The Ultimate travel guide to Iceland

Travel to Iceland

Iceland the Land of Fire and Ice. There are not many places on earth that offered the same level of natural diversity as Iceland. Impressive waterfalls, hot springs, 50-mile-long heights with no civilization in sight.

Iceland has something for any type of traveler from the lush green summer months where the Sun never sets, to the dark cold winters illuminated by northern lights. Iceland offers a host of activities no matter the season.

General info

• Long Name: Republic of Iceland
• Capital: Reykjavik
• Language: Icelandic
• Currency: króna (1000 króna= $8 or €7)
• Time Zone: GMT
• Dial Code: +354
• Population: 342.200 (2020)

About Iceland

Close to nature but rich with colorful tradition too, Iceland is a unique area to spend a captivating trip.

Icelanders are very welcoming people and always satisfied to share their stunning country with visitors on Iceland vacations.

Things to know before you go to Iceland

If you are searching for a tourist vacation spot that offers you lots of fun and pleasure, then Iceland is the right destination for you. you’ll find numerous locations of traveler interest in this country.

But before you go to Iceland there are a few things you need to know before your trip.

• Currency

The country’s currency is called Krona, where 1000 Krona is about $8 or €7.

Iceland is known to be an expensive country to travel to, its prices there around 60% higher compared to the European average, so if you’re on a budget, carefully planning out the travel expenses is a good idea.

• Language

The official language is Icelandic which is considered a Nordic language. It has not changed much from the first settlers of Iceland.

Danish and English are mandatory languages to learn, and the literacy rate is over 99%, which is the highest percentage in the world. Many people are known by their first names, as opposed to their surnames; for example, Horoson means the son of Horo; this can make it difficult to look someone up in the phonebook.

• Religions

The majority of Icelanders are of Lutheran religion, although other faiths exist throughout the region. There is a small percentage of other faiths, such as Catholic, Mormon, Muslim, and Baptist.

• Climate

There is a popular saying in Iceland, “If you don’t like the weather, just wait five minutes.”

Weather can vary greatly due to its proximity to the ocean. Northern Iceland’s summer temperatures don’t get much warmer than its winter temperatures; Southern Iceland can get considerably warmer, sometimes reaching as much as 30 degrees Celsius.

• Best season to visit Iceland

Summer is the most popular season to visit Iceland. It is also the best season for anyone interested in hiking or exploring the highlands as many of the activities are accessible during the warmer months. however, since its high season expects inflated prices and tons of tourists.

Alternatively, you can lower your cause and avoid the crowds by visiting during the shoulder months of spring, and autumn prices are substantially lower due to it being offseason, however, the Highlands and the major hiking trails will be unavailable during this time.

Winter is the best season for Northern Lights and if you’re interested in exploring ice caves as some of them are only available during the winter months.

But the winter may not be ideal for a Ring Road trip due to the unpredictable weather, but it’s still possible if you really must and most would argue that.

Iceland is more scenic during the warmer months but I think that’s totally subjective.

• Apps for traveling to Iceland

Here is a list of the best applications you can use for your trip to Iceland:

• Vedur
• Appy Hour
• Aurora Forecast
• Iceland Film Locations
• Straeto
• 112 Iceland
• Flight Aware
• Thingvellir National Park App
• Iceland Road Guide 
• Wapp

• Visa Application

Although considered a part of Europe, Iceland is not a part of the EU. The country is a part of the Schengen Agreement which means visa-free for most EU citizens.

To check whether you need a visa before arriving in Iceland you may need to visit utl.is

Transportation

• Hire a car

For a foreign tourist, perhaps it is good to arrange for a hired car when seeing Iceland. This will really help save lots of time, particularly when traveling between many destinations and Accommodations. One can bear to see breathtaking views of broad open fields, with galloping around or horses grazing, and amazing water bodies such as valleys, lakes, and waterfalls.

