Best time to visit Iceland

• “Summer really is the best time to go” ricksteves.com
• “Summer is the best time to visit Iceland” activeadventures.com
• “The best time to visit Iceland is June to August” adventures.is

5 of the 11 travel guides we read name these months.

1. January38°F / 29°F · 15 rainy daysChecking fares…Cold month in Reykjavik with strong winds and heavy snow; a high chance of northern lights on clear nights.The Thorrablot mid-winter festival and ice caves are the draws.Dark Music Days
2. February38°F / 29°F · 15 rainy daysChecking fares…Crowds drop in February, one of four lower-crowd months named.Reykjavik hosts the Winter Lights and Food & Fun festivals.Northern lights over Reykjavik
3. March40°F / 30°F · 14 rainy daysChecking fares…March is one of the best months for northern lights, around the equinox.March is one of the best glacier hiking months, per a guide quoted by the writer.
4. April44°F / 34°F · 12 rainy daysChecking fares…April marks the start of spring and the return of puffins.April and May are described as a quiet window as snow melts and wildflowers start.Puffins return to the Westman Islands · DesignMarch
5. May50°F / 39°F · 11 rainy daysChecking fares…Up to 20 hours of daylight by the end of the month.Puffins arrive in May.Reykjavik Arts Festival
6. Best timeJune55°F / 45°F · 9 rainy daysChecking fares…Midnight sun is strongest from the end of May to the start of June.Highland F-roads open between mid-June and early July.Midnight sun on the Arctic Circle at Grímsey
7. Best timeJuly59°F / 48°F · 10 rainy daysChecking fares…July is the warmest month, with parking and huts at capacity.Another source calls July the busiest tourist month.Þjóðhátíð in the Westman Islands
8. Best timeAugust57°F / 48°F · 12 rainy daysChecking fares…August is the busiest month, with Reykjavik Pride and Culture Night.After mid-August it gets colder and darker quickly.Reykjavik Culture Night (Menningarnótt)
9. September53°F / 43°F · 15 rainy daysChecking fares…September brings fall colors and the first northern lights.Some highland roads close by the end of September.Réttir sheep round-up
10. October46°F / 37°F · 13 rainy daysChecking fares…Peak fall color in the highlands, with most Ring Road routes still open.October pairs autumn colors with northern lights chances.Iceland Airwaves
11. November41°F / 32°F · 14 rainy daysChecking fares…Cooling temperatures with rain, wind and snow.The Iceland Airwaves music festival is early in the month.
12. December38°F / 29°F · 15 rainy daysChecking fares…The sun rises after 11:00 all month.Roughly 4 hours of daylight in December.New Year's Eve bonfires and fireworks in Reykjavík

Weather: Reykjavík averages from Icelandic Meteorological Office (1991 to 2020 averages), as listed in its climate table on Wikipedia.

• Dark Music DaysReykjavik, IcelandEvery January to February
• Northern lights over ReykjavikReykjavik and southern IcelandEvery February
• Puffins return to the Westman IslandsHeimaey, VestmannaeyjarEvery April to August
• DesignMarchReykjavik, Capital RegionEvery April
• Reykjavik Arts FestivalReykjavik, Capital RegionEvery May to June
• Midnight sun on the Arctic Circle at GrímseyGrímsey, off AkureyriEvery June to July
• Þjóðhátíð in the Westman IslandsHerjólfsdalur, HeimaeyEvery July to August
• Reykjavik Culture Night (Menningarnótt)Reykjavik, Capital RegionEvery August
• Réttir sheep round-upSkagafjörður and the northern valleysEvery September
• Iceland AirwavesReykjavíkEvery October to November
• New Year's Eve bonfires and fireworks in ReykjavíkReykjavíkEvery December to January

What is the cheapest month to go to Iceland?

One booking study names April as cheapest, followed by January and November.

What to be careful of in Iceland?

Weather changes quickly, with storms and strong winds that make driving harder; check road conditions.

• Best Places to Visit in Iceland20 places

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