Festival of the Sea

20/04/2021 12:04

Festival of the Sea is an extension of Fisherman's Day, an Icelandic annual holiday usually held the first Sunday in June. Fisherman's Day has been celebrated since 1938 to honor the hard work and sacrifices of the Icelandic fisherman. The day became a legal holiday in 1987.

It is an important celebration and fishing towns all over Iceland celebrate with sea-related entertainment for the whole family. In a way this is a fun reason for everyone to come together and remember the importance and impact that the fishing industry has had on the Icelandic culture.

In Reykjavík, the festival is held in the old harbor area from Harpa to Grandagarður (West Harbor). There is usually a diverse program starting with an opening ceremony by the old harbor. Guests can enjoy sailing and sea swimming, there is always various entertainment for children at all ages like pier fishing, face painting and live music. On Sunday (Fisherman’s day) there is usually a parade from Harpa music hall to Granda.

Various restaurants in the harbour area partake in the festivities by offering fun specials.

For those who would like to observe the festivities from a comfortable distance, Ský Restaurant and Bar, located at centerhotel Arnarhvoll has an incredible view over Harpa and the old harbour and of course we recommend one of their delicious fish dishes in honor of Fisherman's day. Ský also offers Happy Hour between 16-19.

Icelandic Christmas Season

09/12/2021

Icelanders LOVE their Christmas traditions and most families hold onto them very strongly. Here you will learn about some of them.

A Famous Little Tourist Volcano

27/05/2021

The volcano in Fagradalsfjall is still going strong, new fissure vents keep opening and the everchanging volcano has not only caught the attention Icelandic hikers but planetry scientist, international news media and even musicians and wedding planners.

A local favorite

20/05/2021

Visiting a local thermal pool in Iceland is a great and inexpensive fun for the whole family and a great way to experience the local culture.

Eurovision & Húsavík

17/05/2021

The Eurovision song contest is an international song competition held annually, usually in May. The small town Húsavík served as the setting for the 2020 Netflix movie Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga. The title song from the movie is also named Húsavík and the song received an oscar nomination for Orignal song for a film.

Iceland Airwaves

27/04/2021

Iceland Airwaves is the most important music festival in Iceland and is held every year in early November at various music venues, record stores, art museums, bars and even in a church, all located in downtown Reykjavík.