National Day

17. júní

It may come as a surprise, but the National Day celebrations on 17 June every year are probably the smallest of the three festivals mentioned here. Nonetheless, it is a public holiday day of festivities in the city where people (especially families with children) celebrate the date Iceland was declared a republic in 1944. The date was selected because it is the birthday of the Icelandic independence hero Jón Sigurðsson.

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Listing from Wikivoyage: Reykjavík, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Updated 28 Sept 2026. Something wrong? Tell us.

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More in Reykjavík

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Harpa
The new home of the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra and regularly host to other acts as well. Delayed by the economic collapse, this building was under construction for several years before finally opening in May 2011. This marked the end of a long wait for the symphony orchestra, who had been using a cinema as their main venue the last 50 years. Today the symphony plays a concert every Thursday evening from September through June (although often at other times as well), but the building is rarely empty at other times with Iceland's lively music scene having embraced this new location.
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Inside the Volcano
Descend into the magma chamber of the Thrihnukagigur volcano. Transport provided from the city for the 30 minute drive to the starting point, or you can drive yourself.
08:00-17:00, every hour44 000 kr
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Islenski Hesturinn
Operated by a small group of friends and family, Islenski Hesturinn offers excellent service and tours with hotel pickup. Riders of all skills are welcome and matched to horses of their ability and personality, and various tours are available through Icelandic lava fields.
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Laugardalslaug
The city's largest pool with extensive facilities, in Laugardalur Valley east of the city centre. It has two large pools for swimming, several hot-pots, a seawater bath, a steam bath, and water slide. It is a well-used large complex that is starting to show its age a little but it is still the best option in the city. It is undergoing quite a lot of renovation work, but the pool remains open.
Mon-Fri 06:30 - 22:00, Sat Sun 08:00 - 22:001380 kr