Iceland : Festive Reykjavik

Christmas and New Year are a chance for Icelandic families to spend time together at home. Surrounding the quiet family celebrations are many delightful traditions and customs that visitors too may enjoy. In the 13 days before Christmas, the 13 Christmas ‘Lads’, known locally as the ‘Jolasveinar’, come down from the hills to make mischief in the towns and villages – perhaps you will encounter one of them! Visitors with children should take note – leave a shoe in the window overnight and hopefully the ‘Lad’ of the day will leave a small gift…

The wonderful Christmas lights are everywhere - in the streets, adorning windows, on balconies and covering gardens, but even they cannot compare with the light show on New Year’s Eve. Just before midnight a riot of colour and sound explodes over the city as everyone sets off spectacular fireworks to welcome in the New Year. The city also plays host to numerous concerts and choirs and there seems to be something musical happening on every street corner. And the legendary nightlife steps up a gear for the special celebrations.

Reykjavik is a city known for its fine dining and during the festive season many restaurants offer exceptional menus making the most of top quality Icelandic produce – however availability is understandably limited and if you wish to make a reservation in advance, or would like some restaurant recommendations, please give our team a call. On a more traditional note, be sure to taste ‘Laufabraud’, a tasty side dish similar to ‘poppadoms’, traditionally prepared by all the family and highly addictive!

These special departures include some guided activities and a DTW representative will be available to look after you throughout your trip. If you wish to book any optional excursions, please do so as early as possible as again, availability at this time can be very limited. All itineraries based at the excellent 4 star Radisson SAS Hotel Saga have been designed to make the most of what Reykjavik has to offer during this very special time of year and with some festive meals and excursions included, they represent excellent value for money.

We pride ourselves on our ability to tailor-make holidays, so if you cannot find exactly what you are looking for on this website, then let us find it for you. Most of our holidays can be adapted to suit your personal requirements or we can create a completely bespoke itinerary. If you would like to discuss your options further, please complete our enquiry form.