Crossing the Arctic Circle at 66°33' North

Crossing into the Land of the Midnight Sun:

Arctic Circle Globe, Vikingen

Travel in Norway has many highlight moments and crossing the Arctic Circle is one of them.

This imaginary geographic border circles the earth at 66°33′ north and marks the border with the Land of the Midnight Sun.

When one crosses the Arctic Circle on a northbound Hurtigruten cruise in summer, you’re entering into the Land of the Midnight Sun and similarly when you we cross it on the southbound journey, you leave the southernmost point at which the Midnight Sun shines 24 hours a day on midsummer night’s eve.

However, as it’s winter, there is a period when the sun never rises above the horizon during the day and we’re in the land of darkness.

A globe has been built on the small island of Vikingen and we see this in the morning on our return journey.

Winter solstice – the shortest day of the year – when the Sun is at its most southern point in the sky occurred three days ago. It has already begun to move northwards again and from here on the days should start getting longer, but at 9:15 a.m. on Christmas Eve it’s pretty dark as can be seen from the photo.

I fail dismally in my attempt to get a decent shot, but luckily Tony did well.

Crossing the Arctic Circle on Christmas Eve is a memorable moment and an experience that’s almost as thrilling as reaching North Cape. Hurtigruten cruises have special Arctic Circle stamps that you can buy from the souvenir shop.