How To Celebrate Iceland's National Day

The Icelandic National Day – called Þjóðhátíðardagurinn in Icelandic – is an annual holiday to commemorate the foundation of the Republic of Iceland on June 17th, 1944, which also marks the end of Denmark’s rule over Iceland. The date is the birthday of Jón Sigurðsson, the leader of the 19th-century independence movement in Iceland. If you find yourself in Iceland on June 17th, you can expect to see a display of national pride in every village and city on the island, especially in Reykjavik.

In Reykjavik, the largest parade can be found travelling through urban areas as it is led by a brass band and riders on Icelandic horses. Also at the front of the parade are flag-bearers that make their way to Austurvollur square in downtown Reykjavik where speeches are made. Each year, a woman is chosen to represent the Fjallkonan, or woman of the mountain, who dresses in the traditional Icelandic national costume and recites a poem.

The Fjallkonan is representative of the female spirit of the Icelandic nation and is an embodiment of Icelandic nature itself. The female national dress is also representative of the period in Iceland when the first steps towards independence were made in the late 19th century. This year, the Icelandic drag queen Gógó Starr will lead the National Day Parade as the Fjallkonan, a huge breakthrough in Iceland’s already established LGBTQ community.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.