Scandinavia is filled with possibility year-round, from celebratory summers to winter skies filled with dancing northern lights. In the region’s effortlessly chic cities and remote forests alike, each season delivers its own special kind of magic.
As you plan your trip to Europe’s northernmost parts, consider the amount of daylight you can expect. Seeing the northern lights might be the purpose of your visit in winter, but in some places you might pay for the privilege by, for example, only having a few hours of daylight a day before the sun sets in the early afternoon.
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Conversely, a visit in June or July guarantees plenty of midnight sun – which can play tricks on your body’s natural rhythms. As you plan, check sunrise and sunset times before making reservations.
Another tip: don’t be surprised if coastal temperatures are considerably warmer in Scandinavia than anywhere else in the world at the same latitudes. It’s all thanks to the warm Gulf Stream, a fast-moving Atlantic current that flows into the North Atlantic from the Gulf of Mexico.
Here’s a season-by-season guide to the best times to visit Scandinavia.
The peak summer season promises midnight sun and festivals galore
With average highs of 65–70°F (18–21°C), summer (June to August) is an excellent time to visit Scandinavia – though since everyone seems to be on the road, holiday traffic can be something of a procession. Counterintuitively, in some Scandinavian countries, especially Norway, hotels in peak season offer deals to entice travelers and prices are generally lower than the rest of the year (when, it is assumed, the only people traveling are businesspeople on expense accounts). Be sure to make your reservations well in advance.
At the peak of summer in Scandinavia, you may never experience true darkness, especially in the far north. (Indeed, north of the Arctic Circle, there is at least one day every year when the sun never sets.) Enjoy a midnight beer in sunlight by all means – but bring an eye mask to help you sleep later.
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Come school holidays in July, Scandinavians set out on their own summer vacations, filling up rural campgrounds and inns. Accordingly, Scandinavian cities can feel a little quieter than usual during the peak of peak season. Yet you’d be remiss for missing out of the pleasures of the countryside yourself – think beach days in Denmark, wilderness hikes in Finland, lakeside living in Sweden and whale watching in Iceland.
Have we mentioned that summer is prime festival season in Scandinavia? In every country here, locals celebrate Midsummer (from June 19–26) with unique zeal. Family feasts, sauna parties, bonfires and copious drinking cause normally sensible people to act with joyous silliness.
In July, the fab Roskilde Festival near Copenhagen is northern Europe’s largest music festival. (Buy your tickets early: they go on sale the October prior).
Finland specializes in silly summer festivals. No musical talent is required at the Air Guitar World Championships in Oulu, when grown-ups play their hearts out with cheesy guitar classics on imaginary instruments. (Who said the Finns don’t know how to have fun?) And on National Sleepyhead Day in the port town of Naantali, villagers douse each other with water and get tossed out to sea. A lively carnival atmosphere includes dancing, live music, a bake-off and more.
The shoulder seasons bring cozy vibes and great conditions for snow sports
Post-summer, the late sun continues to linger into September as the shoulder season begins. (The Danes and Norwegians call this sensommer and celebrate it as its own little mini season.) Indeed, the early part of fall can be wonderful all over Scandinavia, with long golden days ideal for pursuing water sports, exploring small towns, hiking in the countryside or sitting at street-side cafes, soaking up the rays.
Yet throughout the Nordic countries, the days quickly get shorter and colder in fall (September until November) and a cozy vibe sets in (especially in Denmark, with its famous hygge). Temperatures start to plummet, with average daily high temperatures rarely breaching 40°F (4.5°C), and below-freezing days become the norm.
Throughout the snowy region, the best months for skiing and other adventure sports are from February to April, when the sun has re-emerged after its two-month winter hibernation and Nordic trails and downhill pistes glisten and gleam. And no northern Scandinavian winter festival gets the juices flowing quite like the reindeer racing in Finland’s Lapland in March. The grand finale, the King’s Cup, is a great spectacle.
As spring arrives and March gives way to April, the first of the migrant birds arrive (especially remarkable in isolated Iceland) and wildflowers start to bloom on mountainsides. Slowly but reliably, nature springs back to life.
Winter brings holiday cheer and prime northern lights viewing
While the days are short and the temperatures frigid in winter (December to February), Christmas is a particularly wonderful time to be in Scandinavia. Santa’s headquarters in Finnish Lapland welcomes throngs; Copenhagen is all about mulled wine and a festive vibe; while stunning lights and home-baked cinnamon delicacies abound across the region.
The aurora borealis (northern lights) occurs year-round, but the long nights from October to March make for the best viewing. Bring very warm clothing if you plan on standing outside to stare at the sky for hours in the depths of winter. While winter northern-lights quests continue to grow in popularity, keep in mind that some attractions do close in the depths of winter.
The festival calendar perks back up as the days gradually get longer. The Jokkmokk Winter Market in Swedish Lappland has been running since 1605 and remains Scandinavia’s biggest Sámi market. For three days every February, you can watch reindeer race across the ice, shop for handicrafts and Sámi food delicacies, and watch live performances. During Þorrablót in February, Icelanders honor the god Thor with feasts that will make your eyes water. (Note that delicacies such as fermented shark are most definitely an acquired taste.)
This article was adapted from Lonely Planet’s Scandinavia guidebook, published in July 2025.