• 4WD

You can also go with a 4WD, but in my opinion, they’re not really necessary unless you plan to explore the Highlands or drive on F-roads. Renting a 4WD will also cause and add a premium so overall it could be the most expensive option on the list, but it is the ultimate adventure car in Iceland.

• Campervan

Lastly a campervan. This is also the option I opted for it’s not the most expensive, nor the most affordable it sits in the middle in terms of price but it has the advantage of being your accommodation and transportation rolled into one with included benefits such as heating gas stove, etc.

Pro-Tip

Regardless of what vehicle you choose, it’s important to know the driving laws in Iceland.

• The general speed limit in cities is 50 km/hr. It’s 70km/hr on gravel roads and while on roads outside of urban areas such as the Ring Road is 90km/hr.

• There will be many speed cameras set up all around Iceland, so I recommend not to risk it unless you want a heavy fine at the end of your trip.

• Also, you have to be 20 years old to rent a car, and 23 for larger vehicles car.

•  Headlights must be ON at all times, and off-roading is illegal in Iceland.

Things to do in Iceland

Iceland promises not to disappoint any of the tourists that go there. There are many things to do, attractive locations worth seeing in Iceland which includes some of the most incredible places that you will ever experience.

#1 The Midnight Sun

If you get a chance to watch the midnight sunlight the sky in different tones of pink and yellow then you will have had a memorable experience already.

#2 Volcanoes

#3 Blue Lagoon

#4 Saga Museum

#5 Laxnes Horse Farm

#6 Ice cave

#7 Northern Lights

A lot of travelers visit Iceland just to see this amazing and natural phenomenon. The best time to see these lights are in the winter when the weather is clear.

#8 Seljavallalaug

#9 Vík: Black sand Beach

Recommended Read: Best places to stay in Iceland for all budgets

Best attractions: Iceland Ring Road guide

Iceland offers every attraction that a traveler dreams of seeing. Whether they are active volcanoes, biggest glaciers, or hot springs, Iceland has everything for everyone. As told earlier, every city of Iceland deserves to be seen at least once.

Following are some well-known and less-known attractions and destinations of Iceland.

#1 Keflavik (Reykjanesbær)

This city has its importance because it is called the entrance of Iceland. It is about 1 hour away from Reykjavik.

#2 The Golden Circle

This is the most famous route in Iceland. The golden circle is the name given to a route taken by almost 90 percent of tourists who are on their vehicles.

#3 Thingvellir National Park (Þingvellir)

Located between two tectonic plates. The park is a UNESCO World Heritage site,

#4 Kerid Crater

It’s striking red cliffs and aquamarine-colored lake Kerid. Is a relatively young volcanic Crater lake,

#5 Geysers

Iceland is best known for its geysers and also has ‘Geyser’. The Strokkur geyser is a famous one that erupts every few minutes and can reach up to 130 feet in the air.

#6 Gullfoss

#7 Hrunalaug hot Springs

Although there is a more famous hot spring in this region, my personal favorite has to be the Hrunalaug hot spring. 

#8 Fridheimar

Fridheimar is a geothermal tomato farm. famous for its tomato themed menu and is a beautiful place for lunch other than the food.

#9 Seljalandsfoss

After finishing the Golden Circle, we continue towards the southern part of Iceland and find one of the most iconic waterfalls Seljalandsfoss.

#10 Gljufrabui

There’s also a nearby cave with a hidden waterfall of its own, worth paying a visit while you’re there. Further, along the route, you can find one of the many pools in Iceland, and this has a particularly difficult name to pronounce.

#11 Skogafoss

#12 Solheimasandur plane

Continue along the route you will find these Solheimasandur plane Wreck. this is where you find the abandoned US Navy plane which crashed landed here in 1973.

You have probably seen plenty of photos of this place and as always get there early to avoid the crowd as it’ll take a good and either 30-minute walk from the parking area to reach in plain sight.

#13 Reynisfjara

Reynisfjara is the most famous black sand beach in Iceland. The black sand is formed by lava hitting the ocean waves and turning the lava into small volcanic rocks and stubbles giving the beach its black color.

