- Open
- All year, with snow clearing at Lundskógur in winter
- Hot tub
- On the terrace, heated and refilled automatically
- Northern lights
- Late August to mid April, on dark, clear nights
- From Akureyri
- About 20 minutes through the Vaðlaheiðargöng tunnel
The house in winter
Lundskógar is open all year, and Lundskógur has a winter snow-clearing service. Lighting, heating and the hot tub run from a touchscreen, and the living room looks through its glass wall onto the valley.
- Hot tub on the terrace, heated and refilled automatically; keep the cover on between soaks
- Miele washing machine and dryer in the laundry room
- Large lit parking area at the house
- Sony TV with Netflix and a Bang & Olufsen speaker for evenings in
How dark, how cold
hours
Of daylight at midwinter
Around the solstice in late December the sun rises just before noon and is down again before three.
hours
More light by March
The days lengthen fast after the solstice, and by the start of March there are about ten hours of daylight.
°C
A typical winter month
Akureyri averages around −2 °C from December to February, with daytime highs just above freezing.
Daylight: timeanddate.com · Temperatures: Icelandic Met Office
After dark
The northern lights
The aurora needs darkness and at least a partly clear sky. The owners look for it between late August and mid April, when the nights are long enough, and a sighting is never guaranteed.
The Icelandic Met Office forecast shows a cloud cover map of Iceland and an aurora activity scale from 0 to 9 for each night. On a clear evening the terrace and the hot tub face out over the valley, away from the lights of town.
Open in winter nearby
What stays open through the winter within a drive of the house.
Forest Lagoon
Geothermal pools in the forest across the fjord from Akureyri, open late every evening.
forestlagoon.isAkureyri swimming pool
The town pool stays open every day through the winter, from early morning into the evening.
akureyri.isHlíðarfjall ski area
The ski area on the mountain above Akureyri, usually open from around December to the end of April.
visitakureyri.isEarth Lagoon Mývatn
The geothermal lagoon at Lake Mývatn, formerly Mývatn Nature Baths, beside the Ring Road east of Akureyri and open every afternoon and evening.
earthlagoon.isGoðafoss
The waterfall sits right beside the Ring Road, with parking on both sides. The road is open all year, though winter weather can close it for a time.
northiceland.isWhale watching
North Sailing runs winter tours on Eyjafjörður, pausing from mid December to February, and calls humpback whales the stars of the winter season.
northsailing.isThe Christmas Garden
Jólagarðurinn, about ten minutes from Akureyri, keeps Christmas going all year round.
esveit.is
Driving in winter
- The tunnel
- From Akureyri the road runs through Vaðlaheiðargöng, which replaced the drive over the Víkurskarð pass, where winter conditions are often difficult.
- Tunnel toll
- There is no booth at the tunnel. Pay online at veggjald.is within a day before or after you drive through.
- Road conditions
- The Icelandic Road Administration keeps a live map at umferdin.is. SafeTravel advises checking the weather and the roads in the morning and again during the day.
- Headlights
- Car lights must be on at all times in Iceland.
- Studded tyres
- Allowed from around the end of October to mid April, and outside that when conditions call for them.
- At Lundskógur
- The area has a winter snow-clearing service. The house and its access road do not show on Google Maps yet, so follow the map pin.
Winter questions
Is Lundskógar open in winter?
Yes. The house is open all year, and Lundskógur has a winter snow-clearing service.
How much daylight is there in Akureyri in December?
About three hours around the winter solstice, with the sun up from just before noon until before three. By early March the days are about ten hours long.
When can you see the northern lights near Akureyri?
On dark nights with at least a partly clear sky, from late August to mid April. The Icelandic Met Office aurora forecast shows cloud cover and aurora activity for each night; sightings are never guaranteed.
How cold is Akureyri in winter?
Akureyri averages around −2 °C from December to February, with daytime highs just above freezing, according to the Icelandic Met Office.
Do you pay a toll for the tunnel to Lundskógar?
Yes. Vaðlaheiðargöng has no toll booth, so pay online at veggjald.is within a day before or after you drive through.
Can you use the hot tub in winter?
Yes. The hot tub heats and refills automatically. Keep the cover on between soaks so it stays warm.
Is there skiing near Lundskógar?
Yes. Hlíðarfjall, the ski area above Akureyri, is usually open from around December to the end of April.
Can you go whale watching in winter?
Yes. North Sailing runs winter tours on Eyjafjörður, with a pause from mid December to February.
When can studded tyres be used in Iceland?
From around the end of October to mid April, and outside that period when conditions call for them.
Make a stay of it
A winter stay at Lundskógar
Up to seven guests, a minimum of two nights, check in from 16:00. Send your dates and we reply with availability.