This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK).<\/p>\n
\u2018Rage, rage against the dying of the light,\u2019 wrote Welsh poet Dylan Thomas in 1947. A metaphor, admittedly, but cut to 2026 and another poet laureate advises an altogether different approach. Amsterdam-born writer Marjolijn van Heemstra has become the flag-bearer for a revival of the lost Dutch art of schemeren (dusking). There\u2019s no equipment necessary, and both urban and rural settings will do \u2014 simply go outside, sit and spend 30 to 40 minutes watching as twilight turns into darkness. \u201cIt\u2019s an act of resistance against the absurd idea that every second must be spent usefully,\u201d says Marjolijn in an essay published by multimedia website Big Think.<\/p>\n
Schemeren used to be common in the Netherlands \u2014 a fact Marjolijn accidentally discovered while chatting with an octogenarian, who was taking part in one of the night walks she regularly leads in her home city. Subsequent research uncovered mentions of the practice in newspapers published between the 18th and early 20th centuries. Marjolijn has since spearheaded dusking\u2019s renaissance through her own writing \u2014 her book Nacht Gids (Night Guide) will be published in English in 2027 \u2014 and by organising communal dusking events, where participants listen to an audio recording combining a narrative on dusking with soothing music.<\/p>\n
Popular places in the Dutch capital include the Amstel riverbank and waterfront cultural space Mediamatic, while the southern city of Eindhoven hosts regular sessions at Parktheater. Marjolijn is also working to expand the custom countrywide \u2014 and abroad. The North York Moors National Park ran its first dusking sessions earlier this year and plans on bringing it back for its Dark Skies Fringe Festival (23 October to 1 November).<\/p>\n
These events are an opportunity to connect with others, as well as tune into the rhythms of nature. Distinct from the more established convention of sunset-watching \u2014 essentially a celebration of light \u2014 dusking is about embracing the shadows and letting your imagination roam free. \u201cTwilight reminds us that we live in slow but continuous transformation \u2014 that day and night are not opposites but intertwined,\u201d says Marjolijn. \u201cIt\u2019s not coincidental that twilight is the time when, according to legends, a human can merge with a bat, a wolf or the mist.\u201d<\/p>\n
More twilight ritualsStarling murmurations, UK<\/p>\n
During winter, British and migrant starlings join forces for a majestic dusk display, with thousands of birds swooping overhead before settling to roost for the night. Hotspot locations include wetlands such as the Somerset Levels and Lancashire\u2019s Leighton Moss, plus coastal landmarks such as the piers in Brighton.<\/p>\n
The Paseo, Spain<\/p>\n
This leisurely twilight amble is an expression of cultural identity, an opportunity for Spaniards to connect with their community during the last embers of the day. Coastal promenades and tree-lined avenues are ideal \u2014 try Marbella\u2019s Paseo Mar\u00edtimo, a four-mile seafront route linking the city\u2019s old town with glitzy Puerto Ban\u00fas, or Valencia\u2019s Turia Garden, a repurposed riverbed lined with orange trees, pines and palms.<\/p>\n
Aperitivo, Italy<\/p>\n
With roots in the Latin verb \u2018aperire\u2019 (\u2018to open\u2019), these drinks are designed to both stimulate the appetite before dinner and serve as a liquid buffer zone between work and home. The ritual took off in 1920s Milan, rising to prominence alongside local spirit Campari, a key ingredient in classic aperitivo cocktails. Try them among the sparkling chandeliers of Bar Basso, perennially popular with the city\u2019s most fashionable people.<\/p>\n
Published in the July\/August 2026 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK).<\/p>\n