A Visitor’s Guide to Iceland

People often ask me how to get started with planning a trip to Iceland. Here’s a guide I’ve been working on that continues to expand and change through the years. Feel free to share with friends and loved ones who are planning a trip. Would love to hear your feedback!

Accommodations

Hotels
Hotels can be expensive, especially in the high season which is summer. We stayed in the Hotel Nordica which is a Hilton property. It is comfortable, has a spa, and the breakfast in the morning is top notch. 

These are a few other popular suggestions that are more downtown. (If you are renting a car, make sure to consider if parking is included in the nightly rate.)

Air Bnb or VRBO

You can also consider renting an Air BnB and pay attention to which neighborhood your house is in. (All neighborhoods are fine! There’s no sketchy part of town.) I only say this because each neighborhood has a community center/pool. Honestly, one of the BEST parts of Icelandic community is the neighborhood pool. There are facilities for children and adults alike ranging from playscape, slides, to hot pots and saunas. (Fun fact, swimming was built into the national curriculum at the start of the 20th century because people were tired of how many sailors were drowning mere meters from shore.) (https://guidetoiceland.is/reykjavik-guide/best-swimming-pools-in-reykjavik) 

Perhaps the most famous Icelandic pool is Laugardalslaug. We visited there on our first day to Reykjavik so that we could do some laps and have a long soak in the great hot tubs. It truly helps with relaxing and the time zone adjustment. Just remember, you have to wash without your swimsuit on before using the pool. Thankfully, there is a private stall in the women’s area if you are quite shy. (Of course, we found this out too late!)

General Transportation

Driving – I’ve rented from Hertz, but I used expedia to shop around for the best rate. Definitely take the extra insurance because your car will get dinged or damaged in some way! It’s just so much better accounting for the extra insurance so that you can actually enjoy the driving experience. 

Navigation was easy but done mostly through my phone (Apple Maps) that I connected to the car with a USB cord. Cell service is extremely reliable, just make sure to check with your cell phone company to get the best international data rates. 

There are a couple of unique Icelandic driving rules – like no right on red. Also, you need to keep your headlights on at all times. Stop signs are pretty non-existent, but there are red triangles that function similarly. Take a few minutes and study what the different traffic signs mean. Also, there are many roundabouts throughout the country, which take some practice. Make sure you put your turn signal on right before you exit. 

There are a couple tunnels in the country. If you are driving to Akranes or Akureyi, you will likely encounter them. Make sure you log onto tunnel.is within 24 hours to pay the toll. Also, download the parking app to make sure you don’t get a ticket when parking around town: easypark/PARKA.

Transport from the airport
If you are not renting a car and need to get from the airport in Keflavik to Reykjavik, the Flybus is a convenient option that is a little cheaper than a taxi. There’s no need to make a reservation ahead of time. The bus ride takes about 45 minutes to town. They bring you to a small bus depot called the BSI station and then you board a smaller bus which will take you to any of the hotels in the area. If you are renting an Air B&B, then you can call a taxi from the bus depot (00 354 588 5522). Another fun fact about this BSI bus depot, is that it is the hub for many Reykjavik Excursions. If you want a pre-packaged tour, they are a good reliable company to book through. 

Ride Share Apps & Taxis
Finally, if you don’t want to rent a car, you can always use Hop, which is kind of like the Uber app. (I did not have to use it, but I read that it’s the only ride share app on the island.) Hop also rents out those electric scooters you see everywhere. Also, taxis are pretty common everywhere. You can call one at 00 354 588 5522. 

Explore Reykjavik

Consider booking a walking tour of Reykjavik. This Guide to Iceland has some good resources. Explore the vibrant history of the Parliament building, Austurvollor Square and the Duck pond. There is a tourist building between the duck pond and Parliament with a huge map of Iceland inside and public bathrooms in the building. Up the hill is Halmgrimskirkja with the statue of Leifur Erikson. It’s the top of the city and offers a great view, especially if you pay to go up to the top of the tower. The Bankastræti is a pretty popular area where you find shopping and tourist restaurants. 

