Iceland Trip

Iceland by month · winter

Iceland in December: what it is really like, and how to plan it

By · Iceland Lead & Content Curator· Updated

December is the darkest and most festive month: four to five hours of daylight, Christmas markets and the Yule Lads in Reykjavík, fireworks on New Year’s Eve, ice caves and the northern lights on 19-hour nights. Weather and roads are at their worst, so the plan is Reykjavík, the Golden Circle and the South Coast in short days, with a 4x4, winter tyres and patience.

Key facts

Daylight
4.2 hours on the 15th in Reykjavík (sunrise 11:21, sunset 15:31)
Weather
Reykjavík averages -2 to 2 °C, about 136 mm of rain or snow (10-year normals)
Northern lights
15 dark hours a night mid-month: a good month
Highlands
All F-roads closed
Cost
About $1,596 - $2,111 per person for 7 days as a couple in comfort hotels, before flights
Crowds
Quiet until the 20th, then busy and expensive in Reykjavík over Christmas and New Year

Weather in December

Around freezing, dark, often stormy; snow comes and goes in the south and stays in the north.

December normals for four towns, from ten years of daily records
TownAverage highAverage lowRain or snow in the month
Reykjavík2 °C-2 °C136 mm
Vík4 °C0 °C326 mm
Akureyri1 °C-5 °C130 mm
Egilsstaðir1 °C-4 °C180 mm
December normals for four towns, from ten years of daily records. ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, averaged over the most recent ten complete years. Any single day can be far from the average.

Daylight and darkness

On the 15th of December the sun is up for 4.2 hours in Reykjavík, from 11:21 to 15:31. The sky is fully dark for 15 hours, enough for the northern lights on a clear night. The longest nights of the year, 19 hours of darkness, but the most cloud. Give it five or six nights.

Tonight's live northern lights verdict

Roads and the highlands

South and west open most days; north and east passes close often. F-roads closed.

Every F-road is closed in December. Live road conditions on the Ring Road and main routes

Best in December

  • New Year’s Eve fireworks in Reykjavík
  • Ice caves
  • Northern lights
  • The Yule Lads and Christmas markets

Skip: Any plan that depends on a road in the north or east on a given day.

What December costs

Quiet until the 20th, then busy and expensive in Reykjavík over Christmas and New Year.

A 7-day self-drive trip in December, by travel style
Travel stylePer personWhole party
Couple, budget rooms, standard car$1,326 - $1,766$2,652 - $3,531
Couple, comfort hotels, standard car$1,596 - $2,111$3,192 - $4,221
Couple, luxury hotels, 4x4$2,464 - $3,248$4,927 - $6,495
Family of 4, comfort hotels, 4x4$1,564 - $2,076$6,257 - $8,305
4 friends, budget rooms, standard car$1,161 - $1,553$4,642 - $6,211
A 7-day self-drive trip in December, by travel style. From the Iceland Trip budget model (last updated 2026-07-07): accommodation, car, fuel, food and two paid activities per person; flights excluded.

Run your own numbers in the budget calculator · Every month compared

Book ahead

  • Everything over Christmas and New Year, months ahead
  • Ice-cave tour
  • 4x4 with winter tyres
  • Restaurants on 24 and 31 December

Pack

  • Crampons
  • Warmest layers
  • Headlamp
  • Swimsuit for the lagoons

Iceland in December: questions people ask

Is December a good time to visit Iceland?

For Christmas, New Year and the ice caves, yes; for daylight and roads, it is the hardest month. Keep the plan small and close to Reykjavík and the South Coast.

How many hours of daylight does Iceland have in December?

Four to five hours in Reykjavík, with the sun low on the horizon all day; the solstice on 21 December has just over four hours, from about 11:20 to 15:30. The light is beautiful and short: one or two stops a day, no driving on passes after dark, and the long evenings for the pools and the lights.

What is open in Iceland over Christmas?

Most tours run except on 24 and 25 December; shops and many restaurants close on the 24th from the afternoon and on the 25th. Book Christmas Eve dinner in advance.

Deeper reading on iceland-trip.com

Our sister site covers every place in depth: access, parking, seasons, what to expect. Written by the same team.