Iceland School Holidays (2026)

School holidays in Iceland include Christmas, spring and summer break. Usually, the school year begins during the last week of August and ends during the first week of June. The dates are determined by the Department of Education and Youth.

For more updated information about school holidays in Iceland, please visit individual websites for schools in Iceland.

When are school holidays in Iceland?

What are the other holidays in Iceland?

New Year’s Day
New Year’s Day is observed on January 1st in celebration of the beginning of a new year in the Gregorian calendar.

Maundy Thursday
Maundy Thursday also referred to as Good Thursday or Holy Thursday is observed on the Thursday before Good Friday. This day celebrates the Last Supper which is a traditional ceremony known as Holy Communion or Eucharist.

Good Friday
Good Friday is celebrated on the Friday before Easter to mark the crucifixion of Jesus. For Christians, this is a day of mourning where they attend church services and meditate on the suffering of Jesus, His death on the cross and what this means for their faith.

Easter Monday
This is a Christian holiday that is observed the day after Easter Sunday in celebration of the resurrection of Jesus.

First Day of Summer
First Day of Summer is observed on the first Thursday after April 18th, which means it occurs between April 19th to April 25th. This day is celebrated as the National Icelandic Flag Day and marks the start of summer.

May Day
May Day, also referred to as Labor Day or International Workers Day, is observed on May 1st in celebration of the achievements of the labor movements, which led to the sanction of the eight-hour workday.

Ascension Day
Ascension Day marks the 40th day after Easter and is observed in celebration of the ascension of Jesus into heaven.

Whit Monday
Whit Monday, also known as Pentecost Monday, is observed on the Monday after Pentecost or Whit Sunday. This day comes 50 days after Easter to mark the conclusion of the Easter period. On this day, Christians celebrate the descending of the Holy Spirit in the manifestation of flames on the Apostles.

Independence Day
Independence Day is celebrated on June 17th and is also referred to as Icelandic National Day. This day commemorates Iceland’s attainment of independence from Denmark in 1944.

Commerce Day
This day is also referred to as Tradesmen’s Day or the Holidays of the Merchants and is observed on the first Monday of August. This holiday was first celebrated on September 13, 1894.

Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve is observed on December 24th in celebration of the end of the advent period before Christmas.

Christmas Day
Christmas Day celebrates the birth of Jesus and is observed on December 25th.

St. Stephen’s Day
St. Stephen’s Day is observed on December 26th in celebration of St. Stephen who was the first Christian martyr. This day is also referred to Boxing Day or the Second Day of Christmas.

New Year’s Eve
New Year’s Eve is observed on December 31st in celebration of the last day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. In Iceland, this day is celebrated as a half day.