Easter in Iceland

Discover Easter in Iceland and learn about traditions, family feasts, cultural festivals, church services, and holiday closures. Find out what to expect and how to enjoy spring days exploring waterfalls, hot springs, and even the northern lights. See why Easter is one of the best times to visit Iceland and how to plan your trip.

Easter is one of the most important public holidays in Iceland, known as "páskar" in Icelandic. While Easter is a Christian holiday, it has evolved into a broader cultural celebration in Iceland, and today it’s just as much about food, rest, and chocolate easter eggs as it is about faith.

In the weeks leading up to Easter in Iceland, shops fill with large chocolate Easter eggs, containing candy and small messages inside. Restaurants serve special menus, and towns across the country host events, festivals, and concerts.

Beyond the celebrations, Easter is one of the best times to visit Iceland for spring self-drive trips. It is one of the most popular times to book a vacation in Iceland.

Guided tours operate throughout the holiday period, and renting a car in Iceland makes it easy to reach hot springs, waterfalls, and late-season ski slopes. Because Easter falls in early spring, visitors can experience the northern lights alongside milder temperatures and easier travel conditions.

In this guide, you’ll learn when Easter falls in 2026, how Icelanders celebrate, what to expect with closures, and the best things to see and do in Iceland during the holiday. Read on to start planning your Easter adventure in Iceland.

When Is Easter in Iceland in 2026?

In 2026, Easter in Iceland will run from April 2 (Maundy Thursday) to April 6 (Easter Monday), with Easter Sunday on April 5. If you’re looking into spring trips to Iceland, these are the days when the country slows down for the holiday break.

However, it's worth noting that Easter in Iceland does not fall on fixed dates. It is a movable holiday, celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon following March 21, which means it can occur anytime between late March and late April.

Here are the key Easter dates in Iceland in 2026:

Maundy Thursday – April 2, 2026

Maundy Thursday, known in Icelandic as Skírdagur, commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus Christ and represents spiritual preparation before Good Friday. The name relates to cleansing and renewal. 
In Iceland, this day marks the beginning of the Easter holiday period and is one of the most common days for confirmation ceremonies in the National Church. Confirmations are significant family events, often followed by formal gatherings with decorated cakes, flowers, and celebratory meals.

Schools and many workplaces close for the day. Liquor stores remain closed, as they do on all public holidays. Some shops shorten their hours, while restaurants, cafés, and major attractions in Reykjavik are generally open with adjusted schedules.

Good Friday – April 3, 2026

Good Friday, or Föstudagurinn langi, meaning “the Long Friday,” marks the crucifixion of Jesus and is traditionally the most solemn day of the Easter period. Even in modern, largely secular Iceland, the atmosphere tends to be quiet and reflective.

Most retail shops, shopping centers, banks, and public offices close. Many restaurants operate with limited hours, particularly outside major tourist areas. Guided tours and natural attractions remain accessible, making it a popular day for visitors to explore Iceland’s landscapes.

In the town of Isafjordur, the Aldrei fór ég suður music festival begins on Good Friday and continues into Holy Saturday. In 2026, it takes place on April 3 and 4. The free, community-driven festival showcases Icelandic artists and draws visitors to the Westfjords each year.

Easter Sunday – April 5, 2026

Easter Sunday, called Páskadagur, celebrates the resurrection of Christ and is the central day of the Christian calendar. The beautiful churches across Iceland hold special services, and many families gather for traditional Easter meals, often centered around roasted lamb and seasonal dishes.

Most supermarkets, local shops, and liquor stores remain closed. Some restaurants open for Easter lunches or dinners, particularly in Reykjavik and other larger towns, but reservations are strongly recommended.

Easter Monday – April 6, 2026

Easter Monday, known as Annar í Páskum, extends the holiday by one more day and remains an official public holiday in Iceland. It is often used for rest, visiting relatives, or short countryside trips before returning to work.

Many Icelanders spend the Easter weekend at summer houses outside the city, and traffic returning to Reykjavik can increase on this day. Some shops reopen with reduced hours, while others remain closed. Restaurants in Reykjavik are more likely to operate normally, and outdoor activities such as hot spring visits, scenic drives, and guided tours continue without interruption.

