Lapland: Home of the midnight sun

SEND TO A FRIEND

18 SEPTEMBER 2003
There's something magical about Lapland. The region that conjures up Santa, snow and reindeer, is not only famed for its picture-perfect Christmas setting. During the summer months visitors are treated to another attraction – the midnight sun, a mystical phenomenon that transforms the lives of everything and everyone who lives there.

It is a land steeped in legend and overflowing with natural treasures where, in the middle of winter, the days are sunless except for the dramatic aurora borealis. Also known as the northern lights, this spectacular natural phenomenon resembles a firework display as it illuminates the sky.

MIDNIGHT STARS
Because of the way the Earth tilts on its axis, Lapland, and any place north of the Arctic circle,is bathed in sunlight day and night during the summer months. The sun never sets, remaining a striking orange orb hovering on the horizon. It is one of the world's most fascinating – and slightly unnerving – natural occurrences. All sense of time is confused and forgotten, with friends growing used to visiting each other in the middle of the night.

In fact, the phenomenon is behind one of the region's summer attractions, the Midnight Sun Film Festival. Established in 1986, the festival, which takes place in the scenic village of Sodankyla, features 24-hour-a-day film screenings which encourage guests to forget the clock. The relaxed spirit of the event means the Midnight Sun Film Festival attracts an array of movie buffs from around the world. Among the high-profile guests who have attended the unusual showcase are Terry Gilliam, Jonathan Demme and filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola.