Reykjavík in December is less brutally cold than people expect. Average temperatures hover around freezing, but it's windy and wet, and in mid-December the sun rises after 11:00 and sets before 15:30.
Winter adventure gear is bulky, so this is the hardest trip to fit in a free bag. It works if you wear the shell, the boots and the thickest layer on the plane, and remember that you can rent outdoor gear locally.
The weather in Iceland (Reykjavík) in December
Shoulder months for comparison
| Station | November | December | January |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reykjavík | 4.7 °C / −0.1 °C40 °F / 32 °F · 86 mm | 3.3 °C / −1.6 °C38 °F / 29 °F · 95 mm | 3.2 °C / −1.7 °C38 °F / 29 °F · 87 mm |
Source: WMO 1991–2020 climate normals, published by NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI accession 0253808). Stations: Reykjavík (WMO 4030). Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Sunrise, sunset and daylight are calculated for the 15th of the month in 2026 (local time). °F and inches are converted from the metric figures. “n/a” means the station doesn’t report sunshine in this dataset.
- Around freezing: average highs just above 0 °C, lows just below. Wind makes it feel colder.
- Wet: about 15 days in a typical December get at least 1 mm of rain or snow.
- Very little light. About 4 hours of daylight in mid-December and only around 13 hours of sunshine in the whole month.
This week in Reykjavík
The outfit plan in this guide is built from 30-year averages for December. This panel is the real forecast for the next 7 days, turned into packing tips for a cabin bag.
The live forecast needs JavaScript. Everything else in this guide works without it, and the climate-based plan above covers any December trip.
Weather data from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0), adapted into packing tips.
What locals actually wear
Everything below is a summary of, or a quote from, the linked source. We don’t make up “local” style tips.
- Visit Reykjavík's official winter list: a water- and windproof coat, a thermal base layer, a wool sweater, hat, scarf, gloves, thick socks and insulated boots.Source [1]: Visit Reykjavík (official city tourism)
- Pack a swimsuit for the geothermal pools, even in winter.Source [1]: Visit Reykjavík (official city tourism)
- "Don't bring or buy an umbrella." The wind makes them useless.Source [1]: Visit Reykjavík (official city tourism)
- You can rent coats and boots locally if you'd rather not carry them, and in late December you get about 4–5 hours of daylight.Source [1]: Visit Reykjavík (official city tourism)
3 outfit formulas
Day tour (Golden Circle or the south coast)
- Waterproof, windproof shell (or a rented one)
- Thermal top and leggings
- Wool sweater
- Waterproof trousers or thick leggings
- Insulated waterproof boots and wool socks
- Hat, scarf and gloves
Tip: Three layers (thermal, wool, shell) are warmer and pack smaller than one huge coat.
Reykjavík town day
- The shell
- Wool sweater
- Jeans over thermal leggings
- Insulated boots
- Beanie
Tip: Indoors is warm, so keep the thermal layer thin.
Pool and northern-lights evening
- Swimsuit (and a quick-dry towel if your pool doesn't provide one)
- Thermal set
- Wool sweater
- Shell
- Boots, hat and gloves
Tip: Aurora hunting means standing still in the dark, so add every layer you have.
Swatches are a colour guide for each formula, not product photos.
Day to night in Iceland (Reykjavík)
Same capsule, evening version: keep the base, swap one or two pieces. Every swap below stays cabin-bag friendly. How day-to-night swaps work →
01Day tour → Reykjavík dinner
- Base (stays the same)
- Wool sweater
- Insulated waterproof boots
- Thermal leggings underneath
- ☀ Day add-ons
- Waterproof shell
- Waterproof trousers
- Hat and gloves
- ☾ Evening swaps
- Jeans instead of waterproof trousers
- Soft scarf
- Statement earrings and a red lip
Pieces added to your bag: 1, statement earrings (keep the shell on top: it's still Iceland).
02Pool day → northern-lights evening, then a bar
- Base (stays the same)
- Thermal set
- Shell
- Boots, hat and gloves
- ☀ Day add-ons
- Swimsuit and quick-dry towel
- Fleece half-zip
- ☾ Evening swaps
- Wool sweater instead of the fleece
- Jeans over the thermal leggings
- Scarf
Pieces added to your bag: 0, nothing: it's all in the capsule.
Preview note: placeholder links to each shop’s normal pages, with no affiliate tracking yet.
