Icelanders are very much into celebrating life, be it an ordinary Friday or Bolludagur (the cream puff say) you will see some signs of it. People saying “SKÁL” at the local bars or every single bakery has a line. A few years ago this would have meant that during National Holidays everything would be closed but now, with the tourism booming, this really isn’t the case.
Today you can get a meal at a restaurant or at your hotel and will not go hungry even if you are visiting over a National Holiday which is a big step upwards from our first days with tourist visiting. Icelanders would simply close everything down with little to no warning.
What Icelanders still take quite seriously are Christmas and Easter but if you are looking to visit a touristy place, for example, let’s say the Blue Lagoon, it will be open all year round just for a shorter time on the holiest of days.
In this article, we will first mention the days that might result in changes opening times but later the most interesting days Icelanders celebrate. Enjoy!
Nýársdagur or New Year’s Day – 1st of January
Skírdagur or Maundy Thursday – the last Thursday before Easter
Föstudagurinn Langi or Good Friday – the last Friday before Easter
Páskar or Easter – March or April (changes annually)
Sumardagurinn fyrsti or First Day of Summer – The first Thursday after the 18th of April
Verkalýðadagurinn or Labour Day – 1st of May
Uppstigningardagur or Ascension Day – May or June (changes annually)
Hvítasunnudagur or Whit Sunday and annar í Hvítasunnu or Whit Monday – May or June (changes annually)
Þjóðhátíðardagur Íslendinga or Iceland’s National Day – 17th of June
Frídagur Verslunarmanna or Commerce Day or Shopkeeper’s Day – the first Monday in August
Aðfangadagur or Christmas Eve – 24th of December
Jóladagur or Christmas Day – 25th of December
Annar í jólum or Boxing Day – 26th of December
Gamlárskvöld or New Year’s Eve – 31st of December
Janúar – January
Febrúar – February
Mars – March
Apríl – April
Maí – May
Júní – June
Júlí – July
Ágúst – August
September – September
Október – October
Nóvember – November
Desember – December