When the midnight sun happens in Iceland
Two things get mixed up under this name. One is the bright summer night on the mainland. The other is a sun that stays above the horizon all night. Reykjavík has the first. Around the summer solstice the sun sets there and stays below the horizon for about 3 hours, and the sky stays bright in twilight. Continuous sun around the solstice belongs to Grímsey, an island you reach by ferry from Dalvík or by plane from Akureyri.
The national tourism board describes mid-May to mid-July as the time of bright "midnight sun" nights, and 7 June to 7 July for Grímsey. These are tourist descriptions and not exact limits for 2026. The summer solstice in 2026 fell on 21 June at 08:24 local time in Reykjavík. A bright night says nothing about cloud, so the sun can still be hidden.
Daylight in Reykjavík from May to August
Sunrise and sunset in 2026, with the length of the day. Twilight is not included, so the sky is brighter than the table suggests.
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 May | 05:00 | 21:51 | 16 h 51 min |
| 15 May | 04:13 | 22:37 | 18 h 24 min |
| 1 June | 03:23 | 23:30 | 20 h 7 min |
| 15 June | 02:57 | 23:59 | 21 h 2 min |
| 1 July | 03:05 | 23:56 | 20 h 50 min |
| 15 July | 03:41 | 23:24 | 19 h 43 min |
| 1 August | 04:34 | 22:31 | 17 h 56 min |
| 15 August | 05:18 | 21:43 | 16 h 24 min |
The nights shorten again quickly after mid-July. By mid-August the sun sets before 22:00. If the bright nights are the point of your trip, aim for June and the first half of July. The summer guide covers the weather, the highlands and the crowds in that period.
Our picks: midnight sun tours
A whale cruise with live music and a puffin boat trip, both from Reykjavík.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
One-hour puffin boat trip from Reykjavík
A boat trip with a guide and binoculars, and the operator promises a puffin sighting. Transfers, food and drinks are extra, and weather cancellations are refunded.
Check availability →
Midnight sun whale watching from Reykjavík
Warm overalls, a guide, Wi-Fi and a live troubadour performance are included; refreshments are extra. The tour runs in the summer months.
Check availability →Summer tours in the long daylight
Boat trips, glacier walks and day tours that make use of the long days, with current prices and availability.
What to do in the long light
Bright nights are not a reason to skip sleep, but they give you room to plan.
Whale watching
Whales and dolphins are present near Reykjavík all year, and the operators run a bigger program in summer. A classic trip takes about 3 hours. No operator can guarantee a sighting.
Puffins
The general coastal window for puffins is May to mid-August. The birds often arrive in late April or early May and leave in mid or late August. One Reykjavík operator lists its classic puffin boat trip from 20 April to 20 August, about 1 hour long. Do not count on puffins for the whole of August.
Jökulsárlón boats
The amphibious boat at the glacier lagoon runs from May to November, and the Zodiac from May to October. In June to September the tour window is 09:00 to 19:00. The tours end by early evening, so the late light is for your own walks and drives.
Highland trips
Summer is the season for the highlands, but routes open one by one. The road conditions page lists the typical opening dates.
Sleep
Bright nights can make it hard to sleep. Bring an eye mask, and ask for a room facing away from the sun if you can.
Not the time for northern lights
Midsummer nights are too bright for aurora. For the lights, plan a trip between September and April. The northern lights guide shows how.
Which weeks to choose
The light changes quickly, and so do the crowds and the roads.
Mid-May
Reykjavík has 18 h 24 min of daylight on 15 May. The bright-night period starts about now, and puffins often arrive in late April or early May. About 160,000 foreign passengers left Keflavík in May 2025.
Early June
Daylight is 20 h 7 min on 1 June. Grímsey's continuous sun starts on 7 June, as described by the tourism board. The highlands are opening route by route.
Around 21 June
This is the solstice, the brightest time. Reykjavík's sun is below the horizon for about 3 hours. June 2025 had about 234,000 foreign departures.
Early July
Daylight is still 20 h 50 min on 1 July. Grímsey's continuous sun ends on 7 July. July 2025 had about 302,000 departures, so book early.
Late July and August
The nights darken fast. Daylight is 17 h 56 min on 1 August. August 2025 was the busiest month, with about 313,000 departures.
Grímsey: the island with continuous sun
If you want continuous sun, go to Grímsey. The ferry from Dalvík takes about 3 hours, and the flight from Akureyri about 30 minutes. Fares, days of operation and winter cancellations change, so check the current timetable and prices before you plan a day there. The weather can change the schedule, so build in a spare day.
On the mainland you get the bright night without the ferry. The photo here shows the town of Stykkishólmur in the light of the midnight sun.
Plan the rest of your trip
The bright nights fit with the summer months.
Midnight sun in Iceland: frequently asked questions
Does the sun really not set in Iceland?
In Reykjavík it does set, for about 3 hours around the solstice, and the sky stays bright. On Grímsey the sun stays up around the solstice.
Which months have the midnight sun?
The tourism board describes mid-May to mid-July as the bright-night period and 7 June to 7 July for Grímsey. The weeks around 21 June are the brightest.
How do I get to Grímsey?
By ferry from Dalvík in about 3 hours or by plane from Akureyri in about 30 minutes. Check current timetables and prices, because winter service and fares change.
Is it too bright to sleep?
Bright nights can make sleeping harder. An eye mask helps, and so does a room facing away from the sun.
Can I see northern lights in the midnight sun season?
No. The sky is not dark enough in June and July. The usual northern lights window is September to April.