An Overview: My Experience at Iceland Airwaves

I do want to note that I did receive a press pass to attend Iceland Airwaves. With that the following thoughts and ideas are my own.

Recently, I got to go to Iceland Airwaves. A music festival that has been around since 1999. I honestly had never heard of this festival before until a friend of mine who goes annually brought it up. As with many music festivals, it started small. The idea is that guests can enjoy different artists at unique venues including museums and churches throughout the city. When Airwaves started, the artists were local and smaller bands but like many music festivals, the artists they started showcasing became global. Which attracted an international audience at Iceland Airwaves.

The result? It’s become a music festival that I find is worth traveling for. At least in my opinion. You get to walk around the beautiful city of Reykjavík, discover new artists, and make memories that will last a lifetime. What more could you ask for? Here’s more of what you can expect.

What kind of music and artists are at Airwaves?

I loved that fact that there was a huge variety of music and artists to enjoy. I saw Icelandic rap artists such as Herra Hnetusmjör, listened to beautiful soul music by I Am Roze, danced to pop music by Kenya Grace and Lilyisthatyou and was in awe of Latin American folk music by an incredible Mexican artist, Silvana Estrada. There really was something for everyone and I found several new artists (new to me atleast) that I still listen to.

Artists perform in unique venues throughout the city like the Art Museum. I got to see many artists like Canadian pop singer Lilyisthatyou

There’s off-venue concerts that are free!

Airwaves is of course, a ticketed event but what you’ll also find throughout the weekend is off-venue concerts that are free. These off-venue concerts are scattered throughout the city and are more intimate. This is another great way to enjoy the music scene happening throughout the city. I attended an off-venue concert that was inside a record store. It was hot, it was crowded, but it was awesome as everyone was there for rocking to the music.

How much are tickets?

You can get a day pass for 12,900 isk which is approximately $100 usd or you can get the 3-day pass for 18,900 isk which is approximately $150 usd.

Airwaves also offers travel packages with IcelandAir where you can include your flight with your ticket. But when I compared prices, I found that it was actually cheaper to buy flights separately and to look for accommodations on your own rather than with their platform.

All the performances are inside unique venues like the Art Museum in Reykjavik.

Airwaves hours

The performances start at 7 pm and go until 2 am. This makes it great to do day trips throughout the day or explore the city in the meantime until the concerts start. Check out my list of best day trips from Reykjavik.

How is the weather during Airwaves?

In November, temperatures are on average between 37-39 degrees fahrenheit during the day and between 30-34 degrees fahrenheit at night so be sure to dress warm! Inside the venues and buildings in Iceland, it is always very warm and with the crowds inside the venue, it can get a bit sweaty. But when walking outside, it can get pretty windy so be sure to dress accordingly. Layers here are key!

Where to stay for Iceland Airwaves (especially as a vegan)

Because the music festival is in the city of Reykjavik, it is easiest to stay in the city for it. Reykjavik is an extremely walkable city. Going from one part of the city to another is typically a short walk and is generally pretty flat. Making it easy to walk around.

We stayed right by the famous Hallgrimskirkja church, which ended up having it be only a 10 minute walk or less to most of the venues we went to.

While there’s many hotels in Reykjavik, I highly recommend Eyja Guldsmeden Hotel. An eco-conscious hotel that is vegan friendly. Especially for their breakfast buffet. Iceland I found to be pretty vegan friendly and especially in Reykjavik. There’s vegan restaurants and many places had vegan options. You can see a list of my food recommendations here.

If you’re traveling in a big group, there’s villas and apartments to rent. I highly recommend checking some out on Vrbo.

Is Iceland Airwaves worth it?

I see Iceland Airwaves is 100% worth it. The ticket price I find reasonable for the number of performances that you can go to in a weekend. It is a fun way to explore the city while enjoying great music. Plus, you get to be in Iceland!

Hi, I’m Ashley, owner of Vegan Ventures. I’ve been vegan for 8+ years and have traveled all over for over a decade. I’m a foodie and traveler who loves finding the best eats and experiences.