Home / Multi-Day Tours / Reykjavík / Magical Christmas in Reykjavik: 5 Day Tour
December in Iceland is a very special time. Icelanders love to decorate their windows and gardens with glittering holiday lights. Enjoy the special atmosphere in Reykjavik combined with some extraordinary tours to the amazing country side of Iceland. Celebrate Christmas in Reykjavik, see Northern Lights and explore fantastic nature. We promise an unforgettable holiday on top of the world.
If you are interested in receiving more information about this tour, please click on the “Request a quote” widget on the left side of the page. A quick form will open up where you will provide us with more information about your travel expectations. You will then be connected with your specialized travel agent who will assist you throughout the planning a provide a fully detailed quote.
Please note that this itinerary can be adjusted and customized to meet your travel needs and preferences. The package can also be offered as a privately guided tour if a self-drive option is not what you had in mind for your Iceland experience.
NC-05
Christmas
Guided Group Tours
5 days / 4 nights
South Iceland
Welcome to an unforgettable Christmas in Reykjavik! Once you arrive in Keflavik International Airport, our chauffeur will welcome you and will transfer you to your hotel in the heart of Reykjavik. Explore the pearls of the city like Harpa Concert Hall, Hallgrímskirkja Church and the Laugarvegur shopping street. We recommend to visit the Northern Lights Center in the old harbor area where you can learn more about the science behind this amazing phenomenon.
In the evening of December 23rd, Icelanders celebrate Þorláksmessa. It is an Icelandic tradition to spend the evening in the city where all shops and cafes are open until late at night. Join the locals and listen to street choirs singing traditional Christmas carols & have hot chocolate at a cozy cafe.
Later tonight, you will be picked up at your accommodation for a guided Northern Lights tour. The tour will take you away from the city lights where you will hopefully be able to spot this natural phenomena dancing in the night sky. Afterwards you’ll be transferred back to your accommodation in Reykjavik. You stay for the next 4 nights in a comfortable accommodation in the city center.
Today, Icelanders celebrate Christmas – normally with their families and special food for dinner. You also have a relaxing day ahead of you and you will hop into the Blue Lagoon bus which will take you to the famous Blue Lagoon. Included in this Christmas in Reykjavik package is the premium entrance package which includes the use of robe, towels and slippers, sample products such as an algae and silica mask and one free drink of your choice.
Also included is a reservation at the lagoon’s LAVA restaurant and we recommend to enjoy lunch there (optional). The meal is not included but you will be offered complimentary sparkling wine with your order. It is allowed to wear the Blue Lagoon robes to lunch, so you can go back into the lagoon after a delicious lunch if you wish.
After a relaxing day at the lagoon you will hop back on the Blue Lagoon bus which will take you back to your accommodation in Reykjavik. Enjoy the evening in Reykjavik and we recommend making a reservation at a local restaurant. Please ask your travel agent for recommendation.
Today you will join a guided tour around the Golden Circle area on a minibus. First, you will visit Þingvellir National Park, which is where the world’s first parliament was founded. This beautiful National Park is also one of the few sites in the world where you can observe two divergent tectonic plates on the surface.
After leaving Þingvellir, you will visit the Geyser Geothermal Area. There, Geysir is no longer active, but nearby Strokkur keeps gushing up about every five to eight minutes to the gaze and amaze of its spectators. Next to the parking lot is a big souvenir shop and two restaurants.
After you enjoyed one of Iceland´s most famous tourist attractions, you will only need 10 minutes to reach Gullfoss, the Golden Falls. Here you can read about how a farmer´s daughter saved the falls from the hands of entrepreneurs who wanted to build a dam in the area. In the late afternoon, you return to Reykjavik and if you are not too tired we recommend an evening walk enjoying all the cozy Christmas lights in the city center.
Today, another adventure awaits you! You will be picked up in the morning and taken on a minibus tour to the sensational South Coast of Iceland. Sights visited today include the picturesque waterfalls of Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss, the black sand beach of Reynisfjara and the village of Vík. On a clear day you may be lucky enough to spot the volcanoes Hekla and Eyjafjallajökull during the drive.
A highlight on today’s tour is a glacier hike on Sólheimajökull glacier. You get crampons and suitable equipment for the tour before venturing on to the glacier with a professional glacier guide. During the tour you will be able to touch, feel and even listen to the glacier while learning more about the importance of glaciers in our natural environment. If you are lucky you may even find some natural ice tunnels or caves along the way. After a day of exploring you will be transferred back to your accommodation in Reykjavik. We recommend a delicious dinner at one of Reykjavik’s gourmet restaurants, a perfect way to celebrate your last night in Iceland.
Highlights of the day: Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss waterfall, black sand beaches, glacier walk, and more
It is sad to admit it but your Icelandic journey and Christmas adventure is about to come to an end. You will be transported from your hotel to Keflavik International Airport by shuttle bus in time for your flight back home.
If your flight is in the afternoon, you still have time to do some last minute sightseeing in Reykjavik or do some shopping on Laugavegur shopping street. We wish you a nice journey back home and hope you will leave our island with fond memories of Iceland and its inhabitants
Comfort accommodations offer access to private facilities (shower and toilet). This type of lodges belongs to the 3-star hotel category. Most of these properties have an in-house restaurant. This section offers an upgrade in comfort and service compared to the budget category. Breakfast is included.
