Iceland in July 2025: Weather and Travel

Iceland is cool to mild in July in its dry season. Continual solar light or twilight make the scenery and towns more explorable. The southern natural highlights get an average of 5 hours of sunshine and 20 hours of daylight. The far north has an average of 21 hours of daylight.

Iceland Weather in July: Overview

Averages:

• Temperature range: 8–14°C (47–57°F)
• Total rain/snow: 6 cm (2 inches)
• Days with rain/snow: 11
• Humidity: 79%
• Sunshine hours/day: 5 hours

July Climate Comparison (Averages) for Iceland's Top Tourism Areas

In July, you can enjoy continual daylight and twilight across Iceland with mild and inviting weather in the south and north for the outdoors and towns. You could explore natural subarctic highlights and geological wonders. In the far north, you could hike and see whales in 24-hour light.

Southern Iceland: Reykjavík and the southern coast are at about latitude 64° and southward. There is an average of about 19½ hours of daylight, and the rest is bright twilight. At low elevations, the average high is about 15°C (59°F), and the low is 9°C (48°F).

Northern Iceland: Akureyri and other tourist towns are very close to the Arctic Circle and are at latitude 65.5° and northwards. Húsavík is at latitude 66°. Húsavík and more northerly regions are highlighted by 21 hours of daylight on average, and Akureyri gets 20½ hours on average.

The Best Places to Visit in Iceland in July

You can use July's lengthy daylight and beautiful twilight for excursions to the natural highlights around Akureyri and Reykjavík and go to less-visited areas such as Westfjords to avoid crowds, where there are exotic geological wonders to visit. July is one of the best months for seeing whales.

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1. Reykjavík — Visit the Highlights of Culture and Nature

Reykjavík is an unusually interesting capital city with mild weather in July and 24 hours of light to see everything by. Since 2021, volcano watching is a new tourist highlight, since there have been occasional eruptions nearby. The huge Blue Lagoon geothermal pool is another highlight.

The next eruption is predicted near the town of Grindavík, about 40 minutes away, in the second half of 2024. There are 6 hours of sunshine on average per day to bring color to the natural wonders and the capital. There is an average daily high of 15°C (59°F) and a low of 9°C (48°F).

Rainfall is low in July. Reykjavík gets about 4½ hours of twilight around midnight, so if you wish, you could go for midnight walks and sightseeing under beautiful, eerie, and colorful skies at Thingvellir National Park. There, you could tread a path to Öxaráfoss Waterfall or to the intercontinental rift.

2. Westfjords — Experience Solitude in Epic Subarctic Wilderness

Only about a tenth of the more than a million foreign visitors every year go to the Westfjords. So, during the July peak tourism season, you might want to travel a little further to go to this remote area with very long fjords, waterfalls, and peaks in a good 4-wheel drive vehicle.

The main natural attractions are empty pristine tundra and mountain areas, a pink beach, and Dynjandi waterfall that is 100 meters (328 feet) tall. You'll need a good 4-wheel drive vehicle and some walking to access it. There are small towns of two thousand or fewer for accommodations and food.

In July, the weather is about as pleasant as it gets. The Westfjords region is wetter and cooler than the rest of Iceland though. There is an average daily high of 12°C (59°F) and a low of 7°C (48°F) and low rainfall that falls about half the days of July.

3. Húsavík — See the Whales in Whale Watching Season

Húsavík is Iceland's northernmost tourist town with comfortable accommodations for extended stays for whale watching. Weather and light conditions are more suitable to watch the bigger species in July. The almost 24 hours of daily light and 5 hours of sunshine helps make the town the “Whale Watching Capital".

Summer is the best season for seeing the biggest whales. It is also the best time for seeing the best of northern Iceland's natural highlights. Dettifoss Waterfall is bigger than any in Europe. It is 44 meters (144 feet) tall and is about 1 hour 40 minutes from Húsavík.

For solitude, hikes, midnight walks in twilight, and sightseeing, you can go to Asbyrgi Canyon. It is about 65 kilometers (40 miles) east of Húsavík. There is a natural forest of willow and birch in the canyon, which is an unusual sight in Iceland. There is an average daily high of 15°C (59°F), a low of 7°C (45°F), and low rainfall.

4. North Iceland Hiking — Enjoy Hiking Under the Continual Light Near Akureyri and Húsavík

Continual daylight and twilight and a region with epic sights and less tourism are highlights of the far north. The mild weather makes it a good time to go for long hikes or overnight outings with sunset colors at midnight.

There are lakeside trails conveniently near Húsavík, for example at Lake Kaldbakstjarnir and Lake Botnsvatn, where there are a lot of birds.

Stuðlagil Canyon is a good place to hike 3 hours east of Akureyri. Akureyri is an excellent place to go on whale watching excursions. Akureyri has an average daily high of 15°C (59°F), a low of 9°C (48°F), and semi-arid conditions in July. Humidity is 78% on average.

Peak Tourism Season: Touring Advice for July

For exploring Iceland when rainfall, temperature, and light conditions are nicest, July is the month to go. Since a small minority of tourists go to Westfjords as described above, we suggest Westfjords as a getaway location with excellent hiking and rugged adventure.

In July, there is rich green scenery and a better chance to see the wildlife, such as the native foxes and birds.

Prices and crowds: Prices for accommodations might be almost 50% higher than during moderate tourism seasons in May and September and October. The most popular highlights such as the Blue Lagoon and Jökulsárlón are crowded in July.

Continual daylight:

Many people want to experience the midnight sun in July, but Iceland doesn't have it. Though the sun goes down before midnight, there is beautiful twilight to relax under.

If you want to see the midnight sun in July, you could go further north to Alta or Tromsø in Norway.

What to Wear in July

You'll still need to bring a coat in July for cold nights and going to mountains and glaciers. It is good to layer up.

Iceland's weather in July is changeable. The Westfjords' weather is especially changeable. Keep an eye on the weather reports. July is in Iceland's dry season that extends to August. The north and southwest coasts are drier than the east and Westfjords coasts.

Here is a packing list for a few essentials in Iceland:

• Warm waterproof boots with good traction for the outdoors. You might wear them in-flight to travel lightly.
• Comfortable shoes with good traction
• Rain gear
• Coat and warm hat
• Cardigans or thermals
• Gloves
• Swimwear for hot springs and spas
• Polarized glasses for the glare

Monthly Weather and Travel Information for Iceland

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