Iceland in April
· Updated · BootsnAll
In most places, April is a spring month and summer is still two months off. In Iceland, April is when summer officially begins... but don't bust out your shorts and sundresses just yet. Snow is still possible, the highlands are shut, and the wind off the sea has teeth.
What April does give you is long days, the first puffins, and shoulder-season prices before the summer rush.
April weather
April is the month Reykjavik finally climbs clear of freezing. The Icelandic Met Office's 1991-2020 averages put the typical high at 6.9°C (44°F) and the low at 1.0°C (34°F). It's also drier and brighter than winter: about 59 mm of precipitation over 12 days, and around 165 hours of sunshine, more than any month from September to March.
Snowstorms still happen, especially early in the month and in the north. As the month goes on, days tend to get warmer, drier and longer. Bring a warm jacket, sturdy boots, a hat, scarf and gloves, and you'll find the weather not much different from early spring in the northern US.
Daylight
You gain more than three hours of daylight in April. On 1 April the sun rises around 6:45am and sets around 8:20pm. By 30 April it's up at about 5:05am and doesn't set until about 9:45pm, almost 17 hours (Reykjavik sunrise and sunset times).
That's great for sightseeing and bad for the Northern Lights. Early April is your last realistic chance for an aurora until the nights darken again in late summer, and even then you'll be staying up late. Check the Met Office aurora forecast and see viewing the Northern Lights.
Things to do in April
April visitors will find most of the year-round outdoor activities available, and a few seasonal ones starting up.
- Puffins. Elding's puffin tours from Reykjavik start on 20 April. In the north, North Sailing in Húsavík says the island it visits hosts over 200,000 puffins between April and August.
- Whale watching. Tours run from Reykjavik all year, and Elding's smaller-boat premium tour starts its season on 1 April.
- Self-drive the southwest. Roads around Reykjavik, the Golden Circle and the south coast are generally clear by April, and you can easily drive around on your own. Keep checking umferdin.is, because a late storm can still close a pass.
- Silfra. Snorkeling and diving in the Þingvellir fissure run in 2-4°C water, whatever the month.
- Horseback riding and glacier walks. Both run in spring. Book glacier walks with a guide, never on your own.
The highlands are still out of reach. F-roads usually open in June or July, and they stay closed until then.
>> more on what to wear in Iceland in spring
Holidays in April
The First Day of Summer
Icelanders used to follow an old calendar that split the year into winter and summer, and the First Day of Summer (sumardagurinn fyrsti) marks the start of Harpa, the first summer month. It falls on the first Thursday after 18 April: 23 April in 2026 and 22 April in 2027. It's a public holiday, and towns hold parades and other events. Though the actual summer weather is a few weeks away, Icelanders celebrate anyway. An old custom says that if the water left outside freezes the night before, it will be a good summer.
Easter
Easter moves between March and April. In 2026 it fell on 5 April; in 2027 it's early, on 28 March. Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday are all public holidays in Iceland, so shops and services keep shorter hours and some close. Plan your grocery shopping around it. Easter is also when Ísafjörður hosts the Aldrei fór ég suður music festival (26-27 March in 2027). More in Iceland in March.
>> more on holidays and events in Iceland
What April costs
April is a good month to visit if you want to avoid the summer crowds and spend less. It's still shoulder season, and hotels, car rentals and tours generally cost less than they will from June. Easter week is the exception.
Fares change too often to quote here. Icelandair flies to Keflavik all year, and so does United from Chicago. Delta, United, Alaska, Air Canada, WestJet and Air Transat add summer-season flights, so check whether your city's nonstop has started by your travel date. PLAY, the budget airline, stopped flying on 29 September 2025.
>> more on flights to Iceland and how to budget for a trip to Iceland
If you're arriving through Keflavik
Many visitors stop at the Blue Lagoon on the way from the airport. It's near Grindavík, where the Sundhnúkur crater row erupted nine times between December 2023 and August 2025; the lagoon evacuated its guests on 1 April 2025 during one of those eruptions. As of September 2026, the Icelandic Met Office says magma is still accumulating under the area. Check Safetravel before you go.
>> more on the Blue Lagoon and getting between Reykjavik and Keflavik
FAQ
Is April a good time to visit Iceland?
It's one of the better value months. You get 13 to 17 hours of daylight, lower prices than summer, and the start of puffin season. The trade-off is unpredictable weather and no access to the highlands.
Can you still see the Northern Lights in April?
Sometimes, early in the month, late at night, with clear skies. By late April the nights are too bright. If the aurora is your main goal, go between September and March.
When do puffins arrive in Iceland?
Puffin tours from Reykjavik start on 20 April, and the birds stay into August. See Iceland in May for the next stage of spring.
Photo by Sara Bjork