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This summer the people of Sommarøy will again enjoy weeks of daylight before a sunset splashes orange into their sky.
Check out the extraordinary story behind the island of long life.
While activities are welcome around the clock, so is clocking out for a little while. “If we get tired, we’re fit to go after a nap on the sofa.” People who love naps: this is the place for you.
On June 13, 2019, some members of the town’s council met with a Norwegian member of parliament to discuss the practical and legal challenges of the initiative.
The law was never signed by the Norwegian authorities. In fact, it was discovered more recently that the main idea of the proposal was to incentivize the tourism and promote the islanders way of living internationally.
This way, the quirky little town has kept up its reputation as the land that time forgot.
Even without its timeless appeal, the island is a popular tourist destination due to its white sand beaches, traditional Rorbu fishing houses, and stunning natural scenery.
Throwing away time makes it difficult to keep up with the developed world’s strict schedules, but it has also built a strong bond between this community that dares to live differently.
One of the most common questions asked every day—a question that is likely being asked as you read this—is: What time is it? On one tiny island in northern Norway, they’re asking: Who cares?
Sommarøy is an island in West Tromsø, around 321 km (200 miles) north of the Arctic Circle. Its name means Summer Island, which is appropriate since the island offers more than two months' worth of non-stop summer. A dream come true for anyone who has ever wished that those long summer days would last forever.
Just in time for the summer solstice of 2019, this tiny island decided to make the lifestyle its residents have been living for years official by declaring itself the world’s first time-free zone. The idea didn't really go through, as the residents of Sommarøy didn't want to sign a law about something they already do. In fact, they all seem strangely relaxed about it, as if they have all the time in the world to figure it out...
If you think about it, this island’s philosophy, born of extreme solar circumstances, may be the antidote we all need in a world where we wake up to clocks, are controlled by strict schedules, constantly check our phones to see the time, and ultimately move in synchronized motion to the relentless ticking towards our final days. Yikes!
Check out this gallery to learn more about the island making time a thing of the past.
Discover the summer island getting rid of time
This Norwegian island may be the world's first time-free zone
TRAVEL Curiosity
One of the most common questions asked every day—a question that is likely being asked as you read this—is: What time is it? On one tiny island in northern Norway, they’re asking: Who cares?
Sommarøy is an island in West Tromsø, around 321 km (200 miles) north of the Arctic Circle. Its name means Summer Island, which is appropriate since the island offers more than two months' worth of non-stop summer. A dream come true for anyone who has ever wished that those long summer days would last forever.
Just in time for the summer solstice of 2019, this tiny island decided to make the lifestyle its residents have been living for years official by declaring itself the world’s first time-free zone. The idea didn't really go through, as the residents of Sommarøy didn't want to sign a law about something they already do. In fact, they all seem strangely relaxed about it, as if they have all the time in the world to figure it out...
If you think about it, this island’s philosophy, born of extreme solar circumstances, may be the antidote we all need in a world where we wake up to clocks, are controlled by strict schedules, constantly check our phones to see the time, and ultimately move in synchronized motion to the relentless ticking towards our final days. Yikes!
Check out this gallery to learn more about the island making time a thing of the past.