LANGUAGE
Icelandic
CURRENCY
Icelandic króna
BEST TIME TO VISIT
June to August
NEAREST AIRPORT
Keflavík International Airport (KEF)
EMERGENCY HELPLINE NUMBER
112
INTERNET ACCESS
Wi-fi is common in Iceland.
Most accommodation and eating venues across the country offer wi-fi, and often buses do, too. Access is usually free for guests/customers. You may need to ask staff for an access code.
Most of the N1 service stations have free wi-fi. The easiest way to get online is to buy an Icelandic SIM card with a data package and pop it in your unlocked smartphone. Other devices can then access the internet via the phone. To travel with your own wi-fi hot spot, check out Trawire (http://iceland.trawire.com) for portable 4G modem rental with unlimited usage from US$9 per day (up to 10 laptops or mobile devices can be connected).
Some car- and campervan-hire companies offer portable modem devices as an optional extra.
Most Icelandic libraries have computer terminals for public internet access, even in small towns; there’s often a small fee.
Tourist information centres often have public internet terminals, often free for brief usage.
VISA
Generally not required for stays of up to 90 days.
The visa situation for Iceland is as follows:
Citizens of EU and Schengen countries – no visa required for stays of up to 90 days.Citizens or residents of Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand and the USA – no visa required for tourist visits of up to 90 days.
Note that the total stay within the Schengen area must not exceed 90 days in any 180-day period.
Other countries – check online at www.utl.is.
HOTEL
Iceland’s accommodation ranges from basic hikers’ huts to business-standard hotels, hostels, working farms, guesthouses, apartments, cottages and school-based summer rooms. Luxury and boutique hotels are predominantly found in Reykjavík and tourism hot spots in the southwest, with a select few in regional pockets. Summer prices are high, and getting higher with increasing demand.
Between June and August travellers are recommended to book all accommodation in advance (note there is no need to prebook campsites). May and September are following this trend. Reykjavík is busy year-round. Tourist information centres and the regions’ official tourism websites generally have details of all the accommodation in their town/area.
Some hotels and guesthouses close during winter; where this is the case, opening times are given in reviews. Many hotels and guesthouses close over the Christmas–New Year period, though that is a second high-season in Reykjavík, with most hotels open there. If no opening times are given, accommodation is open year-round. Some accommodations list prices in euro, to ward against currency fluctuations, but payment is made in Icelandic krónur (kr).
Retreat Hotel Gaze at the famous Blue Lagoon from its brand-new luxe accommodations.
Deplar Farm Iceland’s A-list hideout in a remote valley with salmon fishing, heli-skiing and more.
Hótel Egilsen Quaint town living in serenely appointed rooms in sweet Stykkishólmur.
Magma Hotel Stay in your own turf-roofed chalet decked out with all the mod cons.
Icelandair Hotel Reykjavík Marina Natural materials and chic design combine at this harbourfront favourite.
Miles-From-Anywhere Retreats:
Wilderness Center Dive into the past at this special getaway, literally at the end of the road, in East Iceland.
Guesthouse Kirkjuból í Bjarnardal Cosy, with impeccably placed antiques, this farmstead makes a perfect Westfjords home.
Fljótsdalur HI Hostel Rustic and wonderful, this hostel perches on the edge of the South’s wide-open spaces.
Hostels:
Dalvík HI Hostel Cool design and friendly owners make this one of the best hostels in Iceland.
Hafaldan Old Hospital Hostel Sip coffee in the broad-windowed dining area while watching the weather move across the fjord.
Akureyri Backpackers Hip, central and happening, this is the place to be in Akureyri.
Loft Hostel Perfectly positioned for Reykjavík’s killer nightlife, Loft also has a bar of its own.
Iceland has a broad range of accommodation, but demand often outstrips supply. If you’re visiting in the shoulder and high seasons (from May to September), book early.
Campgrounds No requirement to book, so camping allows some degree of spontaneity – but also exposure to the elements. Campervans are very popular.
Hostels are popular budget options and spread across the country.
Camping:
Tjaldsvæði (organised campsites) are found in almost every town, at some rural farmhouses and along major hiking trails. The best sites have washing machines, cooking facilities and hot showers, but others just have a cold-water tap and a toilet block. Some are attached to the local sundlaug (swimming pool), with shower facilities provided by the pool for a small fee.
Icelandic weather is notoriously fickle, and if you intend to camp it’s wise to invest in a good-quality tent. There are a few outfits in Reykjavík that offer rental of camping equipment, and some car-hire companies can also supply you with gear such as tents, sleeping mats and cooking equipment.
With the increase in visitors to Iceland, campgrounds are getting busier, and service blocks typically housing two toilets and one shower are totally insufficient for coping with the demand of dozens of campers. If the wait is long, consider heading to the local swimming pool and pay to use the amenities there.
