I visited Iceland 2 times – in 2012 and in 2015, — and just crazy about this country. In this article, I share useful information on organizing a trip to Iceland, which I have accumulated over both trips.
Season
First, pay attention to the season. If you want to visit Iceland without going broke, plan your trip on second half of September – the weather is only 2-3 degrees colder than in summer, and prices are already an order of magnitude lower, since the low season begins in Iceland in mid-September.
Food
Secondly, it is no secret that Iceland is an extremely expensive country. This also applies to food. Therefore, I recommend taking some snacks, muesli, noodles, etc. with you on your trip. This will allow you not to go broke on food and spend money on excursions.
These are probably the 2 most important tips that will save you a decent amount of money..
Now to general information.
Visa
Iceland is one of the countries that have signed the Schengen Agreement. Therefore, entry into the country for citizens of the Russian Federation is carried out according to Schengen visa.
Currency
Iceland’s currency is the Icelandic krone. You can pay either by bank cards or in local currency.
How to get to Iceland
The main air gates of the country – Keflavik airport, is located 50 km from Reykjavik. The cheapest way to fly is from the Scandinavian countries, and, probably, the most attractive fares for flights are offered by WOWair.
I talk about how I’m looking for cheap tickets here.
How to get from the airport to the city
If you are not going to rent a car in Iceland, then the most convenient way is bus Reykjavik Excursions. The bus ticket can be bought online. It is more profitable to buy a round-trip ticket at once – this way you will save about 500 kroons.
Where to stay
We stayed at Aurora Guest houseand I can wholeheartedly recommend this place if you are looking for something economical and decent. Another significant plus is breakfast included in the price.
In general, Reykjavik is quite a wide range of accommodations.
What to see in Iceland
Yes, a lot! 🙂
But here is a list of what you can’t miss:
- Blue Lagoon. The Blue Lagoon is best visited immediately upon arrival in Iceland – one of the main attractions of this harsh northern country is located halfway from Keflavik Airport to Reykjavik. Reykjavik Excursions buses run from the airport to the lagoon. On them it will be possible to get from the lagoon to the city. I advise you to visit the official website of the Blue Lagoon before your trip to plan your visit. You can also buy tickets there.
- Ride along South coast. You can take an organized tour, or you can drive it all on your own. Of the must-see places on the south coast, I can name the following: glacier Solheimajokull, waterfalls Skogafoss and Seljalandsfoss, village Vik (Iceland’s southernmost village) and of course the black volcanic beach Reynisfjara.
- So-called Golden Circle, which includes the national park Thingvellir (the place where the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates converge and the Ehsaraurfoss waterfall is located), geyser Strokkur, and one of the most popular waterfalls – waterfall Gulfoss.
- Watching puffins at Cape Ingolfshofdi.
But what else I recommend:
- commit night hike to thermal springs Hveragerdi region. You can, of course, go during the day, but at night the sensations will be much cooler. Especially if you are going to Iceland during the cold season. Just imagine – you are lying in a natural “bath” with hot thermal water, snow is all around, and the northern lights are above your head.
- As part of this trip, do not forget boil eggs in a hot spring.
Adventure lovers should definitely surf in Iceland.
From what I did not have time to do, but I will definitely do it on my next trips. (and they will definitely be):
- look at the whales
- Visit the Kerid Crater
- Watch the northern lights
- Fly from Iceland to Greenland.
And now a few words about things to do in Reykjavik:
- Visit Super Minimalist Hallgrimskirkja church,
- Take dreamy photos against the background or from inside Harp Concert Hall,
- look at the sculpture solar wanderer,
- go to national museum of iceland and learn something new about this harsh country,
- take a walk around Lake Tjörnin,
- Look at Hyovdi’s house, which hosted the Icelandic Summit,
- If you love “spicy” sights, then don’t miss phallological museum,
- And, of course, bars bars bars. If you’re lucky, you can even get to the concert of some local band.
