Is It Better to Visit Iceland in Summer or Winter?

Whether to visit Iceland in summer or winter shapes nearly every part of the trip, from how many hours of daylight you’ll have to which adventures are on the table. Summer brings the midnight sun, helicopter adventures, and long evenings in geothermal waters. Winter brings the northern lights, glacier snowmobiling, and the sapphire glow of ice caves. Each season reveals a different side of the same extraordinary island, which is why so many of our travelers return to experience both. Below are our favorite ways to experience Iceland in each season, the luxury properties we recommend, and how to make the most of even a short trip.

1. When Is the Best Time to Visit Iceland?

For travelers chasing the northern lights, the window runs from late September to early April, when long, dark nights set the scene for the aurora. These are also the months for exploring ice caves and crossing glaciers by snowmobile, with as little as four hours of daylight in Reykjavik around the solstice. For those drawn instead to the midnight sun, late May through early August is the time to go. Daylight lingers through the night, so you can slip into one of Iceland’s blue lagoons after dinner and still soak beneath a bright sky.

Unlike Alaska and northern Canada, where many lodges close for the winter, Iceland never truly has an off-season. It is one of the few corners of the Arctic that welcomes travelers year-round, and one that reinvents itself completely with each season.

2. What Can You Do in Iceland in Summer?

For a few short months each summer, Iceland’s remote highlands become accessible, revealing valleys and trails that lie buried in snow for the rest of the year. Some of the country’s most striking scenery, however, is best experienced from above.

A Bird’s Eye View
Seen from the air, Iceland’s jagged peaks, thundering waterfalls, and moon-like lava fields are a wonder to behold. Helicopters also open up remote canyons and valleys for heli-rafting, glacier hiking, and heli-biking, far beyond the reach of any road.

A Therapeutic Soak
Escape to hidden geothermal lagoons and rejuvenate in natural healing waters as you take in your breathtaking, peaceful surroundings. The warm embrace of these secret, secluded hot springs will transport your body and mind to a place of utter relaxation, better than any spa you’ve been to.

Silfra Fissure
Glide effortlessly in the surreal underworld of the Silfra Fissure, where crystal clear water fills the divide between the European and American continental plates, kept apart by powerful geological forces. Led by skilled and experienced divers, this is a snorkeling trip unlike any other on the planet.

The warmer months also bring Iceland’s marine life closer to shore, so summer is an ideal time to head out on the water in search of whales. From May through October, you can also descend with an expert guide into the magma chamber of a dormant volcano.

3. What Can You Do in Iceland in Winter?

Come winter, the landscape dramatically transforms under a blanket of snow and ice, and the long nights take center stage.

Bespoke Northern Lights
We’ll whisk you far away from civilization and light pollution to viewpoints where you’ll have the best possible chance to witness the magic of the elusive aurora borealis. Watch it dance across the sky from the deck of a yacht, from a steaming hot pool, or through floor-to-ceiling windows in your private luxury villa.

Glacier Snowmobiling
Vast glaciers are your personal playground on an expertly guided snowmobiling expedition, where you’ll carve your own path across the icy expanses of Iceland’s famously dazzling remote landscapes. The thrilling experience of flying through the glittering snow toward the horizon is best capped off with a picnic on the ice or a glass of whiskey in front of a crackling fire.

Explore Crystal Blue Ice Caves
Experience the thrill of walking through a natural ice cave, one of the natural wonders formed deep within the ice each winter. The shifting blue tones of the crystal-like formations will wow you with every step.

The colder months are also the time for the ultimate polar plunge, a bracing dip into Arctic waters hovering just above freezing.

4. What Are the Best Luxury Hotels and Lodges in Iceland?

Iceland’s top properties pair Michelin-recognized dining and exceptional spas with settings that put the landscape on full display. Each suits a different kind of trip, from a design-forward city base to a remote lodge built around heli-skiing or stargazing.

The Reykjavik EDITION
Ian Schrager’s EDITION brand brought its pared-back style to Reykjavik’s Old Harbor, where the hotel sits beside the Harpa concert hall and many rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows framing the North Atlantic and Mount Esja. Dinner at Tides, a Michelin Guide restaurant focused on Icelandic seafood, can be followed by cocktails on the seventh-floor rooftop or at Tölt, the hotel’s hidden speakeasy. It makes an ideal base for travelers who want to combine the country’s untamed landscapes with the restaurants, design, and energy of Reykjavik.

