Summer in Norway

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.

Summer temperatures can reach 25 to 30 degrees Celsius, and there is hardly any humidity in the air. Even the nights are often warm, and water temperatures in the sea and the many inland and forest lakes usually reach 18 degrees or higher, making swimming a popular pastime.

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. There are plenty of cool things to do with the extra hours – 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.

With one of the longest coastlines in the world, Norway has a rich boating life. People of all ages and from all sectors of society are out at sea all summer long. The “skjærgård” in Southern Norway – an archipelago consisting of thousands of small islands and islets – is especially popular, and almost every town along the southern coast has a proper guest harbour. Check out our water safety tips.

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.

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?

A typical summer dish is freshly caught fish, especially mackerel served with sour cream, fresh potatoes, and cucumber salad. Shrimps straight from the boat, enjoyed right at the dock or served with white bread, mayonnaise, and white wine is another favourite. Yet another popular summer choice is cured pork or mutton served with sour cream and flatbread.