Midnight Sun in Norway

Roughly halfway up Norway, at 66.5 degrees North Latitude, lies the Arctic Circle. It runs about 47 miles (75 km) south of the city of Bodø and just grazes the northernmost tip of Iceland. North of the Arctic Circle, you can experience the magical midnight sun in summer: 24 hours of daylight. And the further north you go, the longer this period lasts.

In ancient times, midsummer was an important moment of the year. In Stonehenge (UK), for example, on the longest day of the year, the first sunbeams appear precisely from behind the largest stone of the formation, the Heel Stone. The sun is then exactly above the Tropic of Cancer, at 23.5 degrees North Latitude. From June 21st, the sun begins its journey back towards the Southern Hemisphere, and on September 21st, it crosses the equator.

In honor of the midsummer sun, Norwegians and many other Northern European peoples light large bonfires on the evening of June 23rd (St. John’s Eve). In the past, these fires served to ward off witches and counteract the power of trolls and evil spirits believed to emerge from their caves during midsummer night.

Midsummer Festival

Nowadays, it’s a joyful celebration of the sun reaching its highest point. After this, it begins its journey back towards the Southern Hemisphere. At the Arctic Circle itself, you can enjoy the midnight sun from June 12th to July 1st. If you truly want to benefit from extended daylight, travel to the Svalbard archipelago. There, the sun doesn’t set between April 18th and August 24th.

During many of our sailing trips in Norway, you’ll also be able to enjoy the midnight sun. It often provides extra energy and a magical feeling as you glide through the deserted fjords in the middle of the night, in full daylight.

Read the itinerary for our Midnight Sun trip here

Midzomernacht op de Lofoten

10 Days Lofoten, Norway

Midnight Sun (24 hours of daylight):

photo: Maarten Verstraete