Reykjavík in August

When to go

Visit Iceland says Culture Night, or Menningarnótt, is held in Reykjavík each August, and Visit Reykjavík says the Reykjavík Jazz Festival takes place at the end of the month. Commerce Day, a holiday in early August, changes the city's bus timetable, so compare your dates with it. The WMO table for Reykjavik lists the month's average daily high, low and rainfall, so check those figures and a current forecast before you pack.

Trip facts

• The World Meteorological Organization's World Weather Information Service lists 1961–1990 normals from the Icelandic Meteorological Office for Reykjavik in August: an average daily high of 13.0 degrees Celsius (55.4 degrees Fahrenheit), an average daily low of 7.9 degrees Celsius (46.2 degrees Fahrenheit) and rainfall of 61.8 mm. (worldweather.wmo.int, checked 2026-10-15)
• Strætó's notice posted 23 July 2026 says that on Commerce Day (frídagur verslunarmanna), August 3, buses drive according to Sunday schedule. (www.straeto.is, checked 2026-10-15)
• Visit Iceland's August guide says Culture Night, or Menningarnótt, is held in Reykjavík each August. (www.visiticeland.com, checked 2026-10-15)
• Visit Reykjavík says the annual Reykjavík Jazz Festival takes place at the end of August. (visitreykjavik.is, checked 2026-10-15)
• The EU's official travel site says that from 10 April 2026, the Entry/Exit System (EES) is fully operational at all external border crossing points of the European countries using the system. (travel-europe.europa.eu, checked 2026-10-15)
• The EU's official ETIAS page says ETIAS is currently not in operation and no applications for travel authorisations are collected at this point, and that the European Union will inform about the specific date for the start of ETIAS several months prior to its launch. (travel-europe.europa.eu, checked 2026-10-15)
• Iceland's government portal says non-EEA/EFTA citizens who visit Iceland must carry valid travel documents or identity cards that are accepted for border crossing, and that their travel documents must be valid at least three (3) months beyond the intended departure date and have been issued within the last ten (10) years. (island.is, checked 2026-10-15)
• Keflavík Airport's site, run by the airport operator Isavia, says Keflavik Airport is located in the Reykjanes peninsula, about 50 kilometers from Reykjavik city center. (www.kefairport.com, checked 2026-10-15)
• Strætó's notice of 30 September 2026 says route 55 operates between BSÍ and/or Fjörður and Keflavík Airport, and that passengers can pay with either cash or contactless payment cards. (www.straeto.is, checked 2026-10-15)
• Visit Reykjavík's neighbourhood guide describes Vesturbær, located west of the city centre, as offering a quieter alternative to Miðbær while still being close to Reykjavík's main attractions. (visitreykjavik.is, checked 2026-10-15)