There are plenty of budget airlines that fly direct from the UK to Keflavik which is a pleasant airport near the Blue Lagoon around 50 minutes from Reykjavik city centre. Easyjet for some reason run a reduced service in the summer months but Icelandair are also a good option.
When to go ?
You can visit Iceland any time of the year but I prefer the winter which can be magical with just a few hours of daylight and it means you may get to see the Northern Lights and everything shrouded in snow. However the weather can be treacherous and roads may be closed.
DO NOT go to Iceland just to see the Northern Lights, as they can be elusive. It’s a wonderful added bonus if you are lucky enough catch them. There are many tours that take you away from the city in order to chase the lights, or you can wander away from the city centre and see them yourself for free, maybe. If you are hoping to catch the lights The Icelandic Met Office have a good website that includes a Northern Lights forecast.
The summer is warmer, has long days and the midnight sun but this is when Reykjavik and major sights are at their busiest and prices are at a premium. The Mountain Roads [F roads] are also open at this time of year. The chart below is from the website EpicIceland and gives a handy overview but bear in mind it is a general guide only.
What to see and do
Wow- where do I start? Iceland has so much to offer and my website is full of ideas and tips. You could opt to stay in Reykjavik which is the only true city in Iceland or stay in one of the small towns dotted around the country. You could also drive the Ring Road which is an incredible experience. The choice is yours.
| Click on the links at the bottom of the page if you want to find out more about Reykjavik, the surrounding area and the Ring Road. |
Airport Transfer
Keflavik airport is likely to be your point of entry into Iceland. It’s a pleasant airport with a decent Duty Free, shops and eatereries. There are no trains so you will need to book a coach, bus or taxi transfer to your destination. Don’t confuse Keflavik airport with the domestic airport in Reykjavik where you can fly to other destinations in Iceland.
Airport transfers can be quite pricey so it’s best to consider your options in advance. The most convenient is to use the bus transfer services which you can book online. There are two main companies-
Flybus will take you to the BSI terminal which is on the edge of Reykjavik and if your accomodation is central you can walk there from the terminal. For a bit extra you can change to a smaller bus at the terminal which then takes you to a range of stops which hopefully will be near where you are staying. The full size coach cannot fit through all of the small streets in Reykjavik.
Airport Direct which is run by Grayline is the other good option and have their own terminal called Reykjavik Terminal [not the same as BSI]. They also offer a shuttle transfer from this terminal to a bus stop nearer your hotel for an extra fee.
You can also get a public bus from the airport to BSI bus terminal in Reykjavik. [Bus no 55]. A taxi costs loads! [but may be worth considering if there are several people travelling at the same time].
Car Hire
There is plenty of choice here but it’s expensive to hire a car in Iceland. In the winter months your car will be fiitted with studded tyres. Most recently I have used Blue Car Rental and they were great, and my friends have had good experiences with them too. They have an office in Reykjavik on the harbour arm near Fly Over Iceland and another office at the airport. I have also had good reports about Lotus Car Hire too.
If you hire a car in the winter it will come fitted with studded tyres and I would recommend a four wheel drive if you are planning driving outside of the city. If you are intending to drive in the winter months the most affordable 4WD car is likely to be the Dancia Duster. Driving in Iceland in the winter is not for the faint hearted, you should heed the advice given by Safe Travel.
Money
Icelandic currency is Króna [ISK], you probably won’t need it or even see any! Use plastic.Tipping is not necessary or expected.
If you want some money saving tips when in Iceland scroll down this page….
Accommodation
There are the normal large choice of accommodation options one would expect of a capital city ranging from hostels, Airbnb and plush hotels. The more affordable hotels tend to be away from the city centre which can be a pain but it does normally mean there is plenty of free on street parking. Some hostels such as Kex offer hostel type dorms as well as hotel style en- suite rooms so the word hostel is misleading. On our very first visit to Reykjavik we stayed at the aptly named Cabin Hotel. The hotel was large and the room was tiny! It was good value for money although it’s a fair walk into the city centre.
| Grunty Tip- If you are planning to stay outside of Reykjavik I would recommend booking very early as demand may be very high. For my Ring Road trip I booked accomodation over 10 months ahead ! |
In 2017 we stayed at the Arctic Comfort Hotel, a smaller hotel where the staff were really friendly. Breakfast was extra and cost around £16 per person each day, but this is a typical price for Icelandic hotels! Luckily our bedroom came with a fridge, so we stocked up on Skyr and other bits and that sorted out our breakfast. It was a bit of a trek into the city centre though, further exacerbated by heavy snow which was its only drawback.
On our last few of visits visit we have chosen to use Airbnb and on every occasion our accomodation was great and centrally located, a home from home.
