Planning an Iceland trip and don't know where to start?
Six questions, in the order they matter: when, how long, who with, budget, car or tours, where to sleep. We point you to the answer for each one.
Drinking Age in Iceland and Where to Buy Alcohol: Vínbúðin, Hours, Prices
Drinking Age & Buying Alcohol
The drinking age is 20, and alcohol is only sold at Vínbúðin
The awkward situations, answered honestly
Most pages about alcohol in Iceland give you the same four facts. What people actually write to us about is the situation they are standing in. These are the ones that come up again and again, answered the way a resident would answer them.
Our 18 or 19 year old is travelling with us. Will they be turned away?
For alcohol, yes. The limit is 20 for buying and for being served, and being with parents does not change it. There is no family exception in Icelandic law. In practice, a nineteen year old sitting down to dinner with you is completely normal and welcome, they simply will not be served a drink. Nobody will make a scene about it, and buying a drink and passing it to them is the thing that will get the staff into trouble, so please do not.
Can we bring the children into a bar?
Daytime and early evening in a place that also serves food, generally yes, and families do it. Later at night a venue operating as a bar will usually not admit under 18s at all, and door staff apply that firmly. The honest rule of thumb: if it has a menu and daylight, it is fine. If it has a door person and a queue, it is not. Policies are set venue by venue, so if it matters for your evening, call the place and ask.
It is Sunday and we have nothing. Is there any way?
Vínbúðin is closed, and no supermarket will save you. Two real options remain: a bar or restaurant, which is open and expensive, or, in the capital area, an online delivery service such as Heimkaup that also sells alcohol. That is it. This is the single most common Sunday disappointment we hear about, and the fix is boring: buy on Saturday, or buy at arrivals when you land.
Will I actually be asked for ID? I am well over 20.
Possibly, and it is not personal. Staff ask anyone who might read as under 25, and they would rather ask than risk their licence. A passport or driving licence is fine. If you are in the country with a group, the person paying should be the one who can show ID, because a whole trolley can be refused over one person.
Is it worth drinking here at all, or should we just skip it?
Skipping it entirely is a perfectly reasonable choice, and plenty of visitors make it without missing anything. But if a glass of wine with dinner is part of how you relax, do not let the prices talk you out of the trip. Buy your allowance at arrivals, drink it at your accommodation, and treat bars as one or two occasions rather than every night. That is roughly how locals do it too.
Can we walk around with an open beer or glass of wine?
Yes. Drinking alcohol in public, including walking down the street with an open can or glass, is allowed in Iceland. You will see locals doing it on a sunny bench or between venues. The real limits are practical, not legal: broken glass on uneven pavements is a bad idea, some festivals or private events set their own rules, and being obviously drunk in public can still draw police attention. A quiet drink while you stroll is fine. A loud group with bottles is not.
I feel silly not knowing how Vínbúðin works. What actually happens inside?
Nothing intimidating. It looks like a small, quiet shop. You browse shelves sorted by type and country, staff are used to visitors and will happily point you to a decent bottle in your price range, you pay by card at the till, and you leave. No membership, no forms, no residency requirement. Ask for help in English, it is completely normal here.
Vínbúðin – State Alcohol Stores
In Iceland, alcohol above 2.25% ABV is only sold at government-run stores called Vinbudin. You cannot buy wine, spirits, or strong beer at regular supermarkets or convenience stores. This surprises many visitors, so it's worth knowing before you arrive.
Vinbudin stores are found in most towns, though smaller locations may only have one store with limited hours. In Reykjavik, there are several locations throughout the city.
What you can buy at supermarkets: Light beer (under 2.25% ABV), non-alcoholic drinks, and low-alcohol options. The light beer is noticeably different from regular beer, so don't expect it to taste the same.
If you're downtown right now
This is the moment that catches most people out: you pop into a convenience store on Laugavegur, reach for a beer, and find out it's the light stuff under 2.25%. The real beer, wine, and spirits are at Vínbúðin, and there is one right in the centre.
The central Vínbúðin: Austurstræti 10a
From the lower (western) end of Laugavegur, it's roughly a 5 to 10 minute walk. Head down Bankastræti, which becomes Austurstræti, and the store is on your left. It sits a couple of blocks from Lækjartorg square.
Hours change by day and by holiday, and listings online in Iceland often drift from reality. Before you walk over, it's worth checking the official store page or calling to confirm it's open: vinbudin.is opening hours.
Vínbúðin Opening Hours
Vínbúðin stores have limited hours compared to regular shops. Plan your purchases accordingly:
Weekdays
Typically 11:00–18:00
Saturdays
Usually 11:00–18:00 or shorter
Sundays & Holidays
Closed (with very few exceptions)
Hours vary by location. Some stores in smaller towns have reduced hours or limited days.
