Tuesday, March 7, 2017
Lately I’ve been flooded with questions by Iceland bound travelers about Easter opening hours.
A thing like Easter opening hours sure is important but it’s like some sort of panic mode sets in when my foreign friends realize that there’s a public holiday approaching. Because they don’t want to end up starving and alone come Easter Sunday.
Well, we at Must See in Iceland don’t want that to happen so we’ve compiled a list of convenient stores that are open during Easter. And because we also love the odd party once in a while, we also dedicate a piece of this blog to clubs and restaurants. So, don’t worry! Just relax, come to Iceland, eat some Easter eggs and have a great time!
Round-the-clock opening
Not so long ago, everything was closed on Good Friday and Easter Sunday in Iceland. And I mean EVERYTHING. I kind of liked that. It was a good excuse to just lay around the house, watch one braindead movie after the other and stuff your face with candy and Easter dinner leftovers. But then came the shops that were open round-the-clock and everything changed.
So, today, you can shop for your basic groceries whenever – even during Easter. 10-11 is one of the shops that is open 24/7 and is one of the more pricier options when it comes to shopping for food and bare necessities. The 10-11 shops that are open round-the-clock during all of Easter are:
In the Reykjavík area:
- Glæsibær
- Laugalækur
- Austurstræti
- Laugavegur
- Miklabraut
- Barónsstígur
- Lágmúli
- Melabraut
- Grímsbær
- Seljavegur
- Hjarðarhagi
- Bústaðavegur
- Suðurfell
- Vesturlandsvegur
Outside of Reykjavík:
- Staðarberg in Hafnarfjörður
- Reykjavíkurvegur in Hafnarfjörður
- Dalvegur in Kópavogur
- Hagasmári in Kópavogur
- Akureyri
- Keflavík
- Fitjar Keflavík
The 10-11 shops that have limited Easter opening hours are the following
Fjörður shopping mall in Hafnarfjörður:
Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday & Easter Monday: 08.00-24.00
Easter Sunday: 09.00-24.00
Hjallabrekka in Mosfellsbær & Borgartún in Reykjavík:
All Easter: 08.00-01.00
Akranes:
Maundy Thursday: 07.30-23.30
Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter Sunday & Easter Monday: 09.00-23.30
Birkimelur in Reykjavík:
Maundy Thursday: 07.30-23.30
Good Friday: CLOSED
Holy Saturday & Easter Monday: 09.00-23.30
Easter Sunday: CLOSED
Bankastræti in Reykjavík:
Maundy Thursday, Holy Saturday & Easter Monday: 07.30-24.00
Good Friday & Easter Sunday: CLOSED
Kleppsvegur & Laugavegur 180 in Reykjavík & Garðabær:
Maundy Thursday: 07.30-19.30
Good Friday: CLOSED
Holy Saturday & Easter Monday: 09.00-19.30
Easter Sunday: CLOSED
Some are closed during selected Easter days
Convenient store chain Iceland, which people from the UK should be familiar with, is open round-the-clock all Easter. There are three Iceland shops in Iceland: At Engihjalli in Kópavogur and at Vesturberg and Arnarbakki in Reykjavík.
Grocery store Bónus is often the cheapest option for food and their opening hours during Easter is somewhat limited. All Bónus shops have the following opening hours but their stores are located all over Iceland; in Reykjavík, Kópavogur, Garðabær, Hafnarfjörður, Mosfellsbær, Akureyri, Akranes, Borgarnes, Hveragerði, Selfoss, Reykjanesbær, Stykkishólmur, Ísafjörður, Egilsstaðir and Vestmannaeyjar.
Maundy Thursday & Holy Saturday: 10.00-19.00
Good Friday: CLOSED
Easter Sunday: CLOSED
Easter Monday: 12.00-18.00
Another cheaper option is Krónan, which is located all over Iceland. Most of their stores have limited opening hours during Easter.