Planning an Easter Trip to Iceland in 2026

Visiting Iceland at Easter is popular with both locals and international travelers. Because Easter is a major public holiday in Iceland, demand for accommodation, rental cars, guided tours, and self-drive packages increases significantly. If you are planning an Easter trip to Iceland in 2026, booking hotels, car rentals, and popular excursions well in advance is strongly recommended.

Many Icelanders travel to summer houses during Easter, which can make roads out of Reykjavik busier on Maundy Thursday and again on Easter Monday. If you plan a road trip in Iceland during Easter, allow extra travel time and make sure to monitor the weather and road conditions.

Since some shops and city services operate with reduced hours during the Easter holidays, this is an ideal time to focus on Iceland’s natural attractions. Waterfalls, glaciers, geothermal areas, lava fields, black sand beaches, and hot springs remain open year-round. Popular routes such as the Golden Circle, the South Coast, Snaefellsnes Peninsula, and day trips from Reykjavik are excellent options during Easter in Iceland.

Opening hours for museums in Reykjavik, restaurants, swimming pools, and shopping centers may vary during the holiday period, so checking schedules in advance will help you plan more smoothly.

With longer daylight hours, improving spring road conditions, and the transition from winter to summer travel season, Easter 2026 is one of the best times to visit Iceland for a mix of Icelandic holiday traditions, scenic road trips, and outdoor adventures.

Why Easter in Iceland Is a Good Time to Visit

Easter marks the transition from winter to spring in Iceland, making it one of the most rewarding times to visit. Daylight hours are noticeably longer, giving you more time to explore waterfalls, mountains, glaciers, and scenic coastal roads. Snow still crowns the Highlands and peaks, while lower landscapes begin to show early signs of spring.

This seasonal shift also means fewer visitors than in peak summer. Crowds stay smaller, allowing for a more relaxed experience at popular sights. When you go on a 5-day self-drive tour of the Golden Circle and Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon or head along the South Coast, you can stop and take in the views without feeling rushed.

Towns slow down, shops stack their shelves with chocolate eggs, and families leave Reykjavik to spend the holiday in cottages around Iceland.

Easter also arrives just before the northern lights season ends. In late March and early April, dark enough nights can still produce aurora displays, especially outside city lights. Combined with hot spring visits and classic Icelandic cuisine, Easter offers a rare blend of lingering winter scenery and emerging spring landscapes in a single journey.

Weather During Easter in Iceland

You've probably heard how unpredictable the weather in Iceland is. It’s enough to say you can wake up to sunshine, get caught in snow by lunchtime, and walk home in the rain before the sky clears again.

Locals joke about packing for every season in a single day, and around April, that advice rings true.

While daily weather stays unpredictable, Easter's timing follows a seasonal pattern. The holiday falls in late March or April, when the country transitions from winter to spring.

March in Iceland still brings snow and wintry conditions. Meanwhile, Iceland in April offers milder weather with clearer roads and longer daylight hours.

Either way, temperatures usually sit between 32 F (0 C) and 45 F (7 C) during the Easter season. Many Icelanders expect an "Easter Cold Spell," a brief return of colder weather that often shows up around the holiday.

This timing has its perks, though. The days stretch longer, the northern lights are still possible on clear nights, and migrating birds and whales return to the coasts. The best hot springs in Iceland feel even better when the air is cool, and Easter Monday often ends with people soaking outdoors, steam rising while patches of snow linger nearby.

How Easter Is Celebrated in Iceland

Easter in Iceland blends religious heritage with strong family traditions and seasonal customs. While the holiday follows the Christian calendar, today it is just as much about gathering with relatives, sharing meals, and welcoming the first signs of spring.

One of the most visible aspects of Easter is confirmation season. Many Icelandic teenagers are confirmed around this time, making it an important milestone for families. In the weeks leading up to the holiday, shops advertise formal clothing, bakeries display elaborately decorated cakes, and florists prepare for large family gatherings. Visitors will often notice the celebratory atmosphere and the emphasis on family events throughout the season.

Homes are decorated with daffodils, candles, and budding branches to symbolize renewal. Long meals bring relatives together, often centered around traditional lamb dishes and seasonal desserts. Children open their chocolate Easter eggs and read the proverb tucked inside before enjoying the sweets. This custom of including a málsháttur, or Icelandic saying, makes the tradition especially distinctive.

