When to go · Reykjavík
Reykjavík in December
Mixed month. Very short days; Christmas lights and closures Dec 24–26.
Key facts
- Verdict
- Mixed
- Temperature
- 2°C (36°F)36°F (2°C) / −2°C (28°F)28°F (−2°C)
- average high / low
- Rain days
- 17
- Crowds
- Medium
- Iceland overall
- Prices
- High
- Iceland overall
Verdict
Very short days; Christmas lights and closures Dec 24–26.
All twelve months in one grid — weather, crowds and prices, with gaps left as unknown.
Is another month better than December?
December is rated mixed. These months rate higher:
Weather in December
- ReykjavíkHighs around 2 °C (36 °F), lows around -2 °C (28 °F), rain on about 17 daysHighs around 36 °F (2 °C), lows around 28 °F (-2 °C), rain on about 17 days
- Reykjavík and the south-west, Iceland · Reykjavík, Golden Circle, Reykjanesstorm or typhoon risk
Mild and windy: around 0 °C (32 °F) in January, 12–14 °C (54–57 °F) in July. About 21 h of daylight in June, 4–5 h in late December.Mild and windy: around 32 °F (0 °C) in January, 54–57 °F (12–14 °C) in July. About 21 h of daylight in June, 4–5 h in late December.
Winter season
Northern Lights, lit streets and hot pots in the snow.
Watch: Very short days, storms and road closures.
Festivals and holidays
Dates as our data lists them. Moving holidays (lunar and Islamic calendars, Easter) shift every year: check the date for your year before you build a trip on it.
Christmas lights and markets
From late November to Christmas · Austurvöllur and Laugavegur
Lit streets, Yule Lads stories and stalls; crowds on Laugavegur.
Christmas Eve to New Year check
24–26 December and 31 December to 1 January · Whole city
Most shops and restaurants close for part of the day; New Year’s Eve fireworks are big.
Christmas and New Year
Dec 24–26 and Jan 1
Most shops and restaurants shut for part of the day; check each place.
Crowds and prices
- Crowds · Iceland overall
- Medium
- Prices · Iceland overall
- High
Iceland overall: Darkest month, Christmas lights and fireworks; storms can close roads for days.
High-price month: see what to book ahead.
Compare two months
Weather, crowds and prices for any two months in Reykjavík, side by side.
Verdict
Dec: Mixed
Jun: Great (better)
Daytime high
Dec: 2 °C (36 °F)36 °F (2 °C)
Jun: 12 °C (54 °F)54 °F (12 °C)
Night low
Dec: -2 °C (28 °F)28 °F (-2 °C)
Jun: 7 °C (45 °F)45 °F (7 °C)
Rain days
Dec: 17
Jun: 12 (better)
Crowds
Dec: Medium
Jun: High
Prices
Dec: High
Jun: High
Festivals listed
Dec: 3
Jun: 3
December: Very short days; Christmas lights and closures Dec 24–26.
June: Midnight sun; the busiest and best-lit month.
Reykjavík: figures are long-term averages from this guide, not a forecast.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat and gloves for mornings and evenings
- A rain jacket or umbrella and shoes that dry fast
- A spare day in the plan: storms can cancel flights and ferries