On June 21, the Northern Hemisphere will experience the summer solstice this year. Summer solstice marks the longest day and shortest night of the year; in some areas in Scandinavia the sun never sets, known as midsummer night. The event occurs when the Earth’s North Pole reaches its maximum tilt toward the Sun, producing the most daylight of any day on the calendar. While it marks the start of summer, in Europe’s mountain regions it is also a time of centuries-old traditions, from enormous bonfires illuminating Alpine peaks to Midsummer festivals beneath Scandinavia’s midnight sun.
Long before ski lifts and gondolas arrived, mountain communities marked the summer solstice with bonfires, festivals, and rituals celebrating light, fertility, and the arrival of summer. Today, many of those traditions survive in the same valleys that become some of Europe’s most famous ski destinations each winter.
Austria’s Mountains of Fire
Perhaps nowhere is the solstice celebrated more dramatically than in Tyrol, Austria. Each June, thousands of volunteers climb mountains surrounding ski resorts such as Kitzbühel, St. Anton am Arlberg, and Zillertal Arena carrying torches and firewood. After dark, enormous symbols, including crosses, hearts, and religious motifs, are lit across entire mountainsides.
Known as the Herz-Jesu-Feuer (Sacred Heart Fires), the tradition dates back to 1796 when Tyroleans pledged their homeland to the Sacred Heart of Jesus during the Napoleonic Wars. Today, the fiery displays are recognized as part of Tyrol’s cultural heritage and attract thousands of visitors each year
Scandinavia’s Midsummer Celebration
Across Scandinavia, the summer solstice is celebrated as Midsummer (Midsommar), one of the most important holidays of the year.
In Sweden, communities gather around flower-covered maypoles, dance traditional folk dances, and share meals featuring pickled herring, potatoes, and strawberries. Similar celebrations take place across Finland and parts of Norway.
Unlike the Alpine celebrations centered around fire, Scandinavian traditions focus on daylight. Near the Arctic Circle, darkness barely arrives, creating a surreal atmosphere where festivities continue beneath a sun that never fully sets.
- Related: 9 Facts About Summer Solstice
Skiing Through the Solstice
For those die-hard ski fans who cannot help but associate the mountains with skiing, there are a few options to ski on summer solstice. Sweden’s Riksgränsen traditionally celebrates Midsummer while still offering skiing beneath the midnight sun. Meanwhile, Norway’s glacier ski areas, Stryn Summer Ski Centre and Galdhøpiggen Summer Ski Centre, typically remain open through June, allowing skiers to make turns during the same weekend many Scandinavians are dancing around maypoles.
In the European Alps, you can have a summer solstice ski at Zermatt’s glacier, the famous Stelvio Pass, Hintertux, Les Deux Alpes, and Tignes.
Bonfires Across the Alps
Summer solstice fires are not limited to Austria; many other Germanic regions celebrate with large bonfires in mountain regions of Bavaria, Switzerland, northern Italy, and parts of Slovenia. Historically, the fires were believed to ward off evil spirits, protect livestock, and ensure good harvests. In present days, these bonfires for summer solstices are often combined with St. John Fires, like many other modern celebrations which blend Christian and pre-Christian traditions.
For mountain fans, there is never a bad time to be out and about but for those who need an extra reason, summer solstice certainly is a spectacular reason to set out into the European mountains in summer.
