Iceland in June

There are so many things to do in Iceland during this month that you can’t get bored. From the Icelandic National Day to the biggest outdoor music festival of the year, everything is here to enjoy the perfect holidays. Between pleasant temperatures, longer days, and nice weather, June is definitely a great month to visit Iceland. Don’t hesitate and book your flight ticket for June!

• The majority of the highland roads will be back to open. 
• June 17 is Iceland’s National Day, celebrating independence from Denmark since 1944. 
• Late June is the time of the longest daylight hours and the Midnight Sun. 
• Puffins are here and are waiting to be adored! 
• A large part of Iceland is covered in lupines, the beautiful purple flowers blooming in June. 
• Northern Lights are not visible in June. 
• Since June is a peak season, it’s good to book everything in advance. 
• The prices during June are a little higher for accommodation and car rental

June is the first official summer month, followed by July and August. It is the beginning of peak season with long daylight hours and is a perfect time to explore Iceland. Let’s look into Iceland’s first summer month and what June weather looks like. 

June is one of the warmest months of the year. During this period, Reykjavík has an average temperature of 9°C (48°F). If you are lucky, the temperatures can go up to 15°C (59°F). Although June temperatures in Iceland generally range from 6°C (43°F) to 20°C (68°F), Icelanders will dress like it is 30°C (86°F) just because it is officially summer, even if the temperatures are not that high for others.

Iceland experiences nearly constant daylight throughout June. You can expect around 20-22 hours of sunlight with only a few hours of twilight in between, but it won't get completely dark. 

The exact daylight hours can vary slightly depending on your location in Iceland, but even in places where the sun dips below the horizon, the twilight keeps things quite bright. 

So, if you're planning a trip to Iceland in June, be prepared for long daylight hours and potentially some disrupted sleep patterns! You might want to consider bringing an eye mask for sleeping.

As the daylight is omnipresent, it is not possible to see the Northern Lights in June. You can instead chase after aurora borealis between September and April, which is the season of reduced light pollution and a higher chance of spotting the beautiful show. 

Yes, June in Iceland is the beginning of summer, but be on the lookout for some rain. While it's the month with the least rainfall on average, Iceland's weather is famously hard to predict. Expect a mix of sunny spells and rain showers, with around 11 days of rain being typical for June in Iceland.

Now you are probably wondering what kind of clothes you should pack, right? Dressing in layers is always the solution. You can bring shorts if you are not really sensitive to the cold, but don’t forget to bring some pants as the wind can be chilly. It’s a good idea to have thermal underwear if you are planning on exploring and doing some outdoor activities. A wool sweater and a good waterproof jacket are also a must, as well as good hiking shoes. 

June is a fantastic time to explore Iceland by car. With milder temperatures, driving and sightseeing become a comfortable adventure. Most importantly, summertime melts away winter snow, opening up most of the roads, including those in the rugged Highlands. 

While a regular car is enough for your ultimate road trip on the Ring Road, you will need a sturdy 4x4 to explore deeper regions of Icelandic Highlands or the Westfjords, handling the unpaved roads with potential river crossings.

You are likely to come across the captivating fields of lupines, the beautiful purple flowers blooming in June. These flowers, now synonymous with Icelandic summer, were brought to Iceland back in 1945 in hopes of enriching the local soil. Despite their foreign origin, the plants have been thriving ever since! In June, fields of purple, pink, and blue lupines bloom across the black sand beaches and rocky slopes, adding fascinating contrast against the dramatic scenery. 

There sure are sights to behold in Iceland, and June is the perfect time to see them! One of the best ways to sightsee Iceland is going on the Ring Road and checking in with its beautiful landmarks at your own pace. You can choose your own Ring Road itinerary and plan your ultimate Icelandic road trip as you prefer. 

First-timer or just want to make the most of your time in Iceland? Join the 6-day tour packed with breathtaking destinations for an authentic Icelandic experience.

June marks the ultimate switch to the summer hiking season in Iceland! The highlands, known for their remote, wild, and unique landscapes, become accessible, making them the prime destination for hikers seeking unforgettable adventures.

The Highlands occupy much of Iceland's inside and are very vast, featuring tall mountains, impressive glaciers, craters, and extensive lava fields. These unique features even attracted Apollo astronauts for training before their moon landing. 

