At midnight rays of ghostly sun pour in between the curtains, making it impossible to sleep, so I give up and go outside to find that no-one else is sleeping either.
Instead, along the grassy sward couples mooch, students play guitar and families picnic. Behind them a strange, pale light plays over the water, creating shimmering reflections. This is an average summer evening in Tampere, Finalnd.
Stretching from the end of June to the end of August, depending on which part of the world you happen to be in, this is white night season, when the sun is still visible at midnight. But you don’t have to be in the land of the midnight sun to enjoy 24-hour fun. From Seoul to Santa Monica, dozens of cities worldwide have created their own white night festivals with cultural activities and events around the clock. So whether you’re heading north or south this summer, follow our top 10 guide to the globe’s best places to spend activity-packed sleepless nights...
1. Stars and summer cruising, St Petersburg, Russia
What? With its bright summer nights and star-studded White Nights festival, when national and international stars give pop, rock and classical music concerts and opera performances all over town, lively and romantic St Petersburg fills with life during the summer months.
Buy watermelon from a street stand, stroll beside the mighty Neva River, see incomparable art treasures on show at The State Hermitage museum then head for the Mariinsky Theatre to watch performances by the world-famed Kirov Ballet.
When? July and August.
Don’t miss: A White Nights boat cruise at midnight to discover the canals of this Baltic seaside city known as the Venice of the North.
Stay where? Housed in a 19th-century palace, it has to be the sumptuous, brand-new Four Seasons hotel (www.fourseasons.com/stpetersburg), a few blocks from The State Hermitage museum. Rooms start from around Dh1,625.
Getting there: Emirates flies direct to St Petersburg from around Dh2,400.
2. Twenty four-hour madness, Tampere, Finland
What? With the help of Tampere’s tourist board, take a 24-hour Summer Madness tour of this charming lake-studded region in southern Finland. Highlights include pretending to be James Bond at The Spy Museum, the world’s first public museum of international espionage that was created in 1998; visiting Mänttä-Vilppula, a rural region surrounded by lakes that is a stronghold for Finland’s arty population and has half a dozen museums and art galleries; and luxuriating in a traditional smoke sauna at Peltola, a log-cabin-style Finnish farmhouse, at dawn.
When? End of June to mid-September.
Don’t miss: Dining on delicious local specialities in gourmet restaurant Ravintola Näsinneula, a 168-metre-tall, revolving tower recently voted one of the world’s top 10 revolving restaurants.
Stay where? Panoramic lake views, fine dining and elegant rooms make Villa Hepolahti (www.villahepolahti.com/en) one of the region’s best addresses. From Dh10,761 for one week in a villa that sleeps six.
Getting there: Air France has flights, via Paris and Helsinki, to Tampere from around Dh3,200.
3. SOULstice and street markets, Santa Monica, California, USA
What? Whether it’s twilight festivals of live music on the pier, night markets where you can taste local food and watch craftsfolk at work, or the Main Street Summer SOULstice festival with food, fashion and great music, Santa Monica might not have 24-hour sun in summer, but it certainly offers 24-hour fun.
When? July to September.
Don’t miss: The city’s very own white night event, called Glow, a 24-hour cultural festival in September with live music and various cultural events, including cutting-edge art exhibitions all over town.
Stay where? Shutters on the Beach (www.shuttersonthebeach.com) is a stylish, beach-style hotel near the pier with outdoor pool and full-service spa. Breakfast package from Dh1,836 a night.
Getting there: Emirates has direct flights from Dubai to Los Angeles from around Dh6,650.
4. Endless nights and pretty sites, Svalbard, Norway
What? Europe’s northernmost tip, Svalbard in Norway has white nights from April to the end of August. Famed worldwide for its vast open spaces and pristine landscapes, come here during the short summer season when the snow melts to watch massive polar bears and chunky caribou frolic in tundra vegetation, then sample seal and reindeer in gourmet restaurants like Huset (www.huset.com/en) before visiting Spitsbergen Airship Museum to marvel at polar exploration exhibits.
When? April to the end of August.
Don’t miss: Heading out on a midnight-sun dog sledding trip with Arctic adventures.
Stay where? Basecamp Trapper’s Hotel (www.basecampspitsbergen.com), is a luxuriously atmospheric lodge, decked out with sealskins and driftwood. Double rooms from Dh1,234 per night with breakfast.
Getting there: KLM has flights from Dubai to Åalesund, via Amsterdam, from Dh5,141.
Changing lives is child’s play
Jeremy Paxman: If you ask me, I’m just a hack
Royals raise awareness for the care of terminally ill children
Delhi gang rape victim’s friend ‘tortured by guilt’
‘I’m £25,000 more beautiful than I was before’
'I have no memory of my wedding day'
Eat. Pray. Love: Dubai desert safari, spa heaven and more
How to survive a zombie apocalypse
Eight ways to beat the blues
City clickers
Ten ways to keep your feet in top shape
5. Geothermal baths and foraging, Reykjavik, Iceland
What? Famed for its myths, spending white night season in Iceland is almost a mystical experience. Bathe in hot steams at Laugardalslaug, Iceland’s largest geothermal pool, shop for Angora wool sweaters and sapid local chocolate along on Laugavegur Street, find out more about Iceland’s myths and legends at Culture House, then dine on succulent foraged food at Dill restaurant (www.dillrestaurant.is).
