Every year, late in April, Iceland celebrates first summer day. Yup, it is quite unusual to celebrate start of the summer when the temperature hardly reaches 10°C (50 °F). The reason for that lies into its relation to Old Norse Calendar which in old days divided year into two seasons, summer and winter.
Anyway, you will not be asked you to follow the calendar that vikings used more than thousand years ago. We will stick with the summer season that spans from late May to early September.
In this post you will find wide selection of summer activities that you can do solo, with your friends or whole family while your stay in Iceland.
Lets dive into the list of summer activities in Iceland! 🙂
Horseback riding
If you’re interested to experience countryside lifestyle join the horseback riding tour. Icelandic horses are way smaller than Arabic ones, long-lived and used to spend winter times outdoor in the harsh weather.
There are several horse farms within 30min. from Reykjavik and many other around the country.
Hiking
Hiking in Iceland is one of the most fun free activity that you can try – especially if you’re used to big city life where you hardly city nature.
Iceland is not famous for high elevation mountains which is actually a good thing. Smaller mountains means less time to reach the top of the peak. It is however very important to wear sturdy shoes to avoid any type of injuries.
If you’re staying in Reykjavik, the closest mountains that you could go for a hike are Esja and Úlfarsfell. Both of them are very popular locations for hiking with clearly visible hiking paths.
40min. away from Reykjavik there is Reykjadalur valley. One hour hike that leads you to the geothermal river. Where you can literally bath in a naturally warm river.
For more hiking route ideas check Hiking in Iceland.
Summer festivals and celebrations
During the summer time there plenty of celebrations and festival that you can attend. Here is the list of some well known ones:
Þjóðhátíð (in Heimaey island)
Menningarnótt (Culture Night)
Whale and Puffin watching
Some whale watching companies state that it 85% chances to see whales during the winter time. In the summer, that number goes up to 97%. Whales that you might spot on the tour are minke whales, humpback whales. Depending on tour location, you might also see some cute puffins. You can join whales watching tours in Húsavík, Akureyri and Grundafjörður cities. Or from the Old Harbor area in Reykjavik. 
Visit swimming pool and sunbath at Nauthólsvík beach
It might sound crazy, but it is true – Icelandic people do sunbath at Nauthólsvík beach during the sunny summer days and you should try it to. Besides the cold Atlantic ocean there are two hot tubs and steam bath that you can enjoy.
If you’re not very keen of going to the beach, swimming pool could be a better option. In general people go to swimming pools to socialize with their friends or simply to relax after long work day. At the decent swimming pool you will find swimming area, several hot tubs with different temperatures and a steam bath. Besides that admission fee (approx. 10 USD) allows you stay there for as long time as you want.
List of swimming pools in Reykjavik – there are three centrally located swimming pools: Sundhöll Reykjavikur (in the city center), Laugardalslaug and Sundlaug Vesturbæjar.
List of swimming pools around the country – Swimming pools are so deeply rooted in Icelandic culture, that you will find one in almost all towns and villages across the country.
Run or bicycle around Reykjavik
If you’re staying in Reykjavik, there are plenty of beautiful running or cycling routes that you can take to explore the city from a different point of view. Some of recommended paths:
Elliðardalur – Park located in the outskirts of Reykjavik. There you will find a small forest, huge rabbit population (not kiddin’) and the only waterfall located in Reykjavik area.
Fossvogsdalur park – Beautiful park located in the valley that splits Reykjavik from Kópavogur city. By skipping the loop around the park and keep on running straight line, eventually you will end up at Elliðardalur park.
Reykjavik’s shoreline path – Start the run from Höfði House (or any other place) along the shore towards Harpa Concert Hall and from there all the way to Grótta Lighthouse. If there is a low tide, you will be able to walk over to the island where the lighthouse is located. Just make sure to follow tide forecast to avoid getting stuck there for the night.
To get back to town you can take Bus Line 11 from any bus stop located along the street next to the shore.
Paragliding
Quite unusual activity for those that dare to do something extreme. Since this activity is run with a support of professional instructor, you don’t need to have any previous experience or license to join the tour. This activity is available in Reykjavik (20min. away from the city center) and in the South Coast – where Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach is located. Highly recommended to do this activity in the South Coast where you will get a chance to see magnificent views of some the natural wonders of Iceland.
Reykjavik nightlife
Nightlife in Reykjavik is very vibrant and definitely something that you should try at least once. Every Fridays and Saturday bars and clubs are open until 4-5am. There is one unwritten rule – venues starts to get filled up with local party animals only around 2am. If you want to avoid waiting in long lines to get in, find a good spot before that time. In general there is no dress code or entrance fees to enter. Almost all nightlife places are centrally located within walking distance from hotels.
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