Germany doesn’t quite get to see the “midnight sun” – how’s it going up there Norway? – but it is located far enough north to enjoy rather long days during the late spring and summer seasons.
The summer solstice, called Sommersonnenwende in German, marks the longest day and also the beginning of the summer season in the Northern Hemisphere.
In the town of Flensburg, which is near Germany’s northern border with Denmark, the sun sets at 10:06 pm and rises at 4:41 on the summer solstice, amounting to approximately 17 hours and 24 minutes of daylight.
Central and southern German cities get a little less daylight, but still enjoy late night sunsets and early morning sun rises. Berlin, for example, gets 16 hours and 50 minutes of daylight on the solstice. Munich gets just over 16 hours of light on the longest day.
Especially for people who moved to Germany from more southerly latitudes, watching the sunset at 10 pm or noticing the sky lighten at four in the morning can be a surreal experience.
But of course the flip side of long days in the summer are long nights in the winter, giving you all the more reason to take advantage of all the light while you can.
Here’s a few things to do with your extra daylight hours during the German summer:
Add outdoor sports to your ‘Feierabend’ routine
Germans place a high value on work-life balance, and this is perhaps best seen in the importance placed on the Feierabend, or your after-work time.
READ ALSO: Why every country should get on board with the German Feierabend
During the winter having a dinner date, or more simply a Feierabendbierchen, are the main after-work activities that come to mind. But during Germany’s long summer days, you still have plenty of daylight left to go skating in the park, or enjoy a bicycle tour of the city, even if you work until 6 pm or later.
Some people really take advantage of the extended light - using that extra time for physical activities that they might not otherwise get to do during work days. It’s not uncommon to see people stand-up paddle boarding on the river, or rock climbing, late into the evening in the summer.
Go for an early morning stroll
Germany’s early morning sunrises can be a bit of a controversial topic.
For the early birds, they offer an opportunity to get ahead of the day before your work day or other obligations begin. For the night owls who currently lack shutters, they can be an unwelcome wake-up call.
But with the sky lightening as early as 4:30 am, whether you’ve freshly woken up, or are heading home after a long night out, you may want to consider taking advantage of a unique opportunity for a morning walk.
Especially for those who tend to sleep in, an early stroll can allow you to see the world anew – complete with birdsongs in the air and the smell of freshly baked bread wafting out of local bakeries.
Enjoy some of Germany's summer events and festivals
The summer season is a good one for outdoor events and festivals in Germany, and especially in June and July, attendees can add a catching a late evening sunset to a fest day's itinerary.
There are a number of festivals worth checking out in Germany, including some events scheduled for the longest day itself, such as Fête de la Musique.
READ ALSO: 8 of the best music festivals to visit in Germany this summer
Stay tuned for a list of July events we'll be sharing soon.
Catch a film at an open air cinema
Germany loves open air cinemas - it's home to hundreds of them - and a mid-summer eve is really the best time to experience one.
To find an outdoor theatre near you, try searching for 'Freiluftkino' + your city name.
But be sure to keep languages in mind while looking over screening programs. If you don't yet have the German skills to enjoy a movie auf Deutsch, you'll want to look out for films marked OV (original version), OmU (original version with German subtitles) or OmeU (orginal version with English subtitles).
Watch (or play) some football
Of course watching football is something you can always enjoy in the comfort of your own home. But you can catch a game at your favourite sports bar, or even at a beer garden or späti when its a big one.
This has the added benefit of allowing you to watch the game, while also taking in a the summer breeze.
Take a wild dip in refreshing waters
Summer in Germany is often accompanied by at least a few heatwaves: a string of hot, sticky days when temperatures soar and it's tempting to just stay indoors.
In warm weather, though, there's nothing quite like venturing out to a picturesque lake or a beach along Germany's rugged coastline and taking a wild dip.
Though you can't expect temperatures as warm as the Mediterranean sea, that's part of the charm: bathing in cool, refreshing waters is the ideal medicine for lethargy during those sweltering summer afternoons.
There are a range of studies that show that outdoor swimming is good for the soul - not to mention great for your health. From releasing mood-enhancing endorphins to boosting immunity and improving cardiovascular health, it's no wonder wild swimming is known as one of the best natural highs around.
READ ALSO: 'Go early and stay late' - Your tips for making the most of Germany's lakes
With reporting by Imogen Goodman
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