This Is What The Midnight Sun Looks Like And OMG It's Crazy Beautiful

The Lofoten Islands look like something out of a fairytale. 😍

Have you guys ever seen a midnight sun? Yeah, neither. But here's what it looks like.

Reinebringen, Lofoten Islands / Getty Images

It's pretty darn beautiful.

In case you're confused, the midnight sun is a natural phenomenon that happens during the summertime. Basically, the sun doesn't completely set near the North Pole from about late May until July.

Sotkamo, Finland / Getty Images

If want to see the midnight sun IRL, here are 13 awesome places you can catch it.

1. Lofoten Islands, Norway

Getty Images

With steep mountain peaks and cute fishing villages that seem to float on crystal-blue waters, the Lofoten Islands look like something straight out of a postcard. You'll catch the orange midnight sun here through lots of dramatic cloud coverage.

2. Helsinki, Finland

Getty Images

Even though this Finnish capital is located in the south of the country, Helsinki still enjoys incredibly long summer days. With so many music and folkloric festivals throughout the season, grab a beer and some friends, and enjoy a 10:30pm sunset by the harbour.

3. Abisko, Sweden

Getty Images, Nikolay Tsuguliev / Getty Images

While Swedish Lapland is renowned for being an amazing place to see the Northern Lights, summer up here is definitely underrated. With snowcapped mountains, pristine lakes and sweet-smelling pine forests, enjoy hiking, horseback riding and bear spotting under the midnight sun in Abisko.

4. Hammerfest, Norway

Getty Images

This is the world's most northern town and possibly also one of the cutest. With its quaint, colourful houses and beautiful natural surrounds, Hammerfest is the ideal place to go hiking or fishing at 3am during the summer months.

5. North Cape, Norway

Getty Images

Where better to watch the midnight sun than the north-most point of Europe? The North Cape – or Nordkapp in Norwegian – is the name of the coastal area that meets the Barents Sea. Located about 200km from Hammerfest, it's easy to day trip up here for some killer midnight sun vistas.

6. Nuuk, Greenland

Getty Images

The capital of the tiny island nation of Greenland, Nuuk is a colourful city surrounded by mountains, fjords and icebergs. When you're not out exploring nature, check out local Inuit art scattered throughout the city and at Nuuk's many museums.

7. Faroe Islands

Getty Images

Located halfway between Norway and Iceland in the North Atlantic Ocean are the Faroe Islands. Filled with wild, rugged terrain and picturesque waterfalls on all 18 islands, there's plenty to explore when you're not watching the midnight sun.

8. Rovaniemi, Finland

Getty Images

The capital of the Lapland region in northern Finland, Rovaniemi is renowned for being the "official" hometown of Santa Claus. But it's also one of the best places in the world to enjoy the midnight sun.

Our suggestion? Spend a few days here camping, kayaking and sunbathing at ungodly hours.

9. St. Petersburg, Russia

Getty Images

St. Petersburg has become famous for its long, white, summer nights. With sunsets happening after 11pm, make sure you catch some late-night ballet and opera performances – which start after midnight! – and hang around for Scarlet Sails; the city's giant summer street party.

10. Inuvik, Canada

Getty Images

Way up north in Arctic Canada, you'll find Inuvik; one of the country's north-most towns.

Our tips for making the most of Inuvik's summer? Check out the town's colourful buildings – some even shaped like igloos! – tour its innovative greenhouse, and cruise down the MacKenzie Delta.

11. Fairbanks, USA

Getty Images

Being one of the few places that experiences the midnight sun in the USA, Fairbanks, Alaska is one for the books. Head down to the Chena River to experience the late-night, orange glow of the midnight sun.

And before you leave, make sure you visit Pioneer Park, which has colourful recreations of Fairbanks' original buildings.

12. Kiruna, Sweden

Getty Images

Way up in the north of Sweden you'll find Kiruna, a little town in Swedish Lapland. From late May until July, the sun basically never sets here. That – coupled with Kiruna's gorgeous scenery – makes it a nature lover's playground.

While you're here, be sure to check out some of Kiruna's historical architecture, including the original huts of the Sami people, Kiruna's indigenous population.

13. Dawson City, Canada

Getty Images

Want to enjoy the midnight sun in Canada in an unconventional way? Head to Dawson City. Complete with colourful colonial buildings, if you don't fancy partying in daylight at 3am, you can join the Dawson City Midnight Sun Golf Tournament, which runs throughout the night.

When you're done with the game, you can celebrate/commiserate your score with new-found golfing friends over beers and eggs in the morning.

In case you're in need of a new summer anthem, here's a song by the Jupiter Project to blast while you're off chasing the midnight sun.

youtube.com