Back when I first started researching Iceland I realized that New Year’s Eve was a HUGE thing there. Apparently the Icelanders are only allowed fireworks once a year… and they take it very seriously: New Year’s Eve is INSANE! So why not? 😉
There are no official government firework shows like there are here in the US. Everything is set off by private individuals, so we wandered around Reykjavik looking for the best place to watch the show and and not really knowing what to expect. I thought it would be truly crazy with parties in the streets and live bands playing etc, but it was actually quite tame and felt like any other night out. We had to ask the front desk at the hotel where to go and he recommended either Perlan (building on top of a hill. More on that later!) or at Hallgrimskirkja church. Perlan is quite a hike, so we chose the church.
Lets just say that these people put Texans to shame when it comes to a love of explosives… There were actual flares being shot into the sky, and it felt like ground zero of a war zone with all the fireworks being set off sometimes only a few feet away in the snow. Totally intense! If you’re ever looking for something unique and awesome to do for New Year’s Eve, I highly recommend coming to Reykjavik, Iceland!
What an awesome way to start off 2016 with a bang! New Year’s Eve in Reykjavik was even cooler than I ever imagined! 🙂