%3Amax_bytes(150000)%3Astrip_icc()%2FTAL-bodo-norway-24HRSUNLIGHT0525-9441f99aeb274da0ad9acea81b2ab4c1.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
These 3 European Cities Are Tied for the Longest Daylight Hours in June
In May, Monteriver, a river tour company, released its findings of a new study analyzing the European cities with the longest daylight hours in June. To find out which spots have the longest days, it analyzed data from Astropixels and Time&Date.
It found that three destinations experience 24-hour daylight in June: Murmansk in Russia, Bodø in Norway, and Rovaniemi in Finland.
This natural phenomenon is known as the "Midnight Sun" and occurs in regions north of the Arctic Circle each summer, where the sun never dips below the horizon line. As Space.com explains, it's caused by the "Earth's axial tilt as the planet orbits the sun." This tilt, it says, "causes one hemisphere to be angled toward the sun and the other away from it, and it is why there are opposite seasons in the Northern and Southern hemispheres."
During the June solstice, the North Pole is tilted toward the sun. "From the northern polar region, the sun never appears to set below the horizon. This is when the northern polar region experiences the midnight sun and the southern polar region experiences 24 hours of darkness, known as the polar night," Space.com adds.
And while, yes, it can be a bit disorienting for those not used to it, it's also a major tourism draw for those looking to squeeze every last drop out of a summer adventure.
In Bodø, Norway, that extra light means more time exploring some of Scandinavia's most dramatic natural spaces. Travelers here can also go on a short drive to Saltstraumen to view the world's strongest tidal current. Travelers can also hike the Børvasstindan mountains for spectacular views or simply bask in the sun at 3 a.m. just because they can.
In Rovaniemi, Finland, also known as the official hometown of Santa Claus, travelers can bike through its forest trails, go foraging for wild berries, or hang out by the serene Kemijoki River. Locals also love a good sauna followed by refreshing dips in cool water, and welcome guests to try it out for themselves, too.
It's worth noting that Murmansk, Russia, the largest city located entirely within the Arctic Circle, also experiences 24-hour sun; however, the U.S. Department of State has all of Russia under a level 4 "Do Not Travel" advisory, making travel here impractical and potentially dangerous, for now.
And while they don't experience that same round-the-clock sun, hot spots like Reykjavik, Iceland, also made the list, with 21 hours and eight minutes of sun, along with Helsinki at 18 hours and 55 minutes, and Oslo closely behind at 18 hours and 49 minutes.
On the flip side, sun-soaked southern favorites like Athens and Madrid, despite being well-known for their summer heat, ranked as the last two on the list, as Madrid receives just over 15 hours of daylight and Athens receives just 14 hours and 48 minutes of daylight.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
%3Amax_bytes(150000)%3Astrip_icc()%2FTAL-medellin-colombia-GREENSPACCITY0625-c08115ffd252418bb3f9e508ea624262.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
Travel + Leisure
a day ago
- Travel + Leisure
This Is the No. 1 City in the World for Green Space—and It Has Tropical Weather, Tree-lined Corridors, and Giant Urban Parks
There's nothing like vacationing in a new city—but in between visits to museums and restaurants, it's nice to take a break and relax in the verdant peace of the outdoors. A new study from Time Out quizzed 18,500 people all over the world to determine which cities had the best green spaces, information that nature-loving travelers can use to plan their next trip. The survey found that one destination was resoundingly loved by participants—92 percent of locals in Medellín, Colombia, rated their green spaces and access to nature positively. Medellín enjoys toasty daytime temperatures thanks to its trade-wind tropical climate and is nicknamed "Ciudad de la Eterna Primavera" or the "City of Eternal Spring." There's definitely plenty of green space to love in Medellín, and spending time outdoors here doesn't require a trip outside of the city limits. However, its extensive amount of green space hasn't always been a reality for the city. The temperature in Medellín hovers between the 60s and 80s year-round, but the urban environment, concrete, and asphalt often made the heat feel more extreme. So, back in 2016, the city started a project called "green corridors," that sought to increase the amount of trees, shade, and foliage in Medellín. According to the British Broadcasting Corporation , 2.5 million plants and 880,000 trees were planted by 2021. All of that planting, in parks, vertical gardens, and walkways, helped cool and improve the air quality of the city. It also gave locals and visitors alike ample opportunities to spend time in nature without ever needing to leave the confines of the city. Parques del Río Medellín, a riverside network of parks, alone offers 71,800 square meters of outdoor space. There's also the city's botanical gardens, the ecological preserve at Parque Arví, the Natural Park Cerro El Volador—the largest in the Medellín metropolitan area, the Sculpture Park, and a host of other options. However, as the second largest city in Colombia (following the capital city of Bogotá), there's no shortage of reasons to visit Medellín, that don't require tying on your hiking boots. There's the attention-grabbing and ever-growing food scene, a vibrant LGBTQ+ community, a world-class coffee scene, and plenty of museums and art. Plus, the scenic small town of Guatapé, where you can climb rocks and hike to waterfalls, is just two hours away by car. If you are curious about the other cities that are well-regarded for green space, you can visit TimeOut's website to see the full list of rankings.