#14 Dyrholaey

Not far from Reynisfjara you’ll find Dyrholaey which means the door he’ll island it’s known for its rock art and the lighthouse of the same name.

#15 Fjadrargljufur

#16 Svinafellsjokull glacier

This glacier is what’s called an outlet or tong glacier of the much larger bot glacier which is said to be Europe’s largest ice cave.

#17 Fjallsarlon

Nearby Svinafellsjokull you’ll also find Fjallsarlon, which is another outlet glacier.

#18 Diamond Beach

Not too far from the two glaciers, you’ll find Diamond beach.

#19 Vestrahorn

As we continue along the road, we start entering the eastern part of Iceland.

Vestrahorn is one of my favorite places in Iceland, is also known as stock nests which are a set of pointing mountains often the subject of many landscape photos in Iceland,

#20 Seydisfjordur

As we continue with this Iceland road trip, we head northeast following along the cliffside roads until we arrive at the small town known as Seydisfjordur.

#21 Gufu Waterfall

#22 Hengifoss

#23 Waterfall Circle Hike at Laugarfell

#24 Dettifoss

Located in what’s known as the diamond circle. Dettifoss is regarded as the most powerful waterfall in Europe.

#25 Hverir Géothermal area

First is the Hverir Geothermal area known for its bubbling pools of mud and steaming fumaroles.

The smell there is not surprisingly pretty bad due to the sulfur but it’s a unique location that is worth visiting at least once while you’re in Iceland.

#26 Krafla Viti Crater

#27 Hverfjall

The Hverfjall crater is a 2000-year-old crater known as a Tuff Ring volcano and about 1km in diameter.

#28 Grjotagja Cave

There are many other attractions to visit while you’re in Iceland including the beautiful lava cave with its own geothermal hot spring.

#29 Godafoss

As we exit the Myvatn area the next stop is Godafoss. Godafoss has long been regarded as one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Iceland.

#30 Grafarkirkja

The next one is yet another of the Ring Roadside attraction but definitely one of the more personal favorites.

#31 Hvitserkur

As we move towards the northwestern part of Iceland, we make a quick stop at Hvitserkur.

#32 Westfjords

As we head west, we enter a region known as the Westfjords. although the Westfjords aren’t technically a part of the Ring Road experience but it’s definitely considered more of a sidetrack adventure.

You rarely saw any tourists while driving around which really gave that sense of solitude that the area is known for.

#33 Valagil Hike

#34 Dynjandi

#35 Gardar BA 64

#36 Raudasandur Beach

#37 Stephanus Peninsula

As we move out of the Westfjords then back on the rainbow we start to enter the Stephanus Peninsula, you can find several attractions but the most famous one is Kirkjufell known as the church mountain. 

#38 Ingjaldsholskirkja

#39 Svortuloft lighthouse

#40 Budakirkja

These were some of the famous attractions of Iceland, but still, Iceland has much more to offer and to be told.

The Dont’s Of Iceland

Here are 11 things you should not do while visiting Iceland

• Don’t buy Bottled water

If you just want to get delicious, freshwater from the glacier some of the cleanest water on earth, just turn on the tap in your hotel at the airport in your hostel, if you’re visiting somebody at a campsite, the water is fresh and coming straight from the glaciers right into the taps.

• No Off-road Driving

So many people think that if there’s just open land, it just means maybe drive wherever they want.  don’t do it just stay on the path, stay on the road.

There’s also a huge fine if you do drive off-road just because you don’t see the police though doesn’t mean that you might not get in trouble, people who are regular individuals just like you either visitors or people who live in the country are encouraged to let authorities know if you see someone driving off-road whether it’s through pictures or something else, whatever so don’t be that person who drives off-road.

