Season guide · Reykjavík · Iceland
Reykjavík in summer
June–August: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Helmut Seger, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Midnight sun, mild 12–15 °C days, open highland roads and whale and puffin trips; the busiest and most expensive season. Expect highs up to 14°C (57°F) and lows around 7°C (45°F), with about 32 rainy days across June–August. June–August are among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- June–August
- Temperatures
- 7°C (45°F) to 14°C (57°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 32
- Sea
- 9°C (48°F) to 11°C (52°F)
- Crowds
- Very busy
- Hotel prices
- Highest
Weather in summer
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June | 12°C (54°F) | 7°C (45°F) | 10 | 21 h | 5/5 |
| July | 14°C (57°F) | 9°C (48°F) | 10 | 19.7 h | 5/5 |
| August | 14°C (57°F) | 8°C (46°F) | 12 | 16.4 h | 5/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 13°C (55°F) against a yearly 8°C (46°F), and 32 of the year's roughly 152 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 5/5 and hotel prices 5/5 on average.
What's on in summer
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- June: Icelandic National Day — parades and concerts (17 June)
- June: Summer solstice celebrations (around 21 June)
- August: Reykjavík Pride (usually early to mid-August)
- August: Culture Night and the Reykjavík Marathon (usually a Saturday in late August)
Good choices for summer
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 · Árbær
Árbær Open Air Museum
More than 20 relocated buildings, including turf-roofed farmhouses, a turf church and 19th-century town houses, form a small village showing how Reykjavík lived before the 20th century.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Kids
- Architecture
Museum · Grandi
Whales of Iceland
Visit before or after a whale-watching trip; it helps children understand what they will or did see.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
Day trips in summer
- South coast waterfalls and Vík (About 2.5 hours each way by car) — Route 1 east passes Seljalandsfoss, which you can walk behind, and the 60-metre curtain of Skógafoss before reaching the black-sand beach of Reynisfjara and the village of Vík.
- Blue Lagoon (About 45 minutes by car or coach) — Iceland's most famous geothermal spa sits in a lava field on the Reykjanes Peninsula, with milky-blue mineral water and silica mud masks.
What to pack
- Layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings
- A compact umbrella and waterproof shoes — rain is frequent
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is summer a good time to visit Reykjavík?
Yes: June–August are among the best months. Midnight sun, mild 12–15 °C days, open highland roads and whale and puffin trips; the busiest and most expensive season.
+What is the weather like in Reykjavík in summer?
Highs of up to 14°C (57°F) and lows around 7°C (45°F), with about 32 rainy days over the season.