Vogue
2 days ago
- Vogue
Shop Janessa Leone's Beach-Ready Accessories at 15% Off
Going on holiday? Mentally already there? If there's one place to shop for vacation essentials, it's Janessa Leone. The Los Angeles-based label known for its high-quality accessories has a vast array of straw hats and bags for your next sun-soaked getaway. Headed to the South of France? Or maybe the Balearic Islands? May we suggest the Felix: it's a packable bucket hat with a classic lantern shape that feels very Audrey Hepburn in Two for the Road when you flip the brim. Ibiza-bound? Show up to Casa Jondal in the Teagan, a floppier, boho-inspired style with an adjustable brim. Seeking sun with a pocket of shade in St. Barths? The Tinsley's wide brim and tall crown matches the island's private glamour. Transport any one of these in the Tanner, a roomy raffia tote that can double as a beach bag and a hat carrier; it's trimmed with regenerative leather straps should you not want to fold your hat in half. A lightweight handwoven beach blanket, petite raffia bucket bag, and crochet cover-up round out the summer assortment. Shop these editor favorites for 15% off as an Insider, then put your out-of-office dates on the calendar. Bon voyage!
Fast Company
2 days ago
- Fast Company
Why the ‘holidaze' is actually a good thing
Anyone who claims they haven't felt the seductive pull of social plans interrupting their focus at work isn't being completely honest. It's something we all succumb to, especially in the summer months when nearly half of employees admit to feeling less productive at work. The lure of longer days, vacation plans, and social distractions can send managers into a spin about delivering at reduced capacity and facing a seasonal slowdown in outputs. But the summer 'holidaze' isn't a threat to workplace performance. It's an opportunity. Tightening deadlines or demanding more in-office time might seem like solutions to keep teams in shape over summer. But they often backfire, fueling burnout, presenteeism, and resentment that lingers long after summer fades. Instead, smart managers use this time to rethink how work gets done. Leaders who embrace the summer rhythm, seek opportunities to innovate, and improve processes can unlock new ways to boost team morale and productivity. By shifting the focus from hours logged to outcomes delivered, leaders can create agile, resilient teams—and drive productivity well beyond August. Consider the following tool kit for turning the summer 'holidaze' into a season of smart, sustainable success. What are you working with? Start with your most valuable resource: people. To manage effectively during the summer months, keep clear, accessible records of who's in and out of office. This allows you to set realistic expectations and plan accordingly when operating at reduced capacity. Pair this with a smooth handover process to ensure ongoing momentum, even when team members are away. Encouraging staff to spread their vacation time across the year—rather than clustering it in summer—can help avoid bottlenecks. It also supports long-term well-being: research shows that workers who don't evenly space paid time off take an above average number of sick days in a typical year. By contrast, taking regular breaks leads to happier and more productive workers who are at lower risk of burnout. Understand your power tools Summer is an ideal time to rethink the tools that drive productivity. If you haven't already, consider establishing a clear AI usage policy that guides employees on safe and responsible use of AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude. Large language models are great at streamlining repetitive tasks, freeing up your team to focus on higher-value strategic and creative work, which can be invaluable when operating with a skeleton team. But these tools are most effective when deployed consistently, confidently, and strategically. This is something a clear internal policy and robust AI training can support. Own the summer Let's face it: summer can be inherently disruptive. With people in and out on leave and children off school for the holidays, project timelines can slip and energy levels dip. Instead of resisting the seasonal rhythm, smart managers lean into flexibility—and still get great results. Companies like Pfizer, IBM, and Viacom are among the many companies offering staff 'summer hours,' early-finish Fridays, or added autonomy over working hours during the summer months. These approaches don't just boost morale, they've been shown to significantly improve overall well-being and employee experience. Balance increased flexibility with intentionality on work days. If you're running with a leaner team, get ruthless about your priorities. Decide what really needs to happen, communicate it clearly, and give your team the space and support to deliver. Effective planning beats reactive overwork every time and will enable you to do more with less. 'Soft-reset' September No matter how old we get, September still carries that 'new school year' energy. For working parents, it often marks the end of summer chaos and the return of routine. For everyone else, it's a natural opportunity to reset. Use the summer as a low-stakes testing ground. Test out new ways of working with AI, pilot bold productivity strategies, trial half-day Fridays, explore streamlined workflows that cut out unnecessary admin. Then, come September, take stock. What worked? What didn't? What should stay? A thoughtful summer sets you up for a sharper, more focused fall. Turn it off and get outside At the heart of summer productivity is rest. All too often, employees don't get enough of it. Initiatives like summer hours are only effective if people truly disconnect. If staff are logging off at 3 p.m. but back online at 9 p.m., the benefits are lost. That's why a formal 'Right to Disconnect' policy matters. It encourages genuine rest, reinforces boundaries, and shows staff that their time off is respected. This only works when it's modeled from the top. Leaders who visibly unplug over the summer give their teams permission to do the same. Ultimately, productivity and well-being aren't at odds—they're interdependent. A summer spent optimizing for both builds a team that's energized, resilient, rested, and ready to take on the months ahead.
