Top Attractions
- Golden Circle (Thingvellir National Park, Gullfoss, Stokkur geysir, Kerid Crater)
- Blue Lagoon
- Secret Lagoon
- Southern Iceland (Vyr Y Mirdal, Dyrhólaey, Skógafoss, Seljalandsfoss)
- Glacier Lagoon
- Vatnajökulsþjóðgarður
- Reykjanesfólkvangur
Iceland is a country that is literally surrounded by water. The island is one of the most volcanically and geologically active countries in the world. Almost all electricity is produced on geothermal energy. There are only about 300K inhabitants on the island of which about half lives in the capital Reykjavik.
Regarding interesting facts about Iceland, you must know that :
- A majority of Icelanders believe in elves
- There are no forests in Iceland.
- Icelandics work 43.5h/week (longest work week in Europe)
- In Iceland owning a pet snake, lizard or turtle is against the law
- Consumption of Coca–Cola per capita is higher than in any other country.
Tips
The currency is the Icelandic króna (ISK): 1€ = 156 ISK Careful! Iceland is one of the most expensive countries in the world! Big Mac index : 7.63 placing it above Norway and Sweden! The national language is Icelandic. But Icelanders do speak good English. Useful sentences can be found here. You want to sound local? Here’s a few typical expressions... Það er rúsínan í pylsuendanum !
Iceland is a safe country. One of the safest in the world actually. And medical care is great. The only danger is the weather!! Always check the weather forecast website before taking the road. And another useful site for your trip by car here.
Most nationalities don’t need a visa to visit Iceland, especially if you come from North America and Europe. If you are from elsewhere, check with the Icelandic Directorate of immigration. The Icelandic tourist information website is very complete, you can find a lot of information about almost everything.
Yes, it is possible to snorkel and even dive in Iceland!!! It is one of the top 10 dives in the world. Find out more here!
From US or Europe, the airline has quite cheap flights. No trains in Iceland due to weather conditions.It is very common to rent a car to travel around or to book tours with a lot of agencies that you can find at the Airport.
Coming from the airport, you have buses that you can book online to go to the city. Book a return ticket, it will be cheaper. Gray Line and Flybus are the 2 main companies. The great thing about those buses is that you can choose if you want them to drop you at the main bus station in Reykjavik or if you want them to drop you at your hotel or guesthouse. Very convenient. They also pick you up at your hotel for the return, starting from 3am! Very convenient.
Eco-hack
Iceland is the country for adventure and nature. You’ll find very little wildlife except for the whales, which Icelanders also hunt for their meat, unfortunately. Avoid restaurants that serve whale meat!! Do absolutely not leave your trash in nature and do not buy seal fur hats or gloves that you can find in some souvenir shops. Iceland is not yet turned towards the environment and has a lot of progress to make in that field. There is almost no recycling, there are more than 2 cars per family and they plan on drilling deep-sea floors to find some oil.
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