• Do not ignore warning signs

Don’t ignore warning signs at geysers, waterfalls, black sand beaches, and glaciers or anywhere where there’s a warning sign in essence it’s there for your safety and there have been Pictures going around of people basically almost at the edge of a very strong waterfall or being swept out into the sea by strong waves on the black sand beach or falling into a crevasse on a glacier. don’t be that person it’s totally not worth it

• Use Appropriate Gear

Don’t look at a glacier without an experienced guide. people underestimate how dangerous they can be on a glacier and there’s a possibility of you falling through some thin ice or in a crevasse and getting seriously hurt or killed. also not wearing crampons on a glacier is pretty dumb because your shoes don’t have any type of grip that’s necessary for such an icy surface and you’re potentially setting yourself up to get pretty seriously injured.

• Do not stop in the middle of the road to take photos

Find an appropriate place to safely pull over if you want to take a picture preferably at a space that is for pulling over meaning that there’s a designated area, mainly because it’s all too often that you might think there’s nobody on the road and all of a sudden someone comes up out of nowhere and maybe they didn’t realize that you would stop and it hits.

• Do not drive and try and look for the Northern Lights

If you’re driving a car and you’re so excited about seeing there in lights because its super dangerous of course to take your eyes off of the road and also the Northern Lights are visible when it’s really dark out so the darkness on top of you being potentially so focused on the Northern Lights is an extremely dangerous situation to put yourself in.

• Do not litter

Is so infuriating you’re in this magically beautiful place and you’re leaving your crap behind don’t do it. whatever you bring with you take away with you any garbage that you accumulate while you’re in Iceland make sure you’re disposing of it in the appropriate bins but also don’t just leave it on the side of the road or if it does get caught up in the wind and it’s safe for you to retrieve it go and do that.

• Pack Appropriate clothing

One of the things that surprised a lot of people about Iceland is that the Weather can be variable at any time of year. if you pack appropriate layers, then you’ll be prepared to don’t necessarily always have to wear all those things at the same time but having a perfect water-resistant jacket and pants with you in the car that you’re driving or in your backpack.

• Don’t just stay in Reykjavik

It is Iceland’s only city and there are cool things to do downtown and in the surrounding metropolitan area but I know that once you go out of the city and explore all of the gorgeous nature that’s available. Iceland will definitely capture your heart.

• Don’t cross rivers if you are inexperienced

Don’t cross rivers whether it’s on foot or in a car if you really can’t read the river and you have no idea.

more likely you’re in a rental car if you’re gonna be doing that and if you damage there in the car meaning like a flood the motor or whatever you’re gonna be paying basically for a new car for the rental company your insurance will not cover that so don’t take the chance it’s better to get an experienced driver it’s also better to make sure that you have a car that’s equipped for crossing rivers.

• Don’t set up your tent just anywhere

don’t set up your tent or park your campervan wherever you want just because you think that’s a good spot rather look for designated camping sites or at least know where those camping sites are located so you can park safely and/or set up your tent in a place where you’re supposed to actually camp.

Accommodations

• Hotels

If comfort is the most important thing for you, then go with hotels they’re by far the most comfortable to stay you can get ask for the downsides other than a high cost you might find check-in times to be restrictive especially if arrived late at night so you may have to adapt your schedules accordingly.

• Hostels / Guesthouses

Hostels or guest houses are a more affordable option but sacrifices some of the comforts, you’ll get from a regular hotel except shared bathrooms, kitchens in some instances sharing rooms with other travelers depending on your accommodation choices.

• Campgrounds

Finally, campgrounds by far the most budget-friendly option, and ideal if you’re going with a campervan or bringing your own tent.

since while camping in Iceland is illegal it can be the least comfortable option depending on the person, but what I like most about campgrounds is that you can arrive at any time, so if you arrive late at night and you find a reception to be closed just find a free spot stay for the night and make sure to pay the fee the next morning.

The price ring is between 1,500 and 3,000 Krona’s per person for a night. you can search for campgrounds on www. tjalda.is or search for one on Google Maps which I did several times when I was on the road.

Iceland Food & Dishes

#1 Kjötsupa

#2 Plokkfiskur

Plokkfiskur is one of the foods Icelanders grows up with and kids love it too.

