Wondering how to spend your time in Iceland in March? Or wondering if you should even visit Iceland during that month?
Visiting Iceland in march might seem like an unpopular choice but it really shouldn't and we're here to tell you why! March is the last season when winter activities, such as ice caving, snowmobiling, and Northern Lights catching can be fully experienced but with milder temperatures and more daylight to explore them!
March is also considered an "off-season", so you can benefit from the lower prices and way smaller crowds than, for example, during the summer. The most road will start opening during this month, so you might even consider self-drive as an option!
Not convinced yet? Check out the things you can do in Iceland in March!
Best tours to do in March in Iceland
There are plenty of activities in Iceland in March. Here are some of the best:
GLACIER HIKING IN ICELAND IN MARCH
This is the month the glacial ice gets extremely blue and the vision of it is unbelievably beautiful. Be it onLangjökull,Sólheimajökullor any of the outlet glaciers found atVatnajökull, the biggest glacier in Europe you are in for a treat!
Bright blue glacier ice in Iceland
NORTHERN LIGHTS IN ICELAND IN MARCH
This the last whole month with a good chance of seeing theNorthern Lights– at this time they will be best around 11:30 pm to around 01:00 am.
Northern Lights tour in Iceland
WHALE WATCHING IN ICELAND IN MARCH
This is for many the ultimate favorite time to go exploring the Royalty of the Sea. The range of different whales that you might spot is very wide at this time of year and there are a lot fewer people, so basicallyfewer people more whales. Drive or fly North to meet them out from Dalvík or join Arctic Adventures for aRoad trip around the countrywith a stop for the show!
Whale Watching tour from a rib boat in Iceland
SNOWMOBILING IN ICELAND IN MARCH
Many of the guides say that this is their favorite month tosnowmobile. The winter snow is still there but the summer sun is out and the views are greater than ever before. Also,the ice caveon Langjökull is still accessible so basically, March is just the perfect month to visit!
Snowmobiling tour in Iceland
Best things to do in Reykjavík in March
These are some of the top things to do in Reykjavik in March:
Take a walk
Panoramic view of Reykjavik city
The winter sun might be showing you more dust than usually inside but it makes everything having to do with the outdoors even more pretty. Take a stroll, you don’t have to have a location or a destination to go to. Just let it be a surprise and if you get lost you can always just walk back to the “big church” Hallgrímskirkja.
Have a beer
If not on the national beer day then because of the winter sun that is shining and tricking you into thinking it’s a little warm outside. Also, Easter beers are starting to show their “face” at the liquor stores, restaurants and bars. SKÁL!
Icelandic beer tasting
Visit a local swimming pool
Take in that long waited for vitamin D with the locals. March is the perfect time to spend soaking your travel tired body in a hot tub, pool or sauna. Hereyou can find info on the one closest to you.
Swimming pool in Reykjavik
Events in Iceland in March
National Beer Day
Icelanders celebrate annually the day their Beer Ban was lifted. This was on the 1st of March 1989 and on that day beer is at a special price in most restaurants and bars. In recent years a beer festival has ever started around it lasting for 2 weeks leading up to the day itself. Check out more info on the Beer Festival onKex Hostel Facebook pagethey are always up to date.
Food and Fun
If you ask anyone who has visited Iceland what makes it special they will always mention the quality of food. A restaurant made meal in Iceland is 98% of the time exceptional as the ingredients are mainly fish and meat which has not had to travel far to make it to your plate. The chefs are given the absolute best material to work with, add talent to the mix and you are in for a delicious adventure.
Every year Icelanders celebrate their love for food for a whole week and call it theFood and Fun Festival. Most restaurants will have a special menu and guest chef’s come in from all over the world to try their skills out on the Icelandic ingredients. Join the party – it’s well worth it!
Reykjavik Dance festival
Iceland has brought up an abundance of artists, any platform any stage, Icelanders are truly not lacking talent and the dance scene is no exception. Find out more about times, dates and locationhere.
Mottu Mars e. Moustache March
If you visit Iceland in March you might notice that a lot of men have mustaches, this is not the custom for Icelandic men, they are just showing their support. What are they supporting? one might ask and understandably but during the last years in Iceland March has been dedicated to men, cancer and to raising awareness of the symptoms. You can support by buying the goods for sale at Mottumarsor buy the specially made socks at any of these shops from the 5th to the 19th of March.
Blómaval
Bónus
Byko
Elko
Geysir
Heilsuhúsið
Iceland
Lyf og heilsa
Lyfja
Múrbúðin
Nettó
N1
Olís
Penninn/Eymundsson
Pósturinn
Samkaup
Easter
Go local and buy yourself an easter egg, visit any grocery shop during the weeks leading up to it and you will see them everywhere. You will have to choose company darkness of chocolate and on Easter, Sunday hid the egg for each other and do an Easter egg hunt. Inside the egg is a ton of candy and a “saying” written on a piece of paper in Icelandic this is called a “málsháttur” and is for many the most important part of the “Egg Eating”.
Decorated Easter chocolate eggs
Design March
One of the numerous festivals going on in Iceland in March. The Design festival might be the one that captures the widest interest group. Anything from blankets to chairs, anything for the home or daily life. Harpa music festival will have showrooms and most “nicer” shops selling designs will do something about it. Read more about it here. The Festival opening night is on the 15th of March at Hafnarhúsið and will last until the 1st of April.
Good to know before visiting Iceland in March
- Prices might be lower as it is the only real “off-season” month in Iceland.
- Shops and restaurants openings can be affected by Easter, check the calendar to see if Easter is in March this year.
- Dressing warmly is still very important, Iceland doesn’t have spring.
- Roads might be closed due to weather. Checkfor info if planning on road-trippin’.
Weather in March in Iceland
March is the last month that you should see a decent amount of snow BUT like with anything weather-related in Iceland you simply never know. During March you are likely to experience all sorts of weather. Prepare for some rain and wind and dress warmly since the average temperatureis between -2 °c (about 28 Fahrenheit) and 3.3°c (about 38 Fahrenheit). Don’t let the sun play tricks on you, as you can see by the numbers it’s still cold! Also, don’t forget to check out theIceland weatherforecast for the whole year.
Aerial view of Seljalandsfoss waterfall, Iceland
DAYLIGHT IN ICELAND IN MARCH
This is when you really start to notice that the darkness will soon be behind us and daylight takes over. At the beginning of the month, 10 hours pass between sunrise and sunset but at the end of the month, it’s about 13 hours.
Driving in March in Iceland
March is less snow-heavy but you will still need to keep an open mind to the fact that roads might close and you might need to alter your itinerary accordingly. Websites that will help and are best used as a “believe everything they say” guides through road tripping in Iceland in March:
Driving road in Iceland at sunset
You will still need to be on the lookout for icy spots on the roads but the South Coast is much easier during this time than for example Eastfjords, Westfjords or far North. Reykjavík should be mainly snow empty by this point but as mentioned before you never know with Icelandic weather. It just might be in a mood.
Are you visiting Iceland in March? Or know someone who is? Share with your fellow travel buddies!