3 min read
Published 06. March 2024
Discovering the land where the sun doesn’t set
Imagine a day that never ends. Where the sun is as bright and dazzling at 1am as it is at 1pm, and you can bask in its golden light for months on end… Well, in Norway you don’t have to imagine all that: you can actually experience it!
The Midnight Sun, where the sun stays above the horizon in the summer, is one of the reasons why so many travelers from all over the world have Norway in their bucket list — and very rightly so. Read below to learn more about how this phenomenon occurs, what are the best places in the country to experience it, and how to make the most of your Midnight Sun holidays.
What is the Midnight Sun
The Midnight Sun is a natural phenomenon that occurs for 76 days every year, between May and July (but in some places even as early as April and as late as August), in the part of Norway that lies north of the Arctic and south of the Antarctic Circle. Because our planet rotates at a tilted axis, in the summertime these northern parts of the globe face the sun directly, resulting in prolonged sunsets and sunrises as it never dips under the horizon.
Norway is truly blessed when it comes to the Midnight Sun, with its exquisite vistas becoming bathed in gold these months, no matter what time of day or night it is. It really is an experience you shouldn’t miss out on!
Where to experience the Midnight Sun in Norway
There are so many places to experience the Midnight Sun in Norway, but the general rule of thumb is: the further north you are, the longer this phenomenon lasts. Once you step over the Arctic Circle marker, you can enjoy the Midnight Sun from June 12-July 1 — and this only increases as you journey upward.
Outside Bodø, just past the Arctic Circle, the Midnight Sun sheds its golden rays from June 4-July 8, making for spectacular views from the Rønvikfjellet ridge. In the gorgeous Lofoten islands (which are a must visit for many reasons), you can enjoy the phenomenon from May 28-July 14. Further north, in Tromsø, the endless golden days stretch from May 20 to July 22 — taking the cable car from Storsteinen is the perfect way to gaze upon the never-setting sun hovering above the city. Spectacular views of the Midnight Sun also await you in the North Cape, the steep cliff that marks the northernmost part of continental Europe, from May 14 to July 29.
But nowhere else in Norway is the phenomenon of the Midnight Sun as pronounced as in Svalbard. In the Arctic archipelago that stands between Norway and the North Pole, the sun doesn’t set at all between April 20 and August 22!
How to make the most of Midnight Sun
The Midnight Sun has had a profound effect in the Norwegian psyche over the ages — and it won’t take you long to understand why. People become more light-hearted and happy during that time, and many sights, museums, businesses and activities have different opening hours in the summer.
If you don’t mind the often cold weather, you could go for midnight swimming or surfing (with a thermal suit, of course), do a whale watching safari or sea kayaking or even take a hike or a quiet stroll, enjoying the way the gold and red hues make everything around you even more magical!
