The Icelandic Christmas Advent Driving Tour

by Your Friend in Reykjavik · Sightseeing day tours · Reykjavík

from €1,076 per person

Next departure: Sat 28 Nov

  • Duration

    5 hours

  • Difficulty

    Easy

  • Season

    All year

  • Starts in

    Reykjavík

  • Pickup

    Hotel pickup included

  • Guide

    Guided in English, German, French, Icelandic, Spanish

  • Departs

    11:30, 12:00, 12:30, 13:00 …

  • Cancellation

    Free until 24 hours before

About this experience

The Icelandic Christmas Driving Tour

Discover the magic (and a hint of mischief.) of Iceland’s holiday season with our Icelandic Christmas Driving Tour, a special adventure available only on Advent weekends leading up to Christmas. This enchanting journey immerses you in Icelandic holiday traditions, folklore, and festivities.

We’ll start at the Christmas Market in Heiðmörk Nature Reserve, where you can browse artisan stalls, enjoy seasonal treats, and soak in the serene winter landscape. But keep your eyes open—rumor has it that Iceland’s Yule Lads, the playful Icelandic “Santas,” may be wandering around, ready to share their unique holiday spirit… or even cause a bit of mischief.

Next, we head to the Christmas Village, Jólaþorpið, in Hafnarfjörður. Here, festive wooden stalls, handmade gifts, and Icelandic treats create a warm holiday atmosphere. But don’t be too comfortable—you might even catch a glimpse of the legendary Grýla, the troll mother of the Yule Lads, who’s known for her fearsome reputation.

Finally, we journey to Downtown Reykjavik, where you can skate on the Christmas Ice Rink, explore the Little Christmas Store, and delight in holiday displays. Along the way, you’ll spot the ferocious Christmas Cat, known for prowling around during the season and looking for anyone without new clothes for the holiday. But don’t worry, we’ve got a cozy hot drink to keep you warm as you hear more about these Icelandic holiday tales from your guide.

Plus, as a special touch, each guest will receive a gift from underneath a beautifully decorated Christmas tree, a little token of Iceland’s holiday spirit.

Join us for this one-of-a-kind holiday experience, available only on Advent weekends, where Icelandic magic, folklore, and festive joy combine to create an unforgettable Christmas adventure.

Description from the operator, Your Friend in Reykjavik. Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.

Where you go

  1. Pickup in the great Reykjavik area in an comfortable vehicle
  2. The Christmas Market at Heiðmörk
  3. Our next stop is the Christmas Village in Hafnarfjörður
  4. The Festive Spirit of Downtown Reykjavik

Included

  • Hot cocoa & pastries from the local Christmas market 
  • A special gift from the Christmas store in Reykjavik
  • 5-hour guided tour of various Christmas related locations in and around Reykjavik 

Good to know

  • Please dress in multiple layers according to the weather - Iceland in the wintertime can be very cold.
  • Hats, gloves & scarfs are highly recommended.

Cancellation for this tour

Free cancellation until 24 hours before departure; no refund after that. If the operator cancels for weather or safety, you get a full refund or a new date.

If the weather cancels this tour

Iceland's weather is real. What usually stops this one is a forecast the operator judges unsafe. Here is exactly what happens to your booking.

  1. 1Your Friend in Reykjavik decides, and tells us. Operators cancel when it is unsafe or pointless, and we back that call every time — we do not ask them to run anyway.
  2. 2We contact you by email, and by phone if your tour is the same or next day. You choose: another date if there is one you can make, or a full refund. There is no fee and nothing to argue.
  3. 3The refund goes back to the card you paid with, through Stripe, usually visible within a few working days. If this tour was one of several in your booking, the others are untouched.

What you do not get is the day back. If this is the only free day in your plan, put a spare day next to it — the planner leaves days free with the rest-day option. And if you want out because the forecast looks bad, that is your own cancellation: free until 1 day before departure, the operator's policy after that.

