In winter, polar night blankets the city, and the sun never rises above the horizon from December to mid-January. This is prime time to hunt for the aurora borealis, take reindeer or husky sled rides, and hit the ski trails. Within city limits, you can head to the Nord Star and Yuzhny Sklon ski bases or the Ogni Murmanska resort, which offers floodlit slopes, snow tubing lanes, and spa areas.
Summer brings the polar day, with continuous daylight lasting from late May to late July. Visitors go sea fishing for cod and halibut, spot whales and dolphins in open waters, stroll around Lake Semyonovskoye with its floating fountain, or rent rowboats. For family fun year-round, check out the Murmansk Oceanarium with its performances by Arctic seals and bearded seals, the Enotopolis raccoon park, and the Skazka children's theme park.
The local events calendar features the First Sunrise celebration in January, the International Festival of the North with ice swimming races in March, the Gulf Stream sports festival with a run across Kola Bridge in autumn, the Made in the Arctic food fairs, and the Northern Character Film Festival.