Netherlands · Europe

Longest and shortest day in Rotterdam

In Rotterdam, Netherlands, the longest day of 2026 is around the June solstice on Sunday, 21 June 2026, with 16h 43m of daylight, and the shortest is around the December solstice on Monday, 21 December 2026, with 7h 45m.

Rotterdam sunrise, sunset and day length on the 2026 solstices and equinoxes, in local time
Turning pointDateSunriseSunsetDay length
March equinoxFriday, 20 March 202606:4418:5512h 10m
June solsticeSunday, 21 June 202605:2222:0516h 43m
September equinoxTuesday, 22 September 202607:2719:4012h 13m
December solsticeMonday, 21 December 202608:4716:327h 45m
Rotterdam day length month by month (around the 15th)
MonthSunriseSunsetDay length
January08:4317:008h 17m
February07:5717:559h 58m
March06:5718:4611h 49m
April06:4620:3913h 53m
May05:4921:2815h 40m
June05:2222:0316h 41m
July05:4021:5516h 15m
August06:2621:0514h 40m
September07:1619:5712h 40m
October08:0618:4810h 42m
November08:0116:518h 50m
December08:4316:307h 48m

Why the day gets longer and shorter in Rotterdam

Earth's axis is tilted about 23.4 degrees, so as the planet orbits the Sun, Rotterdam leans toward the Sun for part of the year and away for the rest. When it leans toward the Sun the days lengthen and the Sun climbs higher; half a year later the opposite happens. The size of the swing depends on how far Rotterdam sits from the equator: the further away, the bigger the difference between the longest and shortest day.

Frequently asked questions about day length in Rotterdam

When is the longest day in Rotterdam?

The longest day in Rotterdam falls around the June solstice, on Sunday, 21 June 2026 in 2026, with about 16h 43m of daylight, sunrise at 05:22 and sunset at 22:05.

When is the shortest day in Rotterdam?

The shortest day in Rotterdam falls around the December solstice, on Monday, 21 December 2026 in 2026, with about 7h 45m of daylight, sunrise at 08:47 and sunset at 16:32.

How much does day length change through the year in Rotterdam?

Between the longest and shortest day, Rotterdam gains and loses about 8h 58m of daylight. The change is fastest around the March and September equinoxes and slowest near the solstices.

Every figure is computed from Rotterdam's coordinates with SunCalc, not looked up from a table.

Day length in nearby cities

More light in Rotterdam