Top 5 Markets to Visit in Iceland

Ingólfstorg Square in downtown Reykjavik is transformed into Yule Town each December. Yule Town offers a wide selection of local, hand-crafted gifts, decorations, artisanal food and an ice skating rink in the middle of the square. Yule Town is usually open December 2nd-23rd.

The Jólakrás Street Food Market is held the weekend before Christmas in Fogetagarðurinn, a central square in Reykjavik. There, a large statue of the 18th-century sheriff and so-called Father of Reykjavík, Skúli Magnusson, can be found. The Christmas-themed version of the Krás Street Food Market held each summer, which is called Jólakrás, features Reykjavík’s best chefs collaborating to create Christmas-themed street food.

The whole downtown area of Hafnarfjörður becomes one large Christmas Village around Christmastime. The local children are in charge of decorations while the local schools provide entertainment like singing and theater. There are also various street vendors selling handmade crafts as well as street food and drinks. The Christmas Village opens late November and is open on weekends until Christmas.

Kolaportið can feel like another world entirely. Located downtown with a view of the harbor, this former coal port is where Icelanders come to sell their wares when moving house, moving out of the country or just spring cleaning their closets. One can find just about anything — rare books, jade Buddha statues, kimonos, handmade jewelry from Kenya, fur coats, boots, you name it! Kolaportið is only open on the weekends from 11am to 5pm.

Fjóshornið (The Cow-shed corner), located in Iceland’s eastern cultural capital of Egilstaðir, is a farm open during the summer. The market offers products made from the farm’s dairy and beef production. Available for purchase is the farm’s homemade Skyr, a thick curdled yogurt and traditional Icelandic classic. The farm also has a restaurant featuring products from the farm.