Our Hotels
Keahotels is one of the largest hotel chains in Iceland operating ten hotels. Together the hotels provide over 800 rooms and service travelers, local and foreign, all year round.
Reykjavík — Capital
Vík — South Iceland
Akureyri — North Iceland
Siglufjörður — North Iceland
Grímsnes — South Iceland
First Day of Summer in Iceland
The Coldest Summer Celebration You’ll Ever Love
If you think summer starts in June, think again. In Iceland, summer begins in April—and usually with a snowflake or two. Welcome to Sumardagurinn fyrsti, the First Day of Summer in Iceland, where ancient Viking calendars, frozen socks, and folklore come together for one of the quirkiest celebrations.
When Is the First Day of Summer in Iceland?
The First Day of Summer in Iceland is celebrated on the first Thursday after April 18th. While most of the world is just getting into spring mode, Iceland is already shouting “Gleðilegt sumar!” (“Happy Summer!”) through chattering teeth.
This holiday is based on the Old Norse calendar, which divides the year into just two seasons: winter and summer. There’s no spring or autumn—just cold and not-as-cold. Makes sense in a land where the sun sets at 3 PM in winter and stays up all night in summer.
Icelandic Folklore: A Frosty Good Omen
According to Icelandic folklore, if frost appears the night before the First Day of Summer, it’s actually a good sign. The belief is that if winter and summer “freeze together”, it promises a warm and sunny summer ahead (by Icelandic standards, of course).
So if you wake up to frosted windows on this April morning—don’t groan. Celebrate! Icelanders consider it a sign of good luck and favorable weather for the coming months.
The Frozen Sock Tradition
One old Icelandic superstition involved leaving a pair of socks outside overnight. If they were frozen stiff by morning, summer was expected to be bountiful. If not… well, you still had a pair of socks.
While fewer people follow this tradition today, it’s a charming example of how Icelandic traditions and culture embrace nature’s unpredictability with humor and hope.