#3 Hardfiskur

The Icelandic “Hardfiskur” or dried fish has been very popular with Icelanders throughout the centuries.

#4 Pylsur

Pylsur is no exception to the rule here. The Hot Dog. Where Pylsur is indeed an exception, however, is in its composition.

#5 Skyr

Skyr is an Icelandic cultured dairy product. It has the consistency of Greek yogurt, but a milder flavor.

#6 Svið

Is a traditional Icelandic dish consisting of a sheep’s head cut in half, singed to remove the fur, and boiled with the brain removed, sometimes cured in lactic acid. 

#7 Rúgbraud

#8 Flatkaka

Flatkaka is soft, round, thin, and dark with a characteristic pattern from the pan.

If you are interested in Icelandic food, you can check out the following article for more information:

Recommended Read: The Kavey Eats Guide to Icelandic Food

Travel to Iceland on a budget: How to Visit Iceland on a Budget?

• When booking

When booking your flights go to Google Flights or Skyscanner to find the cheapest dates and you can toggle between how many days you want for your trip.

• Search

If you want to go away over a weekend you need to leave the destination blank then you need to click on flexible dates, then on weekends, go back to the map, zoom in on Iceland, and it will show you the cheapest dates across a weekend.

• Compare

Once you’ve found your dates and before you go ahead and pay, always go back to Skyscanner because 9 times out of 10 they will show you a cheaper price than what you find on Google flights.

• Hire a Car

If you need to rent a car, then you can use a comparison site like the Icelandic website called Northbound and they were consistently cheaper.

• Get your Card

Get a card that lets you spend for free abroad like Monzo, but we also recommend Starling bank and WeSwap. There’s plenty of choices out there just do some research.

• Plan your meals

Making a meal plan and then a shopping list and make sure you stick to it.

• Attractions

This is a controversial one but if you want to save money don’t go to the Blue Lagoon. There are so many geothermal pools that are cheaper or even free, and remember wherever you go to take your own towel with you because some of the places charge you for that.

• Check-in bag

Book a check-in bag. I know it’s an initial hit of money but seriously what you’re going spear to pack into that bag will save you lots of money in the long run, and if you’re traveling with someone else you can share.

• Be Prepared

Go in your kitchen before you leave and pack a box full of the basics. Also, use mini pots for things like salt, pepper, spices, washing-up liquid, oil, this will save you so much money.

• Items

Take a thermos with you, if it’s called you are going to be wanting some hot drinks to warm you up and they could cost you 4 pounds, several times a day.

• Accommodation

When deciding on a hotel VS a guesthouse always goes for the guesthouse. The hotels in Iceland are pretty minimalistic anyway, so you’re not really going to be losing that much on style whilst they may be more basic. They have great facilities including a kitchen.

Make sure you book a guesthouse with the kitchen and that will save so much money by being able to cook your own meals.

• Airbnb

Don’t forget Airbnb, there’s a lot of guesthouses on Airbnb too but my tip would be to always google them independently because you can only get them cheaper by booking them directly rather than through a third party.

• Car Parking

If your parking at the tourist attraction lots of people who are just leaving as their parking ticket may still be valid you can just take it off them and put it on your own thing.

• Car Petrol

If you are a Costco member make sure you take your car because there is one in Reykjavik just 15 minutes outside and it’s just easily the cheapest place that you are going to get petrol on the entire country.

If you don’t have a membership don’t worry there’s another petrol station just up the road which is the second cheapest.

• Shopping

When shopping the cheapest supermarket is Bonus, however, Kronan and Netto are also pretty well priced too.

If your flight is getting in the late afternoon or in the evening you will probably find that you can’t find Bonus open, then you can go and shop at Netto or Kronan instead you will save more money by doing that than going out for dinner and waiting the next days to go to Bonus.

Iceland travel restrictions

Before you travel you must have to check the travel restrictions to Iceland To have an idea before you go.

Check Out the sources below:

• Visiting Iceland – Covid.is
• Visiting Iceland | Icelandair

FAQ: First-Timers in Iceland