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
Öskudagurinn
If you ever find yourself in Iceland on a random Wednesday in late February and suddenly spot small, sugar-fueled children singing for candy, don’t be alarmed—you’ve just stumbled upon Öskudagurinn, the Icelandic take on Ash Wednesday. Get ready for an adorable spectacle of costumed children enthusiastically performing their hearts out in every store, bakery, and office they can find. Unlike Halloween’s "trick-or-treat" approach, Icelandic kids have to earn their candy by singing.
So if you find yourself in a Reykjavík coffee shop and a group of kids suddenly bursts into song, just go with it. It’s part of the deal.
A Brief History of Öskudagurinn
The name Öskudagur comes from the old Christian tradition of marking the start of Lent by sprinkling ashes on one’s forehead as a sign of repentance. While this practice existed in Iceland’s religious past, the modern version has evolved into something completely different a blend of Halloween, trick-or-treating, and karaoke for candy.
Originally, the day involved a somewhat mischievous tradition where people would pin little bags of ashes ("öskupokar") onto unsuspecting strangers as a prank. Somewhere along the way, Icelanders decided that dressing up in costumes and singing for candy was a much better use of the holiday. Thus, today’s Öskudagurinn was born—a delightfully chaotic day when kids dress up, roam from shop to shop, and belt out their best tunes in exchange for sweet rewards.
