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Europe

Iceland

Overview

Iceland is one of the most beautiful countries our team has ever had the pleasure of visiting. The vast amounts of waterfalls, glaciers, geysers and jaw-dropping views has this place near the top of our list of must-see bucket list destinations. Widely known as “the Land of Fire and Ice”, this beautiful country’s epic landscape provides endless amounts of unforgettable views and experiences.

Kirkjufell and Kirkjufellsfoss

Featured Regions

Reykjavik

South Iceland

West Iceland

Iceland Travel Tips

Download Offline Maps

We highly recommend using Google Maps to download offline directions. In case your car doesn’t have built-in Wi-Fi, or if you want to save on your international data plan, this is the best way to get around Iceland without worrying about getting lost.

Look Up the Weather Forecast Hourly

Iceland is notorious for having weather that changes fairly frequently, so be sure to check it often! A cold and rainy morning can quickly, and easily, turn into a beautiful and sunny afternoon. Our favorite website for Iceland weather is Yr.no, and it includes hourly temperature, precipitation and wind forecasts.

Due to Iceland’s popularity as a destination, we recommend making your trip reservations as soon as possible! Accommodations, tours and restaurants tend to fill up rather quickly, and can be more expensive if booked last minute, so we tend to advise booking 4-6 months in advance.

Use our packing guide to get a sense of what to pack when visiting Iceland! We cover the gear that is essential for any trip, certain items to bring for each season and what to leave behind. This is a must-read for any traveler.

Featured Itineraries

Kirkjufell and Kirkjufellsfoss

The Ultimate 6 Day Iceland Itinerary

Þingvellir Tectonic Plates

Day Trips from Reykjavik

Coming Soon

Kirkjufellfoss View

How to Spend a Weekend in Iceland

Coming Soon

Featured Article

The Best Things To Do In Iceland 2021

Iceland is one of the most beautiful countries our team has ever had the pleasure of visiting. The vast amounts of waterfalls, glaciers, geysers and jaw-dropping views has this place near the top of our list of must-see bucket list destinations.

Iceland Airport

Keflavík International Airport (KEF) is the largest airport in Iceland is serves as the international point of entry. The airport is only about a 40-50 minute drive from Reykjavik. Check out our tips for getting through the airport without a hitch and be sure to read our article about how to get to Reyjkjavik from the airport.

Iceland Airport

Keflavík International Airport (KEF) is the largest airport in Iceland is serves as the international point of entry. The airport is only about a 40-50 minute drive from Reykjavik. Check out our tips for getting through the airport without a hitch and be sure to read our article about how to get to Reyjkjavik from the airport.

Weather

Summer

May – August
Average Temperature: 12°C (54°F)
Temperature Range: 7°C (44°F) to 25°C (77°F)
Extended Daylight Hours, More Favorable Weather

Fall

September – November
Average Temperature: 5°C (41°F)
Temperature Range: 0°C (32°F) to 10°C (50°F)
Normal Daylight Hours, Increased Chances of Rain

Winter

November – March
Average Temperature: 2°C (35°F)
Temperature Range: -10°C (14°F) to 10°C (50°F)
Limited Daylight Hours, Expect Colder Weather and Snow

Spring

March – May
Average Temperature: 5°C (41°F)
Temperature Range: 0°C (32°F) to 10°C (50°F)
Normal Daylight Hours, Increased Chances of Rain

Getting Around / Transportation

Rental Cars

We recommend renting a car, 4×4 or campervan during your stay. It is easily the best way to get around Iceland and gives you the freedom to explore this beautiful country.

Bus Tours

While we highly recommend opting to rent a car, tour buses are the next best thing to explore what Iceland has to offer. We don’t recommend any company in particular, so a quick Google search will get you started!

Reykjavík City Bus

Reykjavík has an excellent bus system with regular services to and from all the city’s major towns and attractions. For more information, visit their website strætó.is. Reykjavík is a very walkable city though, so it’s possible you won’t even need to use the bus!

Getting Around / Transportation

Rental Cars

We recommend renting a car, 4×4 or campervan during your stay. It is easily the best way to get around Iceland and gives you the freedom to explore this beautiful country.

Bus Tours

While we highly recommend opting to rent a car, tour buses are the next best thing to explore what Iceland has to offer. We don’t recommend any company in particular, so a quick Google search will get you started!

Reykjavík City Bus

Reykjavík has an excellent bus system with regular services to and from all the city’s major towns and attractions. For more information, visit their website strætó.is. Reykjavík is a very walkable city though, so it’s possible you won’t even need to use the bus!

Currency

Icelandic Króna (ISK)

The use of credit and debit cards is very common in Iceland and are used for just about all purchases – almost all hotels and most businesses in the country accept cards. We didn’t take out cash out for our entire trip and didn’t have any problems!

That being said, we do wish we had taken out a small amount of cash (nothing more than $20 worth) to pay in coins to use at bathrooms at various attractions or gas stations. Thankfully, wherever we stopped, the attendant allowed us to use the bathroom for free because we didn’t have any cash, but we would recommend taking out a small amount of money for this purpose since some people seemed slightly annoyed at times unless we bought something.

Approximate Conversion Rate (USD)
1 ISK = $0.0084 USD
$1 USD = 119.70 ISK
$20 USD = 2,394 ISK
$50 USD = 5,985 ISK
$100 USD = 11,970 ISK

Cuisine

  • Fish and Seafood
  • Lamb
  • Sheep’s Head
  • Hot Dogs
  • Skyr (Yogurt)
  • Rye and Sourdough Bread
  • And more!

Read about our visit to Dill Restaurant – a New Nordic restaurant in Reykjavík and the first restaurant in Iceland to be awarded a Michelin star.

Cuisine

  • Fish and Seafood
  • Lamb
  • Sheep’s Head
  • Hot Dogs
  • Skyr (Yogurt)
  • Rye and Sourdough Bread
  • And more!

Read about our visit to Dill Restaurant – a New Nordic restaurant in Reykjavík and the first restaurant in Iceland to be awarded a Michelin star.

Culture

Safety

Iceland is a safe country for travelers. It has a very low crime rate, with only rare incidents of violent crime. The most common crime is theft or pickpocketing, but even that is fairly rare. As always, just be aware of your possessions at all times and don’t leave your belongings unattended in public places.

Tipping Etiquette

Everything in Iceland is expensive, especially when eating out. Nearly all bills that you receive already include gratuity, and tipping is not expected. That said, if you feel that your service was excellent, feel free to tip 10% or whatever you feel comfortable.

Languages Spoken

Primary Languages

  • Icelandic
  • English

English is taught as a second language in Iceland and almost everyone speaks the language fluently.

Other Languages

  • Danish
  • Polish
  • German
  • Spanish
  • French

Languages Spoken

Primary Languages

  • Icelandic
  • English

English is taught as a second language in Iceland and almost everyone speaks the language fluently.

Other Languages

  • Danish
  • Polish
  • German
  • Spanish
  • French

Related European Countries

France

Coming Soon

Spain

Coming Soon

Manarola Featured

Italy

Coming Soon

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