Grandi in Reykjavík, Bíldshöfði in Reykjavík, Selfoss, Mosfellsbær & Fitjar in Reykjanesbær have the following opening hours:
Maundy Thursday & Easter Monday: 09.00-20.00
Good Friday & Easter Sunday: CLOSED
Holy Saturday: 09.00-21.00
Flatahraun in Hafnarfjörður
Maundy Thursday, Holy Saturday & Easter Monday: 09.00-21.00
Good Friday & Easter Sunday: CLOSED
Lindir in Kópavogur & Akranes
Maundy Thursday & Easter Monday: 10.00-20.00
Good Friday & Easter Sunday: CLOSED
Holy Saturday: 09.00-21.00
Vallarkór in Kópavogur & Grafarholt
Maundy Thursday & Easter Monday: 10.00-21.00
Good Friday & Easter Sunday: CLOSED
Holy Saturday: 09.00-21.00
Vestmannaeyjar
Maundy Thursday & Easter Monday: 09.00-20.00
Good Friday & Easter Sunday: CLOSED
Holy Saturday: 10.00-20.00
Reyðarfjörður
Maundy Thursday & Easter Monday: 11.00-18.00
Good Friday & Easter Sunday: CLOSED
Holy Saturday: 10.00-18.00
Hamraborg in Kópavogur & Hvaleyrarbraut in Hafnarfjörður
Maundy Thursday: 10.00-21.00
Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter Sunday & Easter Monday: 09.00-21.00
Nóatún in Reykjavík
OPEN 09.00-21.00 ALL EASTER
Jafnasel & Árbær in Reykjavík
Maundy Thursday: 11.00-21.00
Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter Sunday & Easter Monday: 09.00-21.00
Convenient store chain Hagkaup also has stores around the country, with opening hours varying from place to place.
Skeifan, Garðabær, Eiðistorg & Spöng are all round-the-clock shops and their opening hours during Easter are:
Maundy Thursday: Open until midnight
Good Friday & Easter Sunday: Closed until midnight
Holy Saturday & Easter Monday: Open 24 hours
Kringlan shopping mall in Reykjavík:
Maundy Thursday: 13.00-18.00
Good Friday, Easter Sunday & Easter Monday: CLOSED
Holy Saturday: 10.00-18.00
Smáralind shopping mall in Kópavogur:
Maundy Thursday: 13.00-18.00
Good Friday, Easter Sunday & Easter Monday: CLOSED
Holy Saturday: 11.00-19.00
Holtagarðar shopping mall in Reykjavík:
Maundy Thursday: 12.00-19.00
Good Friday, Easter Sunday & Easter Monday: CLOSED
Holy Saturday: 12.00-19.00
Akureyri:
Maundy Thursday, Holy Saturday & Easter Monday: 08.00-24.00
Good Friday & Easter Sunday: CLOSED
Njarðvík, Borgarnes & Selfoss:
Maundy Thursday & Easter Monday: 12.00-18.00
Good Friday & Easter Sunday: CLOSED
Holy Saturday: 10.00-18.00
Opening hours in the country side
Nettó operates various shops across the country and here are their Easter opening hours
Mjódd shopping mall & Grandi in Reykjavík:
Maundy Thursday: Open until midnight
Good Friday & Easter Sunday: CLOSED
Holy Saturday: Open until midnight
Easter Monday: Open 24/7
Salavegur & Búðakór in Kópavogur, Miðvangur in Hafnarfjörður, Hrísalundur in Akureyri, Iðavellir in Reykjanesbær & Selfoss:
Maundy Thursday: 10.00-21.00
Good Friday & Easter Sunday: CLOSED
Holy Saturday & Easter Monday: 10.00-21.00
Borgarnes, Egilsstaðir, Glerártorg in Akureyri, Grindavík, Húsavík & Höfn:
Maundy Thursday: 10.00-19.00
Good Friday & Easter Sunday: CLOSED
Holy Saturday & Easter Monday: 10.00-18.00
Kjörbúðin is a chain of store that focuses on the country side, operating shops in Blönduós, Bolungarvík, Dalvík, Djúpivogur, Eskifjörður, Fáskrúðsfjörður, Garður, Neskaupsstaður, Ólafsfjörður, Sandgerði, Seyðisfjörður, Siglufjörður, Skagaströng and Þórshöfn. These stores have the following opening hours during Easter.
