Ascension Day

📣 Traveler notes

Iceland is known for its dramatic landscapes, including glaciers, volcanoes, rivers, and waterfalls. Visitors can engage in various activities such as hiking, ice climbing, kayaking, and relaxing in geothermal hot springs. Numerous tours catering to all activity levels are available.

• Expect specific store and public service closures around major religious holidays.
• Iceland observes holidays based on the Western Christian calendar, with local traditions varying per festival.
• Generally, services are closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day.
• Holiday closures often occur on Good Friday, Easter, and Pentecost.
• Local community traditions, such as those surrounding Epiphany, are often celebrated with enthusiasm.
• Icelandic tradition includes 'Bolludagur,' a Monday festival featuring puffed buns.
• Foreigners are encouraged to be polite and respectful. As Iceland is an egalitarian society, equal treatment is expected of service personnel. Modesty is valued, and proselytizing is generally discouraged. When visiting private homes, remove your shoes. While punctuality is valued, social settings may tolerate delays of up to 15 minutes.