Iceland's Midnight Sun Facts and Festivities

The Midnight Sun in Iceland

Iceland’s summers bring endless daylight, creating a rare phenomenon where the sun never fully sets. Instead of darkness, the sky glows with deep reds, soft pinks, and purples long past midnight. This happens because of Iceland’s position near the Arctic Circle, where summer days stretch far beyond the usual hours.

With continuous daylight, there’s no limit to exploring Iceland’s landscapes. The midnight sun means visitors can travel at any hour without worrying about losing daylight. Many opt-for the freedom of a self-drive tour with a suggested itinerary to make stops at different locations along the way. For those who prefer to avoid the hassle of driving themselves, organized tours are a popular option among our visitors.

The Midnight sun in Facts and Figures

• Phenomenon: The Midnight Sun occurs in Iceland due to its high latitude near the Arctic Circle.
• Peak Season: Late May to late July, with the longest daylight around the summer solstice (June 21st).
• Sunset & Sunrise: The sun sets after midnight and rises again just a few hours later, creating continuous daylight.
• Longest Day: In Reykjavík, the sun sets around 12:05 AM and rises at 2:54 AM on June 21st.
• North Iceland: In places like Akureyri, the sun barely dips below the horizon, while in Grímsey (Arctic Circle), the sun never sets for a period.
• Cultural Significance: Icelanders celebrate with festivals and certain days are steeped in folklore.
• Sleep: Sleep masks and blackout curtains are a must for a good night's sleep if you're not used to the conditions.

What is the midnight sun?

The midnight sun is a natural phenomenon where the sun remains visible at local midnight, occurring in regions near the Arctic and Antarctic Circles during their respective summer months. This continuous daylight results from Earth's axial tilt of approximately 23.5 degrees, which causes the poles to experience extended periods of sunlight or darkness throughout the year.

Earth's axial tilt leads to varying angles of sunlight during its annual orbit around the sun, resulting in changing seasons. During the Northern Hemisphere's summer months, the North Pole is inclined toward the sun, causing regions within the Arctic Circle to experience continuous daylight, known as the midnight sun. Conversely, during winter, these areas undergo polar night, a period of continuous darkness.

In the simplest of terms, the sun does not set in Iceland during the summer months, creating constant 24 hour daylight.

When can I see the midnight sun in Iceland?

In Iceland you can see the midnight sun phenomenon that causes 24 hour daylight in the summer months, from late May to late July. The phenomenon is visible all around the island while the further north you travel the less the sun dips below the horizon. In Grímsey island, Iceland's closest point to the Arctic Circle, the sun never goes below the horizon.

The duration of the midnight sun varies by latitude. At the poles, the sun can remain above the horizon for approximately six months. In Iceland, which is just south of the Arctic Circle, the phenomenon isn't as extreme. However, from late May to late July, especially around the summer solstice (around June 21), the sun barely dips below the horizon in Iceland, resulting in near 24-hour daylight.

Midnight Sun in Reykjavík Iceland

The midnight sun is a phenomenon that happens in the summer months, from late May to late July. These are the dates and hours of sunrise and sunset based on historical data for the capital area. Even though sunset and sunrise may have specific hours in the summer months does not mean that these sun activities are the traditional sunset and rise as we know it. Instead of disappearing behind the horizon the sun will loom around the horizon until sunrise. Making it so that it never truly sets.

Summer solstice

The summer solstice happens when the Sun reaches its highest point in the sky in the Northern Hemisphere. This takes place around June 21st. On this day, the sun takes the longest path across the sky, so there’s more daylight than any other day of the year.

At this time, the North Pole leans about 23.4° toward the Sun. Because of this tilt, the Sun’s strongest rays hit directly over the Tropic of Cancer, which is 23.4° north of the Equator.

People often think of the solstice as the first day of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, based on the way astronomers define the seasons. However, Icelanders celebrate the first day of summer, Sumardagurinn Fyrsti, on April 24th. Meaning that celebrations often happen in cold weather in true Icelandic fashion. 

Instead, in Iceland we keep the festivities of the summer solstice for festivals like Jónsmessa.

What to do during Iceland's longest days

Iceland offers visitors a great opportunity to explore the island during long hours in summer as the midnight sun causes 24 hour daylight. This means there's plenty of opportunities to visit sites during off hours, when there are fewer people around. For example, destinations on the Golden Circle; Gullfoss, Geysir and Þingvellir, are public spaces open 24 hours a day so you can even visit when these places are bathing in golden light from the midnight sun.

