Holidays

Holidays in Iceland

Wild nature, hot springs and bubbling geysers make the country an unforgettable experience for any tourist. Lonely in the Arctic Ocean, 330 km from Greenland and 800 km from Scandinavia, the islands of volcanic origin also offers a number of special holidays.

Overview

New Year’s Day (Nýársdagur) – January 1

Three Kings Day (Þrettándinn) – January 7

“Husband’s Day” (Bóndadagur) – Flexible

“Women’s Day” (Konudagur) – February 18

Rose Monday (Bolludagur) – Flexible

Mardi Gras (Sprengidagur) – Flexible

Ash Wednesday (Öskudagur) – Flexible

Palm Sunday (Pálmasunnudagur) – Flexible

Ground Thursday (Skírdagur) – Flexible

Karif Friday (Föstudagurinn langi) – Flexible

Easter Sunday (Páskadagur) – Flexible

Easter Monday (Annar í páskum) – Flexible

Beginning of Summer (Sumardagurinn fyrsti) – First Thursday after April 18

Labour Day (Verkalýðsdagurinn) – May 1

Mother’s Day (Mæðradagurinn) – May 13

Christ’s Ascension Day (Uppstigningardagur) – Flexible

Pentecost Sunday (Hvítasunnudagur) – Flexible

Pentecost Monday (Annar í hvítasunnu) – Flexible

“Sailors’ Day” (Sjómannadagurinn) – June 3

National Day (Lýðveldisdagurinn) – June 17

Employees’ Day off (Verslunarmannahelgi) – 1st Monday in August

Beginning of winter (Fyrsti vetrardagur) – December 21

“Icelandic Language Day” (Dagur íslenskrar tungu) – November 16

“Holy Þórlák Day” (Þorláksmessa) – December 23

Christmas (Jól )- 25 December

New Year’s Eve (Gamlárskvöld) – 31 December

Worth knowing about selected holidays

Holy Þórlák Day

On this day, the Icelandic bishop Thorlak Thorhallson (Þorlákur Þórhallsson, 1133-1193) is commemorated in many countries in Scandinavia. This bishop was revered like a saint even during his lifetime. His day of honour is always the day before the Christmas holidays. In concrete implementation, this day could also be called “Great Purification Day”.

The festive garments for Christmas are washed and the houses are cleaned from top to bottom. The Christmas tree is also decorated on this day and preparations for the feast begin.

Culinary wise, Icelanders indulge in a special fish dish on Þórlák day. Kaest Skata, which can also be colloquially referred to as rotten ray, is made from a skate that has been fermented for at least four weeks beforehand. You probably have to be an Icelander to really like this dish. But every tourist should try it once.

Seaman’s Day

Iceland’s isolated location ensured that fishing played a prominent role in feeding the population. On Seamen’s Day, all ships are in port. The sailors gather ashore to compete in all sorts of contests. Tourists who think they can take on the sailors are welcome to participate.

Icelandic Language Day

Icelandic is the oldest Germanic language and Icelanders are proud of it. A separate holiday, celebrated on the birthday of the poet Jonas Hallgrimsson, commemorates it.

Christmas

Dark and cold winters ensure that the warmth of Christmas plays a special role in Iceland’s holiday calendar. Weeks before Christmas, the Christmas trolls are already up to their mischief. They go from house to house bringing small gifts to good children. The others often only find a potato. The Christmas trolls’ hustle and bustle ends on 25 December. On this day, according to legend, they retreat back to the mountains.

Unlike us, Icelanders commemorate their dead on December 24. Graves are decorated and candles placed so that even in the realm of the dead there is a reflection of Christmas. On Christmas Day, people celebrate with their families, and on Boxing Day they go to visit friends and more distant relatives.