Summer in Finland is a spectacular time of the year. For those who venture north of the Arctic Circle, the sun does not set at all from May to August, while further south the sun can be visible for nearly around the clock during June and July. When nights are almost as light as day it is possible to do all the same things that you would do during the day. The greatest difference comes from the incredible change in the nature of the light.
The sun takes on a reddish-yellow colour – almost like during sunrise or sunset – and everything around you is bathed in an unimaginably warm, bright light. A nocturnal swim and sauna is a definite must under the Midnight Sun. Lakes and sea waters warm up from June onwards. The quintessential way to take in the Midnight Sun is at a cottage. Many people in Finland have a cottage in the family – often a private little retreat by a lake somewhere. Finns love their quietness, and visitors should also experience true northern style relaxation by escaping the daily grind to a peaceful hideaway. Some like a different approach. The Midnight Sun extends your day with those extra hours you keep hoping for in your daily life. Make use of it and go hiking, canoeing, fishing or play a round of golf in the wee hours.
An old popular belief in the Midnight Sun mythology is that when a young maiden collects seven flowers under her pillow on Midsummer night – the longest day of the year – her future fiancée will show up in her dreams. The best place to experience the Midnight Sun is Finnish Lapland. The Midnight Sun Film Festival (founded by famous filmmaker brothers Kaurismäki) and folklore festival Jutajaiset – both in June – are great ways to enjoy local culture and the Midnight Sun. In the South, the best time to enjoy the Midnight Sun is around Summer Solstice. A traditional midsummer party in Seurasaari island in Helsinki or a rock festival in the heart of Lakeland both share the magic of white nights. Photo: Saana Kotila/ Midnight Sun Film Festival Although the full Midnight Sun can only be experienced above the Arctic Circle, the nights are white throughout the country. Even Helsinki on the southern coast has virtual daylight around the clock. Late at night, the sun just briefly dips beyond the horizon before rising again, blurring the boundaries between fading night and dawning day.
As Helsinki is a coastal city, we recommend island-hopping and all kinds of outdoor activities in the summer. But, should you still wish to go clubbing and stay indoors, be warned – getting out of a dark nightclub at 3 a.m. can be a bit confusing, as it feels more like 3 p.m. You wouldn’t be the first to swap sleep for an afterparty on the beach – in full sunlight, of course! For Finnish children, summer evenings equal no bed time. There is a time for sleeping and it’s called winter – just ask the bears and other mammals that hibernate through most of it. We say don’t worry about sleep; make the most of the Midnight Sun!
