Opening hours over the holidays

There are many tourists visiting Reykjavik over the holidays.

There are many tourists visiting Reykjavik over the holidays. Photo: Iceland Monitor/Styrmir Kári

Where to go over Christmas, will it be open and can you get there? Here’s a list of some top things you probably want to know when are open and closed if you are visiting Iceland right now.

Swimming pools

As melting away in hot water under when it’s cold outside is a favourite hobby of many an Icelander, holiday closing of swimming pools is minimum. In Reykjavik all swimming pools will be open until noon on 24. December. Vesturbæjarlaug, Árbæjarlaug and Laugardalslaug swimming pools will all open from 12-18 on 26. December, for those with a Christmas swim tradition.

Most swimming pools are open to from 8:00 or 9:00 until noon on New Year’s Eve. All of them are closed on 1. January except Laugardalslaug, which is open from 12-18

A visit to a swimming pool is popular in Iceland, …

A visit to a swimming pool is popular in Iceland, even in the freezing cold winter. Photo: Iceland Monitor/Ernir Eyjólfsson

Public Transportation

Public transportation, Strætó, is limited over the holidays. Some of the regular buses do not drive on holidays, others are limited in the time they drive. Further information on the website of Strætó.

The bus transport Strætó runs on limited hours on holidays.

The bus transport Strætó runs on limited hours on holidays. Photo: Iceland Monitor/Ómar Óskarsson

Super markets

Supermarkets in Iceland limit their opening hours over the holidays, on 24, and 31. December shops close early and most of them are closed on 25. December and 1. January. Here you can see the opening hours of the biggest supermarket chains in Iceland.

Krónan stores will all be open 9-15 on 24. December and 9-16 on 31. December. All their stores are closed on 25. December and 1. January. All of them are closed on 26. December except stores Breiðholti, Grafarholt, Hamraborg, Hvaleyrarbraut, Nóatún, Vallakór in the greater Reykjavik area, and Krónan in the Westman Islands.

Bónus stores are open 10-14 on 24. December, closed on 25-26. December, open 10-15 on 31. December and closed on January 1.

Nettó is open from 10-13 on 24. December (stores at Grandi and Mjódd in Reykjavik are open 24/7, so they have no opening hours but still close at 13:00). On 26. December Nettó stores in the Reykjavik area open at 10:00, in other parts of the country they are closed on that day. On 31. December the stores are open from 10-15, all the Nettó stores close for 1. January, but open at 10:00 on 2. January.

Hagkaup is open on 24. December from 10-14 in Kringlan, Smáralind, Holtagarðar, (the Reykjavik area) and Njarðvík, Borgarnes, Selfoss. From 8-16 in Akureyri and the 24/7 stores, Skeifan, Spöngin, Eiðistorg and Garðabær in Reykjavik area close at 16:00 as well. The stores are all closed on 25. The 24/7 stores open at 10:00 on 26. December and the store in Akureyri is open from 11-24 on the same day.
On 31. December the 24/7 stores close at 18:00, others at 15:00. On 1. January the 24/7 stores and the one in Akureyri open at 12:00, others are closed.

Most supermarkets are closed on 25. December and 1. January.

Most supermarkets are closed on 25. December and 1. January. Photo: Iceland Monitor/Ófeigur Lýðsson

Museums

Many of the museums in Iceland limit their opening hours over the holidays as well, here you can see a list of some of the biggest museums in Reykjavik and their opening hours.

National Gallery of Iceland will close for 24, 25, 26 and 31. December, as well as 1. January.

Same goes for Hafnarborg Art Museum.

The National Museum is open 11-12 on 24. December, 10-14 on 25. December, closed on 26. December but open 31. December and 1. January from 10-14.

Reykjavik Park and Zoo is open from 10-12 on 24, 25 and 31. December as well as 1. January. On 26. December the park is open from 10-17.

Hafnarhús Art Museum is closed on 24 and 25. December, open on 26. December from 13-17, on 31. December from 10-14 and 1. January from 13-17.

Kjarvalsstaðir Art Museum is closed on 24, 25 and 31. December as well as on 1. January. It is open on 26. December from 13-17. The same goes with Ásmundarsafn Museum.

The Settlement Exhibition is open on 24 and 31. December from 9-14, on 26 December from 12-20, and on 1. January from 12-18. The exhibition only closes on Christmas Day

Reykjavik Maritime Museum is closed on 24, 25. December and 1. January, open on 26. December from 12-17 and on 31. December from 10-14.

Árbæjarsafn Open Air Museum is open on 24, 26 and 31. December from 13-14. Closed on 25. December and 1. January.

A museum visit might be just the thing over the …

A museum visit might be just the thing over the holidays. Photo: Iceland Monitor/Rax / Ragnar Axelsson

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