Quality accommodations offer private rooms with en-suite shower/bath and toilet. These rooms are the best available accommodations in 4-star hotels or the highest quality lodges in each region. Luxury accommodations - the highest class of lodges, suites, and penthouses - are available upon request. Breakfast is included.
Hallgrímskirkja Church is most certainly Reykjavík´s best-known landmark. The white concrete Church whose image is printed in many postcards, dominates the city. As a matter of fact its tower can be seen from almost every corner of Reykjavík. Its distinctive and futuristic exterior made the Church one of the most visited spots in Reykjavík.
Harpa is the famous concert hall and conference center located in Reykjavik. The building features a distinctive and original colored glass facade inspired by the basalt landscape of Iceland. Its unique architecture makes it one of Reykjavik most loved landmarks.
Laugavegur is the main shopping street in Reykjavik and it is located in the heart of the city. Its name means literally „wash road“ as this was once the route to the hot springs where many Icelanders took their clothes to launder. Today it is a vibrant and innovative street filled with designer ateliers, tourist gift shops, bars, and restaurants.
Þórláksmessa is an Icelandic holiday celebrated on December 23rd, in honor of Þorlákur Þórhallsson, bishop of Skálholt, who was canonized and recognized as the patron saint of Iceland in 1984.
The Aurora is a natural phenomenon caused by electrically charged particles, mainly electrons and protons ejected from the sun colliding with atoms of oxygen and nitrogen causing them to emit light that is visible to us. These hypnotic lights are known as Aurora Borealis, Polar Lights or Northern Lights in the arctic north and Aurora Australis (southern lights) around the south pole. The color of the Aurora has to do with the type of gas that these particles collide with, oxygen produces green light at low altitudes and red at high altitudes. Nitrogen produces purple Aurora. The green color is the most common and red can only be seen at the strongest of geomagnetic storms. The full understanding of the physical processes that cause the aurora are still a mystery but we know the fundamental causes of the Aurora is the interaction of solar wind with the Earth‘s magnetosphere.
There are three basic requirements for seeing the northern lights. Solar activity, darkness and clear skies. This means that you cannot see the northern lights during summer, they are still happening, there's even a phenomenon called daylight aurora, but our eyes cannot detect them as sunlight drowns out the Aurora. So the darker the better. Going out of the city is not a requirement, the Aurora can often be spotted within city limits in Iceland, however to best enjoy them going away from city lights enhances the experience. Also people should not use mobile phones if they are looking for the northern lights, as the light from the screen will make it harder for your eyes to adjust to the darkness. It‘s always a good idea to take warm clothes on your Aurora excursions as Iceland can get very cold in the winter, that means wool undergarments, warm mid layer and a windproof shell.
The Blue Lagoon is a famous geothermal spa located in Reykjanes peninsula nearby the International Airport of Iceland. It was formed during an operation at the nearby geothermal power plant. Reservations in advance are necessary for those who are planning a visit.
Reykjavík is the capital and biggest city of Iceland with a population of approximately 124,000. It is the northernmost capital in the world. Despite its small size, you can find many attractions and museums, making Reykjavik a popular destination.
Þingvellir National Park is the most important historic and geological sites in Iceland. The area is part of a fissure zone running through Iceland, being situated on the tectonic plate boundaries of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Major events in the history of Iceland have taken place at Þingvellir and today the entire area is a protected national treasure.
Gullfoss, also called the Golden Waterfall, is one of the most iconic gems of the likewise named Golden Circle. The waterfall is located in the upper part of the River Hvíta. Gullfoss is actually two separate waterfalls, the upper one has a drop of 11 meters and the lower one 21 meters.
Geysir is the famous hot spring area located in the Haukadalur valley. The main attraction is known as Strokkur, which erupts energetically at regular intervals of 10 minutes or so its boiling waterjets can reach as high as 30 meters.
Sólheimajökull glacier is the southwestern outlet of the Mýrdalsjökull icecap. It is about 8 km long and 1-2 km wide. It is popular for exciting tours such as glacier hikes and ice climbing.
Seljalandsfoss is one of the most famous and visited waterfalls in Iceland. It located along the South Coast of the Country right by the road n. 1. The waterfall is part of the Seljalands river that originated from the famous volcano glacier Eyjafjallajökull. The waterfall is approximately 60-meter high and it is famous for its path that leads visitor behind its powerful water flow.
Skógafoss is a waterfall located on the Skógá river on the South Coast of Iceland. This picture-perfect waterfall descends 60 meters from the cliffs. Before pouring down the cliffs becoming the famous waterfall, the river flows through the Skógárgil gorge.
Reynisfjara is a famous black sand beach in the South of Iceland, just next to the village of Vik. Black sand, lava formations, and basalt columns make it a popular stop for all visitors.
Reynisdrangar cliffs are towering basalt-type rock formations situated near the shore of Reynisfjara black sand beach, on the South Coast of Iceland. The folk legend wants them to be the rocky representation of two trolls turned into stone after being caught by the sunlight after dawn.