Anne-Charlotte PasseraSpending New Year’s Eve in Iceland will probably be the most memorable moment of your life.
For 8 years in a row, I spent New Year’s Eve in a foreign country. Sadly, our wedding put that streak on hold and this year, because of Covid-19, well you know, we are all stuck at home.
Nonetheless, the land of Fire & Ice awaits, and once it is safe to travel again, you should consider spending New Year’s Eve in Iceland. By far, this was the most AMAZING New Year’s Eve that I have ever experienced in my life, thus far.
The boring stuff
First and foremost, flights to Iceland are relatively affordable that time of year. Our plane ticket cost us $500 CAD each to fly from Montreal to Reykjavik during the holidays.
However, Iceland is not a ‘cheap’ destination to travel to. Despite this fact, the small island of Iceland greets over 2 million tourists per year! That’s a lot considering that the local population is around 300,000 people.
Drinking
Whether you enjoy drinking or not, it doesn’t matter. Icelandic people love to party and they sure know how to do it in style for New Year’s Eve throughout Iceland.
If you do enjoy a drink or 5, buy your alcohol at the airport when you arrive. You’ll save money that way. Also, if you arrive on a very early flight, HERE are our tips on how to spend your time before checking into your hotel.
Where to have a New Year’s Eve meal in Reykjavik, Iceland
As I said, Iceland is an expensive destination.
Ordinarily, food is expensive in Iceland. So, imagine on New Year’s Eve! A meal will cost you well over $100 CAD per person.
Also, not all restaurants are open on New Year’s Eve nor on New Year’s day.
Therefore, if you really want to have a proper dinner in Reykjavik on New Year’s Eve:
- Check if the restaurant is open
- Book a table as soon as possible
The place we were interested in was already full when we wanted to book, two months before our travel departure.
Our experience
When we landed at 5am on New Year’s Eve day in Iceland, we had no idea where we were going to eat that evening.
We arrived in the middle of the afternoon at the Hlemmur Square Hostel where we still couldn’t check in so we chilled until we could. The whole first half of the day was spent exploring the city and swimming in a hot outdoor pool. You can read about that HERE.
Luckily for us, our hostel had an adjoining restaurant that still had room available for New Year’s Eve diner at 6:30 pm. At least our last meal of the year issue was resolved right there and then.
After settling in and taking a short nap, we left for diner. The service was poor, the meal was OK but at a fraction of the price, we would have paid in a fancy restaurant. Fortunately, the bread was good and we then went back to our dark dorm to get changed. It’s cold in Iceland at that time of year.
Don’t expect to be in a restaurant until the end of time. They usually close before 10:30 pm and I’ll explain why further down.
Restaurant idea for New Year’s Eve
Our last night in Reykjavik, we had dinner at the Fish Company with my family who had met up with us in Iceland.
The food was simply AMAZING. Although it is pricy, like every other restaurant here, for once, you get what you pay for. The service was great as well.
When they serve your dish, they take the time once again to explain to you what is in it and all the savours. Their home made bread is delicious as well and just melts in your mouth.
What else can I say aside that YOU HAVE TO TRY IT. For our last meal together it was wonderful, couldn’t have picked a better place had I done it myself. Oh wait, I did pick that place.
If you like seafood, homemade bread and dark places, you should have your New Year’s Eve meal there.
Once you’ve had your early dinner, grab your ‘fuel’ that you bought at the airport and set out for the first highlight of your evening.
The Bonfires in Iceland
We set off across town to check out the bonfire, a tradition here. They are set up in various areas of town. Just ask the reception desk for the closest location as it changes every year.
Although most bonfires are set out in and around Reykjavik, you can see some in the countryside as well.
Roughly 90 bonfires are lit each New Year’s Eve around Iceland, with Reykjavik having between 15 to 17. They are usually lit around 8 pm and finished by 10 pm.
Icelandic people don’t do things halfway. There bonfires are as high or higher than then ones set at pep rallies or homecoming across American campuses.
People gather there to meet up with family and friends. They sing, dance, sparkle and most of all, just stand there to admire the fire and reflect on the year that has passed. As a foreigner, you’ll really feel a sense of community, warmth and festive spirit radiating throughout Iceland. You won’t regret being part of that experience.
The bonfires is definitely not something you should miss out on as it doesn’t get more authentic than that.
Our bonfire experience
We went to the one located on the western part of town. What was supposed to be a 35 minute walk was more like an hour, but we had fun exploring and had our own fuel to keep us warm. It was well worth it.
We attempted to walk on the frozen pond but were too chickened to cross. Others were doing it and it would have saved us some time. So we went around Tjornin Lake.
We at last arrived at the beach and the bonfire was GIGANTIC and fireworks were already starting to go off and this was around 8:30 pm! What an experience! This is a free and fun family activity. No need to pay a tour company to go and check it out.
After the bonfire, the locals go home to watch an Icelandic comedy show that reflects on the various events that occurred during the year. I can only imagine what it will be like for 2020!
This show is apparently a big deal and the streets really empty out. That’s why restaurants and bars alike will be closed at 10:30 pm. Everyone is home watching the show. The only people you will come across on the streets will be foreigners like you and me.
After the bonfire, we headed back through the streets of Reykjavik to our hostel to warm up, refuel and wait for the second part of our evening to happen, the fireworks show.
Fireworks extravaganza
Imagine all the fireworks you’ve seen in your life and multiply it by 1000. That’s how many you’ll see if you spend New Years’s Eve in Iceland, especially in Reykjavik.
You won’t be in the heart of a tornado but at the core of a fireworks show. No seriously, it’s absolutely unreal! This is the greatest firework show on the planet and is a huge part of Iceland’s New Year’s Eve traditions.