Questions on the day: [email protected] · +354 497 1373. How cancellations work in Iceland →

Why this one and not the cheaper one?

The nearest cheaper Reykjavík Luggage Storage in BSI Bus Terminal from BagBee is €12 — €1064 less. Here is every difference we can actually measure.

Your Friend in Reykjavik · €1076BagBee · €12
Getting therePicks you upYou make your own way
Changing your mindFree until 24 h beforeFree until 2 h before

The €1064 buys you hotel pickup and free cancellation up to 24 h before. Whether that is worth it is your call — but that is what the difference is.

Why we list it

Your Friend in Reykjavik is one of 204 operators we work with — chosen for reliability, honest descriptions and how they treat guests when weather changes plans. We don't list everything; we list what we'd book ourselves. The six checks every operator passes →

What travellers say about Your Friend in Reykjavik

Read all 1,779 reviews on Google →

Operator rating 4.9/5 from Google — these are reviews of the company, not this specific tour. Shown as Google returns them, unedited.

  • Sanket Das

    ★★★★★ · 2 months ago

    Your Friend in Reykjavik is the best tour company in Reykjavik . I took Walk with a Viking Tour , Snaefellsnes Peninsula day tour and 6 days around Iceland Adventure tour . I spent 8 Nights in Iceland . I stayed 2 nights at Hotel Reykjavik Grand , 1 night at Hotel Geirland , 1 night at Hotel Hofn , 1 night at Wilderness Center , 1 night at Akureyri Berjaya Iceland Hotels , 1 night at Hotel Laugarbakki , 1 night at Hotel Keflavik . It was an amazing tour . My experience in Iceland was magical and heavenly . I also visited Blue Lagoon and it was a nice experience. I enjoyed my every second in Iceland . Iceland is one of the most beautiful country on our planet . I would keep visiting Iceland in the future . Thank you for making my Iceland journey special and memorable .

  • Wendy Uhlig

    ★★★★★ · 2 months ago

    We had a great time on our Iceland Folklore tour. Our guide was Einar. He was a fantastic storyteller!! Hidden people/elves, trolls and ghost stories - and a lot of Icelandic history. Thank you Einar!!

  • Nanci Ritter

    ★★★★★ · 2 months ago

    Petra was an incredible guide. We asked her to show us as much as she could before taking our crazy family of 10 to the airport for our flights to three different cities ! First stop was the beautiful church in downtown Reykjavik that had just opened with an organ recital. Next stop a lovely spot and observation sight overlooking the city by the Pearl. Cold and wet she found us a lovely coffee shop with the best pastries for a welcome mid morning rest next to the sea. Back in the van we drove for a bit before having the opportunity to explore a geothermal field on our way to the airport. A perfect day and ending to our time in Iceland. Petra shared alot of history and information from the perspective of a local which we all appreciated and enjoyed!

  • Vincent Damas

    ★★★★★ · 4 months ago

    Nice walking trip in Reykjavik city centre with our local guide Hrafn, very friendly and knowledgeable. A good introduction to Iceland on the very first day of our 2 weeks road-trip around the island 👍

Reviews from Google · updated 21 Oct 2026

Reviews from our travellers

Only people who booked this tour through us can write here. We publish every review in full — good or bad.

Reviews arrive the day after each trip — none yet for this one. After your tour we send one email asking how it was, and what you write goes here, unedited.

Hotels

Where to stay for this tour

From the cheapest to the top end of what is near Reykjavík, from our hotel partners. Rooms are booked on our hotels site.

All hotels in Reykjavík →
  • One checkout, any number of operators

  • Rankings are not for sale

  • 203 operators vetted, and not all of them accepted

  • If it falls short, we fix it

Pairs well with

Add any of these to this tour and 3 % comes off both at checkout — about €35 on the cheapest pair. One basket, one payment, however many operators they come from.

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from

€1,076 per person

Book Sat 28 Nov · €1,076