Due to its extreme northerly location Murmansk experiences an annual 40-day long polar night from 3 December to 11 January. During this period, when the sun remains constantly below the horizon, a semi-twilight occurs each day for only a few hours around noon. For the rest of the time, the city is wrapped up in darkness.
Driving up to the Barents seashore feels like heading to the middle of nowhere. Ironically, in winter the drive is much smoother and twice faster — flattened snow compensates 40 km of unpaved road.