Revealed: The 10 Best Holiday Destinations Where The Summer Sun Never Sets

With the days getting longer and tomorrow marking the official start of summer, new research¹ from No1 Currency has revealed the 10 best places to soak up some midnight sun where British travellers’ Pounds go furthest.

Longyearbyen in Norway is Europe’s most northerly town and, thanks to sterling’s 11.7% rise in value against the Norwegian Krone since last summer, the best value destination for adventure-seekers who want to experience the midnight sun.

The capital of Norway’s Svalbard archipelago bathes in 24 hour daylight between late April and August, and while its average summer temperatures of 3C mean sun loungers are a rarity, it is surrounded by pristine Arctic wilderness, glaciers and abundant wildlife including whales, walruses and polar bears.

The islands, which sit between mainland Norway and the North Pole, were recently used by Tom Cruise as a location for the filming of Mission: Impossible 8. While Norway has never been a cheap holiday destination, the strength of the Pound means you no longer need to earn a Hollywood salary to afford a beer there – with a can of the local Gruve lager costing a cool £7.32.

The best places to see the midnight sun and get more for your Pounds¹

Source: No1 Currency analysis

The second-ranked destination at the top of the world is the less remote, but equally stunning, Lofoten Islands off Norway’s northern coast. Boasting sheer mountain peaks, Arctic fjords and the world’s largest deep water coral reef, they enjoy permanent daylight during midsummer and slightly less bracing prices thanks to the Pound’s relative strength against the Norwegian Krone.

Iceland’s capital Reykjavik sits just outside the Arctic Circle but sees the midnight sun in late June, with 21 hours of daylight during the summer solstice. The hometown of the iconic singer Bjork is surrounded by active volcanoes and hot springs, and makes it to third place in the No1 Currency ranking after sterling rose 8.7% against the Icelandic Króna since June 21st last year. Nevertheless a bottle of the local Viking Gold Lager still costs a wallet-chilling £8.54.

Other places which experience the midnight sun in June include Abisko in Sweden, where the Pound has risen against the Swedish Krona by 5.7% since last summer. Meanwhile Whitehorse, the capital of Canada’s Yukon province, has seen sterling rise by a similar amount against the Canadian Dollar. Further away still, the Pound has risen by a more modest 1.7% against the US Dollar used in Fairbanks, Alaska – which boasts a Midnight Sun Season running from April to August.

Closer to home are Scotland’s Shetland Islands – the UK’s northernmost region – which offer a similar spectacle during the summer months. Known locally as the ‘simmer dim’, it brings long days and bright nights that illuminate Shetland from mid-May until mid-July. The islands receive 19 hours of daylight each day at the height of summer.

Simon Phillips, Managing Director of No1 Currency, comments: “An all-inclusive week spent snoozing by the pool isn’t everyone’s idea of the perfect summer holiday.

“For the more adventurous, who want to experience endless days as well as an endless summer, the midnight sun is a truly magical sight to behold. In the northern hemisphere, it’s limited to a handful of countries which lie in or close to the Arctic Circle; so soaking up some midnight sun will typically require sunscreen, shades and something warm to wear.

“The good news for British travellers is that a rise in the value of sterling over the past year means that the Pound in your pocket should stretch further, even at the ends of the Earth. Six of the 10 midnight sun hotspots that made it onto our ranking now offer better value than they did last June.

“Wherever you chose to go, make sure you take some local currency on your trip. Using cash rather than a card whenever you leave the UK can help you budget more effectively and avoid unexpected card charges.

“Physical notes allow you to keep track of how much you’re spending and come with the added reassurance that you know they will be accepted everywhere; remember cash is still king in many countries where mobile and card payments are less common than in the UK, and where polar bears outnumber people.”