Easter also carries a noticeable cultural energy. Concerts, art exhibitions, and community events take place across the country during the long weekend. Even in largely secular Iceland, the holiday maintains a reflective yet festive tone that combines tradition, family life, and the gradual arrival of spring.

Iceland’s Easter Eggs

Iceland’s Easter eggs, or páskaegg, are one of the country’s most loved traditions. Shops begin stacking them on shelves weeks before the holiday, in sizes ranging from small treats to giant eggs that require two hands to hold. By Easter weekend, entire aisles are filled with them, and many people joke that Easter does not truly begin until you have chosen your egg.

The eggs are made of milk or dark chocolate, often with a hint of licorice, and filled with Icelandic candies such as caramel balls, jelly beans, or chocolate drops. What makes them especially unique is the slip of paper tucked inside. 

Each egg contains a proverb, called a málsháttur, which families traditionally read aloud before enjoying the sweets. Sometimes the Icelandic proverbs and sayings are wise, sometimes they don’t make much sense, and often they’re funny enough to set off laughter around the table. 

Easter morning is also one of the few times of year when it is socially acceptable in Iceland to eat chocolate for breakfast. Children and adults alike usually open their eggs early in the day, making sweets part of the holiday’s first celebration.

Egg hunts are also a pretty recent addition to the Easter tradition in Iceland. On Easter Sunday, many parents hide chocolate eggs around the house or garden for children to find, sometimes leaving clues to guide them from one hiding spot to the next.

While Easter egg hunts in Iceland are typically smaller and more family-centered than the large community events common in the United States, public hunts are becoming more frequent, though still on a modest scale. Information about these events is usually available on the websites of local municipalities or public institutions such as libraries.

You can find Easter eggs in all grocery stores like Krónan, which is known for carrying a wide variety of options during the holiday season. In Iceland, nobody is too old for chocolate eggs. Make sure you buy one (or two) for yourself!

Easter Food in Iceland

Easter food in Iceland centers on roasted lamb, which is traditionally served on Easter Sunday. Icelandic lamb is prized for its quality and flavor, as sheep graze freely on wild herbs and grasses during the summer.

The main dish is usually a slow-roasted leg of lamb accompanied by caramelized potatoes, red cabbage, green beans, and rich gravy. Some families also serve rhubarb jam alongside the meal.

The Easter meal is typically a long family gathering, often served as a late lunch or early dinner. The emphasis is on comfort, tradition, and seasonal ingredients rather than elaborate presentation. Coffee is often served afterward, usually with cake, ice cream, or a fun, themed dessert.

For drinks, you'll often see Malt og Appelsín, a mix of sweet malt and orange soda. It’s most popular during Christmas in Iceland, but has become a holiday staple during Easter as well.

Easter Beer in Iceland

Easter beer in Iceland is called páskabjór, a seasonal release produced specifically for the holiday. Icelandic breweries introduce limited-edition varieties each year, often focusing on darker styles such as porters, stouts, or malt-forward ales. These beers typically feature notes of caramel, chocolate, roasted malt, or coffee.

The tradition of releasing seasonal beer at Easter reflects Iceland’s strong brewing culture, similar to the more widely known Christmas beer season. Both large breweries and craft producers participate, and many people look forward to tasting the new releases each year.

Páskabjór is commonly enjoyed with roasted lamb or during family gatherings over the long weekend. Alcohol in Iceland is sold through state-run liquor stores called Vínbúðin, which close on public holidays, so Easter beer is usually purchased in advance. 

It’s also popular to head out to popular Reykjavik bars like Skúli Craft Beer, where locals and visitors alike gather to sample the year’s Easter selections on tap. For visitors, the holiday offers a chance to sample limited Icelandic beers that are not available year-round.

Attending Easter Mass in Iceland

For religious travelers, attending Easter Mass in Iceland offers a meaningful way to experience the holiday. Iceland’s national church is Lutheran, and Holy Week services take place across the country, with Easter Sunday as the central celebration. Churches remain active places of worship during this time, and visitors are welcome to attend services, provided they do so respectfully.

