Our Top Picks for Summer Solstice Celebrations

Here at Ramble Worldwide, we love the summer. It gives us so many more hours each day to soak up the great outdoors. Some of our happiest moments have come after days of traversing difficult terrain: that moment when you get to enjoy a tipple under golden skies decide the time clock showing far past 7pm. We, therefore, think it's imperative to celebrate the summer solstice. We've rounded up some of our favourite locations in which to enjoy the longest of days.

Stongehenge, England

Sunshine hours on the longest day: 16 hours, 35 minutes

What do the celebrations entail? It's believed that Stonehenge in Salisbury in England was designed around the winter and summer solstice, with the stones standing in something similar to a clock formation. In midsummer, the sun rises just to the left of the Heel stone here. Pagans, druids and revellers alike gather to watch the dawn break, and there's often dancing, drumming and singing. It's a joyous event, and one that encourages you to spend the longest day outside so that you can soak up that sunshine.

Reykjavik, Iceland

Sunshine hours on the longest day: 21 hours, 8 minutes

What do the celebrations entail? Reykjavik is Iceland's capital city, and yet rather than feeling like a bustling metropolis, it's a city where the natural surrounds still reign supreme. This is reflected in the midsummer celebrations on offer here. There are whale watching tours, which take you out onto those chilly waters in the hope of seeing one of the world's most majestic creatures, midnight sun runs for those who want to get active, and swimming at the city's geothermal pools. Midsummer is traditionally celebrated on the 24th June here and is a time when it's believed that the mythical comes to life. It was believed that rolling naked in the morning dew could heal aches and pains, and that cows could speak on this day.  

Longyearbyen, Norway

Sunshine hours on the longest day: In Longyearbyen in Norway, the sun doesn't set at all between the 18th April and 24th August. This means that the longest day is actually 3,094 hours and 56 minutes in duration.

What do the celebrations entail? With the summer solstice being such a long event in this part of Svalbard, the 21st June doesn't hold such significance, although you will often find people meeting up around the clock to socialise. Instead, the major celebrations take place at the close of winter when the sun returns. This week is called Solfestuka, and begins when the sun reaches the steps (on the 10th week of the year) where the old hospital used to stand. During this week, there are ice sculpting competitions and live music performances aplenty.

Stockholm, Sweden

Sunshine hours on the longest day: 18 hours, 37 minutes

What do the celebrations entail? Midsummer is Stockholm's biggest celebration, and you'll find revelry across the city to mark the occasion. The traditional feast for Midsummer's Eve is one of pickled herring and new potatoes, washed down with beer and schnapps. One of the biggest events takes place at Skansen, the city's open air museum. Here, you'll find people dancing around a huge maypole, folk music performances and garland-making classes.

Dawson City, Canada

Sunshine hours on the longest day: 21 hours, 3 minutes

What do the celebrations entail? Dawson City in Yukon, Canada takes midsummer seriously and there are a number of celebrations to mark the day. The day is also National Indigenous Peoples Day, and so you will find the traditional dancing and fiddle music of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in at the Dänojà Zho Cultural Centre. Elsewhere, people drive and hike to the top of the Midnight Dome (an impressive viewpoint over the Yukon River and Ogilvie mountains) to watch the sun set on midsummer's eve and then rise on the summer solstice. Here, you'll be united with hundreds of others, all flocking here to celebrate the longest day.