Norway is known for its natural wonders and one small island has attracted attention for a very unique reason. Sommarøy, a tiny island in northern Norway, has chosen to live without clocks. Here, people
do not follow fixed time schedules. Daily life flows with the body’s natural needs, such as sleeping when tired and working when energy feels right. The reason behind this choice lies in Sommarøy’s unusual daylight pattern.
During summer, the sun stays in the sky all day and night for over two months. In winter, the island experiences long periods of darkness that last for nearly 70 days. With such extreme conditions, normal clock-based routines made little sense. So, the locals decided to drop them. In 2019, a resident named Kjell Ove Hveding took this idea further by asking the Norwegian government to recognise Sommarøy as a time free place.
Extreme Daylight Led To The Time Free Story
As per the video, “The only place in the world without time is located on the island of Sommeroy in Northern Norway. A little known place but one of stunning beauty. Here, there is no traditional 24 hour clock. Many residents have taken off their watches and hung them on the bridge that leads to the island as a symbol of their decision to forget about time. If you visit the island in the summer, you’ll experience 69 days of midnight sun and over 70 days of polar night. To fully enjoy the bright Sumer, the government does not require shops or schools to operate at set hours, this is known as the timeless mirror.”
“At 2 or 3 in the morning, it’s common to see people playing football, mowing the lawn or young people swimming. From November to February, every time you open the door, you can see the beautiful northern lights dancing in the sky as if you’ve entered a fairy tale world at the end of the earth. Because of this, the small island has been recognised as the most beautiful aurora island in the world. No one rushes you to do anything at a specific time. After all, there are no clocks in the morning and it’s not necessary to follow a strict routine. Here you are so free that eating and sleeping depend solely on what you feel. It’s hard not to be drawn to a place like this,” they added.
The video posted on X (Formerly Twitter) came with the caption, “The island of Sommeroy in Norway is the only place in the world without time. Residents have ditched their watches and left them on the bridge that leads to the island, as there is no 24 hour clock. There is over two months of midnight sun and two months of polar night. The population is 304. Would you live here?”
The island of Sommeray in Norway is the only place in the world without time.Residents have ditched their watches and left them on the bridge that leads to the island as there is no 24 hour clock. There is over two months of midnight sun and two months of polar night. The… pic.twitter.com/1S74nPWSE5
— Doreen Linder (@DorLinder) December 18, 2025
Truth Behind The Campaign
Later, it became clear that the story about living without time was not true. The idea was part of a promotion plan and was shared in a misleading way. Because of this, Innovation Norway’s director, Hakon Haugli, issued a public apology to the local newspaper Aftenposten. He admitted that the campaign was a mistake and said such actions will not be repeated. This situation was awkward for him, as he had only recently taken charge of the role. He explained that the plan was already made before he joined. According to him, being honest and clear is very important, and this mistake weakened their image and responsibility.
During this period, it was also reported that the failed campaign cost the Norwegian public a large amount of money. The total expense was said to be around 50,000 euros, which equals about 483,000 Norwegian kroner. This amount is close to what a government worker in Norway earns in a year. The money was mainly paid to public relations agencies based in Oslo and London.
