Essential Iceland travel tips

LANGUAGE: Icelandic is the official language, however, English is widely spoken.

MONEY/ATM: The legal currency of Iceland is the Icelandic Krona. ATMs are widespread in the biggest cities (Reykjavik). Cards are usually accepted.

ELECTRONIC APPLIANCES: In Iceland, the power plugs and sockets are of type C and F, commonly known as standard europlugs.

VISA: Most passport holders traveling to Iceland for tourism reasons don’t need a VISA to enter the country. That includes the US, the UK, and most European countries.

Icelandic food is simple and reflects the harsh natural landscape of the country. Nevertheless, there are panty of options and unique dishes to try, including the famous fermented shark meat and delicious Icelandic salmon.

Hakarl:

Officially the most popular Icelandic dish! This fermented shark comes with a strong ammonia smell. It is often served in cubes on toothpicks. Definitely, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to push your culinary taste to the next level.

Fish Fish Fish:

Fish and seafood make up a great portion of Icelandic food. It comes in many forms: Lobster soups, grilled salmon, fish stew…Most restaurants offer a “catch of the day” with freshly made bread and vegetables. 

Hot dogs:

Despite not being a traditional Icelandic delicacy, hot dogs have become surprisingly popular. Baejarins Beztu Pylsur is Iceland’s most well-known and frequented restaurant, often with a long line of people waiting to pick up what is now known as “the best hot dog in the world”.

Waterfalls (All year)

An Iceland Travel Tips Guide isn’t complete without mentioning the country’s magnificent waterfalls. Some of the most popular and visited ones are Gullfoss, Skogafoss, and Seljalandfoss in the South; Godafoss and Dettifoss in the North; and Dynjandi and Glymur in the West.

Exploring these powerful waterfalls is possible all year round, nevertheless, some of the most remote ones might be difficult to reach during the winter months, especially in the north of the country. Some of the surrounding hikes can also be challenging when covered in snow.

Whale Watching (Summer)

The mixture of cold and warm sea water with long hours of daylight during the summer months, make Iceland a perfect feeding ground for a variety of whale species.

These excursions are widely available around the country, but more consistent throughout the year in Reykjavík. The summer months are the most popular and best time to enjoy this experience at its fullest, nevertheless, fewer companies run the activity during the winter months, when the landscape can be very dramatic and unique.

Whale watching is indeed a popular wildlife experience but Iceland has a lot more to offer, including sea puffins, seals, and dolphins.

Landmannalaugar Moutains (Summer)

Landmannalaugar mountains are a vast area of stunning and unique beauty in the heart of Iceland. Due to its remote location and difficult approach, they see fewer tourists compared to the rest of the country.

Some of the most memorable features are the colorful rhyolite mountains, a volcanic rock full of minerals such as iron and sulfur, and the many hot springs and natural baths along the way.

Venturing onto the Landmannalaugar mountains is only possible between the middle of June and the beginning of September as the F-roads connecting this area are inaccessible during the winter months. Driving a 4×4 car is always recommended as it allows for freedom of movement, nevertheless, there are many hiking tours available as well as public bus options.

Northern Lights (Winter)

The extremely dark Icelandic winter has its benefits. Between September and April, depending on the weather, it is possible to admire the phenomenon of the Northern Lights.

The best time and place to enjoy this natural wonder is on a clear night, away from the city’s light pollution. Luckily there are specific forecast websites available such as aurora forecast and  Icelandic Met Office

Silfra Snorkeling and Diving (All year)

Silfra is easily accessible and part of the famous Golden Circle. This is the only place in the world where you can snorkel or dive between two continents, Europe, and North America, it’s also the clearest water on Earth with a visibility of over 100 meters. The water temperature is between 2 and 3 degrees Celsius throughout the year meaning a dry suit is required.

While snorkeling is an activity open to all, diving isn’t. A dry suit scuba qualification is required in order to join a dive in Iceland.

Most Icelandic PADI schools offer this qualification plus one fun dive in Silfra as a package deal. This will require at least 2 days and an average of 500 US.

Vik (All year)

Vik is a small town often visited by those traveling the south coast, it is the perfect place to stop and recharge after the long drive from Reykjavik. The village itself is home to one of the world’s most beautiful non-tropical beaches Reynisfjara,  and the famous Dyrholaey arch.

Vik is a popular choice for those traveling toward the Vatnajokull Glacier, due to the high demand and limited amount of services it’s recommended to book your stay in advance.

Vatnajokull Glacier and Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon (All year)

The Vatnajökull glacier covers an area of over 8000 square km on the southwest coast of the country. The glacier reaches 2000 meters at its highest point and covers many active volcanoes. No wonder why it’s considered one of the best things to do in Iceland, especially during the winter months.

Hiking the glacier is possible throughout the year, nevertheless, some activities are only available in winter, such as visiting the ice caves.

Right next to the glacier, it is possible to admire the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, (also known as Diamond Beach because of the many beautiful ice chunks reflecting the sunlight).

Blue Lagoon (All year)

Iceland has many natural hot springs to offer but the Blue Lagoon is perhaps the most popular of all.

Conveniently located only 20 minutes away from the only international airport the Blue Lagoon is a perfect way to start (or end) a trip to Iceland. The water temperature average at 37–39° C and it’s considered to have regenerative qualities.

Unfortunately, a day pass can be relatively expensive compared to the other hot springs in the country. More information can be found on the official website.