Closer to the harbor you must get a hot dog at this famous hot dog stand. If it’s super rainy and you need to find some indoor activities, check out Flyover Iceland which is kind of like “Soarin” in Disney World. The Whale Museum is right next door. These are in the Old Harbor, which is turning into a touristy place with food options. (This is also the area where you would meet for the Puffin Watch/Whale Watches, etc.) 

Reykjavik Zoo and Botanical Garden; There’s a small zoo that might be fun for the kiddos, if they are so included. The zoo features many Icelandic specific animals. There’s also a nice botanical garden with a cute little lunch/tea room. The famous pool – Laugardalslaug is also in this neighborhood. 

Perlan (The Pearl)

This is a circular dome-like building that is full of interactive activities – definitely a good choice for when the weather is not great. In addition to an exhibit dedicated to learning about Iceland, there’s a man-made ice cave on the bottom floor, and a whole section on volcanoes. It’s surprisingly interesting, especially for kids. We went to Perlan after travelling around the country and it was cool to see some of the places we visited featured in the exhibits. Perlan also has a fantastic lunch area on the top floor (that surprise, rotates!) and of course, ice cream. https://perlan.is/ Plan for a good 3-4 hours to spend at the Pearl. 

If you’re done with the Pearl and you still have some time to spend, drive around the corner towards the Iceland Airport and you will find a cute little cove where there is outside swimming. It’s the only place in Reykjavik that people really “swim” in the ocean. (There is a warm hot tub at the end of the beach that people soak in first, and then they run to the little cove which in the middle of the summer is a balmy 50ish degree fahrenheit.) 

There are also some great paved walking paths in this area that go for miles. It’s quite beautiful and worth it if you’re looking for an easy walk. 

Close to Reykjavik, but just outside the city

Every tourist must do a Golden Circle tour. (Another link is here.) This tour is manageable in one day. You can take a tour, hire a driver, or do the drive yourself. You will learn the history of the island when you visit Ᵽingvellir and you’ll experience the incredible natural phenomena like Geysir and Gullfoss. Note that you have to pay for parking at each stop. (That’s something new they put in place in the last five years.) Each stop has a little hike that you can do. If the weather is good, I recommend taking advantage of the hike. Also, there are bathrooms available at Geysir and Ᵽingvellir. Finally, Geysir has a nice cafe/cafeteria that I would highly recommend you eat at. 

There are other stops along the Golden Circle: Skaholt is a nice stop. It’s a beautiful church/cathedral with a traditional Icelandic turf building next to it. Kerid Crater is also pretty amazing. You can hike down to the bottom of a giant crater. 

Localish Hikes

There are so many local hikes — too many to list. If your family is hiking inclined, it might be worth investing in a travel book specifically for hiking. While out in the fields, you can tell the story of the very-real elves to your kiddos and try to find their villages. This is a link to some hikes near Reykjavik. 

A particularly amazing hike is called Reykjadalur. You can hike for about an hour, and then you’ll come to a part of the river that is warmed by the hot springs. Even in late April, it should be warm enough to go for a swim before you turn around and hike back. 

About 30-40 minutes out of town, you can find a hike for Helgufoss or a different one in the same area is Trollafoss. Use your google or apple maps and you should find the parking areas and then off you go. The trails are not marked very well, so keep your maps open as you hike. 

Horse Rides

Icelandic Horse Rides: Lesson one – do not call an Iceland horse a pony. Lesson two, Icelandic horses can leave the country, but if they do, they cannot come back in. In fact, most animals are not allowed onto the island from abroad. Lesson three: these amazing animals have five gaits, the tolt being the most remarkable. There are several local horse farms that offer 1/2 day rides out into the country. We rode at Laxnes Horse Farm, which is about a 2 hour ride all together. You arrive a good 30-45 minutes early because it takes time to set everything up.

Spas/ Hot Springs

Blue Lagoon Resort. Many tourists visit the Blue Lagoon for a few hours. It’s a little touristy (with the locals), but it is still pretty remarkable. It’s closer to the airport in Keflavik than Reykjavik so if you’re staying in “town” (aka Reykjavik), you’ll need to drive an hour or so to get there. It’s a little pricey and their parking lot is in the middle of major construction because of the volcanic eruption near there. You must reserve your tickets to Blue Lagoon ahead of time. 

