The world’s most iconic summer solstice celebrations | News
New research from AllClear Travel Insurance has analyzed search volume, TikTok hashtags and average temperatures in June to reveal the best events to celebrate the summer solstice around the world.
As the summer solstice approaches (June 20-21) and marks the longest day of the year when the sun reaches its highest point in the sky, cultures around the world are preparing to come together to celebrate with age-old traditions and festivities. But which ones are the best?
The top 10 most iconic Summer Solstice traditions around the world
Sweden’s Midsommar takes the top spot as the ultimate celebration of the summer solstice, with a score of 64 out of 100. As one of the biggest events of the year, people here immerse themselves in maypole dancing and enjoy traditional summer dishes to make the most of ‘white nights’. With a comfortable average temperature of 14°C in June, the weather is ideal for outdoor festivities without the risk of sweltering heat. The popularity also speaks for itself, with more than 132,300 TikToks and 12 million annual searches.
Summer Solstice at Stonehenge comes in second place, with a score of 33. Located in Wiltshire, England, and free to enter, people can watch the sun rise behind the ‘heel stone’ as its rays stream towards the center of the monument. Stonehenge was built in 2500 BC and was designed to align with the midsummer sunrise and midwinter sunset, making it one of the most iconic places to celebrate the longest day of the year. With a similar average June temperature to Sweden (15°C) and fewer searches (43,200), it has already established itself as an iconic event.
Rounding out the top three is the Summer Solstice at Giza, where the setting sun is perfectly aligned between the Great Pyramid and the Pyramid of Khafre. Since the ideal viewing location is in front of the Great Sphinx, people can enjoy watching the sun rise at one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. With a warmer June temperature of 28 degrees it’s the perfect place for those looking to enjoy a more humid evening, and with a much smaller search volume (360) it’s seemingly less popular than the other ranking events.
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