Hallgrimskirkja in Reykjavik, one of the most beautiful churches in Iceland and the country’s most recognizable landmark church, holds several services during Easter 2026:

• Palm Sunday, March 29: 11 AM Mass with children’s activities and 5 PM concert

• Maundy Thursday, April 2: 8 PM Evening Mass and Gethsemane Hour

• Good Friday, April 3: 11 AM service and reading of Passion hymns from 1 PM to approximately 6 PM

• Easter Sunday, April 5: Services at 8 AM and 11 AM

• Easter Monday, April 6: 11 AM service

The church is generally open to visitors during the holiday period, but access to the nave and tower may be restricted during worship services. On Good Friday, sightseeing access is limited.

Beyond Hallgrimskirkja, Easter services are held in most churches in Iceland. In Reykjavik, Domkirkjan, the historic Reykjavik Cathedral near Austurvollur Square, offers traditional Lutheran services in a more intimate setting.

Catholic travelers can attend Easter Mass at Landakotskirkja, also known as the Basilica of Christ the King, located in western Reykjavik. As the seat of the Roman Catholic Church in Iceland, it celebrates Holy Week and Easter Sunday according to Catholic liturgy. Services are often offered in Icelandic, English, and Polish, though exact times vary each year. Checking the official parish schedule in advance is recommended.

Outside the capital, charming wooden churches such as Grafarkirkja in North Iceland and Budakirkja on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula provide atmospheric places to attend Easter worship surrounded by dramatic landscapes.

What To Do During Easter in Iceland

Easter is perfect for exploring Iceland, especially on the days when many shops and businesses in downtown Reykjavik close for the holiday. Planning day trips outside the city on Good Friday or Easter Sunday is a smart way to avoid limited opening hours and make the most of your time. With longer daylight hours, fewer crowds than summer, and fresh spring energy in the air, the timing could not be better.

Golden Circle tours are always a favorite, and the Grand Golden Circle & Kerid Crater tour is one of the best activities in Iceland during the season. It takes you to Thingvellir National Park, Gullfoss Waterfall, and the Geysir Geothermal Area, with the added stop at the volcanic crater of Kerid. 

If you’re up for a longer day, South Coast experiences and glacier lagoon tours add an unforgettable journey, taking you through waterfalls, black sand beaches, and the floating icebergs at Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon. 

Of course, sightseeing in Iceland always pairs well with a soak in hot water. Many travelers head straight for the Blue Lagoon, though Sky Lagoon near Reykjavik has quickly become a favorite for its spa-like setting. For something more low-key, the Secret Lagoon in the countryside offers a more traditional soak.

Wildlife also comes back into the picture at this time of year. Easter falls right when whale watching and puffin tours in Iceland start to pick up, with chances to see humpbacks, minkes, and orcas along the coast, as well as puffins returning to their nesting cliffs. Seeing them up close is a highlight for many spring travelers.

You still have a shot at the aurora in April, since the nights are dark enough for the lights to appear before the season ends. Northern lights tours give you the best chance, heading into darker countryside skies where visibility is clearer.

And if you’d rather go at your own pace, self-drive tours in Iceland make that easy. They bundle car rental, accommodation, and an itinerary, making self-drive trips simple to plan.

Festivals and Events During Easter in Iceland

Photo from Aldrei fór ég suður.

Easter in Iceland is not only a religious holiday but also an active cultural weekend filled with live music, concerts, nightlife, and community events across different regions. While some shops close during the holiday, festivals and performances provide plenty of opportunities to experience Icelandic culture.

• Aldrei Fór Ég Suður Music Festival (Isafjordur): The most well-known Easter event in Iceland, this free music festival has been held annually since 2004 in the Westfjords town of Isafjordur. It takes place over Easter weekend and features Icelandic artists across rock, indie, folk, and alternative genres in a relaxed and community-focused setting.

• Skíðavikan (Isafjordur): Often running during the same period as Aldrei Fór Ég Suður, this local ski week includes winter sports events and community activities. It adds an outdoor element to Easter celebrations in the Westfjords before the winter season fully transitions into spring.

• Easter Concerts at Hallgrimskirkja (Reykjavik): During Holy Week and Easter Sunday, Hallgrimskirkja hosts special musical performances in addition to regular services. These concerts often feature choirs, organ recitals, and classical works in one of the most iconic churches in Iceland.