Experiencing the stunning Highlands is a must for every traveler, but reaching them requires extra effort – access is limited to off-road vehicles during summer only. Joining a guided tour is the recommended way to explore this area.

If hot springs, ice caps, and glacial rivers are something you want to see while hiking in Iceland, then Kerlingarfjöll is paradise for you. With transport from Reykjavik, our Kerlingarfjöll hiking tour is the perfect way to escape the city.

Landmannalaugar is arguably the best-known hiking area in Iceland and is worth visiting for its colorful rhyolite mountains. The views of the nature reserve are especially humbling on a clear summer’s day.

You can access Landmannalaugar on foot with hiking and trekking tours or explore this beautiful region with a Super Jeep Safari. Landmannalaugar is located near the Hekla Volcano, the most famous active volcano surrounded by lava fields that will make you feel like you are in another world.

If you are in Iceland for many days and you enjoy hiking, then you should join a multi-day hiking tour to Laugavegur. This hiking trail is in the top 20 best hikes in the world according to National Geographic. The 55-kilometer-long route between Landmannalaugar and Thorsmork is the most famous trek in Iceland. Its scenic and extremely diverse landscape is going to blow your mind! 

If you want to know more about the most epic trail in Iceland, check out our complete guide to Laugavegur.

June is a great time for glacier hiking in Iceland. Longer and sunnier days allow better visibility and longer exploration times on the glaciers. Warmer temperatures also mean less extreme conditions compared to winter, but because glaciers are still very much icy environments, you’ll need a guided glacier tour for the best and safest experience. The views of the sparkling ice contrasted with the vibrant summer landscape are awe-inspiring, and the hike is beautiful and rewarding.

Want to explore on wheels? This Super Jeep tour on Vatnajökull offers thrilling glacier exploration in a sturdy 4x4.

Don’t forget your bathing suit! Swimming in Iceland is a huge deal, especially in the summer when the days are pleasant, and the conditions to take a relaxing dip are optimal. There are many natural hot springs and swimming pools around the island, thanks to Iceland’s incredible geothermal energy.

If you want to combine hiking and swimming, a unique tour to take in June would be the Landmannalaugar Hiking Tour & Hot Spring Hunt. What could be better than relaxing in a natural hot river, surrounded only by nature? There is a short 7-kilometer hike through a geothermal area before you enjoy the warm waters.

If you want to skip the walk and just enjoy the soak, you can visit the Secreet Lagoon or other geothermal pools that Iceland has to offer. 

And if you really want to dive deeper into Icelandic waters and experience the underwater wonderland, why not try snorkeling in Iceland between two continents? 

Something incredible that just reopens in June is the Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon kayaking. What an incredible experience to paddle between the huge icebergs! This is a truly magical place. Some icebergs are bright white, others are glacial blue and some have gray stripes, which is ash from old volcanic eruptions. 

Kayaking on Jökulsárlón, you will certainly encounter some seals on your way. They are sometimes seen playing around the ice chunks or just chilling on them, enjoying the sun. You can also spot seals on the Snæfellsnes peninsula, at Ytri-Tunga beach.

For outdoor enthusiasts who embrace their adventurous side, horse riding is definitely worth it! Ride the friendliest horses on Earth as they will lead you through the picturesque lava fields and along the mountains.

The puffins arrived one month ago, and now they are ready to show off their younglings! There are many places around Iceland to spot those cute little birds, but if you are staying in Reykjavik, you can join a puffin watching tour from the city’s harbor. 

Joining puffin tours is the ideal way to get really close to the colorful “Lundi,” as they call them in Icelandic. The guides will know exactly where to find them. The only time of the year to see puffins is from May to August, when the birdlife in Iceland is in full bloom.

The peak season for whale watching tours is also during the summer months. Even though they can be spotted all year round, the highest chance of seeing them is from April to September. Iceland is a perfect destination to spot whales in their natural habitat. 

During summer, there are over 20 different species of whales and dolphins. The most common are Minke, Humpback, and Harbor Porpoises! In the North of Iceland, there is a higher success rate of seeing them while on a whale watching boat tour. However, the chances of spotting a whale departing from Reykjavik stay high.

June in Reykjavik is a vibrant time to immerse yourself in local culture and cuisine, and one of the best ways to experience Iceland’s capital is through Reykjavik tours. Long summer days bathe the city in sunlight, perfect for strolling through the colorful streets and browsing the unique shops. 

