Thorrablot: The Icelandic midwinter festival 24 Jan 2025

Thorrablot: The Icelandic midwinter festival

What could be better than warming up winter with a feast that"s a little wild and a lot of fun? Thorrablot, Iceland"s midwinter festival, invites you to dive headfirst into tradition. This celebration of survival, culture, and community, which dates to the Viking Age, was once a way for Icelanders to honour Thor, the Norse god of thunder. Today, people celebrate by gathering to feast on an array of local delicacies, including fermented shark, smoked lamb, rye bread and shots of Brennivín—often called "black death" schnapps.

© John and Tina Reid/Getty Images

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