Icelandic Water
Icelandic hot water is geothermally heated which is great! It can smelly a bit eggy but you soon get used to it and it also means that if you fart while having a shower no-one will know! The cold tap water is sourced from glacial springs and tastes amazing. There is no reason to buy water in bottles, just top up your bottle from the tap.
What to wear ?
I have added this section after seeing numerous posts on forums from people asking this very question. The weather in Iceland can change dramatically and quickly.
Whatever the season you need to be prepared for this and the simple answer is – wear layers. I tend to visit Iceland in the colder months and I wear a good quality long waterproof jacket and have options of t-shirt / thermal vest / thin cotton top and wool jumper [or my lovely woollen Icelandic cardy] which can be peeled on or off as appropriate. I wear jeans and have thermals to put on underneath if required. Yes, I know jeans are not advisable if you are hiking, so waterproof overtrousers are essential if you are going to venture into the wilderness. Oooh and don’t forget a hat and gloves. You may also consider crampons if you are going trekking and don’t want to slip or fall on icy paths. You probably won’t need them otherwise. I have never used hand warmers or other magic warming gadgets. Good quality boots with a good grip [I wear DM’s] and a choice of cotton rich thin and thicker socks are important if you don’t want your tooties to go black and fall off!
Food and drink [booze]
Bónus and Krónan supermarkets are dotted around and are good value [for Iceland]. The 24 hour supermarkets are best avoided unless you are desperate as they are much more expensive. If you want alcohol the cheapest option is to buy it when you arrive at Keflavik airport where it is surpisingly good value. The state controlled off-licence, Vinbudin, is the expensive alternative option.
Restaurants
It’s difficult to eat out cheaply in Iceland. A ‘budget’ meal is often not much cheaper than a mid priced one. Icelanders do love hotdogs which are cheap and burgers which are not. Petrol garages sell hot dogs and often even have restaurants in them that seem popular with families. The one near the BSI terminal looked pleasant. It’s possible to have a fairly good value soup lunch in a cafe but this could still set you back around £12 or more per person. Pizza are pretty well priced, curries are not! However whenever I travel I want to eat local food for local people – local fish, lamb, duck, stews and veg – yum.
For my recommendations on eating and drinking in Reykjavik click here.
Bathing Etiquette
Yes, you are expected to shower naked in order to get rid of all of those nasty chemicals before you put on your swimming costume and enter the pools in Iceland. Click HERE to find out more about bathing in Reykjavik and bathing etiquette.
Iceland is expensive.
Accomodation, eating and especially drinking does not come cheap in Iceland. There are some lovely airbnb properties in Reykjavik that are central and well presented and probably cost around half the price of a 3* hotel. You will also save money by creating your own meals there too if you want. The foodhalls have some affordable eating options such as pizza and you can always grab a hot dog from a stand. Don’t forget to download the Iceland Coupons APP which has some good discounts.
It is a good idea to apply for a credit card that does not charge any currency conversion fees. There is an article about this on the MoneySavingExpert website. [I use the Halifax Clarity Card.]
Many bars have extended happy hours which brings the booze down to UK prices which is a relief! For more info about eating and drinking in Reykjavik click HERE.
| Grunty tip- Keep your receipt and ask for a tax form when purchasing from the shops as you may be able to claim the tax back at the airport, which is most helpful. |
If you find the prices of the Blue Lagoon and Sky Lagoon rather terrifying [prices start at around 40 quid] you should try Laugardalslaug and Vesturbæjarlaug pools in Reykjavik where the cost is a more modest £6.50! Ok, the local pools are not as sexy as the lagoons- but it’s a more genuine experience in a way, and you can chat to real locals. See my page on Bathing in Reykjavik for more info.
Organised tours and car hire is also expensive but I have not found a way around this- yet. At least most of the wonderful sights are free!
More tips, helpful apps and discount codes.
The Iceland Ringroad App is rather good- it’s not just about the ringroad but has Northern Lights alerts and loads of tips and info on things to see and do in Iceland.
The Safetravel App is crucial if you want to know what the weather in Iceland is going to throw at you. They issue weather warnings and give very good advice regarding driving and exploring the country.
The Iceland Met Office is a great resource for Aurora Forecasts as well as the weather.
The Iceland Coupons App offers some rather handy discounts on restaurants, bars and some activities.
The Barhopp App is another great app with info on events and happy hours in Iceland.
Epic Iceland also have some good offers.
Stuck in Iceland are also worth a butchers and have some great discounts.
I recently came across this article from the Huffington Post- 25 mistakes tourists make while visiting Iceland. This article may seem obvious to some, and I have covered some of it above, but it has some good advice for newbies to Iceland.
And finally, a few words from Iceland’s First Lady- https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20240710-icelands-first-lady-takes-you-on-a-tour-of-her-super-chill-nation
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