Online Alcohol Delivery
In the capital area, online delivery services such as Heimkaup.is also sell alcohol and can deliver to your accommodation. This can be convenient if you miss Vínbúðin's opening hours or prefer not to carry bottles around.
The Drinking Age in Iceland
The legal drinking age in Iceland is 20 years old. This applies to buying any alcohol and to being served at bars and restaurants. It covers everything, including beer and wine. There is no lower age for "soft" drinks like beer the way some countries have.
Coming from somewhere with an age of 18? Iceland is stricter. An 18 or 19 year old who can drink legally at home cannot buy alcohol or be served at a bar here. Plan around it rather than be surprised at the till.
Is it enforced? Yes. ID checks are routine at Vínbúðin and at many bars, especially if you look under 25. A passport or driving licence is accepted. The 20 limit is the law, not a guideline, so carry ID if you are anywhere close to it.
Airport Duty-Free
The duty-free store at Keflavik Airport (in the arrivals hall) offers competitive prices on alcohol. Many visitors purchase their alcohol here upon arrival, and it is significantly cheaper than buying at Vinbudin or at restaurants and bars.
Tip: If you plan to have wine or spirits during your stay, buying at the airport duty-free on arrival is the most affordable option. Prices at bars and restaurants are noticeably higher than what most visitors expect.
Bar prices: A beer at a bar typically costs 1,500-2,000 ISK (roughly $10-15 USD). A glass of wine is often similar or more. This is one reason locals tend to meet at home before going out.
Is the arrivals duty-free actually worth it?
Short answer: for most visitors, yes, and it is the single biggest money saver on this whole page. The store is right in the arrivals hall at Keflavík, before you reach the exit, so you walk through it anyway. Buying here once tends to cost far less than topping up at Vínbúðin through the week, and a fraction of bar prices.
The honest caveat is the customs allowance. You cannot bring in unlimited amounts. The allowance is set by Icelandic Customs and comes as a set of combinations rather than one simple number, and it does get adjusted, so treat any figure you read online as a starting point and confirm the current limits before you rely on them: Icelandic Customs traveller allowance.
My honest take: if you know you will have a few drinks over the trip, walk slowly through the arrivals store and buy your allowance there. If you are a light drinker or unsure, skip it and just visit the central Vínbúðin once. What rarely makes sense is buying most of your alcohol at bars, where the same beer can cost several times more.
What drinking here actually costs
Numbers move with the season and the venue, so read these as rough, resident-level estimates rather than fixed prices. They are here to set expectations so the bill does not surprise you.
A beer at a bar
Roughly 1,500 to 2,000 ISK, about $11 to $15. Happy hour, where it exists, can cut that meaningfully, often to around 1,000 to 1,200 ISK.
A can or bottle at Vínbúðin
A single beer is commonly a few hundred ISK, and a drinkable bottle of wine often starts around 1,500 to 2,500 ISK. Far cheaper than a bar, which is exactly why people buy here.
Why locals meet at home first
The gap between store price and bar price is large enough that many Icelanders have a drink at home before going out, then buy one or two at the bar rather than a full night of rounds. It is not stinginess, it is simple maths.
Happy hour is your friend
Most bars in Reykjavík run a happy hour, often in the late afternoon and early evening, and it can bring a draft beer down to roughly 1,000 to 1,200 ISK. Times and deals vary a lot by venue and change often, so it is worth checking on the day. Many locals and visitors use the Reykjavík happy hour apps, commonly called Appy Hour or Reykjavík Appy Hour, or the site happyhour.is, to see what is on nearby right now. For a current price snapshot, What's On in Reykjavík keeps a happy hour guide.
Prices drift over time. For a fuller picture of daily costs, see the money guide.
Questions visitors often ask
What is the drinking age in Iceland?
20. You must be 20 or older to buy alcohol or be served at a bar, including beer and wine. ID is commonly checked, so bring a passport or driving licence if you are close to the age.
Can I buy beer at the grocery store in Iceland?
No. Anything above 2.25% ABV is only sold at Vinbudin, the state liquor store. The stuff in supermarkets is essentially non-alcoholic. It looks like beer, but it is not the same thing.
Is alcohol expensive in Iceland?
Yes. A beer at a bar typically costs 1,500 to 2,000 ISK, roughly $10 to $14 USD. A glass of wine is often similar or more. This is one reason locals tend to meet at home before going out. Buy duty-free at Keflavik Airport arrivals if you can.
Is Vinbudin open on Sundays?
No. Vinbudin is closed on Sundays and has limited hours on other days. Plan your purchases ahead, especially if you are arriving on a weekend.