Explore the National Museum to delve into Viking history, or catch a local band playing energetic Icelandic music in a cozy cafe. As for food, don't miss the chance to indulge in a Reykjavik Food Walk and savor fresh seafood, lamb dishes, and maybe even a bite of Hákarl, fermented shark – a daring but traditional Icelandic delicacy.

When the sun is out in Iceland, everyone is out too! Icelanders, just like anyone else, love spending sunny afternoons outside. Many people are going to Austurvöllur, which is a nice park by the city center, to have picnics or enjoy the sun.

Mount Esja, also called Esjan, is a great option for hikers who are staying in Reykjavík. Only a 30-minute drive from the Icelandic capital, Mount Esja is easy to climb, especially during summer. It is 914 meters (2,999 feet) high, and the path is well-marked. Plus, it is really simple to get there if you don’t have a car as there are buses heading to this beautiful mountain.

Reykjavík is a lively city. Iceland has a wide range of local beers, and they are all delicious! Try the best bars in Reykjavík to taste the golden drinks everyone loves here. Partying under the midnight sun is a unique experience that you will never forget. Reykjavik’s nightlife, or “Djammith,” as Icelandic people say, is different here than in any other country.

The midnight sun is a natural phenomenon occurring every summer during the weeks around the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year. During this time, Iceland experiences extended daylight, with the sun dipping below the horizon but not completely setting. It is possible to observe this phenomenon in June and July, with not less than 18 hours of daylight. 

This period of the year is a great opportunity to explore Iceland without any time limit. This allows you to discover the wonderful landscapes at night, embracing the sun-lit atmosphere of this magical time. As you can guess, Reykjavík is buzzing this time of the year. 

Chasing the midnight sun is a unique experience that will also give you incredible picture opportunities. Don’t forget your camera to immortalize the unique moments! If you are in Reykjavik, you can go to the seashore and capture the picture-perfect Sun Voyager with Esja Mountain in the background. 

Iceland was a Danish colony from 1380 until 17 June, 1944. The date is the birthday of Jón Sigurðsson (1811-1879), the leader of the country’s independence movement. He was so important in the independence process that the Icelandic people honored him by choosing this date to celebrate and creating a public holiday.

To begin this special day, all of the church bells in Reykjavík are rung. Then, the Icelandic Government holds a ceremony outside the Icelandic House of Parliament (Alþingihúsið), in Austuvöllur Square. Afterward, there is a great parade to the cemetery near Suðurgata, where the Chairman of the City Council will place a wreath on Jón Sigurðsson’s grave. During the day, there are playgrounds for kids, many stalls selling cotton candy, hot dogs, and ice cream. A puppet show, dance entertainment, and a circus will keep children of all ages amused.

Iceland’s Independence Day is important for locals. Each year, an Icelandic woman will play Fjallkonan, ‘The Mountain Woman’. Dressed in the Icelandic National Costume, called Skautbúningurinn, she will recite poetry as part of the ceremony. At the end of the day, there is a concert with some Icelandic artists at Austurvöllur. An accordion ball is also held in the City Hall.

Jónsmessa, The Mass of John, is an Icelandic holiday named after John the Baptist, a Christian figure in the New Testament. It is celebrated on 24 June, blending in quite a few older Icelandic beliefs! It has been celebrated since the Viking times and is also known as the Midsummer Night.

During this special day, strange things are believed to happen around Iceland. It is believed that the hidden people (Huldufólk) come from their homelands. If you sit for a moment at a crossroads where the four roads lead to separate churches, elves would come and try to seduce you with gifts and food. If you ever follow them, you can go crazy, but if you succeed in resisting the temptation until dawn, the elves will vanish, and you can keep all the treasures. 

If you want to know more about elves and the global Icelandic folklore, join a multi-day tour with an experienced local guide.

Sailor’s Day, or Sjómannadagurinn, is a holiday dedicated to people involved in Iceland’s fishing industry, especially those working at sea. It is usually celebrated on the first Sunday of June in every coastal town and village around the island, honoring the role that fishermen have played in the history of Iceland. It has been celebrated annually since 1938 and became a legal public holiday for Icelandic fishermen in 1987. Grindavík, a fishing town not far from Keflavík Airport, is a great place to celebrate the special day, just 45 minutes away from Reykjavík. The scenery around Grindavík and the whole Reykjanes Peninsula is incredibly diverse and beautiful.

