Icelanders are obsessed with summer cottages - maybe you should be too!

We think it’s safe to say, that probably 80-90% of Icelanders visit summer cottages every year. If they don’t own one, they borrow one from their parents, grandparents, in-laws, cousins, or siblings for at least a weekend. Many of the labor unions in Iceland own a few summer cottages each and rent them out to their members. The largest concentration of summer cottages is within 2 hours of Reykjavík, either to the south or west. But the rest is spread all over the country.

What are the summer cottages used for?

Most of the time, families flock to the cottages to relax and have fun in nature. Groups of friends or coworkers do too, but one should expect their fun to mostly revolve around alcohol and food. They are called “summer” cottages, but most of them can be used during winter as well since they have log burning stoves. Icelanders are not afraid of using the hot tubs, usually found on the cottage’s porch, during winter. Even if it’s -10 °c. Most people who have their own cottage spend their time making it look pretty, building larger porches, planting trees and flowers, and bake pancakes (at least we like to imagine that they do).

I love it, can I rent one?

Yes, you can. If you’re not a fan of hotels, or perhaps are traveling with your family, you can rent a summer cottage. There are sites that have a list of summer cottages available for rent in Iceland where you can send inquiries or book them. Renting a summer cottage (or cottages) can be a great pairing with a rental car from us at Blue car rental. They’re a great base for day tours and usually a lot more cozy and convenient than a hotel room. Especially if you want to do some cooking, hiking, lounging and finally: hot-tubing. 

Book a car with Blue Car Rental and we are guarantee you will make to the summer cottage. Just remember to have space for both passengers and luggage. 

If you like to learn more about traditions in Iceland, check out or blogs about Icelandic culture. And if you want to see if there are any amazing sites in the area, we have great information about natural wonders in Iceland you can read about on our website.