The best places to see the midnight sun in Norway

There are no clear boundaries between one day and the next in the far north during summer. These are the best places to see the midnight sun in Norway.

Text: Mikael Lunde

You can tell that it is five o’clock – your wristwatch reveals as much. But is it 5 AM or 5 PM? Who knows? Even the locals get confused sometimes. At midnight the sun will hover low in the sky and cast a magical yellow glow onto the coastline, the cities and villages, the sharp mountain formations, and the seemingly endless inland plateaus. It may sometimes hide behind a cloud or a tall peak, but it does not set. Here you can see the midnight sun in all its glory.

The North Cape

From atop the steep cliff heading into the sea at The North Cape, there is nothing but open sea between you and … well, Svalbard, and then the North Pole, and the sun is hovering on the horizon all night long. The cliff is technically located on an island and is not even quite its northernmost point, so this is mistakenly referred to as the northernmost point on the European mainland. Still, it is a more popular destination than the actual spot, Cape Nordkinn a little stretch to the east.

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Landegode, Bodø.
Photo: Gulosten / CC BY-SA 3.0

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Restroom at Eggum, Norwegian Scenic Route Lofoten, Northern Norway

Eggum, Norwegian Scenic Route Lofoten.
Photo: Jarle Wæhler / Statens vegvesen Architect: Snøhetta

Where and when to experience the midnight sun

At the Arctic Circle: 12 June–1 July

In Bodø: 4 June–8 July

In the Lofoten Islands: 28 May–14 July

In Tromsø: 20 May–22 July

At the North Cape: 14 May–29 July

In Svalbard: 20 April–22 August

What is the midnight sun?

The midnight sun is a natural phenomenon that occurs during the summer in places south of the Antarctic Circle and north of the Arctic Circle – including Northern Norway.

The earth is rotating at a tilted axis relative to the sun, and during the summer months, the North Pole is angled towards our star. That’s why, for several weeks, the sun never sets above the Arctic Circle.

Svalbard is the place in Norway where the midnight sun occurs for the longest period. Here, the sun doesn’t set between 20 April and 22 August.

Eggum, Lofoten.
Photo: Jarle Wæhler / Statens vegvesen

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Tromsø.
Photo: Christian Roth Christensen / Visitnorway.com

Nupen near Harstad

“The most romantic place in Norway” is the tag attached to Nupen not far from Harstad following a ranking in a Norwegian travel magazine. We’re inclined to agree. From the road or the surrounding hills, you get an unobstructed view of the midnight sun as it descends towards the water and almost meets the horizon in a gentle kiss before it rises again. The peaks of Grytøya island frame the scene.

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Narvik.
Photo: Helle Holt

Viewpoint Salen in Hammerfest

The city of Hammerfest is one of the northernmost in the world and one of the oldest in Northern Norway. If you follow the zigzagging path up to the old cabin at “Mount” Salen, you get a panoramic view of the city and the surrounding islands in the midnight sun.

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Finnmarksvidda, Finnmark.
Photo: Thomas Rasmus Skaug / Visitnorway.com

A reindeer owned by the Sami migrating during spring. Finnmark, Norway

Finnmarksvidda, Finnmark.
Photo: Thomas Rasmus Skaug / Visitnorway.com

Tungeneset at Senja

Like Eggum in Lofoten, Tungeneset at Senja is part of the Norwegian Scenic Route initiative where architecture and art amplify the experience of some of Norway’s most fabulous natural wonders. Here, a wooden walkway blends in with nature and leads you to a magnificent view of the distinct rock formation of Okshornan under the midnight sun.

Tungeneset walkpath on Norwegian Scenic Route Senja in Northern Norway

Tungeneset at Senja.
Photo: Hugo Fagermo / Statens vegvesen / Nasjonaleturistveger.no Architect: Code arkitektur as

Longyearbyen

You might have heard the popular myth that in Norway, there are polar bears roaming the city streets. This is pure nonsense, of course, unless you are in Longyearbyen. In this main settlement on the Svalbard Islands, the midnight sun lasts an astonishing four months. Remember to never venture out without a guard, as polar bears are a real threat.

Plan your midnight sun adventure

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Featured

Best places to see the midnight sun

The North Cape

Rønvikfjellet, Bodø

Storsteinen, Tromsø

Eggum, Lofoten

Nupen, Harstad

Narvikfjellet, Narvik

Salen, Hammerfest

Komsafjellet, Alta

Finnmarksvidda, Finnmark

Tungeneset, Senja

Longyearbyen, Svalbard

Land of the midnight sun

Travel to the areas above the Arctic Circle in Norway to see the midnight sun.

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Bodø

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Vesterålen

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Harstad

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Narvik

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Tromsø

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The Lyngenfjord region

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Silhouette of person inside Sorrisniva igloo hotel

Alta

In the city of Alta you can experience Sami culture up close, see UNESCO protected rock carvings, sleep in a ice hotel or hunt for the northern light. Read more

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A couple in a sleigh pulled by a reindeer, held by a Sami man

Land of the Sami

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The North Cape

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Hammerfest

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Nordkyn

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Kirkenes and Eastern Finnmark

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The Svalbard Islands

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