Iceland is one of the most spectacular countries to visit in the world, and a perfect destination to visit no matter what the season.
Local people are amongst the friendliest in the world and this country is a real special destination for anyone with an interest in nature and the outdoors.
Iceland is one of the best countries in the world for adventure travel, with opportunities for everything from glacier hiking to snorkelling and scuba diving.
Iceland isn’t cheap but it is worth visiting no matter if you are looking for a unique outdoor adventure or plan to go backpacking in Europe.
View my tips for visiting Iceland including where to go, what to do and other recommendations to enjoy the best time possible.
How to Get Around
Booking a tour or renting a car is the best way to see the highlights. You’ll get to go off the beaten track to see natural beauty sites, waterfalls, dramatic scenery and much more.
Top Things to Do in Iceland
Iceland might look big on a map but there are lots of places to see, and road trips here are amazing.
Here are some places not to miss.
Explore Reykjavik
If you are arriving from overseas the chances are you will fly into Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland. This is where the majority of the population live, and it offers a great introduction to the country.
The Golden Circle
If you want to visit the main tourist attractions and spectacular locatoons in Iceland, check out the Golden Circle. This is where you can see Gullfoss waterfall, Haukadalur, and Þingvellir. Gullfoss marks the impressive convergence of the southern river. Be sure to visit the original geyser during its eruption cycle. Meanwhile, volcanic activity produces geothermal energy that will generate Iceland’s electronicy.
Chase the Northern Lights
Hues of blue, green and purple dance across the night sky. You watch in awe, unable to quite put into words the beauty before you. Yup, you’ve found the Northern Lights! This magical phenomenon can be seen best during the Icelandic winter, when nights are long and dark.
Snorkel between continents at Thingvellir National Park
The Thingvellir National Park is located along the country’s Golden Circle route and is where two tectonic plates slowly pull apart at the rate of about two centimeters (0.8 inches) per year.
The phenomenon results in the Silfra fissure, a stunning rift valley where travelers can snorkel or dive in impossibly clear (and cold) waters.
Tour company DIVE.IS offers tours for divers and every level of snorkeler (including those with zero experience), and will snap an underwater photo of you touching two continents at the same time.
Budget
Iceland is one of the most expensive countries in the world, so prepare for this before arriving. Prices for hotels and eating out are high by European standards, but you can save money by booking flights and accommodation in-advance, or by shopping at local supermarkets rather than eating and drinking out everyday.
Food and Drink
Cuisine in Iceland favors the local favorites such as dried fish, a local favorite. It doesn’t sound as good to visitors, but try it with lots of butter if you feel brave enough. It’s hung outside to dry and eaten later. Locals like to eat the fish plain for a high-protein snack.
Try “Rúgbrauð ,” a dark rye bread buried in the ground near a hot spring, which bakes the delicious bread. Lamb is considered a fancy meals that Icelanders will eat. Lamb is often used as a dinner on celebrations or on Christmas.
Icelandic Bar (Íslenski Barinn) Reykjavik
Icelandic Bar in Reykjavik is one of my fondest food-travel memories, we sheltered from a snow storm in there and ended up liking it so much we went back the next day! Its cozy and warm inside and service was friendly. Most inciting thought was the menu and the very reasonable price, although dinner was a fair whack more the lunch we ate came to much less than we expected.
On the menu is a whole range of Icelandic food, with everything from lobster chowder, fresh fish, meats they even have reindeer on the menu! They also have a menu of ‘jars’ which are small portions of items from the menu and that what we started with, it was a great way to try lots of things at once, abit like Icelandic tapas!
We also tried lots of other stuff of the menu and they had a great lunch deal of main and soup of the day with fresh bread for just £5. Here’s there full menu Every single thing we tried here was amazing, from the jars to the reindeer burger down to the brownie for dessert. The only exception perhaps being Brennivin, while is a famous Icelandic spirit we opted to try a shot off, this is the before and afters…
Plan a Trip to Iceland
Do I recommend you visit Iceland? Yes! Okay, it is very expensive, even compared to Western European countries, but if you like nature and the outdoors, then you will love it.