Reykjavik in January
Around four hours of daylight at the start of the month, with northern-lights tours every clear night; busy for winter, but nothing like summer.
Is January a good time to visit Reykjavik?
January is one of the better months to visit Reykjavik. Crowds sit around 48/100, with typical highs near 3°C.
Book things to do
Tours and tickets in Reykjavik, from our booking partner.
What’s on in January
- Þorrablót midwinter feasts (from late January)
- Northern lights season
Best days in January
Weekdays are almost always calmer than weekends.
Tue is normally the calmest day of the week.
Best hours in January
The daily rhythm, hour by hour.
The 9:00 AM window is usually the calmest of the day.
Weather in January
Typical highs, lows and wet days.
How January compares
Every month in Reykjavik, ranked by how calm it is.
Quieter alternatives
If your dates are flexible, these months are calmer in Reykjavik.
Frequently asked questions
Is January a good month to visit Reykjavik?
January is one of the better months to visit Reykjavik. Crowds sit around 48/100, with typical highs near 3°C.
How crowded is Reykjavik in January?
Reykjavik sits at roughly 48/100 in January on our crowd scale, which is 12 points below the yearly average. The quietest month is November.
What is the weather like in Reykjavik in January?
Expect highs around 3°C and lows near -2°C in January, with about 18 wet days across the month.
Sources
Weather: 1995–2024 averages from the Reykjavík weather station (NOAA GHCN-Daily); rain days count days with at least 1 mm.
Crowd scores are modelled estimates, not live counts.How the model works
Events, holidays and practical notes are checked against these official pages: