Wonderful landscapes, spectacular natural phenomena or the particular character of its people make Iceland a unique destination. And it is that contemplating the geysers or the northern lights are just some of the attractions that nature allows to witness on this island. If you want to know the best time to travel to Iceland, don’t miss this article.

As with many other destinations and although it may seem contradictory, it is possible to travel to Iceland throughout the year. It will indeed be advisable to choose one or another time of the year, depending on what we hope to find on this Nordic island.

When to travel to Iceland?

Thus, although temperatures are low, they can be much more so in other Scandinavian countries. And it is that the average in Iceland during January is around -1ºC, while in the warmest month, in July, they are at an average of 11ºC and can reach much higher values.

The truth is that most tourists decide to make their trips to Iceland in the period between May and September because it is the hottest season and also has many hours of sunshine. Likewise, the rest of the months of the year, it should be noted that most of the island’s roads are closed to all vehicles.

Even so, if you want to witness the incredible spectacle of the northern lights, you will need to travel to Iceland during the winter, from November to February. It is during these months of the year when sunlight appears only about 4 or 5 hours a day, so it becomes a fact that invites you to learn about this phenomenon.

Similarly, traveling to Iceland in winter will also make the island much less crowded and accommodation prices will be lower since it will be the “low season” to get to know this country and find hotels in Iceland at a better price.

The climate in Iceland: the best period is from June to August

The climate in Iceland must take into account 2 very important factors. The first is the proximity to the Arctic Circle, which allows only in summer to receive many more hours of sunlight. The second important factor is the warm Gulf current from the south, which helps mitigate the climate between June and August.

Iceland’s climate is not as cold as you might think, but it is undoubtedly never hot. Winter on the coast is bearable while in summer, even if compared to our autumn, it is also possible to find days to go around in short shorts and half-sleeved shirts.

The real problem of the Icelandic climate is certainly the rain. In fact, in these parts, it rains frequently and even in summer, the sky is often overcast.

In conclusion, the best time to go on holiday to Iceland in the summer, in particular, is the best weather you will find in August. During the Icelandic summer, the climate is mild, sometimes it can get cooler and you will surely have a few rainy days or at least the overcast sky.

Average temperatures from May to September

As we said earlier, you will find the best climate to go on holiday to Iceland in the summer, between June and July. To make you notice the differences, at least in terms of temperatures, we will insert the minimum and maximum averages in May and September.

May: Average temperatures min 4 / max 10

June: Average temperatures min 7 / max 12

July: Average temperatures min 9 / max 14

August: Average temperatures min 9 / max 15

September: Average temperatures min 5 / max 11

Temperatures mainly refer to the area near Reykjavik.

Hours of sunshine during the Icelandic summer

June is the period in which the days begin to get longer until they touch the 24 hours of sunshine towards the end of June, which can be optimal for the climate, but surely all that sun will prevent you from seeing the mythical northern lights.

From July onwards, the sunshine hours begin to decrease until it reaches about twenty towards the end of the month. August is very similar to Italy for the number of sunshine hours and is undoubtedly the best month to visit Iceland, but it is also the most expensive.

Northern lights: tips, when and where to see it

The Northern Lights, although an atmospheric phenomenon, is certainly one of the most significant attractions of Iceland. Unfortunately, the best time to see it is from October to April, just the opposite of the best time to go on a vacation that we have indicated in our travel guide.

Being a nocturnal atmospheric phenomenon, it is very difficult to see it in summer when the sun hardly ever sets, but going on holiday in winter in Iceland is certainly not very easy.

Anyway, we talked about when, but where do you have to go to see the Northern Lights? The advice of the various travel guides is to go out of town, but to find out more. We advise you to inform yourself well to your tour operator.

Why not go to Iceland after 31 August

Tourism in Iceland is special because, during the summer, there are a lot of active structures. As September begins, almost everything slowly “turns off,” and organizing your holiday in this land becomes much more difficult.

Clothing for the Icelandic summer

In Iceland, you will surely walk a lot, so you will have to wear appropriate clothing. The advice is to dress like going for trekking, then with comfortable/sporty clothing, with breathable fabrics and a jacket for sudden rains. The average temperature will be around 10 degrees, so there will be days to also go around arm-in-arms, while others will certainly need a jacket.

Travel insurance for Iceland

The diversity of climate and temperatures can cause health problems while on vacation and in a country that is only becoming a common destination among Italian tourists.

The need to travel protected through travel insurance can concern various aspects: from the need to reduce the damages due to medical emergencies to the inconveniences deriving from the loss of baggage or worse from the cancellation of the holiday.