Join a Ring Road Adventure Tour

Travel Reykjavík offers visitors a 7 day Journey around Iceland in the summer months, also during summer periods when the midnight sun is around. You can take a full ring road tour of the island visiting beautiful sites during constant hours of daylight with a guide and driver by your side, so you don't need to think about anything but enjoy Iceland in summer.

Visit Iceland in Summer on a 7-Day Ring Road Journey

Experience nature

There's no better time to explore nature attractions in Iceland than in summer. You can even visit public sites long after most people have gone to bed and view them in a whole new light, literally. 
Waterfalls are especially beautiful in summer as moss and greenery cover the landscaped around, such as at Gullfoss, Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss. And if you have a hard time sleeping you'll benefit from the calming warm waters of geothermal spas like the Blue Lagoon and Sky Lagoon.
Travel Reykjavík also offers private super jeep tours to the highlands, Icelands back country, that most travelers don't venture to and is only accessible in summer as roads close in wintertime.

Join Midnight Sun Events

Grímsey Summer Solstice Festival

On Grímsey, Iceland's northernmost inhabited island, locals hold a family festival around June 22nd to celebrate the summer solstice every year. Visitors can join in various activities that honor the island's unique culture, including fishing, sailing around the island, and watching thousands of puffins and other sea birds, and of course enjoying the Midnight Sun.

Hafnarfjörður Viking Festival

Each year around the summer solstice, the town of Hafnarfjörður hosts a Viking festival. This event features reenactments, traditional crafts, and music, offering visitors a glimpse into Iceland's Viking heritage. At the festival, walk through the Viking market and check out handmade goods like leather, fur, silver jewelry, swords, and bone horns. Try slow-roasted lamb, listen to old Viking stories, and watch battle reenactments that bring the past to life. The festival is the longest running Viking festival in Iceland, since 1995 and is held every year on the second weekend of June.

Midnight Sun Run

Held annually in Reykjavík's Laugardalur valley, the Midnight Sun Run offers participants the unique experience of running a race under the Midnight Sun. Runners can choose between a 5K, 10K, or half marathon, all taking place during the bright summer night. The race has taken place in Laugardalur valley around the summer solstice since 1993.

Jónsmessa

Iceland has a special celebration called Jónsmessa, happening every year on June 24th. Jónsmessa, named after John the Baptist, is a night full of old stories and mystery. Folklore says strange things can happen during this night. In some tales cows talk to relay helpful messages to people, stones with magical powers float up to be found, and elves come out to play. This is also the night that people roll naked in the dew-covered grass. The dew is said to have healing properties in the hours of the night and rolling in it heals all diseases and protects people from illness throughout the next year.

This festival mixes old pagan traditions with Christian influence, making it a unique part of Icelandic culture. Experiencing Jónsmessa adds something extra to the long summer nights in Iceland. Jónsmessa is most often celebrated with bonfires, musical events, and a whole lot of activities for all ages. 

The Arctic Open in Akureyri

The Arctic Open is a golf tournament like no other. It’s held every year in Akureyri, North Iceland, around the summer solstice in late June. What makes it special is that it’s played under the midnight sun — no darkness, no need for lights. Just pure, natural daylight, even at midnight.

Akureyri Golf Course is the world’s most northerly 18-hole golf course. It sits right below the Arctic Circle. During the Arctic Open, golfers from all over the world come to test their skills in bright night skies. Some bring their best game. Others come just for the fun and the view.

The tournament usually lasts two days and players tee off in the morning and usually finish in the late evening around 11pm. The light never fades and if you're just in it for the fun you'll love the mountains and fjords surrounding the course.

It’s open to both professionals and amateurs so it's more relaxed than most golf tournaments. Many players return year after year not just for golf, but for the uniquely long daylight hours that only happen this far north.

Secret Solstice Music festival [discontinued]

The Secret Solstice Festival, once one of Iceland’s biggest music events, is no longer happening. This festival was famous for bringing big-name artists to play under the Midnight Sun, but it has now been discontinued. There was no Secret Solstice Festival in 2023 or 2024. The event used to take place in Laugardalur, a scenic park near downtown Reykjavík. It had six stages, all named after Norse mythology, and drew both local and international artists.

Experience the Midnight Sun with Travel Reykjavík

If you're planning a visit to Iceland in the summer months make sure to have a look at our five and seven day tours where we take care of everything from securing the best accommodation in each area to crafting an itinerary with all the highlights around the island.

When you ride with Travel Reykjavík everything is taken care of and all you need to do is sit back and enjoy Iceland. We've got 80 years of experience in creating happy travelers.