(Side note: if you are driving out to the Blue Lagoon, schedule some time before or after your spa to explore Krysuvik which is a geothermal area with a nice hiking area. You can also drive through Grindavik which is very close to the last volcanic eruption. If you’re up for a little more intense hiking, you can take a couple of trails out to where the volcano erupted: https://www.visiticeland.com/article/hiking-to-the-volcano1.) 

Sky Lagoon nearer to Reykjavik is another good spa option. It’s closer to Reykjavik and has the famous seven rituals. 

A Word about the Northern Lights

I have never seen the Aurora and that’s because I’ve spent the majority of time in Iceland during the summer and spring. Personally I wouldn’t plan my trip with the sole purpose of seeing the Northern Lights because there’s a good possibility you won’t see them, even in the middle of the winter. This is because of the timing of solar storms and the environmental cloud cover (which is pretty ubiquitous!) can be unpredictable. 

That said, if you happen to be in Iceland in October – March, make sure you pay attention to the weather reports and keep your eyes on the sky. There are some Northern Light tours you can take a look at, but just keep in mind that you must be flexible in your expectations. 

Tips with Food/Restaurants

All food in Iceland is ridiculously expensive. Don’t travel here if you’re looking for amazing culinary experiences at every turn. A lot of food (especially vegetables) are flown in from Europe, hence the expense. If you think you’ll want a glass of wine at night, it’s best to buy a few bottles at the duty free in the airport and bring them in with you.

When I travel with the family, we prefer to eat out at lunch and then try to cook in or eat something small for dinner. Do try some of the local dishes like anything related to lamb or fish. Their hot dogs (pylsur) are really good and inexpensive. 

If you have the opportunity in your accommodations to cook, there are plenty of grocery stores in the Reykjavik and Akureyri areas. I personally like Kronan (and they tend to be open a bit later). Bonus (the pink one with the pig) is popular and probably the least expensive. Any produce you buy will spoil in a few days, so make sure to buy only what you’re going to actually eat in the next couple of days. 

Other things to know – no need to buy bottled water. Their tap water is clean and delicious. Coffee, as we Americans know, does not exist. Coffee is more like Europe where cups are espresso-like and then you can add milk. And finally, do not tip your servers in Iceland if you go to a restaurant. It’s confusing to servers and not part of the culture.

Things to do outside of Reykjavik

Vik is a popular Tourist place. It’s a cute little town and there are many tours you can book. 

Puffin watch: I haven’t personally done this, but there are tours you can book to watch puffin colonies. 

The famous Ring Road (Route 1). This is the route that tourists who have a considerable amount of time use to explore the country. There are so many different itineraries so research which one works best for your visit. 

Akureyi
We drove up to Akureyi, the only city in the north of the country, and spent three nights and two days there. (It takes about 6 hours to drive.) The first day we walked around the town and visited the Botanical Gardens. We spent about 3 hours in the Forest Lagoon Spa and then went for an amazing whale watch where we saw beautiful humpback whales in the fjord. 

The second day we drove out to Hverir which is the geothermal field up north. Then, we drove to Lake Myvatn and had lunch at Vogafjos. (Their restaurant has a clear window into the cow barn. Very cool.) We went to Dimmuborgir (where the Yule Lads live) and had a nice hike around the area. We ended the day visiting Godafoss. 

Dettifoss and Husavik are accessible from the Akureyi area, though we did not visit these areas. 

What to Pack?

• Universal Travel Power Adapter
• USB cord to connect to rental car
• Hiking Boots in addition to “indoor” shoes (Note: culturally, Icelanders take their outside shoes off and leave them at the door. This occurs in many places including community pools and gyms.)
• Bathing Suit and Towel
• Lots of layers: waterproof jacket and/or pants, hat, good sturdy socks
• Passport (no visa is needed if using an American passport)
• (Not packing per se but….) Check with your cell phone provider BEFORE you travel about the best data packages and put a travel notice on your credit cards.
• No need to exchange money as nearly everything is cashless in Iceland. Credit cards are fine.
• Download the parking app before you leave: easypark/PARKA. 

Let me know what you think about this guide and happy planning!