When does summer in Iceland start?

While most Icelandic people agree that the weather is more “summery” in June, the beginning of summer in Iceland is officially celebrated on the first Thursday after April 18th. In Icelandic, this day is called Sumardagurinn Fyrsti and it is an official holiday. The ironic part is that, historically, the weather is not very good on that day. If you had the opportunity to listen to Episode 5 of the All Things Iceland podcast, which is titled – What is Winter Like in Iceland?, you would have heard me mention that the winter and summer season start and end dates are according to the Old Norse calendar.  If you haven’t listened to that episode yet, I recommend checking it out. It is amazing how different these two seasons are.

If you only use the Old Norse calendar as your reference for the length of the summer season, it will amount to being about 26 weeks long.  It would be awesome if that were true but the reality is that the long, bright days and warmer weather only lasts about 3 months (June, July & August).  It is important to point out that this country is known for its unstable weather.  Summer in Iceland can vary from being rainy, windy and chilly to clear skies, relatively warm and not very windy. If you get a clear day, with sunshine and little to no wind in Iceland, it is like hitting the weather jackpot. The majority of Icelandic people take advantage of days like that by doing some kind of outdoor activity because it would be a shame to miss out on such awesome weather.

What is summer in Iceland like?

When visiting Iceland between June and August, you could theoretically experience a temperature change from a low of 6 degrees Celsius (44 degrees Fahrenheit) to a high of 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit). However, the temperature rarely gets that high. Realistically,  you can expect a range of 10 – 13 degrees Celsius (50 – 55 degrees Fahrenheit) as a high during the day. For most people, this temperature range is nowhere near the summer temperatures in their home country, but such is life in Iceland.

If you plan to visit during this time period, the best advice I have for enjoying summer in Iceland is to embrace unpredictability and pack lots of layers!  Waterproof, or at least water resistant, clothing will be your best friend here. Using an umbrella in this country is like wearing a big, red sign on your back that says you’re a tourist. Icelandic winds tend to blow the rain in a horizontal direction and on many days, the wind speed will break your umbrella like a twig. Save yourself the trouble of trying to wrestle an umbrella in the wind and stick with clothes designed to keep you dry.

Activities to do in Iceland during the Summer

If you enjoy being out in nature at all hours of the day, summer in Iceland is the perfect time for you to visit. There are a plethora of activities that you can do during the height of the day or during the midnight sun. Some of the most popular  activities are hiking, glacier walks, partying, cycling, road trips, whale watching, bird watching, horseback riding, driving a 4×4, going to a music festival, going to the local pool or nearby hot spring, camping and driving on rugged mountain roads in a super jeep. You can find a lot more activities with a quick search online.

When I first experienced the midnight sun on my second visit to Iceland, I felt as if I could stay awake forever. I visited during the summer solstice, the longest day of the year, and it was magical. However, the nonstop brightness confused my brain, and I kept thinking that I could easily stay up and do more activities. I eventually crashed, but I only slept for a few hours at a time. While it is fun to feel like the day is never going to end, the downside is that most people in Iceland still have to go to work and keep some kind of schedule during the week. You might be asking yourself, “How does one cope with 24 hour brightness?”

Some people, including myself, use blackout shades or curtains to block as much light as possible from streaming in. I also use a face mask to ensure that it is completely dark. That might seem like overkill but it works for me, so I stick with it.  Many Icelandic people will tell you that they rest just fine without a curtain or mask. They just close their eyes and go to sleep. Of course, they’ve had the advantage of being raised in this environment, so many of the have adapted to the brightness. Thankfully, the rest of us have methods to cope. I recommend at least bringing a face mask to wear for when you plan to sleep.

That was a little taste of what summer in Iceland is like. I encourage you to check it out for yourself.

The Icelandic Word of the Episode

The Icelandic phrase of this episode is Gleðilegt Sumar. Listen to the podcast at 9:01 to hear how it is pronounced and what it means. I also shared a random fact about Iceland during this episode at 8:15. Check it out.

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Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að lesa ( og að hlusta). Sjáumst fljótlega!

Thank you kindly for reading (and listening). See you soon!