When: June to September.
Don’t miss: A white night hike with Go Ecco (www.goecco.com) to discover Iceland’s pristine landscapes, followed by a swim in a geothermal heated river and storytelling around a campfire.
Stay where? Contemporary design venue 101 Hotel (www.101hotel.is) combines charm and stylish comfort in downtown Reykjavik. Rooms from Dh1,575 per night.
Getting there: KLM and Icelandair have flights from Dubai to Reykjavik, via Amsterdam, from Dh11,577.
6. Culture and cool nights, Paris, France
What? Maybe it’s a long trek from the arctic circle, but Paris’s balmy summer evenings, superb sites and round-the-clock cultural events make France’s chic capital an ideal white night destination. Take a cruise on the Seine, see Mona Lisa at The Louvre, shop along the glittering Champs Élysées, then have a long lazy dinner at Georges, the Pompidou Centre’s chic rooftop restaurant.
When? July to October.
Don’t miss: The city’s official Nuits Blanches White Night festival in October, a vast all-night cultural festival with art and culture events happening all over town.
Stay where? With stunning views over The Eiffel Tower, Michelin-starred dining and myriad luxury touches, The Shangri-La (www.shangri-la.com/paris) is an ideal base for the world’s most romantic city. Dh3,875 for the Summer in Paris package, valid until September.
Getting there: AirFrance has flights from Dubai to Paris from Dh3,713.
7. Hip happenings and hot design, Toronto, Canada
What? A city that never sleeps in summer, Toronto has plenty to keep night owls occupied during the warmer months.
Discover hot design ware, including Christian Louboutin’s extravagant footwear, at the Design Exchange; buy cutting-edge clothing at celebrity-studded Holt Renfrew shopping gallery; relax with a sumptuous treatment at The Windsor Arms Hotel Spa, then spend the rest of the night enjoying fine food and cultural events around the hip-and-happening Queens Quay area.
When? July to October
Don’t miss: From sunset to sunrise on October 5 this year, Toronto’s white night festival showcases the work of hundreds of renowned artists, including globally famed Ai Weiwei of China.
Stay where: The classically luxurious Hotel Le Germain (www.germainmapleleafsquare.com) is an elegant boutique oasis a few steps away from the city’s bustle. Romance package from Dh1,233 per night.
Getting there: United Airlines has flights from Dubai to Toronto, via Washington from Dh4,497.
8. White nights and whiter slopes, Niseko, Japan
What? A tiny town near Mount Yōtei in the northern island of Hokkaido, Niseko has invented its own version of white nights, offering what aficionados have dubbed ‘the best night skiing in the world’, while world-class outdoor recreation keeps visitors on their toes around the clock in summer, too. Relax in onsens (hot springs) dotted all over the region, take a hike over the striking mountain ranges, listen to live music in the city’s numerous cultural venues, then make your own in one of the resort’s karaoke bars.
When? All year, depending on the kind of white night you’re seeking.
Don’t miss: Sampling sushi, sashimi and other traditional specialities in the town’s excellent restaurants.
Stay where? Exclusive designer lodge Kimamya (www.kimamaya.com) is a spa haven with nine rooms at the heart of Niseko. Rooms start from around Dh660 a night.
Getting there: Korean Air has flights from Dubai to Sapporo Chitose, via Seoul, from Dh5,574.
9. Night shopping and summer fun, Seoul, South Korea
What? Whether you want to shop at midnight or get a pedicure at sunrise, South Korea’s capital is a white-night-er’s heaven. Stroll alleys lined with traditional Hanok houses in historic Bukchon, hike to the top of Bugaksan Peak for panoramic views over the city, sip on the perfect brew in one of Seoul’s ancient tea houses, then get your fix of late-night shopping in chic boutiques near Doosan Tower.
When: July to September.
Don’t miss: Seoul’s white night festival, called Open Night, in August when galleries, museums and palaces stay open until after midnight.
Stay where? At the heart of the hip Gangnam area, the Park Hyatt (www.seoul.park.hyatt.com) has elegant decor and panoramic views. Rooms from around Dh1,120.
Getting there: Korean Air flies direct from Dubai to Seoul from Dh3,549.
10. Beach fun and fine food, Crete, Greece
What? For party-loving Greeks every night is white night in summer, and Crete, the country’s biggest island, is a lively epicentre for all that round-the-clock fun. Visit Knossos, the fabled palace where the Minoans lived several thousand years ago, shop till you drop in the classy little town of Agios Nikolaos, swim from the beautiful sandy beach at Mochlos, then spend the night at one of the Cretan music festivals, which run from midnight to dawn all summer.
When: June to October.
Don’t miss: Matala, Greece’s biggest beach festival, a four-day extravaganza of jazz, rock and Cretan music and cultural events in July.
Stay where? With its private beaches and award-winning restaurants, choose The Domes of Elounda (www.domesofelounda.com). From around Dh2,000 per night.
Getting there: Emirates and Aegean operate flights from Dubai to Crete via Istanbul, from Dh2,599.
