In the height of the summer the sun does not set at all in Lapland. The “nightless nights” are busy with festivals and events in Finland, Sweden and Norway, and this is one of the best times to visit Lapland.
What is the Midnight Sun
The Midnight Sun is a natural phenomenon that occurs north of the Arctic Circle and south of the Antarctic Circle, where the sun does not set below the horizon for several weeks or months in the summer. Many regions near the Arctic Circle experience 24 hours of daylight for most of June and July.
The Midnight Sun can be seen in the Finnish, Swedish and Norwegian Lapland but also in Iceland, in Greenland, in Alaska and in some regions in Russia. The closer one gets to the Arctic Circle the longer the days get, and in many parts of Finland, Sweden and Norway the Midnight Sun means one to two months of continuous daylight.
Where to See the Midnight Sun
In June and July the sun shines for around 300 hours in Lapland and in August between 150 to 200 hours. In the northernmost part of Finland, north of the Arctic Circle, the sun does not set at all for over 70 days in June and July and for example the Utsjoki area sees over two months of continuous daylight.
In Norway’s Nordkapp (North Cape) the sun does not set between around 14 May and 29 July and in Sweden’s Kiruna there is no sunset between the 31st of May and the 11th of July. The Visit Norway website has a list of approximate dates and places to see the Midnight Sun in Norway and the Visit Sweden website has a list of Midnight Sun locations in Sweden.
The Midnight Sun can be seen north of the Arctic Circle, but even in the southern parts of Finland, Sweden and Norway the days get longer as the sun sets late and rises early, and the nights don’t get dark enough to feel like nights at all.
Midnight Sun Holidays in Lapland
The nightless nights are a great time for hiking, fishing, camping and other holiday activities in Lapland. The summer months in Finland, Sweden and Norway are also filled with festivals, events and celebrations to make the most of the long days and the increased light. The opposite of the Midnight Sun is the Polar Night, a time of very little daylight in the winter months when the sun does not rise at all for weeks, or months in some parts of Lapland.
Locals living in the areas affected by the Midnight Sun are used to the 24-hour daylight, but for visitors experiencing the Midnight Sun for the first time, all that daylight can lead to sleeping problems. Dark curtains can help a lot.
