Month guide · Reykjavík · Iceland
Reykjavík in May
What May is really like in Reykjavík: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Helmut Seger, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
May is a shoulder-season month. Expect average highs of 10°C (50°F), lows of 4°C (39°F), about 10 rainy days and roughly 18.3 hours of daylight. Bright nights, migrating birds and puffins arriving; many highland roads remain closed.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 10°C (50°F) / 4°C (39°F)
- Rainy days
- About 10
- Daylight
- About 18.3 hours
- Sea temperature
- 7°C (45°F)
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in May
May is the 5th-warmest month in Reykjavík: days average 10°C (50°F) against a yearly average high of 8°C (46°F), and nights fall to about 4°C (39°F). Rain falls on roughly 10 of its 31 days. Compared with April (6°C (43°F)), May is warmer; by June highs climb to around 12°C (54°F).
- Sunrise (15 May)
- About 04:12
- Sunset (15 May)
- About 22:36
- Daylight
- About 18.3 hours
- Sea
- 7°C (45°F)
Spring (April–May). Fast-lengthening days, migrating birds and puffins arriving, quieter roads and lower prices, but snow in the highlands and many mountain roads still closed.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, May rates 3 for crowds (the peak is June at 5) and 3 for hotel prices (highest in June). Prices sit in the middle of the year's range.
Events in May
May has no major recurring festival in Reykjavík, which usually means easier bookings.
What to do in May
With cold days, plan around indoor sights and keep outdoor time flexible.
Museum · Öskjuhlíð
Perlan
Use it as a rainy-day substitute for glacier and aurora experiences, especially with children.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Views
- Nature
Experience · Laugardalur
Laugardalslaug geothermal pool
Reykjavík's largest public pool has a 50-metre outdoor pool, a row of hot tubs at different temperatures, a steam bath, a cold tub and a water slide, all heated by geothermal water.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Active
Gallery · Downtown (101 Reykjavík)
Reykjavík Art Museum – Hafnarhús
Check whether your ticket covers all three sites and visit Kjarvalsstaðir in Klambratún park the same day.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Rainy day
Museum · Grandi
Whales of Iceland
Life-size models of 23 whale species found in Icelandic waters hang in a dimly lit hall in the Grandi harbour district, including a blue whale model of around 25 metres.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
What to pack
For highs near 10°C, lows near 4°C and 10 wet days: a warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers; a packable rain jacket for showers; comfortable walking shoes.
Is May a good time to visit Reykjavík?
A shoulder-season month. If your dates are flexible, June–September are better overall. Compare every month.
Reykjavík in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is May a good time to visit Reykjavík?
It is a shoulder-season month. Bright nights, migrating birds and puffins arriving; many highland roads remain closed.
+How warm is Reykjavík in May?
Average highs are around 10°C (50°F) and lows around 4°C (39°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Reykjavík in May?
Expect rain on about 10 days of the month.