The Festival of the Sea is a festival celebrated in conjunction with the Fishermen’s Day. It is the biggest event held at Reykjavík’s harbor to honor the sailors (it is also celebrated all around the country). Among the activities are local parades, arts and crafts activities for children, food tastings, sailing competitions, and so much more! The festival is all about traditional Icelandic culture and the nation’s dependence on sailing and fishing. Most things offered by the festival are free of charge.

The Viking Festival is certainly the oldest and largest event of its kind in Iceland. Located in downtown Hafnarfjörður, the Viking Festival aims to demonstrate most aspects of Viking culture and traditions. There, you can discover Viking ships, cuisine, handicrafts, storytelling, archery, games, music, and so on. Without a doubt, battle reenactments are the main attraction for most people.

In 2024, the dates of the festival are 13-18 June, and the entrance is free! Be ready to learn how to throw spears and axes, shoot with bows and arrows, or simply go see a fortune-teller. Viking baptisms and weddings have already taken place during the festival, leaving the participants with an unforgettable day.

This multidisciplinary festival wants to highlight the creative intersection of different forms of art. Exhibitions and performances of contemporary and classical works occupy unconventional spaces in the capital as well as major cultural venues. Hundreds of artists from around the world come to perform and exhibit their work at the Reykjavik Arts Festival. For 2024, the dates of the festival are 1-16 June.

Mt. Esja Ultra has become the most popular mountain trail race in Iceland. Many Icelanders from the capital enjoy hiking, climbing, and running there. It is strongly recommended that runners have previous experience in long-distance trail running. It is very important to be physically fit for this event, which is considered to be the most difficult trail race in the country. 

The participants will have to run a 7-kilometer loop. Sounds easy? Well, they have to run this loop eleven times, making this a race over 77 kilometers, with ascents and descents along the way. For 2024, the race commences on the 15 June! 

The WOW Cyclothon is a big cycling event in Iceland. Actually, it is the largest cycle race in terms of the number of participants, and the longest road race in the whole country. The cyclists will ride all around the island, for a distance of 1358 kilometers (844 miles) within only 72 hours.

The race has four different categories: A, B, Solo and Hjólakraftur. A is for a team of 2-4 and B is for a team of 5-10. Hjólakraftur is specially designed for young people. WOW Cyclothon is also a great fundraising opportunity. Every year, the organization chooses a different charity.

The Color Run is a 5-kilometer (3-mile) race where runners are splashed with colorful powder. This event supports local charitable organizations for children's rights and welfare. It raises funds for the Icelandic Red Cross and The Benefit Society for Children with Disabilities. In 2024, the day of the run is 8 June!

The Midnight Sun Run, or Midnaetur Hlaup, is taking place on 20 June in 2024. It’s a good challenge if you like to run in a beautiful and unusual landscape. Running under the midnight sun is a unique experience. 

There are three different types of race. First is the half marathon (21 kilometers or 13 miles) for people above 15 years of age. Then, a 10-kilometer (6.2-mile) race for young people over 12 years old. And finally, a 5-kilometer (3-mile) race which is open to all age groups. After the race, all the participants are welcome to bathe at Laugardalslaug, the geothermal swimming pool close to the finish line.

June is an ideal time to visit Iceland, having pleasant weather, plenty of events and celebrations, the midnight sun, and ideal conditions for outdoor activities.

June is a popular time to see the glaciers in Iceland. The weather is milder for glacier hikes and tours, and the long daylight hours give you plenty of time to explore. Just remember to always go with a certified guide for safety!

No, Iceland experiences midnight sun in June, making it too bright to see the Northern Lights. The season for spotting aurora borealis is September to April.

Yes, driving in Iceland in June is considered easier than other times of year due to enhanced weather conditions.

June is a popular month in Iceland, so expect some crowds, especially at popular attractions.

June sees some rain in Iceland, but less than other months. It tends to be showers rather than constant rain.

Iceland in June may be cool, but not cold. Expect average temperatures around at least 9°C (48°F).

Layer up! Pack a fleece or sweater, waterproof jacket, and convertible hiking pants for Iceland's changeable June weather.

While June is mild for Iceland, thermals are a good idea for extra warmth, especially if you plan on being outdoors a lot.

Choose June for mild weather and fewer crowds, or July for warmth, but with more tourists.