When was the last time you looked up at the night sky and were dazzled by countless constellations? Gazing at the stars, planets and distant galaxies is a universal pleasure, but it’s one denied to most of us. A recent study estimated that 99% of the population of America and Western Europe never see a clear night sky unobscured by dust, smog and light pollution. In cities such as London, the firmament simply never darkens.

Now imagine yourself reclining in a desert oasis on a clear moonless night, the air still and silent as you stare up at velvety black heavens carpeted with stars. Linger long enough, and you’ll see satellites inching across the sky and glimpse shooting stars (which aren’t stars at all, but the dying embers of space debris as it breaks up on entering the Earth’s atmosphere). You’ll spot the difference between stars and planets (stars pulse, planets emit a constant glow). Best of all, you’ll feel calmed, humbled and uplifted — and it won’t cost you a penny.

It’s no coincidence that some of the best places for stargazing are also among the most ravishingly beautiful: rugged mountain ranges, empty deserts and tropical islands. More and more hotels in these destinations are installing telescopes — and in a few cases, amateur observatories — to give guests a closer view. And you don’t need to cross oceans to surf the skies: Tenerife, Mallorca and even the Welsh valleys offer brilliant nocturnal light shows.

The best time of the month for viewing is at or near a new moon. A bright moon will flood the sky with light, destroying the view. Before booking your holiday, do study a chart of the lunar phases (www.stardate.org/nightsky/moon).

Unless stated, prices are per person based on two sharing, and include flights from London and transfers; for regional and Irish departures, ask the tour operator

NAMIBIA

The arid desert air and endless vistas of the Namib Desert make for stunning night skies. The place to aim for is Sossusvlei Mountain Lodge, which has its own observatory equipped with a 12in computerised telescope, plus a resident astronomer who is ready to help you photograph celestial images and burn them onto CDs.

The setting is magnificent: close to the world’s highest sand dunes and surrounded by the largest private nature reserve in southern Africa. All 10 rooms in the hotel have their own private telescope, too.

How to do it: a four-night Namibia safari, including one night at the Sossusvlei Mountain Lodge, game drives, quad-biking and a hot-air balloon ride, costs from £1,475 with Original Travel (020 7978 7333, www.originaltravel.co.uk). A six-night trip including four nights at Sossusvlei costs from £3,625, with Cox & Kings (020 7873 5000, www.coxandkings.co.uk).

MALLORCA

Beyond Mallorca’s tired and tawdry resorts lies an unspoilt, unpolluted island — and if you don’t believe us, visit the rural village of Costitx, whose international observatory opened in 1991. Although not terribly well known, the Observatorio Astronomico de Mallorca has a working planetarium and offers public skywatching using telescopes sufficiently powerful to study Jupiter, Mars, Saturn, Venus and Mercury.

How to do it: the Observatorio Astronomico de Mallorca (00 34 971 876019, www.oam.es) has three-hour viewings from 8pm or seven-hour all-night sessions, with prices from £7.

Mallorca Farmhouses (0118 947 3001, www.mfh.co.uk) rents villas and houses in the countryside, including Moli Den Cavea, a converted windmill in Cas Concos that sleeps seven and costs £350 for the week beginning April 23. Flights not included: EasyJet (0870 600 0000, www.easyjet.com) flies daily to Palma from Bristol, Gatwick, Liverpool, Luton, Newcastle and Stansted, from £31.