Summer season (late June to late September) is a favorite time for travelers to visit the island and for very good reason. In this article, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about this season in-depth such as the weather, what to pack, what to do, and some of the best places to visit in Iceland during the summer.
This article can act as a roadmap for your upcoming trip, to help you with your planning as well as give a few ideas in regards to your trip itinerary.
The Pros and Cons of Spending Iceland in Summer
There are always two sides to a coin and the crowd-favorite summer months are no exception. To help you decide whether a summer trip to the island is for you, we’ve created this handy pros and cons overview:
Pros
The weather is amazing. Temperatures are warm (in Iceland terms, of course) and the storming rains and extreme Icelandic winds have taken a break.
Daylight hours are beyond anything you’ve ever experienced. In fact, at the height of the season, you can experience daylight for 24 hours! This Iceland phenomenon is world-renowned and called the Midnight Sun.
Definitely a must-see in Iceland during the summer months. All these extra daylight hours also come in pretty handy if you’ve got a lot of Iceland things to do on your summer trip.
Driving in Iceland in summer is a breeze. The treacherous wet and icy roads of the colder months are a thing of the past and all the roads are open for you to go on that road trip.
If you’re a lover of wildlife, this is the season for you to come and visit the island as you get spoilt with sightings of migratory whales as well as Puffins.
Cons
Summer is a tourist favorite. This means crowds everywhere. You’ll need to ensure that you’ve booked accommodation, car rentals, and tours ahead of time otherwise you will be left thoroughly disappointed.
And if you want to visit some of the more popular attractions you’ll need to go very early in the morning to not have to climb on each other’s shoulders just to get a glance.
With peak season comes peak season prices. So a budget for a winter trip to Iceland will look very different from one in summer and you need to be prepared to avoid having a heart attack on your holiday.
The Midnight Sun truly is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but many struggle with their sleep patterns since it never really gets dark. Due to the lack of darkness, the Aurora Borealis won’t be visible in Iceland during summer.
Travelers must also be aware of burnout. Some get so excited over the extra daylight hours that they get a little too zealous with their itineraries.
What You Can Expect From the Weather When Visiting Iceland in Summer
As we’ve already touched on, when it comes to the weather you won’t get any better than during the summer months. You don’t need to worry about heavy snow or rain. And those legendary Icelandic winds (that we still think was the actual culprit that blew the three little pigs’ houses down) have quieted down.
That being said, the local saying “you can experience all four seasons in one day in Iceland” still rings true, so you need to be prepared. The days are nice and warm. Temperatures range between 5 – 25 degrees Celsius but you can expect it to generally hover around the 10 – 15 degree mark.
Things to Do and see in Summer in Iceland
If you’re still trying to figure out what to add to your trip itinerary, here are a few of the best things to do in Iceland during summer:
Go Whale Watching and Puffin Spotting
As mentioned earlier, this is definitely one of the top things to do in Iceland in summer if you’re a nature lover. Whales can be seen throughout the year, especially in Husavik (the whale capital of Iceland). But from April to September, one can spot a myriad of migratory whales that make Iceland their home for the season.
Puffins are odd little penguin-like birds with colorful beaks that also call Iceland their home during the breeding season (May to August). The Puffins are an absolute must-see in Iceland during summer as the island boasts 60% of the global Puffin population!
Whale and Puffin spotting can easily be done just by walking around the harbors or hiking, but there are a lot of tours with experienced and knowledgeable guides that are definitely worth booking.
Camping in Iceland in Summer
As you can imagine, this is not just one of the favorite things to do in Iceland in summer, but also a clever way of saving on accommodation costs. Many opt to go camping since it saves so much on their budget that they are even able to extend their trip.
Not a fan of the old tent and camp mattress? Then why not rent a campervan? Not only will this allow you to camp in comfort, but it will also solve both accommodation and transport problems.
Want to save even more money when camping? Then purchase a Camping Card. The card will cost you only €159 and will give a family of 2 adults and up to 4 children access to various campsites across the island for 28 nights! To put these savings into perspective; campsites usually charge between $10 - $20 per person per night, so for a couple or a family it’s well worth the purchase. Some of the best camping places to visit in Iceland in summer are:
Driving in Iceland in Summer
As we already mentioned driving in Iceland in summer is much less of a challenge than in other seasons. You don’t need to worry about extreme weather conditions and all the extra vehicle accessories this usually requires.
But keep in mind that the “four seasons in one day” saying still applies, so it’s recommended that you keep an eye on the Iceland weather forecast as well as the Iceland road conditions before starting your drive. Also, have a chat with your rental agency in regards to the routes you’re planning on driving.
Certain roads and areas are only accessible via 4x4 vehicles. If you’ve opted for renting a campervan or motorhome, there are still plenty of 4x4 options available.
Take a Hike
Speaking of hiking in Iceland, this is definitely another must-do activity in Iceland during summer and is enjoyed by both locals and visitors alike. Chances are, if you’re visiting some of the Iceland attractions in summer, it will entail a short hike to get there anyway (as is the case with many of the waterfalls).
If you actually want to practice it as one of the Iceland activities during summer, you have a variety of options.