It is rarely necessary (or possible) to book a camping spot in advance. Many small-town campsites are unstaffed – look for a contact number for the caretaker posted on the service block, or an instruction to head to the tourist information centre or swimming pool to pay; alternatively, a caretaker may visit the campsite in the evening to collect fees.
Guesthouses:
The Icelandic term gistiheimilið (guesthouse) covers a broad range of properties, from family homes renting out a few rooms, to a cluster of self-contained cottages, to custom-built blocks of guestrooms. Guesthouses vary enormously in character, from stylish, contemporary options to those with plain, chintzy or dated decor. A surprisingly high number only have rooms with shared bathroom.
Most are comfortable and cosy, with guest kitchens, TV lounges and buffet-style breakfasts (either included in the price or for around 2200kr extra). If access to a self-catering kitchen is important to you, it pays to ask beforehand to ensure availability.
Some guesthouses offer sleeping-bag accommodation at a price significantly reduced from that of a made-up bed. Many places don’t advertise a sleeping-bag option, so it pays to ask.
As a general guide, sleeping-bag accommodation costs 7500kr per night, double rooms in summer 17,000kr to 26,000kr, and self-contained units excluding linen from 19,000kr. Guesthouse rooms with their own bathroom are often similarly priced to hotel rooms.
Mountain Huts:
Private walking clubs and touring organisations maintain skálar (mountain huts; singular skáli) on many of the popular hiking tracks. The huts are open to anyone and offer sleeping-bag space in basic dormitories. Some huts also offer cooking facilities, campsites and have a summertime warden. The huts at Landmannalaugar, Þórsmörk and around Askja are accessible by 4WD; huts in Hornstrandir are accessed by boat; many other mountain huts are on hiking trails and accessible only by foot.
COST OF LIVING
Since its currency crash in 2008, Iceland had gone from absurdly expensive to somewhat reasonable in cost, and that has prompted thousands of new tourists to stream in to see what all the fuss is about. It’s hard to find a visitor to Iceland who didn’t absolutely love the place, but you won’t find anyone who tells you it’s cheap, so planning ahead is essential. Prices have continued to creep up in 2015 and 2016, so it’s again among the most expensive European destinations.
Many visitors arrive on an Iceland stopover going between North America and Europe, but with very cheap flights to and from Europe it’s becoming popular for adventurous types from all over the continent.
One of the truly unusual things about sleeping in Iceland is that real hotels (with lobby, front desk, parking lot, restaurant, 24-hour service and check-in) are quite rare and very expensive. In Reykjavik itself there are a couple dozen of these, but in smaller towns (and all the other Iceland towns are smaller) there might only one or two.
The most common form of accommodation in Iceland is a guesthouse and hostel combination which will have a mix of private rooms and dorm rooms, with shared bathrooms in down the hall. Most of them have fully equipped shared kitchens, so self-catering is at least as popular as eating out while exploring Iceland outside of Reykjavik.
High season (June through August) typical accommodation prices
All prices quoted in US dollars (Approx prices)
Hostel dorm bed: US$34 to US$58
Single private with shared bathroom: US$85 to US$135
Double private with shared bathroom: US$118 to US$140
Double private with en-suite: US$130 to US$320 (and up)
Prices in Reykjavik are a bit higher than elsewhere in the country, but not by much. Prices in the off season are about 30% lower than in high season, but in the slowest months many places close so rates never go much lower than this.
The best news about visiting Iceland is that most of the stuff you are coming to see and do is totally free. Exceptions are the Blue Lagoon and other spa pools as well as a few private museums and such, but otherwise it’s like the island is a national park with everything included.
So to see all the glaciers and waterfalls and volcanic beds and other scenic attractions, it’s all free of charge with no admission cost or even parking fees. The larger attractions also have visitor centers where you can get local advice for free as well.
Even as a lifetime public transportation fan, I’m very glad I gave in and rented a car to tour Iceland, even as a solo traveler. For the most part the roads are in perfect condition and virtually empty even in high season, so driving couldn’t be easier. Also, the country has stunning vistas every time you turn a corner, so being able to stop in the middle of the road even if there is no room to pullover, is critical.
The buses are modern but also expensive and running on very limited schedules. If you only have enough time to cover the main sights along the southern coast you might buy one of the bus passports that allows you to hop on and hop off, though a rental car is still much better and easier.
Obviously Reykjavik has many restaurant choices but most smaller towns might have only a few at most. The good news for budget travelers is that fast-food options are more plentiful, and self-catering is even cheaper and easier.
Iceland CafeIf you go to a proper restaurant anywhere in the country, the cheapest thing on the menu will be at least US$12 to US$15. Sandwiches, burgers, and individual pizzas will usually cost between US$15 to US$22 each, and traditional meals like lamb or chicken plus potato and salad will be US$25 to US$40 at even the cheaper places.
