection, and on summer evenings, the Milky Way takes centre stage. In the low light pollution levels of Cumeada, the small village that is home to the Official Dark Sky Alqueva Observatory, visitors can learn about and observe the moon, the planets, nebulae, galaxies and stars. The starry skies and landscapes, together with astrophotography lessons, will prepare you to take amazing night sky pictures.

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Terra Firma Dark Sky Safaris

With a Terra Firma Stargazing or Dark Sky Safari Experience, you can reach for the stars and discover your wild side at County Mayo’s Gold Tier International Dark Sky Park. Based in the west of Ireland, the park's ‘Starlight Express’ (16-seater minibus) will transport you from the greenway to the Milky Way. Group packages are available with Gastronomy & Astronomy evening dinner options.

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Redesdale Arms

The Redesdale Arms enjoys a great location within the Northumberland International Dark Sky Park. It's the perfect base for when visiting Northumberland's many attractions such as Hadrian's Wall, Kielder, Hexham, Cragside, the Scottish Border Country and, just a little further afield, the beautiful Northumberland coastline, with its castles and fabulous beaches – from Alnmouth and Bamburgh to the island of Lindisfarne. At night you can enjoy some the darkest skies in the world, and on a clear night, the skies are truly breathtaking. As a Stay and Gaze destination, binoculars can be provided along with a telescope, star maps and apps to help you navigate the fabulous starry skies.

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Kielder Observatory

Kielder Observatory offers a magical and unique experience under the finest dark skies in England. We are open most nights throughout the year and have astronomy events for all ages and backgrounds. Visit us in our fantastic location deep in Kielder Forest for stargazing sessions, in depth-talks and fascinating activities. We’ll bring the universe alive to inspire, enthuse and educate. Booking is essential through the official website.

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Elan Valley

Elan Valley is the only privately owned, yet publically accessible, International Dark Sky Park in the world. It achieved Silver Tier status in 2015, covering 72 square miles of stunning Welsh landscape, which incorporates six Victorian dams and reservoirs. Dark Sky and astronomy event schedules, maps and further information can be found at the Elan Valley Visitor Centre or Penbont House Tearooms.

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Beacon Hill Farm

Situated near the Dark Sky Park, Beacon Hill Farm has its own sliding roof observatory, with a Celestron C8-A XLT (AVX) OTA telescope. The 350-acre estate has cottages and hideaways, a pool and a spa featuring a steam room and laconium, a games room and a Harry Potter woodland trail. The cottages are disabled friendly and mostly 5* Gold Award.

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Trout Point Lodge

Trout Point sits under the darkest skies in North America and with its Stargazing Platform (which is located in a riverside meadow away from the forest to allow for nearly unobstructed 360-degree views of the sky) and advanced telescopic equipment, it offers the ideal conditions to experience the night skies like never before.

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Jasper Dark Sky Festival

As the second largest Dark Sky Preserve in the world, and the largest accessible one (meaning there’s a town within its limits), Jasper is a magical, mountainous place to experience the night sky. Don’t miss the annual Jasper Dark Sky Festival (18-27 October 2019), an ever-growing celebration for all ages, with speakers including Brian Cox, Bill Nye, astronaut Chris Hadfield and more.

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Hotel Ranga

Discover the night sky like you've never seen it before and see the dancing aurora sweep across the heavens over Hotel Rangá, a northern light resort in the south of Iceland. With a state-of- the-art observatory, expert sky guides and a location free of light pollution, Hotel Rangá is the perfect place for a once-in-a-lifetime experience among the stars.

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Holiday River Expeditions

Holiday River Expeditions in partnership with Clark Planetarium, is sharing a new stargazing experience on multi-day whitewater rafting and mountain biking trips. Enjoy the Milky Way on a moonless night and see a blanket of stars in Gold Tier Dark Sky parks. When was the last time you looked up and considered your place in the universe? Book now!

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Teide By Night

Enjoy a sunset and stargazing experience in the craggy landscapes of the Mount Teide National Park, Tenerife. Crowned by the volcanic peak of Mount Teide, this natural wilderness takes on an ethereal quality as the setting sun glazes its ridges and rocks in soft pinks, reds and purples. You´ll be whisked to a height of 7,000ft with photo stops along the way, to toast the sunset with a glass of cava. A magical evening!

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!Xaus Lodge

At night, you see the universe. You may feel like you have never seen the night sky before when you go stargazing at Xaus Lodge. The Milky Way arcs over you like a giant swathe of smoke that's reminiscent of the Bushman version of its origins – the story goes that a girl from an ancient race threw the cinders from a fire into the sky to light hunters’ paths home. The Southern Cross, Carina and Centaurus are prominent all through the year, and hundreds of other stars and constellations virtually leap out of the blackness.

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Silver River Stargazing

Silver River stargazing experiences are held outdoors on The Cairns Golf Course in Lake Tekapo, New Zealand, which is inside the gold-rated Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve. With 360-degree views of the sky and no light pollution, you can enjoy an epic view of the amazing night sky. Silver River tours were developed to ensure that your adventure is comfortable, exciting and affordable regardless of your budget.

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Dark Ranger Telescope Tours

See the wonderous universe through Dark Ranger Observatory’s BIG telescopes. Here, adjacent to Utah’s Bryce Canyon National Park, summer and winter the Milky Way extends from horizon to horizon. Enjoy live presentations about astronomy, space exploration and night-sky preservation. Learn constellation stories during laser tours. Nightly attendance is capped at 42 for a premium experience. Private tours, astrophotography workshops and telescope rentals are also available.