• Live Music and Nightlife in Reykjavik: The Wednesday night before Maundy Thursday is traditionally one of the busiest spring evenings for nightlife in Reykjavik. Concert venues and bars often schedule performances, and with many people off work the next day, the atmosphere is lively before the quieter Good Friday period.

• Local Choir Performances and Church Concerts: Churches and community halls across Iceland host Easter-themed concerts and choir performances during Holy Week. These events reflect a strong choral tradition and are common in both Reykjavik and smaller towns.

• Family Easter Events and Egg Hunts: In Reykjavik and surrounding areas, family-oriented Easter activities are sometimes organized, including seasonal egg hunts and outdoor gatherings. These events vary by year but add a festive and community-driven aspect to the holiday weekend.

What To Do During Easter in Reykjavik

During Easter in Reykjavik, you can visit museums, relax in geothermal swimming pools, join whale watching tours, attend cultural events, and dine at selected restaurants that remain open throughout the holiday.

While Good Friday and Easter Sunday bring the most closures, many attractions continue operating with adjusted hours. Museums in Reykjavik, including the National Museum of Iceland and the Reykjavik Art Museum, often open with reduced schedules, though some close on the strictest holiday days. Checking opening hours in advance is essential.

Soaking in Reykjavik’s public swimming pools is one of the most reliable activities during Easter. Many neighborhood pools remain open with limited hours, offering hot tubs, steam rooms, and heated outdoor pools. Whale watching tours depart from the Old Harbour and are active during the Easter season, with chances to see humpbacks and minke whales. In early April, northern lights tours may still operate if conditions allow.

Cafés and restaurants in central Reykjavik typically remain open, especially on Maundy Thursday and Easter Monday. The city also hosts concerts, art exhibitions, and family-friendly events across the long weekend, making it possible to enjoy both cultural and outdoor experiences even during public holidays.

Day Trips from Reykjavik

When businesses in downtown Reykjavik close for Easter, taking a guided day trip is one of the best ways to spend the day. Popular destinations include the Golden Circle, the Blue Lagoon, the South Coast, Snaefellsnes Peninsula, and even northern lights excursions that depart in the evening.

• Golden Circle Minibus Day Tour from Reykjavik: This small-group tour visits Thingvellir National Park, the Geysir Geothermal Area, Gullfoss Waterfall, and Kerid Volcanic Crater in one full-day itinerary. Traveling by minibus allows for a more personal experience with detailed commentary from a local guide.

• Golden Circle & Blue Lagoon Day Tour: This full-day experience combines the classic Golden Circle route with admission to the Blue Lagoon, giving you both sightseeing and geothermal relaxation in one trip. After exploring waterfalls, geysers, and rift valleys, you unwind in the lagoon’s mineral-rich waters.

• South Coast Full Day Tour from Reykjavik: This guided tour explores Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss waterfalls, Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach, and glacier views near Solheimajokull. It offers a dramatic mix of waterfalls, ocean cliffs, and spring landscapes in a single day.

• Northern Lights Super Jeep Tour: This evening tour takes you outside Reykjavik in search of the northern lights under dark countryside skies. Guides monitor forecasts carefully and provide assistance for photographing the aurora.

• Snaefellsnes Peninsula Small-Group Tour: This full-day tour explores the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, including Kirkjufell Mountain, lava fields, coastal cliffs, and views of Snaefellsjokull Glacier. Often called “Iceland in Miniature,” the region showcases a wide variety of landscapes in one scenic route.

These tours operate during Easter and are excellent options on Good Friday or Easter Sunday, when many city shops are closed, but Iceland’s natural attractions remain fully accessible.

What To Know More About Easter in Iceland

Because Easter is part of Iceland’s public holidays, many shops, museums, and swimming pools close or shorten their hours. Grocery stores like Krónan post special holiday hours. Good Friday and Easter Sunday are usually closed completely, while Maundy Thursday and Holy Saturday often run shorter hours.

Pools, museums, restaurants, and malls may also close for part of the weekend. Reykjavik keeps more restaurants open, but in smaller towns, the options are fewer. The details shift each year, so most people wait until businesses publish their holiday hours before making plans.

While daily life slows down, it’s the perfect time to head out on guided tours, day trips, or even a self-drive road trip. Attractions like waterfalls, hot springs, and coastal drives stay open no matter the holiday, and with fewer crowds than in summer, you often get the views almost to yourself.