You can either do a day hike or you can take part in a multi-day hike. Hikes vary between difficulty and skill levels, so make sure you choose the ones most suited to you. Many of these hikes you can take on yourself, whilst there are group booking tours available for others.
The following hikes are some of the best things to do in Iceland in the summer:
Glymur Waterfall
Mt. Esja
Landmannalaugar – the Laugahraun Lava Field
The Laugavegur Trail
Jökulsargljufur Canyon
Make a Road Trip Out of it
We believe there is no better way to discover the island than to make a road trip out of it and with a wide variety of road trip routes across Iceland, it’s one of the top things to do in Iceland during summertime.
Rent a campervan and combine this with the Camping Card and you’ve got a budget-saving combo that will take you all over the island with enough money to spare for all the activities and attractions along the way.
The following are the must-do road trip routes in Iceland during summer:
The Westfjords Way
The Ring Road
The Golden Circle
The Arctic Coast Way
The South Coast Way
Take a Dip in a Hot Spring
One of the best things to do in Iceland during summer is to have a long soak in the healing waters of a natural hot spring. Iceland is home to more than 45 hot springs. This is due to volcanic activity heating up the underground water supply. Whilst some of these hot springs can still be enjoyed in their natural form, others have been incorporated into public geothermal pools.
For obvious reasons, most of the ones still found “out in the wild” are free to use, but public pools usually charge an entrance fee. There are many benefits to these hot springs. Besides relaxing yourself into almost a spiritual dimension, the hot water is incredibly mineral-rich, so it helps with all sorts of bodily aches and pains as well as skin problems.
The mud such as that found at Blue Lagoon is also silica-rich which makes for a great face mask. These various beneficial properties have also prompted many of the public pools to offer spa packages on the premises at an additional cost.
These are some of the best places to go in Iceland in summer if you’re in the mood for a relaxing soak or feel like being pampered:
Reykjadalur
Kvika Footbath
Visit the Waterfalls
Iceland boasts 10 000 waterfalls! But what can one expect from the land of (melting) ice? The results are some of the most powerful water displays you’ll ever see in your life and with the nice weather outside it’s one of the best things to see in Iceland in summer.
From waterfalls cascading down cliffs of more than 60 meters high to water running down a black basalt-column backdrop and rushing water of more than 365292.24 liters per second – you’ll find all this and more on a tour of the waterfalls around Iceland.
Some of the must-see waterfalls in Iceland during the summer are:
Seljalandsfoss
Dettifoss
Svartifoss
Gullfoss
Godafoss
Go on a Boat Ride at Jökulsarlon Glacier Lagoon
Although it might seem counterintuitive, the Jökulsarlon Glacier Lagoon is open all year round. It’s astounding to think that this magnificent mass of water didn’t even exist 80 years ago, never mind allow visitors to cruise around on it, almost touching the gigantic icebergs floating around.
So it goes without saying that the Lagoon is one of those must-see places in Iceland in the summertime.
For those who are not too skittish, a ride on the Zodiac (a kind of rubber motorboat) is a good option. It takes you around the lagoon for an hour and is the best way to get up close and personal with the glacier and the floating ice. But due to the size of the Zodiac bookings are essential.
If you want something a little milder you can opt for the amphibious boat tour. This lasts for roughly 30-40 minutes and is definitely one of the most fun things to do in Iceland in summer.
Packing List When Traveling to Iceland in Summer
It can get pretty confusing when packing to visit a place called Iceland in the summertime. That’s why we created this handy packing list for you to use as a guide:
Waterproof jacket
Fleece and woolen sweater (consider just bringing one as you will really regret not buying an authentic Icelandic woolen sweater when on the island)
Waterproof pants
Informal pants/jeans (for those days just spent in the city)
Warm hat (a beanie works very well)
Warm gloves
Underwear
Leggings
T-shirts & long-sleeved shirts
Waterproof hiking boots (whether you’re planning on going hiking or not)
Warm woolen socks
Bathing suit (for those soothing dips in the hot springs)
Flip flops (for public changing rooms and the hot springs)
Quick drying towel (trust us, you don’t want to be lugging around wet towels on your outings)
Sunglasses
Sunscreen
Sleep mask (to combat that Midnight Sun sleeplessness)
Backpack (suitable for day outings as well as hikes)
Toiletries & medicine (please just double-check flight restrictions on these before your expensive conditioner or allergy medication gets confiscated)
Electronic devices: chargers, cables, adapters, power bank, etc.
Whoever Thought the Best Place to Visit During Summer is Iceland?!
Okay, so you won’t be lying in your bikini sipping a cocktail on golden sand, but you’ll be watching cascading waterfalls near a black sand beach at a sunny 23:00 at night.
The island offers many once-in-a-lifetime experiences and many of these are Iceland summer things to do and Iceland places to visit that are just open or available in the summer months.
After reading this article you should have a good idea weather (yes, we did this on purpose) summer is the right fit for you. With temperatures and daylight hours at their peak and more than enough activities to keep you busy during those extra hours, summer is definitely a season for the curious and busy bees among travelers.
What are you waiting for? Time to book that ticket and travel to Iceland!