8 facts about celebrating Easter in Iceland

Easter in Iceland revolves around chocolate, food, and rest! In this article you will fi nd everything you need to know about this celebration in the land of fi re and ice!

1. Easter in Iceland is called Páskar: Around 70% of Icelanders are affiliated with the Lutheran Church of Iceland, yet only 45% identify as religious. Regardless of personal beliefs about God and religion, Easter is recognized as a national holiday in Iceland.

2. Days off to celebrate: Icelanders are lucky because they have 5 days off from work to celebrate Easter. As many as five, these are their names:

3. Breaking Tradition: For many years, having fun or playing games during Easter was prohibited. In rebellion against this restriction, the Icelandic atheist society traditionally organized a bingo game on Good Friday in central Reykjavik in front of the parliament. In 2019, the ban was lifted and from Easter 2020, Icelanders can play bingo as much as they want!

4. Páskaegg Delight: These chocolate eggs can be purchased at the store, and each one is filled with delicious candies on the inside and covered in irresistible chocolate on the outside. Of course, there must be licorice filling inside. Chocolate eggs come in a variety of sizes, from 1 to 11, with the number 7 being as large as a human head.

The Making of Icelandic Easter Eggs

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5. Egg Hunts: on Easter Sunday, all children in Iceland have the task of finding chocolate eggs hidden by their parents in nooks and crannies of their homes. It's a joyous tradition that adds excitement to the holiday festivities.

6. Easter dinner: The Easter feast in Iceland is all about that lamb love! Showcasing the country's love for this tender meat. A popular Easter dessert in Iceland is skyr cake, made with skyr (Icelandic yogurt) and often decorated with chocolate eggs.

7. The weather during Easter: There’s an old saying in Iceland, “white Christmas means red Easter, red Christmas means white Easter”; red, in this instance, is snow-free. but of course, as long as you are in Iceland, you must remember - there is no point in predicting the weather here, because it can change within 5 minutes!

8. Páskabjór: traditional Easter beer - is modelled on south German “Dunkel” beers. It is dark brown and its taste has a hint of coff ee, caramel, chocolate and toasted bread. if you drink alcohol - be sure to try it!

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Questions & answers

Is Easter a good time to visit Iceland?

Easter presents a fantastic opportunity to explore Icelandic Easter traditions if you're curious about them. Furthermore, Easter in Iceland occurs during the shoulder season, making it a more budget-friendly time to visit compared to the busy summer months.

Does Iceland shut down for Easter?

In Iceland, Easter does not lead to a complete shutdown, but certain businesses might operate on reduced hours or close on Easter Sunday. In larger cities like Reykjavik, there are more dining and entertainment choices available during Easter compared to smaller towns.

What to do during easter in iceland?

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Happy Easter!

Team Troll