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The Icelandic National Day celebrations in Reykjavík take place annually in the city centre on June 17th from 10:00 in the morning until 19:00. 

The programme includes family oriented entertainment with street theatre and a variety of wonderful activites, followed by a concert at Arnarhóll and an accordion ball at City Hall.

The programme starts with the chiming of all church bells in Reykjavík, followed by a mass in Domkirkjan Cathedral. At 11:10 the Icelandic government's National Day ceremony starts at Austurvöllur Square, followed by a parade from Austurvöllur to Suðurgata Cemetery, where the Chairman of the City Council lays a wreath of flowers on the grave of Jón Sigurðsson.

The programme includes family entertainment, live music, street theatre, dance, a circus, playgrounds for children, booths selling a range of refreshments, sports performances, a vintage car show…. and much, much more.

The full programme can be found in English on the Icelandic National Day website

The weather has truly been treating us nicely here in Reykjavík! With more sunshine hours in the past week than we got almost the whole summer of last year, people are truly making the most of of it!

Check out these top ten things you can do during these sunny days! 

1. Stay up late and make your way down to the impressive Solfar Sun Ship sculpture by the waterfront in Reykjavik to watch one of the best nature shows on Earth – the setting of the midnight sun!

2. Take in the sights, sounds and aromas of nature with a hike into the wilds of Heidmörk Nature Reserve in Reykjavík!

3. Jump on a ferry and visit the beautiful island of Videy - a little treasure in the heart of Reykjavik where you can enjoy a combination of nature, history, art and culture!

4. Make a splash in the remarkable thermally heated waters of Nauthólsvík beach – if you’re brave enough you can join the seasoned sea-swimmers for a cooler dip in the Atlantic too!

5. Take in some epic panoramic views of the city by visiting attractive landmark building The Pearl; while you’re there you can also wander through the enchanting woodlands of Öskjuhlíd in the surrounding area.

6. Experience pure thermal energy and take a dip in one of Reykjavík's many thermal pools and spas! A great way to recharge and a tonic for the body and mind!

7. With all that extra energy you’ll have plenty of stamina to join the 24-hour party people and experience Reykjavík’s legendary nightlife!

8. Visit the Reykjavík Old Harbour for a day of unique shopping and quality dining! Get there early and you could visit the whales and puffins too by joining one of the marine excursions on offer!

9. For a great walk complimented by a good story take a guided walking tour of our city's landmark dwellings and their legendary inhabitants. This is a must on any history buff's itinerary!

10. Rent a bike and discover the city by cycle! Our extensive network of well-maintained cycle paths leads through (and to) many beautiful places: you're sure to come across some of Reykjavík's hidden gems too!

Whatever you do, don't do it without our fabulous money saving city card: The Reykjavík City Card!

Festival of the Sea is an extension of Fishermen’s Day which is held on the first Sunday in June.

The festival celebrations take place on both Saturday and Sunday, with the events on Saturday being referred to as Harbour Day. The festival reflects traditional Icelandic culture and the nation’s long-standing dependency on fishing. The festival celebrates all aspects of the sea, such as seamanship, vessels, fish, mermaids, sea shanties, and so on.  Fishermen’s Day has been celebrated since 1938 and was originally established to promote solidarity among fishermen; it became a legal holiday for Icelandic fishermen in 1987. Festival of the Sea is celebrated all across the country, with sea-related entertainment for the whole family by the harbour. Guests can enjoy sailing, sea swimming, various entertainments and a large variety of sea creatures on display in tubs.

Festival organizers work in a good cooperation with all the companies around the Harbour and this weekend they invite the guests to visit their companies and have various offers and discounts

The rescue Squad, Arsaell, is also one of the main partners this weekend. They arrange various events, especially for children.

One of the main goals is that families can come to the Old Harbour, and have a fun day with all kinds of events with reference to the sea and its surroundings, without cost. Everything that the festival offers is free of charge. Sailing´s, entertainment, food taste, playgrounds, competition´s etc.

Reykjavík Maritime Museum offers free admission to the museum and Óðinn Coast Guard Vessel during the Festival of the Sea

For more information visit www.hatidhafsins.is 

In recent years, the streets of Downtown Reykjavík have filled up with ambitious murals of different styles and themes. 

A camera crew from the popular TV station MTV (Music Television)  will be attending the Secret Solstice music festival in Reykjavík this summer, to record material at the festival. This is part of MTV's coverage of five music festivals across Europe, but according to the announcement on MTV's website, the TV operators will also give a ticket to Secret Solstice, as well as the other four festivals.

The other festivals are the Exit Festival in Serbia, the Isle of MTV in Malta, the Ultra Europe in Croatia and the Sziget Festival in Hungary. The first three festivals are in July, the last one in August.

Secret Solstice takes place from June 21. to 23. Among the artists performing are the Black Eyed Peas and Rita Ora.

For more information go to www.secretsolstice.is 

Roughly 70% of Icelanders belong to the Lutheran Church of Iceland, though only 45% claim to be religious. Whatever people think of god and religion, it's a fact that Easter is a National holiday in Iceland.

This means a lot of places are closed on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, as well as Easter Sunday & Monday. Most restaurant will stay open, but one can expect the majority of stores to close their doors sometime over the holiday.

The strict no-party policy on Good Friday

According to Icelandic law, all festivities are strictly prohibited on Good Friday. This means that bars and clubs must close at midnight on Maundy Thursday and cannot open until after midnight on Good Friday. The same goes for recreational gatherings in public places like lotteries and card games. Excluded from this are cultural events like theatre shows, concerts and art exhibitions.

To protest these laws, Icelandic atheists gather annually on Good Friday to play bingo. This is obviously illegal, although someone has yet to be arrested. Everybody is free to join, there is no buy-in fee and still, there are prizes to be collected. The bingo takes place on Austurvöllur in downtown Reykjavík and are everyone welcome.

