The winter solstice is the shortest day of the year in Iceland. In 2026 it falls on Monday 21 December and in 2027 on 22 December. Reykjavík gets just over four hours of daylight, with sunrise at 11:22 and sunset at 15:29 in 2026, and Akureyri in the north only about three. The long nights are a good time for the Northern Lights, and the solstice sits right in the middle of the Icelandic Christmas season.
When is the winter solstice in Iceland?
The solstice is the moment the North Pole is tilted furthest from the sun. Iceland uses UTC all year, so local time and UTC are the same. In 2026 the solstice happens on 21 December at 20:50. In 2027 it happens on 22 December at 02:43, so the shortest day that year is either the 21st or the 22nd, with only seconds between them.
In Icelandic the solstice is called vetrarsólstöður. Many Icelanders simply call it the day the sun turns back, because from then on the days slowly get longer.
How much daylight is there?
On 21 December 2026 the sun rises in Reykjavík at 11:22 and sets at 15:29, which gives just over four hours of daylight, with the sun at its highest at 13:26. The sun stays very low in the south all day, so the light is soft and golden from morning to afternoon. Civil twilight adds useful light from about 10:03 until 16:49, so you have nearly seven hours to see things outdoors.
The further north you go, the shorter the day. In Akureyri the sun rises at about 11:39 and sets at about 14:42 on the solstice, barely three hours, and in deep fjords and valleys some villages do not see the sun directly for weeks. Grímsey, on the Arctic Circle, has only a short spell of daylight.
The days lengthen slowly at first, by only seconds a day in late December. By the end of January Reykjavík has around seven hours of daylight. See our daylight hours guide for the whole year.
Weather at the solstice
December in Reykjavík averages a high of about 3°C and a low of about -2°C. It is cold, but not as cold as many people expect. Wind, rain, sleet and snow are all common, and there is precipitation on more than half the days of the month. The north and the highlands are colder, with more snow.
Roads can be icy and storms can close them at short notice. If you are driving, check road.is and safetravel.is every morning, and the Icelandic Met Office (vedur.is) for weather warnings. Highland F-roads are closed in winter. For more on the month as a whole, read our guide to Iceland in December.
From Viking jól to Christmas
Long before Christianity, the Norse peoples held a midwinter feast called jól, with feasting, drinking and sacrifices to the gods. When Christianity came, the feast was merged with Christmas, and the old name stayed. Icelanders still call Christmas jól today. Read more in our guide to Vikings in Iceland.
The old festival has also come back in a modern form. The Ásatrú Association, Iceland's official Norse pagan religious group, holds its jólablót, one of its four main yearly ceremonies, at the winter solstice. In 2025 there were ceremonies at 18:00 in Reykjavík, at the association's site on Öskjuhlíð hill near Perlan, where its new temple is being built, and in several towns including Akureyri and Akranes. The Reykjavík ceremony was followed by a feast with separate tickets. The 2026 times had not been published when we checked on 2 November, so look at the association's website in December.
The Yule Lads and other Christmas traditions
Instead of one Santa Claus, Iceland has thirteen Yule Lads. They come down from the mountains one by one over the thirteen nights before Christmas, starting on 12 December. Each leaves a small gift in a shoe that children put on the windowsill, or a potato if the child has been naughty. They then leave one by one after Christmas, the last on 6 January.
Their mother is the troll Grýla, who is said to carry off badly behaved children, and the family keeps the Yule Cat, which eats people who did not get new clothes before Christmas Eve. Our guide to elves and trolls in Iceland has more folklore.
- 23 December (Þorláksmessa): many families eat fermented skate, and the shopping streets are busy in the evening.
- 24 December: Christmas starts at 18:00, when church bells ring and families sit down to dinner. Christmas Eve is the main day, not the 25th.
- Christmas food: smoked lamb (hangikjöt), ptarmigan, glazed ham and thin, cut-patterned laufabrauð. See our guide to traditional Icelandic food.
- 6 January (Þrettándinn): the end of Christmas, marked with bonfires and fireworks.
Things to do around the solstice
Short days do not mean there is little to do. Most day tours run as normal in the week of the solstice, timed to make the most of the light. Here are good options.
