How to Celebrate a Luxurious Summer Solstice this Year

How will you spend the longest day of 2018 (in the Northern Hemisphere, at least)? In some countries, the Midnight Sun will only set for a handful of hours, meaning that the celebrations will last all night (and day) long. It’s the official start of summer, so you may opt to spend it lounging by the pool. But if you’re feeling more curious and adventurous, the world awaits.

In England, Midsummer’s Eve was traditionally believed to be a time when the veil between this world and the next is at its thinnest, and when fairies were though to be at their most powerful. Whether or not you buy that, it’s undeniably a magical time, and an excellent excuse to play out all night.

But where?

You could go to Stonehenge, but on June 21 it won’t be a luxury experience in the traditional sense. The site generally charges paid admission, but on the Summer Solstice, it’s free. So if you go, expect crowds. Big ones.

Northern countries tend to take the Summer Solstice most seriously, so they’re the best places to head if you want full immersion in the heritage of the day. In some cultures, it’s a celebration of fertility. In others, it’s about prayers for a good harvest. Some cultures view it as a time of unusually high energy, which individuals can absorb if they choose (in many places, it is believed that anyone seeing the sunrise will be healthy throughout the year). Here are 10 locations that are tailor-made for a refined luxury experience that is also full of joy, tradition and wonder.

1. Reykjavik, Iceland. The Secret Solstice Music Festival is a three-day music festival that takes place during the days of the Midnight Sun (the sun literally sets at midnight). Running this year from June 21-24, lovers of electronic, hip-hop, rock, reggae and folk music will find their groove here. With 72 hours of almost total sunlight (there are only three hours of darkness), you can explore Iceland from dawn to dusk. The festival offers one ultra-VIP experience, the Golden Ticket, for $1 million. Other VIP ticket options include the Package of the Gods for $12,500 and the Oðinn pass for $1,519. Those will get you perks like access to a pop-up lounge, complimentary drinks throughout the festival, helicopter transfers to glaciers and lava tunnels, access to all side party events, and a private dining experience. If you’d prefer exploring on your own, hop over to the ultra-luxurious Blue Lagoon Retreat hotel for a full immersion in the Icelandic experience.

2. Stockholm, Sweden. Midsummer’s Eve in Sweden is like Christmas in many other parts of the world: a very big deal. It’s a national holiday, and activities including wearing wildflower crowns, drinking schnapps and dancing around the Maypole. The typical dinner that night is pickled herring, fresh potatoes and schnapps, followed by strawberries and cream. The Skansen open-air museum in Stockholm is a great traditional location to experience the festivities. The Grand Hotel is a majestic place to make your home base for the celebration – many restaurants will be closed for the holiday, so having a great place to dine right at your door will be key to your enjoyment.

3. In Tyrol, Austria, you can take a cable car to the top of the Alps to see the blazing mountain fires on the surrounding mountains. The fires were traditionally lit on the Summer Solstice in medieval times to worship the Earth. Numerous local clubs and associations climb into the mountains each year to build large bonfires high above the valley floor. Shortly after nightfall, the fires  illuminate the mountains to create a mystical atmosphere. In 2018, they can be seen on June 23. The Wilder Kaiser region of Tyrol is a top viewing spot. You can also take a cruise on Lake Achensee or head to Innsbruck’s Nordkette Mountains. The charming, family-owned Relais & Chateux Tennerhof hotel in Kitzbuhl would be a perfect place to stay.

4. The Dragon Boat Festival – known as the Duanwu Festival – is the traditional way to celebrate the summer solstice in Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau. A national holiday, it commences on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese calendar; the three-day festival dates back 2,000 years. This year the holiday falls on June 18, but there will be parties and celebrations during the weekend prior, starting on June 16. If you make Hong Kong your home base, our favorite hotel there is the Mandarin Oriental.

5. The Night at the Harvard Museums of Science & Culture in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Harvard University celebrates the longest day of the year with the annual Harvard Museums of Science & Culture’s Summer Solstice Celebration. For four hours, the university offers free admission to four museums: the Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, the Harvard Semitic Museum, the Harvard Museum of Natural History, and the Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments. Participants also gain access to special performances, make flower crowns and other sun-inspired crafts, and learn about the astronomical significance of the solstice. Stay at the charming Charles Hotel on the banks of the Charles River.

6. Canada celebrates the Summer Solstice with real intensity: Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, June 24, was officially designated Québec’s National Holiday in 1977. Shows and bonfires will take place in several municipalities, including Québec City.  The Yellowknife Summer Solstice Festival in the Northwest Territories features live performances at venues all over the city. It’s also National Indigenous Peoples Day, with all-day celebrations planned in Winnipeg, Toronto and Ottawa.

7. A luxury Alaskan cruise would be a great way to mark the occasion: Norwegian, Princess, and Celebrity all have cruises that will be in or near Alaska during this year’s summer solstice [full disclosure: I’m a member of the board of directors of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings] – the aptly-named Celebrity Solstice is one of the vessels making the voyage from Seattle and back. Want something smaller? One of our world-traveling correspondents took an Un-Cruise to Alaska and gave it rave reviews.

8. Croatia. The annual Astrofest brings star-gazers to the Višnjan Observatory for a festival of science and spirituality. On the hill near the famous astronomical observatory, attendees wait together for the sunrise – passing the time by singing, socializing and attending lectures throughout the night. There are music and dance performances that commence as the last rays of the sun fade in the evening. They end when the crowd greets the first morning rays.

9. Barcelona or the island of Menorca, Spain. The Revetlla de Sant Joan, also known as the Nit de Sant Joan, will see the skies of Barcelona light up in a vibrant display of fireworks in celebration of Saint John’s Day and the longest day of the year. It’s one of the most important feast days for Catalans, marking the birth date of John the Baptist, with parties on balconies and beaches. There are said to be three symbols of Sant Joan: fire, water and herbs. Fire symbolizes purity (thus there are fireworks and bonfires), water symbolizes healing (in some areas, people bathe in the sea), and herbs symbolize healing (some claim that on the night of the solstice, the healing qualities of herbs are enhanced one hundred times over, so they’re harvested overnight). For something quieter and even more special, head to Menorca, where Ciutadella’s celebration features an impressive horse-riding display known as “jaleos.” This year, the festivities take place on June 23-24.

10. Portugal. The Festa de São João do Porto in Porto also pays tribute to John the Baptist, and has been a tradition in northern Portugal for about 600 years. Celebrated on June 23, one traditional element is revelers hitting each other either with garlic flowers or soft plastic hammers. You’ve been warned. Traditional foods include grilled sardines, grilled peppers, caldo verde (green broth soup), fresh salads, grilled spare ribs, and bifanas (pork sandwiches). Similar to the celebrations in Catalonia, there are fireworks, bonfires and street parties throughout the night, and some greet the morning with a dip in the sea. The Intercontinental Hotel in Porto is the perfect place to take it all in.

In addition to all of that, the global Fete de la Musique coincides with the Summer Solstice – more than 700 cities in 120 countries around the world will celebrate Make Music Day.

Too much excitement for you? June 21 is also the International Day of Yoga, where mind-body discipline will be practiced around the world, including in the middle of Times Square in New York City.

Wherever you decide to spend the longest day of the year, we hope you’ll make every minute count.

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