Easter traditions

The most important tradition of Easter in Iceland, at least according to the kids, is the Easter Egg. This chocolate goodness is stuffed with Icelandic candy and like Chinese fortune cookies, a proverb can be found inside each egg. For the more adventurous, liquorice-chocolate eggs have become hugely popular in recent years. The Easter Eggs can be bought at most convenience stores.

Another popular pastime over Easter in Iceland is skiing. Many Icelanders travel across the country to find the right slope. However, a perfectly suitable one can be found in Bláfjöll, only 30 minutes away from the city center. There you can rent skiing equipment, but you have to bring your own warm clothes.

Last but not less important is the "Easter Leg". A typical dinner in Iceland on Easter Sunday consists of a roasted leg of lamb, sugar-glazed potatoes and gravy.  If you have an access to a kitchen, we dare you to give it a spin! Otherwise, Icelandic chefs have been cooking lamb for 1000 years, so you should find plenty of options at the restaurants of Reykjavík.

Most churches will have a few services over Easter, including those in downtown Reykjavík. On Good Friday, the St. Matthew Passion by J.S. Bach will be performed in Hallgrímskirkja Church.  

From 1945 until the 2000‘s the towerlight at the Maritime college had the purpose of guiding ships into the Reykjavík harbour.

Unfortunately the buildings that were then built below the college in the beginning of the 21st century, were too high for the tower light to get through. But now, this new lighthouse can continue the pivotal work of being a guiding light for all the ships coming into the harbour. It‘s also an ideal place to visit when walking along the shoreline, being just a few steps away from the famous Sun Voyager!

Reykjavík Campsite was voted one of the twenty best campsites in Europe by The Guardian Newspaper.

Reykjavík Campsite is an environmental friendly campsite perfectly located in a green area in the city but yet close to the city centre. The campsite can accommodate up to 900 persons in tents, cars or caravans.

The campsite is located in a green area in the city, next door to one of Iceland’s largest and most popular geothermal swimming pools. There is no need to book in advance, but please inform the Campsite beforehand if you are a larger group travelling together.

In the last years the Reykjavik Eco Campsite has been improving step by step its environmental approach and the campsite has received the Earth Check Assessed recognition in the years 2011, 2012 and 2013. which confirms that the campsite has an action plan for participating in the sustainable business practices.

Read the full article in Guardian here 

Click here for Reykjavík Campsite 

Children's culture, culture for children and culture with children, these are the three main aspects of the Reykjavík Children’s Culture Festival: a week-long arts and culture festival dedicated to children and youth.

The Reykjavík Children’s Culture Festival was launched in 2010 and is already a huge success. Dedicated exclusively to children and young people in Reykjavík up to the age of 16, this annual festival strives to introduce the youth to a wide range of art disciplines through the medium of workshops and performances.

The unique aspect of this festival, and that which sets it apart, is that it places an emphasis on participation, focusing particularly on the child as an artist. During the festival, there will be a variety of activities for children, including theatre workshops, circus, visual arts, storytelling, music, film, puppetry and dance activities, with many kindergartens, primary schools, music and art schools, libraries, museums, theatres and other cultural institutions taking part.

Reaching all corners of Reykjavik city, the festival programme comprises a mixture of 150 events: performances, workshops, exhibitions, tangible experiences and special events led by experienced professional practitioners, artists, and other people working with children.

For further information please visit the Reykjavík Children's Culture Festival website.

The joint partners of the Reykjavík City Card, will offer stranded passengers of WOW air, the Reykjavík City Card free of charge.

The Reykjavík City Card gives access to the Reykjavík City Museum, Reykjavík Art Museum, Reykjavík Thermal pools and Family Park, National Gallery of Iceland, National Museum of Iceland, Museum of Kópavogur and Reykjavík City Buses.  

Stranded passengers of WOW air can collect their card, by showing their WOW air ticked, at What‘s On Information Center at Laugarvegur 5 (open 8:30-22:00) or Bankastræti 2 (open 0:30-18:00, close on Sundays), until Tuesday April 2nd.

The Reykjavík City Card is valid for up to 72 hours.

For information regarding the Reykjavík City Card please visit Citycard.is

DesignMarch is Iceland’s annual design festival. It will take place for the eleventh time on 28–31 March 2019. This will be the largest and most significant festival yet with over one hundred events transforming the most northerly capital in the world into one big venue for design.

From fashion to furniture, architecture to the environment, food to product design, the festival showcases the best of the local design scene alongside exciting international names. The festival opens with DesignTalks, a day of lectures by internationally acclaimed designers and leading local design thinkers.

DesignMarch is organised by the Iceland Design Centre, the promotion agency for Icelandic design and architecture.

See you at DesignMarch!

For more information check out their website 

Playing golf in Iceland is an adventure you’ll remember for a lifetime. Do you think playing golf at midnight surrounded by lava fields sound too strange to be true? Not in Iceland! Midnight golf is available in summer due to Iceland’s northerly location, and one-tenth of Iceland’s surface is adorned with lava. Sweeping mountains and majestic ocean views characterises Icelandic golf courses, which follow the contours of the naturally dramatic landscape, a popular trend in golf course design today. Their design pays tribute to the first golf courses in Scotland – the home of golf.

The Reykjavík capital area has 10 golf courses both 9 and 18 hole. Many of them have gotten rave reviews from international players such as Brautarholt colf course. It has been named one of the best courses in the world  more than once because of it's beautiful landscape and breathtaking nature by the sea, with a view to Reykjavík city. 

It is named one of the 18 most iconic courses in the world by golfscape.com

Read the article here 

For more information check out Golf Iceland