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Summer in Norway

Don’t sleep away the white nights

During the months of June, July, and August, the days are long and the nights short, even non-existing north of the Arctic Circle, where you get the midnight sun. The Norwegian summer weather is often quite stable, and the temperatures are pleasant both on land and at sea.

Midnight sun over Lofoten.
Photo: Jørn Allan Pedersen / Visitnorway.com

As soon as summer gets a firm grip on Norway, usually in late May or early June, you’ll see the locals out and about, enjoying the sun after a long and cold winter, barbecuing in the parks or at the beach, and generally just being happy. And as the weather gets warmer and warmer, so does the people.

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From late June to early August, it never gets really dark anywhere in the country. But if you want to experience the midnight sun, you have to travel to Northern Norway. The further north you go, the more nights of midnight sun you get. Do as the locals – go kayaking, hiking, or fishing in the middle of the night, or gather at one of the top places to experience the phenomenon in all its glory.

Norwegians celebrate Midsummer Eve, or “Sankthansaften” (Saint John’s Eve) on 23 June. Parties take place all over Norway, especially along the coast or up in the mountains. The Norwegians take their bonfires seriously – in 2016, residents in Ålesund built the world’s largest open-air fire.

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The summer season is also prime time for hiking, cycling, and camping. Most of the snow in the mountains has melted away, and lots of people spend their summer holiday out in the nature. Outdoor recreation is a major part of our national identity, and is also established by law.

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You will find the highest temperatures inland, and especially Setesdal is famous for its record high temperatures. Along the coast, a cool sea breeze will often refresh you.

In Fjord Norway, a lovely sunny day can be followed by a day of rain and fog, but here, you can experience both winter and summer in one day – go summer skiing or glacier hiking in the morning, take a swim in a fjord in the afternoon.

In Northern Norway you can see the midnight sun from the middle of May to the end of July. Just remember that temperatures that far north are usually a bit lower than in the rest of the country.

How to dress for summer weather

Norwegian summer weather may be relatively stable, but that doesn’t mean it can’t surprise you. If you go hiking in the mountains or are out at sea, prepare for everything and make sure you bring waterproof and windproof clothing, as well as a layer of wool.

The sun can be deceptively strong, even if the wind helps keep you cool, so make sure you use sunscreen – otherwise you’ll soon turn pink and sore.

Even if you should be careful not to underestimate the weather, the summer is the time of year when you can relax the most with regards to what to wear. Dress to your fancy, and enjoy the season – but use your head. As we say in Norway: there is no bad weather, only inappropriate clothing.

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The Slottsfjell music festival in Tønsberg.
Photo: Otto Alsaker Prestmo / Slottsfjell

Taking a swim in Southern Norway.
Photo: Johan Wildhagen / Visitnorway.com

Midnight sun in Helgeland.
Photo: Bård Løken / www.nordnorge.com/Træna

The seafood platter at Solsiden restaurant in Oslo.
Photo: CH / Visitnorway.com

How to dress for summer weather

Norwegian summer weather may be relatively stable, but that doesn’t mean it can’t surprise you. If you go hiking in the mountains or are out at sea, prepare for everything and make sure you bring waterproof and windproof clothing, as well as a layer of wool.

The sun can be deceptively strong, even if the wind helps keep you cool, so make sure you use sunscreen – otherwise you’ll soon turn pink and sore.

Even if you should be careful not to underestimate the weather, the summer is the time of year when you can relax the most with regards to what to wear. Dress to your fancy, and enjoy the season – but use your head. As we say in Norway: there is no bad weather, only inappropriate clothing.

Seasonal food and drink

Blueberries are common in Norwegian forests and mountains, and will start to ripen in the middle of summer in Southern Norway and a bit later further north. In July and August, you will see roadside booths offering locally grown strawberries and cherries for sale.

When the sun is out, so are the Norwegians. Barbecuing vegetables, fish, meat, and poultry for dinner is a Norwegian summer tradition, and at the first sign of summer Norwegians of legal drinking age will flock to pubs offering for a beer on the pavement or in a beer garden. This “utepils” (literally “outdoor beer”) is so ingrained that the first opportunity for it will often be mentioned in the national press. We wouldn’t like to miss the year’s first beer in the sun, would we?

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