Iceland Public & National Holidays (2026)

Iceland is a Nordic island country that’s defined by its landscape full of volcanoes, hot springs, lava fields and geysers, as well as massive glaciers. Iceland is also known as the land of light and darkness.

Iceland’s land area spans a total of 103,000 km², while the population is estimated at 339,031.

Public holidays in Iceland consist of religious and national holidays observed by Icelanders across the country.

When are public holidays in Iceland?

Dates Holiday
Jan 1 New Year’s Day
Apr 2 Maundy Thursday
April 3 Good Friday
Apr 5 Easter Sunday
Apr 6 Easter Monday
May 1 Labor Day
May 14 Ascension Day
May 25 Whit Monday
Jun 17 Independence Day
Aug 3 Commerce Day
Dec 24 Christmas Eve
Dec 25 Christmas Day
Dec 31 New Year’s Eve

What are the public holidays in Iceland?

New Year’s Day
New Year’s Day is a public holiday in Iceland that commemorates the first day of the new year according to the Gregorian Calendar.

Maundy Thursday
Also known as Holy Thursday, this commemorates the Last Supper between Jesus and his disciples, that has also established the ceremony known as the Eucharist.

Good Friday
Good Friday is observed by Christians around the world, commemorating the death and crucifixion of Jesus.

Easter Sunday
Easter Sunday is an important Christian holiday that celebrates and commemorates the resurrection of Jesus after his crucifixion.

Labor Day
Iceland’s Labor Day commemorates the efforts and achievements of the labor movement. This holiday is shared internationally in over 80 countries.

Ascension Day
Ascension Day is the 40th day of Easter that commemorates the ascension of Jesus into heaven.

Whit Monday
Commonly known as Pentecost Monday, this holiday in Iceland commemorates the Holy Spirit appearing in the form of flames to the Apostles.

Independence Day
Iceland’s Independence Day marks the country’s complete independence from Denmark in 1944.

Commerce Day
Commerce Day in Iceland is always celebrated on the first Monday in August, which gives commercial workers a day off during summer.

Christmas Day
Christmas Day is a Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus, in accordance with the Gregorian Calendar.

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Comment (1)

This holiday information website has been such a lifesaver! It provided detailed and up-to-date information on attractions, events, and accommodations, making planning our family vacation a breeze. Thank you for the convenience!
By Sanjay Kumar (Mar, 2023) | Reply

2025-12-24T18:44:27+04:00
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