- Hunt for the Northern Lights. The long nights give you many dark hours. You still need clear skies and some solar activity. In 2026 the moon is 90% full on the solstice and full on 24 December, so faint displays are harder to see that week, and a guide who knows the dark spots helps. Join one of our Northern Lights tours, such as the Northern Lights private tour from Reykjavík, which runs from September to April. Read our Northern Lights guide and check our weekly Northern Lights forecast.
- Visit an ice cave. Natural ice caves in the glaciers are generally visited only in the colder months, and the winter season is the main time to go. See our ice cave tours, including the Crystal Ice Cave in Vatnajökull.
- Soak in a hot spring. Sitting in warm water under a dark sky is the best way to enjoy the long evenings. The Blue Lagoon, Sky Lagoon and the Secret Lagoon are all open in winter. See our hot spring tours, or combine a soak with an aurora hunt on our Sky Lagoon & Northern Lights tour.
- Drive or tour the Golden Circle. Þingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss fit into the daylight, and the low sun gives long shadows and warm colour.
- Enjoy Reykjavík at Christmas. The streets are lit up, the swimming pools are open, and Hallgrímskirkja and the harbour look their best after dark. The city's free Christmas programme runs until 23 December, and the Christmas Village in nearby Hafnarfjörður is open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays until 23 December. Our Reykjavík Christmas food tour and Christmas walking tour run only in December. See our guide to Christmas in Iceland.
- Stay on for New Year. Reykjavík's New Year's Eve fireworks are famous. See our New Year's Eve guide.
Opening hours over Christmas
The solstice itself is a normal working day, and shops, restaurants and tours operate as usual. It gets quieter from the afternoon of 24 December. Most shops close early on Christmas Eve, and many restaurants, attractions and tours are closed on the evening of the 24th and on the 25th. In 2026 Reykjavík's pools are open 08:00–13:00 on 24 December and closed on 25 December, the Blue Lagoon is open 08:00–16:00 on Christmas Eve, and our private tours do not run from 24 to 26 December.
If you are here over Christmas, book restaurants and tours early and check each one's holiday hours. A multi-day winter tour is an easy option, as meals and transport are arranged for you. See our winter Ring Road tours. Our 8 Day Iceland Northern Lights Tour Package runs from September to April, with hotels, a guided minibus around the island and two Northern Lights tours.
What to pack
You will spend a lot of time outside in the dark and the wind, so warm, waterproof layers matter more than anything. Our winter packing list has the full list.
- Waterproof and windproof jacket and trousers
- Thermal base layers and a wool or fleece mid-layer, such as a lopapeysa
- Warm hat, gloves and a scarf or neck warmer
- Waterproof boots with good grip, and ice cleats (microspikes) for icy paths
- A head torch for the dark mornings and evenings
- Swimwear for pools and hot springs
Tours to book
If you are coming for the solstice, these tours make the most of the long nights.
- 8 Day Iceland Northern Lights Tour Package: a winter trip around the Ring Road with two Northern Lights tours included.
- Northern Lights Private Tour from Reykjavík: your own guide to chase clear skies on the long solstice nights.
- The Reykjavík Christmas Food Tour: traditional Icelandic Christmas food in the decorated city centre.
Questions people ask
When is the winter solstice in Iceland?
In 2026 it is on 21 December, at 20:50 local time. In 2027 it is on 22 December at 02:43, so the shortest day is the 21st or 22nd. Iceland uses UTC all year.
How many hours of daylight does Iceland have at the winter solstice?
Just over four hours in Reykjavík: on 21 December 2026 the sun rises at 11:22 and sets at 15:29. Akureyri gets about three hours, and some fjords and valleys get no direct sun at all.
Is the winter solstice celebrated in Iceland?
Quietly. It is not a public holiday, but the Ásatrú Association holds its jólablót on the solstice, and many Icelanders mark it as the day the light starts to return. It falls in the middle of the Christmas season.
Can you see the Northern Lights at the winter solstice?
Yes, if the sky is clear and there is solar activity. The long nights give you the most dark hours of the year to look for them.
Is the solstice a good time to visit Iceland?
Yes, if you like Christmas atmosphere, Northern Lights and hot springs, and you accept short days and changeable weather. Plan driving for daylight hours and check road conditions every day.