We saw our first firework at 10:45 am when we were at the top of the Hallgrímskirkja church. That’s how early people start lighting them.
However, as soon as it gets dark again, fireworks are slowly being set off during the evening with a crescendo around 11:30 pm and peak once the clock strikes midnight. When we went to bed around 2:30 am, we could still hear them.
Anyone is allowed to shoot off fireworks and from anywhere. It’s absolutely insane. We saw people shooting some off in the middle of the streets, in their own back yard
Why so many fireworks?
The fireworks show is not only to dazzle you.
All proceeds from the sales of fireworks go to the Icelandic Search and Rescue teams of volunteers of Iceland (ICE-SAR). They are about 3,000 men and women who keeps visitors safe on the roads and at sea throughout the year.
Also, along with the sale of fireworks, they count on the sale of Christmas trees as their primary source of fundraising. Hundreds of millions of Icelandic kronur are raised each year because the Icelanders are obsessed with the display on New Year’s Eve.
Make sure you buy your ‘sparklers’ from Landsbjorg or Flugbjorgunarsveitin.
That is why they go off whenever and where ever, whether be in your personal yard, street, beach, road etc….HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Where to watch the fireworks in Reykjavik
After the annual end of the year comedy show, around 11:30 pm, people start flocking to the streets to shoot fireworks or to find a spot to watch them.
Anywhere where you can be high up is a good location to watch all the fireworks. You can go to the Perlan, which hosts a planetarium, an observation deck, and a restaurant. I believe that the restaurant is open during New Year’s Eve. We didn’t go there as it was nowhere close to our hostel.
Another good spot would be close to a body of water and you have plenty of spots to pick from. Either down by the seaside on the western part of town, close to one of the bonfires, the Harpa Concert Hall, the Sun Voyager sculpture, or even the frozen lake Tjornin.
We decided to finish our last evening of the year at the Hallgrímskirkja church surrounded by fireworks before, during, and after midnight. It was absolutely MAGNIFICENT and a tad bit dangerous since they are set off really right next to you. Since it sits at the top of a hill, it’s a great place to watch the fireworks from.
The area in front of the church, surrounding the statue of Leifur Eiriksson, an Icelandic explorer said to be the first one to set foot in North America (before Christoper Columbus), is very popular with locals and foreigners alike. Aside from the view, it’s also conveniently located close to a lot of bars.
Party time in Reykjavik
Usually, Big Boss and I don’t really party on New Year’s Eve when we are traveling. It’s usually because we either have an early flight or an activity planned. Yes, we do pop a bottle of champagne like in Paris or Fès, but we are usually in bed relatively early.
It wasn’t the case in Reykjavik and we sort of got carried away. We were up talking to locals and foreigners alike until 2:30 am at our hostel’s bar, that’s late for us now.
It wouldn’t have been a problem if we didn’t have to leave at 8 am the next morning to drive to the South Coast for the day.
However, we did manage to get up at 8:30 am and were on the road by 9 am. Big Boss did however have to pull over twice before reaching the city limits as something didn’t agree with me. Probably the fuel drank the night before. Who knows right?
Luckily for me, I didn’t have to drive and was able the sleep it off. Unfortunately, the first two waterfalls that we saw, I had to visit on my own as Big Boss had to catch upon some ‘sleep’.
Now that you know, try the Golden Circle on New Year’s day instead if you were up late the night before ringing in the new year. It’s a much shorter drive than going to the South Coast.
Where to party in Reykjavik after midnight
Bars and nightclubs open up after midnight and remain so until at least 5 am. There is usually a cover charge to get into them on New Year’s Eve. It won’t make much difference to you at what time they close because it will still be dark, no matter what time you decide to go home.
During that time of year, the sun doesn’t start to show its face until 9:45 am!
You’ll find many bars on the main street called Laugavegur. It’s the place to go to experience Reykjavik’s nightlife. We did go for a drink there at The Big Lebowski bar one night.
The interior alone is neat, the music is great and their white russians are supposedly worth a try with all kinds of twist. I didn’t try any as one, it’s not my thing, two..euh did you see the price??
The bar is very much inspired by the movie which they play every day. This is a great place to go to for happy hour but get there early as it packs up quick.
Happy hour in Iceland is the best time to go to have a drink, as the drinks are usually less expensive.
Spending New Year’s Eve in Reykjavik or Iceland for that matter doesn’t have to cost you a fortune to have a good time.
Bonfires and the fireworks extravaganza are FREE for you to enjoy.
And finally, Happy New Year in Icelandic is Gleðilegt nýtt ár!
Wow this looks so magical! You can tell that the Icelandic people simply know how to celebrate and have a good time. I hoe I can go celebrate the New Year there someday.
I hope so too because it truly is an amazing experience and Iceland is absolutely gorgeous.
Iceland is number one on my bucket list! We were supposed to go in October but…covid. this post renewed my desire to go asap!
I know exactly what you mean! Hopefully next year you’ll be able to make the trip and possibly ring in the new year there!
Woooah I didn’t know they were big on NYE bonfires in Iceland! Did anyone explain to you the reason behind that tradition? I love the idea of that giant fires and all the fireworks. Plus, Iceland is just awesome in winter so I love this idea.
I don’t know the reason behind the bonfires even though I did try to look it up. I think it’s their way to come together and break up the monotony of winter.
That makes sense – I mean I always LOVED bonfire night in the UK (5th of November) mostly as it was nice for our village to come together around a fire.
Wow, New Years in Iceland looks incredible! Those bonfires are insane! I’ve never traveled for New Year as we typically spend it at home, but Iceland does look tempting! Thanks for the great guide!
What a helpful guide! I really want to have a bonfire in Iceland now! Never thought about spending NYE here before but you’re changing my mind 🙂
You won’t regret it!
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