Iceland’s shimmering 2025

After a stellar year, Iceland has a bright outlook for 2025.

NORTHERN LIGHTS HIGHLIGHTS

The peak rate of solar activity during the Sun’s 11-year solar cycle is due in this northern winter of 2024-25.

It’s called the “solar maximum”, and it’s when the most electrically charged particles are hurled towards Earth, causing the northern lights.

A spokesperson for Visit Iceland tells us: “Icelandic celebrity astronomer Saevar Helgi Bragason told local media the increased frequency of northern lights might last until 2029. The biggest gain, he said, is predicted to occur after — not during — the solar maximum has occurred. In other words, in the next five years, there will be strong, vivid auroras that will happen more often.”

WATCHING WHALES

Eyjafjordur, a northern fjord in Iceland, is home to the country’s oldest whale-watching companies. But next summer, five harbours in this, Iceland’s longest fjord, will offer daily tours looking for humpbacks and minke whales. This will happen from the towns of Dalvik, Hauganes, Arskogssandur, Hjalteyri and Akureyri.

LUXURY LAGOON

A luxury lagoon called The River Baths (Arbodin in Icelandic) is due to open in May 2025 in the little village of Laugaras, just off the Golden Circle. Overlooking the banks of Hvita River, The River Baths will have a sauna, cold plunge, swim-up bar and restaurant.

More baths like this are set to open in the next few years in southern Iceland — the next most likely in Fjallabodin in Burfell and Reykjabodin by Hveragerdi.

NATURE BATHS EXPANDED

After three years of work, the Myvatn Nature Baths (Jarabodin) is almost set to reveal a lagoon expansion and new facility. For those who’ve visited Iceland, the work is a bit like that which the Blue Lagoon underwent in 2007 and 2016. The Nature Baths, often called the “Blue Lagoon of the North”, opened in 2004, at a scale that wasn’t really set to deal with the popularity it has reached, as 180,000 people now visit annually.

THREE HOTELS

+ The Skald Hotel, due to open soon in Akureyri, will be the first-ever international hotel chain operating outside Reykjavik. It is part of the Curio Collection by Hilton. The hotel is right opposite the newly expanded Hotel Akureyri and will have 70 rooms themed to emphasise Iceland’s history and culture.

+ On the other side of Eyjafjordur, Hofdi Lodge is expected to open in May 2025. It has taken years to construct and this bespoke lodge aims to be a base for outdoor activities like heli-skiing and horseriding.

+ Hotel Jokulsarlon — Glacier Lagoon Hotel has opened on the southern coast. The four-star hotel has 120 rooms near Skaftafell.

WORLD IN WORDS

There’s a new exhibition in a new building celebrating old Icelandic texts. The World In Words exhibition will feature some of the oldest scriptures in Icelandic — medieval manuscripts of sagas and Norse mythology. Life, death, emotion, faith, power and honour. It will be at EDDA, the research centre for Icelandic studies at the University of Iceland.