The great festivities during New Year’s Eve in Iceland caught the attention of the world press some years ago and now Reykjavik usually has a firm place on lists over the best places to spend the last evening of the year.
Late December has therefore become a very busy time in Icelandic tourism and judging by the lack of available accommodation in Reykjavik, it seems this year will be no different . On Booking.com there are hardly any hotel rooms left and Airbnb states that only 2% of all listings in the capital city are available. Not surprisingly the prices are very high on the remaining available rooms, for example ca. 7.400EUR for a small apartment at a guesthouse in Reykjavik center.
For those not familiar with the New Year’s Eve celebrations in Iceland, the night typically kicks off with community bonfires where people sing, dance, and play music. Meanwhile, fireworks light up from every corner of the city thanks to fairly relaxed government restrictions. As midnight approaches, crowds gather around local landmarks like Hallgrimskirkja, Perlan and Landakotskirkja for the best views of the official fireworks display and of the city skyline, after which many head to bars and clubs where the festivities often stretch into the small hours.