The free-baggage packing list
Your bag: 40 × 30 × 20 cm
Planned for 4 nights, using a soft backpack of about 20–24 litres made to the 40 × 30 × 20 cm size. The rule that makes it work: wear your bulkiest items on the plane. The dotted outline is easyJet’s bigger free bag.
Wear on the plane worn
In the bag 11 items
- An umbrella (official advice: don't bring or buy one)
- A long wool fashion coat (it isn't windproof)
- Bulky ski trousers (rent gear if a tour requires it)
Liquids: going vs coming home
UK airports vary. Heathrow, Gatwick, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Belfast International, Belfast City, Bournemouth, Southend allow containers up to 2 litres; most others, including Manchester, Stansted and Luton, are still 100 ml.
- 100 mlReykjavik Keflavik (KEF), in a 1 L clear bag
Pack your liquids to 100 ml for the whole trip.
Check your room first
Read the hotel, Airbnb or hostel listing, or message the host, and ask whether they provide:
- Iron or steamer
- Hairdryer
- Toiletries: shampoo, shower gel (conditioner often isn’t supplied)
- Towels, plus beach or pool towels
- Washing machine or laundry service
- Plug adapters or USB sockets
- Kettle, tea and coffee
- Slippers and a robe
- A safe
Hostels often don’t provide towels or padlocks.
Every item they provide is one you don’t carry.
No-iron packing
Pick fabrics that don’t crease. Woven cotton and linen crease; knits, merino, jersey and most polyester blends barely do.
- Hang creased clothes in the bathroom while you shower.
- Pack a small crease-release spray under 100 ml (it counts as a liquid).
- Roll clothes, and keep crease-prone pieces in a packing cube on top, not in a vacuum bag.
- Check whether your hotel or Airbnb has an iron.
Buy it there?
Adding a checked bag typically costs around £60–80 return on a budget airline. So if your bag is full, buying bulky or liquid items when you arrive is often cheaper.
Think sun cream, full-size shampoo, insect repellent, a beach towel or flip-flops.
Probably not in this destination: Iceland is one of Europe’s most expensive countries, so bring what you need.
Tick items off as you pack (your ticks aren’t saved). Liquids rules depend on your departure airport and change from time to time. Check your airport’s current security rules before you decant your toiletries (see liquids rules by airport).
Flying there on Ryanair, easyJet or Wizz?
- On a 40 × 30 × 20 cm free bag (Ryanair or Wizz Air sizes), Iceland only works if you wear the shell, boots and sweater on board.
- With easyJet's 45 × 36 × 20 cm free bag you can pack a second warm layer.
- No room for a heavy coat? Visit Reykjavík notes that you can rent coats and boots locally.
Duty-free bag: Ryanair: extra bag allowed · easyJet: extra bag allowed · Wizz Air: extra bag allowed. It still has to fit under the seat or in a locker, and gate staff decide. Duty free and your free baggage →
Sizes come from each airline’s official page (see our free baggage reference for links). Rules change, so check your booking before you fly.
Baggage picks
The ticks compare each bag’s stated outer dimensions with each airline’s free-bag size. A struck-through name means the bag is too big for that airline. Soft bags squash a little; hard cases don’t. We haven’t tested these bags ourselves yet.
Want to fit more in? Compression cubes and packing cubes that store more in a free bag →
Pieces that fit the formulas
- QuinceWeatherproof oversized rain jacket
- QuinceLightweight down packable hooded jacket
- QuinceAustralian merino wool half-zip sweater
- SHEIN · searchThermal base layers (SHEIN search)
- SHEIN · searchKnit beanies (SHEIN search)
- Amazon · searchMerino wool hiking socks (Amazon UK search)
- Amazon · searchSlip-on ice grips for boots (Amazon UK search)
- ASOS · searchSwimsuits (ASOS search)
Preview note: these are placeholder links to each brand’s normal product or search page. They carry no affiliate tracking yet, and we don’t show prices because they change.
Sources
- Reykjavík through the seasons: what to pack, wear and expect, Visit Reykjavík (official city tourism)
Airline free-bag sizes: see the free baggage reference. Climate: WMO 1991–2020 normals (NOAA NCEI). Live forecast: weather data from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0), adapted into packing tips. Photos: Unsplash, credited on each image and on the photo credits page. Last checked October 2026.
