Season guide · Reykjavík · Iceland
Reykjavík in winter
November–March: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: (WT-en) Meltwaterfalls at English Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 1.0
Quick answer
Short days, snow, ice caves on organised tours and the best northern lights season; storms can close roads and cancel tours at short notice. Expect highs up to 4°C (39°F) and lows around -2°C (28°F), with about 71 rainy days across November–March.
Key facts
- Months
- November–March
- Temperatures
- -2°C (28°F) to 4°C (39°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 71
- Sea
- 5°C (41°F) to 6°C (43°F)
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in winter
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 3°C (37°F) | -2°C (28°F) | 15 | 5.3 h | 2/5 |
| February | 3°C (37°F) | -2°C (28°F) | 13 | 8.4 h | 3/5 |
| March | 4°C (39°F) | -1°C (30°F) | 14 | 11.5 h | 3/5 |
| November | 4°C (39°F) | 0°C (32°F) | 14 | 6.3 h | 2/5 |
| December | 3°C (37°F) | -2°C (28°F) | 15 | 4.2 h | 3/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 3°C (37°F) against a yearly 8°C (46°F), and 71 of the year's roughly 152 rainy days fall in these 5 months. Crowds rate 3/5 and hotel prices 3/5 on average.
What's on in winter
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- January: Þorrablót midwinter feasts begin (usually late January)
- February: Winter Lights Festival — light art and museum night (usually early February)
- February: Bolludagur — cream-bun day (Monday before Lent)
- November: Iceland Airwaves music festival (usually early November)
- December: The 13 Yule Lads arrive one by one (from 12 December)
- December: New Year's Eve bonfires and fireworks (31 December)
Good choices for winter
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
Architecture · Old Harbour
Harpa Concert Hall
The harbourside concert and conference hall, opened in 2011, is wrapped in a geometric glass facade designed with artist Ólafur Elíasson that reflects the changing sky and lights up after dark.
- Time needed
- 30–60 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- Rainy day
- After dark
- Photo spot
Museum · Vesturbær
National Museum of Iceland
Start at the settlement-era rooms and allow time for the medieval Valþjófsstaður church door.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
Museum · Öskjuhlíð
Perlan
A glass dome built on top of hot-water storage tanks on Öskjuhlíð hill houses the Wonders of Iceland nature exhibition, with a man-made ice cave, exhibits on glaciers and volcanoes and a planetarium show about the northern lights.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Views
- Nature
Experience · Laugardalur
Laugardalslaug geothermal pool
Shower thoroughly without a swimsuit before entering, as required; staff and locals take this rule seriously.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Active
Day trips in winter
- Snæfellsnes Peninsula (About 2.5 hours each way by car) — Often called Iceland in miniature, the peninsula has the much-photographed Kirkjufell mountain, the Snæfellsjökull glacier volcano, the black church at Búðir, seal colonies at Ytri Tunga and sea cliffs at Arnarstapi.
- Hveragerði and Reykjadalur hot river (About 40 minutes by car) — Above the greenhouse town of Hveragerði, a hike of about 3–4 km each way through the steaming Reykjadalur valley leads to a warm river where you can bathe surrounded by mountains, with simple wooden changing screens.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers
- Shoes with good grip for icy pavements
- A compact umbrella and waterproof shoes — rain is frequent
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is winter a good time to visit Reykjavík?
It is a trade-off: Short days, snow, ice caves on organised tours and the best northern lights season; storms can close roads and cancel tours at short notice. The best months overall are June–September.
+What is the weather like in Reykjavík in winter?
Highs of up to 4°C (39°F) and lows around -2°C (28°F), with about 71 rainy days over the season.