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"Shoulder season" in Iceland - what's the best time to go?

We are eyeing a short-ish (11-12 day) trip to Iceland for summer of 2026. I've been there once before, but that was way back in the 1980s(!), on the way home from my first trip to Europe, and long before it became a popular tourist destination (when I came back and told friends, they acted like I had just come back from the moon...). My wife wants to go, and we're looking for the "sweet spot" balancing reasonably decent weather (it's in the middle of the North Atlantic, so my expectations for weather are appropriately calibrated), with the hope of missing the busiest peak summer crowding (such as it is - I expect the most popular places to have some crowds, but I know it's not going to be anything like the Cinque Terre Squeeze), at a time that works for us.

I'm guessing the busiest time for tourism is roughly mid-June to end-of-August (corresponding to school vacations). True?

So I'm looking at going maybe the beginning of June, or maybe the first few days of September. I'm guessing that May to early June, and September, would correspond to what passes for "shoulder season" in Iceland, and while it won't exactly be empty, the heaviest summer crowds probably won't be then. Is that about right?

Note that we are NOT going to Iceland looking for (or expecting to see) the Northern Lights (if we were, I wouldn't consider June, when it won't really be dark enough to see them). So that's not a consideration for us.

When is that sweet spot we seek? Thanks for your insights on when's the best time (for us) to go.

Posted by
7101 posts

I was in Iceland the third week of September in 2015. I was super surprised to realize it was that long ago! The weather was fabulous, sunny and about mid to high 50s and sunny. It didn't seem that busy, but I think that was just as Iceland was beginning to get really popular. I recall a bit of difficulty in finding a guidebook!

Posted by
801 posts

I don't think there is a sweet spot as far as weather. Just yesterday a large area of the north and east was under storm warnings with heavy snow and high winds. We were there one year in early September and had lovely weather, and two weeks later the roads were closed due to storms.

Depending on where you go, crowds really aren't a problem even in the middle of summer. Yes, there were a lot of people at places like Skogafoss and some of the other waterfalls, but not so bad that you couldn't enjoy them. And some places like Henigfoss were practically deserted.

Posted by
3184 posts

We have been many times, and my favorite time is the early fall. July and August can be mobbed, and August of 2026 will be even more so due to the eclipse.

Anyway, weather can be anything at any time. We have had beautiful weather the end of October, and high winds at the end of July so much so that we had to stop for the day and park and hunker down.

This past fall we were there the 3rd week of September and it was perfect. The NL's were very active as well, so we had a few nights of seeing them, which of course is always a bonus.

With 11-12 days, you can do a ring road trip.

What things interest you? That might play a role into timing. One example is ice caves, those don't start until October (except for Katla).

FYI, you are smart to start thinking about this now. Most places book out 9-12 months in advance, so you are in good shape for that.

Posted by
3184 posts

jules--Our first trip was October of 2015 and we had fabulous weather as well. We had the same thing, where it was hard to find information about everything. We just went and did things on a whim;)

Posted by
17355 posts

I've visited Iceland numerous times and at different times of the year.

I was last there in March and it wasn't that cold. My suggestion is to look at temperature charts as most people think Iceland is colder than it usually is.

It also wasn't very crowded.

Posted by
3184 posts

Frank--I agree, the temps are not that bad, but that wind, it cut's right through you!