Maundy Thursday, Holy Saturday & Easter Monday: 12.00-18.00
Good Friday & Easter Sunday: CLOSED
Strax operates a few stores, offering basic selection of goods. They have these Easter opening hours during the upcoming holiday.
Borgarnes:
Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter Sunday & Easter Monday: Open 24/7
Búðardalur:
Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter Sunday & Easter Monday: 10.00-20.00
Akureyri:
Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter Sunday & Easter Monday: 10.00-23.00
Flúðir & Mývatn:
Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter Sunday & Easter Monday: 10.00-18.00
Kópavogur & Suðurver in Reykjavík:
Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter Sunday & Easter Monday: 10.00-22.00
Laugarvatn:
Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter Sunday & Easter Monday: 11.00-18.00
Another store that is based in the country side is Sam-úrval, with various Easter opening hours.
Grundarfjörður:
Maundy Thursday, Holy Saturday & Easter Monday: 10.00-20.00
Good Friday: CLOSED
Easter Sunday: 12.00-18.00
Ísafjörður:
Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday & Easter Monday: 10.00-20.00
Easter Sunday: 12.00-20.00
Selfoss:
Maundy Thursday: 09.00-23.30
Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter Sunday & Easter Monday: 10.00-23.30
More shop openings
Which leads us to one of our final destinations, shop wise – Krambúðin. Here are – you guessed it – the Easter opening hours.
Skólavörðustígur & Hringbrautin Reykjavík:
Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter Sunday & Easter Monday: Open 24/7
Húsavík:
Maundy Thursday, Holy Saturday & Easter Monday: 08.00-22.00
Good Friday & Easter Sunday: 10.00-18.00
Akranes:
Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter Sunday & Easter Monday: 09.00-23.30.
Other notable stores
Sunnubúðin in Reykjavík:
Maundy Thursday, Holy Saturday & Easter Monday: 10.00-22.00
Good Friday & Easter Sunday: CLOSED
Hólmgarður in Reykjanesbær:
Maundy Thursday: 12.00-19.00
Good Friday: CLOSED
Holy Saturday, Easter Sunday & Easter Monday: 10.00-22.00
Seljakjör in Reykjavík:
Maundy Thursday & Good Friday: 12.00-18.00
Holy Saturday, Easter Sunday & Easter Monday: 10.00-21.00
Boozy opening hours
Enough about food. Let’s talk about booze! Can you party during Easter in Iceland? Oh, yes you can. Can you party round-the-clock? I’m afraid not, but you can hardly do that either on regular days. Unless you’re super dedicated!
Lots of people go out during Easter so you don’t have to worry about being the lone wolf at the bar either.
So, read carefully. On Maundy Thursday clubs and bars are open until midnight and closed all through Good Friday. Then they open at midnight again and can be open until 3 or 4.30 AM, depending on the license each place has. On Holy Saturday bars and clubs may have their doors open until 3 AM but on Easter Sunday everything has to be closed until midnight, with the same opening hours applying as on Good Friday. On Easter Monday bars and clubs can be open until 1 AM.
Different rules for restaurants
However, these rules and regulations do not apply to restaurants, so don’t worry about the whole starving to death thing. They can have their doors open as long as they want, but restrictions apply when it comes to serving alcohol. If you want to go to the theater or catch a movie you should know that such events can not start until after 3 PM on holy days. And if you’re longing to catch some tours you don’t have to worry either because most tour operators will welcome you with open arms all Easter. If you need some inspiration, here are some tours you might like:
VOLCANO WONDERLAND REYKJANES PENINSULA
GOLDEN CIRCLE AND LAVA TUBES
SNOWMOBILING ON EYJAFJALLAJÖKULL
ICE CLIMBING AND GLACIER HIKING DAY TOUR FROM REYKJAVÍK
BLUE LAGOON AND REYKJAVÍK
So, there you have it! Easter opening hours, ladies and gentlemen. We will update this post if we get some new, kick-ass information about opening hours, but until then – have fun in Iceland and happy Easter!
