The weather
in Iceland
The common misconception about Iceland is that it is always icy and cold. This is however, only partly true. The Eastern Fjords can often reach up to 25°C in the height of summer. Iceland is a beautiful country and each season has its draws. Do you like your waterfalls cascading down the green mountain sides into a refreshing pool below? Or do you like them frozen in an ice curtain? Creeping down into the unknown caves behind. The countryside is a lush, verdant playground in the summer with Icelandic ponies grazing in the fields. In winter, it’s a scene straight out of Game of Thrones, with glaciers, eerie frozen lakes and dark, cosy evenings spent wrapped in blankets, cradling an Icelandic favourite - Viking Gold beer.
Travel Tip
Bring clothing for all weather - it is very unreliable! It’s not unusual to experience heavy rainfall, snow, sunshine and strong winds in one day. Layers are king - especially when searching for the northern lights.
Best time to visit Iceland
Working out the best time for an Iceland holiday can be tough. The weather is notoriously unpredictable! Iceland follow the Norse Calendar of two seasons with winter beginning at the end of October and summer starting mid April. If you're there to see the northern lights, the best time is February - March or September - October when the skies are the clearest. Read more about ‘The Northern Lights’ here.
June - July experience the bizarre phenomenon of the ‘Midnight Sun’. This happens when the sky remains in a permanent state of sunset throughout the night as it doesn’t dip far enough below the horizon.
Hiking and driving around the country is best done in summer (July - August) as many of the roads are closed from September - June, due to heavy snow and ice. If you’re there for the sealife, pods of Orcas visit during February to March.
Festivals and public holidays
Iceland has an incredible amount of festivals and holidays, especially for such a small country. And with an additional 15 bank holidays a year, they have lots of time to celebrate! Due to the history and traditions of Iceland, festivals are steeped in folklore and magic. Holidays are a time for extended families and friends to come together and celebrate their culture, usually with much feasting and and of course, drinking!
January
In Iceland, Christmas carries on well into January and on the 6th Day it is ‘Twelfth Night’. This is celebrated all over the country with bonfires, fireworks and processions of elves, trolls and Yule Lads. It is believed that the ‘hidden people’ of Iceland finally come out again on this day! Today is also thought of as the ‘dreaming time’ when cows can speak and seals can take on human forms!
February
From mid-January to mid-February, Icelanders celebrate the ancient month of Thorri, which is steeped in tradition dating back to Viking times. Cooking traditional foods in the traditional manner to enjoy at the traditional Thorri Feast. Delicacies include seared lamb’s head, fermented shark, ram’s testicles and smoked lamb - washed down of course with the ‘burning wine’ - ‘Brennivin.
March
If you enjoy your pastries, the 4th March is a great time to visit Iceland. Bolludagur (bun day) is how Iceland celebrates the feast before the fast. Two days before lent, bakeries and chefs create pastries filled with cream and drizzled with chocolate for people to give as gifts. The gift giving begins when someone spanks someone else with a specially decorated stick - if they get you first, you have to buy them a Bolla!
April
Easter is a big national holiday in Iceland with most shops closing on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday. According to law, all parties and celebrations are prohibited on Good Friday, but many Icelanders gather to play bingo in Reykjavik to protest these laws. This is also a popular time for family skiing.
May
From May 18 - June 3, Reykjavik Art Festival celebrates every form of art imaginable from contemporary to traditional. Each year brings numerous performances, shows, talks and some incredible live installations - often with groups of people hanging above the crowds in various extraordinary formations!
June
Summer Solstice (June 21st) is celebrated all over the world, but due to the phenomenon of the Midnight Sun it’s extra special in Iceland. Add that to the mystical, magical Icelandic folklore, it makes for a pretty interesting festival! Expect huge gathered feasts, bonfires, walking tours through national parks and an epic ‘Secret Solstice Music Festival’.
August
Culture Night in mid-August is one of the biggest celebrations of the year in Iceland. With over 100,000 attendees, this is the most popular festival in the country. All over the city in parks, bars and streets, people celebrate their culture with performances, cabarets, music and dancing - and after the day celebrations, expect a huge party!
September
September sees Iceland’s jazz festival of the year, held in the capital over five days. Famous jazz musicians arrive from across the world for this ever-popular event, and for fans there’s everything ranging from traditional jazz to gospel, Latin-jazz to contemporary. Expect jazz processions and incredible music filling every corner of the city.
October
On October 9th, around 2000 Icelanders sail over to Viðey Island to share a moment of peace whilst witnessing the relighting of the Imagine Peace Tower - an installation created by Yoko Ono as a tribute to John Lennon and his vision of World Peace. The installation is in the shape of a wishing well with the words ‘imagine peace’ inscribed in 24 languages.
November
Iceland Airwaves is one of the biggest music festivals in the country where up-and-coming Icelandic bands play alongside world-famous artists. People travel from all over the world to attend the many different shows dotted around Reykjavik. Bands perform in anything from bars to theatres, cafes to bookshops. The whole town becomes immersed in music.
December
Christmas is a big celebration in Iceland. The official beginning is 23rd December when Icelanders traditionally eat fermented shark to mark the end of the Christmas feast. However, in Iceland, Christmas continues until 6th January! Christmas day is celebrated on 24th December, with a traditional (and formal) family dinner, exchanging gifts after. They tend to decorate extensively, both inside and outside their homes to brighten up the winter days.