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Visit County Durham

Stunning open moorland, dramatic upland dales and views that stretch for miles make Durham the ideal destination for a stargazing break. The North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and UNESCO Global Geopark is the darkest mainland AONB in the country, and home to 12 Dark Sky Discovery Sites - more than any other part of the UK.

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Absaroka Ranch

Don’t miss this opportunity to see the stars with astronomy retreats in an amazing location in Wyoming! The 2019 Absaroka Ranch retreats take place 30 June - 6 July and 7-11 July, while the 2020 retreats take place 28 June - 4 July and 19-25 July. The all-inclusive retreats include: lodging, meals, horseback riding, hiking and fly-fishing. Wyoming Stargazing will also provide astronomy presentations and telescopes. Call +1 303 503 9591 or email absarokaranch@gmail.com for prices and information.

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Mayo Dark Sky Festival & European Symposium

“Let’s raise children who can name more stars in the sky, than stars on the screen...”. It's time to reclaim the night and plan a bright future. Join Terra Firma Ireland in Mayo, Ireland, 1-5 November 2019 for the Mayo Dark Sky Festival & European Symposium for the Protection of the Night Sky. Contact Georgia MacMillan of Terra Firma Ireland: info@terrafirmaireland.com.

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Eddington Lodge

Specialising in astronomy holidays, Eddington Lodge is a beautifully designed complex of three Scandinavian self-catering log cabins, nestled near the rugged North Cornwall coast. Guests can observe the stunning dark skies using the lodge’s two 20-inch Dobsonian telescopes and its state-of-the-art observatory.

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Troedyrhiw Holiday Cottages

Troedyrhiw Holiday Cottages are five-star, in more ways than one! Close to the Dark Sky Discovery sites at Penbryn, Poppit Sands, Sychpant and Llanerchaeron, these cosy self-catering cottages welcome children and pets, and are an ideal base for appreciating beautiful, uncompromised skies. Situated on a small-holding and nestled in a peaceful valley, the cottages are the perfect lace to relax and unwind.

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Star Castle Hotel

The historic 16th-century Star Castle Hotel is set on the garrison of St Mary’s on the Isles of Scilly. The hotel is beautifully positioned to take in panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean and neighbouring islands, making it an ideal base for star gazers. The four-star, family-run hotel features a heated indoor pool, a dungeon bar and two award-winning restaurants, which serve fine wines produced in the hotel’s own vineyard.

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Ross Farm Cottage

The Northumberland coast is considered one of the best places in Europe for stargazing, and guests at the lovely Outchester and Ross Cottages have exclusive – and complimentary – use of two custom-built observatories with high-tech, easy-to-use telescopes. What's more, the new Ross observatory will be available May 2020. Many of the properties are walking distance to a beautiful beach, and all are four-star or five-star with private gardens.

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Coastal Cottages of Pembrokeshire

Choose from more than 500 cottages on Pembrokeshire’s spectacular coastline. You'll find some of the best dark sky observation opportunities in the UK here, including amazing sights such as the Milky Way, which is visible to the naked eye. You can even use the concierge service to add a Dark Skies experience to your holiday, to make it truly unforgettable.

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Galloway Astronomy Centre

Discover the Dark Skies of Galloway at the Galloway Astronomy Centre. Located close to the UK’s first Dark Sky Park, here you can experience a night sky full of stars, and with accommodation and the observatory in one place, there's no need to travel. The 400mm telescope gives spectacular views of planets, stars clusters and galaxies. Suitable for all ages and open to non-residents.

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Ewe Barn Cottages

Ewe Barn is a self-catering holiday home in West Wales. Nestled in central Pembrokeshire near the Presili hills, it has three bedrooms and sleeps six. It was recently renovated to a very high standard and features underfloor heating, two bathrooms (one family and one en suite), a wood burning stove, a comfy seating area and internet access. Plus it has an enclosed garden, along with approximately six acres of land that's perfect for star gazing.

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Cottages Ireland

Winner of Best Holiday Beach Home in Europe Award 2016. Listed in The Sunday Times Travel Magazine's 50 Coolest Cottages in Britain and Ireland. The Boyne Valley was included in Lonely Planet's Top 20 World History Destinations and also included in The Irish Times' Top 10 Romantic Breaks. Short-listed in The Weather Channel's UK and Ireland’s finest getaways.

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Lochview Guest House

The Highlands are dotted with places miles from any light source, so you can see the Milky Way across the inky-blue sky. Lochview Guest House in Ullapool is the perfect base for a cosy, weekend spent wandering in the wild, with the stars as your guide. Settle down in our amazing conservatory and watch as the sun sets over Loch Broom and the mountains, and the stars begin to shine.

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Hostelling Scotland

With a range of affordable accommodation in some of the finest dark sky areas in Scotland - from the North Coast 500 to the dramatic peaks of the North West Highlands – Hostelling Scotland prides itself on its expert local knowledge. It offers a warm welcome to everyone with an adventurous spirit who wishes to experience the natural beauty of Scotland.

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Casa Ferrobo

Casa Ferrobo is a former cork farm in the Algarve hills. It has been sympathetically converted into attractive one and two bedroom self-catering holiday cottages that are surrounded by beautiful gardens and feature charming traditional design. The rural location with low levels of light pollution makes this the perfect place to appreciate the sky at night.

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