The Retreat at Blue Lagoon
Set within an ancient lava field on the Reykjanes Peninsula, less than 30 minutes from Keflavík International Airport, The Retreat at Blue Lagoon holds a MICHELIN Key and is among the most extraordinary places to stay in Iceland. Each of its 60 screen-free suites looks out over moss-covered lava or milky blue water, and the lagoon-side suites open onto private patios with direct access to the geothermal seawater. Beyond your suite, a secluded lagoon is reserved for hotel guests, and the spa, hewn from the volcanic rock, is built around the signature Blue Lagoon Ritual: three stages of salt, silica, and algae. Finish the day with dinner at Moss, the hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurant, whose wine cellar is set into the lava itself.

Deplar Farm
Tucked into a remote valley on the Troll Peninsula in northern Iceland, Deplar Farm is a converted sheep farm with living turf roofs and only 13 rooms. A geothermally heated pool with a swim-up bar anchors the lodge, and the spa includes an outdoor Viking sauna, Arctic cold plunges, and flotation tanks. In spring, helicopters lift off from the lodge’s own helipads for heli-skiing from summit to sea; in summer, the days fill with horseback riding, sea kayaking, and fishing for Arctic char.

Hotel Rangá
Deep in the South Iceland countryside, Hotel Rangá holds a MICHELIN Key and switches off its exterior lights at dusk so guests can see the night sky. Ask for a northern lights wake-up call, watch from the riverside hot tubs, or join a local astronomer at the hotel’s own observatory, open from September through April. The junior suites are each themed on a different part of the world, from Africa to Antarctica, and the bar holds one of the most extensive whisky collections in Iceland.

Torfhús Retreat
A member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, Torfhús Retreat sits in the Golden Circle, a short drive from Geysir and Gullfoss. Its turf-roofed homesteads are inspired by Iceland’s historic turf houses, and many have their own geothermally heated plunge pools. Dinner is served in a Viking-style longhouse, with menus that change nightly.

We also arrange private residences and luxury camping. Whether you’d rather explore by dogsled or unwind in a suite overlooking the lava fields, we’ll make it happen for you.

5. Can You See Iceland in a Long Weekend?

Just a 5½-hour direct flight from New York City, Iceland is close enough for a long weekend yet its dramatic landscapes and high-octane adventures make it feel a world away. The country is full of hidden thermal baths, sky-high waterfalls, and amazing geysers, and all of these wonders are within driving distance of cosmopolitan Reykjavik. Basing yourself in the capital allows you to jet in and out seamlessly while still exploring Iceland’s wild side. With more time, a journey along the Ring Road opens up the remote fjords and lava fields of the north and east.

6. Why Plan Your Iceland Trip with The Legacy Untold?

Iceland’s most memorable moments happen away from the crowds. When you travel with The Legacy Untold, our private guides, Super Jeep drivers, and helicopter pilots take you to the ice caves, hot springs, and waterfalls most visitors never find…

Climb a Glacier with a Climate Scientist
Some of our most meaningful experiences come from on-the-ground relationships built over the years. Through ours in Iceland, we can arrange for you to climb a glacier alongside a climate scientist, who leads you across the ice and explains how and why it is retreating beneath your feet. It is a rare chance to witness one of the planet’s most urgent stories up close, with an expert who studies it firsthand.

A Few Words from One of Our Travelers
“I’m not a super spiritual person, but I had many quiet moments during our time in Iceland where I just stood in awe of its beauty. It made me emotional frequently and I vocalized my gratitude to the universe on several occasions. When The Legacy Untold says they curate experiences, that is an understatement. Your team planned an experience that deeply moved me and my husband and we are forever changed. Maybe you could say you help curate happy souls.”
— Erin C., Las Vegas, NV

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We design bespoke journeys that combine the planet’s most luxurious properties with the most immersive, adventurous, and life-enriching experiences. Every trip is completely custom, tailored to your interests, budget, and any special occasion.

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