Jóhann Viking
June in Iceland
What‘s it like to be in Iceland in June? What are some of the best things to do in Iceland in June? What are the best tours in Iceland in June? What should I bring to Iceland? Will there be snow, rain or sun? Where should I eat? These are all questions tourists ask themselves. I decided to make a list of how best to dress, what the best restaurants are, which tours are best to take, how the weather is in Iceland in June and so much more. When I travel abroad I have no idea what awaits me. Therefore, it‘s best to get tips from the locals.
Let’s start with the weather in Iceland and how best to dress.
June has begun to be like May used to be in Iceland. The last few years have been as if our seasons have been moving back a whole month. Back in the day, May was always a spring month. Snow had just finished melting from the mountains and the lowlands were completely green. Now June has become our spring month. There is still snow in the mountains and everything is getting greener in the lowlands. In fact, it‘s very difficult to predict how the weather will be because no year has been the same. The summer of 2018 was like a monsoon season. It rained all summer. We got 3 dry days in June. Next summer could very well be completely dry. June should at least be a summer month in Iceland. So if you are planning to visit Iceland in June, be prepared for anything except perhaps snow. It will rain but it can also be warm and dry. The temperature in June ranges from 10-15 C or 50-59 F. It is completely unnecessary to wear a Parka or knitwear. But it‘s still a good ideato bring fairly warm clothes and definitely bring something that can withstand water. It‘s also good to have a change of clothes because there is a 95% chance that you will experience more than one rainy day. The highlands are still wet and there‘s very likely still snow. However, it depends on whether you are coming in early June or late June. At the end of June most snow has disappeared from the mountains.
June 21st is summer solstice. Then it’s bright 24/7. In fact, it is bright 24/7 throughout June. Therefore, it is impossible to see the Northern Lights. The Northern Lights can only be seen during the winter months in Iceland.
If you are staying in a tent, we recommend that you bring a warm sleeping bag and even long johns because it can get cold at night, especially in early June. Not necessarily at the end of June.
How is Iceland in June?
Iceland is fantastic in June. As I mentioned earlier, this has become kind of a spring month for us. At least a part of it. If you visit Iceland in June, you will see the snow melting from the mountains and highlands and a large part of Iceland is still wet. It will not be properly dry until July. There is a lot of things going on in June though. I will list everything you can do later on.
The experience of seeing everything come to life in Iceland is absolutely magnificent. Icelanders change a great deal and it brings a lot of joy to people after the hard winter months. A lot of Icelanders travel abroad, for example to Spain.
What sort of tours should I take in Iceland in June?
There is an abundance of different tours! The Golden Circle is a must do in Iceland. You can‘t really say you‘ve been to Iceland unless you have done the Golden Circle. Reykjavik Outventure offers a Golden Circle tour which includes a food experience as well as tasting of Icelandic whiskey and beer. We also go to theSecret Lagoon.
Are there any whales in Iceland? Yes! You have to go whale watching in Iceland. There are lots of whale watching companies and Reykjavik Outventure will be happy to assist you in finding the right company to spot some whales.
Can you go glacier hiking in June? Yes! Have you even been to Iceland if you haven’t been on a glacial walk? No! There are dozens of glaciers in Iceland, waiting to be walked on. They are made to be experienced. Is it possible to go snowmobiling in Iceland in June? Yes! You can go glacier hiking on a snowmobile as well. Mýrdalsjökull, Sólheimajökull, Vatnajökull and Eyjafjallajökull. Just to name a few. Reykjavik Otventure will happily help you find the best tours.
The South Coast tour is one of the best tours in Iceland. There you‘ll get to see all the best of Iceland in one day. Reykjavik Outventure offers a wonderful South Coast tour with terrific food experience, as well as Icelandic alcohol and beers. The Glacier Lagoon is included in the tour.
The Blue Lagoon in Iceland in June. It can be very crowded there because it‘s the most popular destination in Iceland year round. Many say it‘s a must do. I totally agree. Where else are you going to bathe in bright blue water?
If you want to visit the Blue Lagoon, take a tour with Reykjavik Outventure of the Reykjanes Peninsula and have them drop you off at the Blue Lagoon.
In the Reykjanes Peninsula tour you will see how Iceland really is! This area has such a great history and such a unique and hefty nature. Unlike anything else in Iceland. Reykjavik Outventure offers this trip both with and without food experience.
And don’t forget to explore the northernmost capital in the world. Reykjavik. There is so much to see in Reykjavik. All the food and culture. All the weird and fun people. All the cool museums. Reykjavik Outventure will be happy to help you find a tour of the city that suits you, or we can offer you our own food and drink tour, which also includes visits to museums and churches.
There‘s so much more to mention but you can‘t list everything.
Where should I eat in Iceland in June?
What do you want to eat? Do you want meat, vegetables, burgers, sandwiches, chips or anything else?
It‘s my pleasure to help you and point out a few places.
The best burgers in town are to be found at Hamborgarabúlla Tómasar or at Hamborgarafabrikkan.
It‘s becoming quite expensive to buy hamburgers in Iceland but the best burgers and the fairest price is at Hamborgarabúllan. It‘s located by the harbor on Geirsgata.
Do you haveMcDonald’s in Iceland? No, not anymore. But we have the same kind of place called Metro. Do you have Burger King in Iceland? No, not anymore either.
Do you have pizza in Iceland? You bet! We make amazing pizzas! Do you have Dominos in Iceland? Yes and plenty of them. You won’t have trouble finding one.
Do you have KFC in Iceland? Yes, you can find KFC locations everywhere.
Which steakhouses are the best in Iceland? Grillmarkaðurinn is one of the most popular among tourists. It’s always fully-booked too. There you‘ll get some top steaks.
Do you have Hereford in Iceland? Yes and it‘s a splendid place. Very good prices and great service. They usually have free tables but it‘s a good idea to reserve ahead.
I recommend a place called Apótekið. It’s my favorite place. There you get amazing steaks and the whole place is so cool. The menu is great as well.
Are there any vegan places in Iceland? Yes, you bet. There is considerable vegan culture in Iceland.
Here are some places: Flatbakan offers great vegan pizzas. Garðurinn, Kaffi Výnil, Súpubarinn, Bryggjan Brugghús, just to name a few.
If you want good fish, we recommend Kopar. Then you‘ll also get a great view of the harbor while you‘re eating. Or the place called Höfnin. It‘s located next to Kopar. Caruso too. They have the best fish & chips in Reykjavik. Sjávarréttabarinn is probably the most popular though.
Events in Iceland in June
There are of course lots of events in Iceland. I suppose the biggest event is Secret Solstice. Many of the world’s biggest musicians come to Iceland and play there. Also a ton of Icelandic musicians. The festival is usually held around the Icelandic Independence Day which is on June 17th.
There‘s also a large festival in the capital of Northern Iceland, Akureyri. This festival is called “Bíladagar“, or Car Days. In the past, this was one of the largest festivals of the summer in Iceland, but it has diminshed somewhat over the years. At this festival, car lovers come together to roar their engines and show their skills on cars or motorcycles.
And one can‘t forget ”sjómannadagurinn“, or the day of the fishermen, which is always celebrated the first weekend in June. This is when all the fishermen in Iceland get a holiday and celebrate. They drink a lot of alcohol and often the ships compete in tug of war, football and pillow fight.