Hey there, fellow travelers! We’re in Iceland! We spent two weeks driving around the country of Iceland, seeing icebergs and fjords and whales and waterfalls. We had a great time in Iceland. Here at Wolters World, we like to prepare travelers with the good, and the bad, of visiting a new country. So these are the five things you’ll love, and the five things you’ll hate, about traveling to Iceland.
Hate #1: A Car is Necessary
If you really want to explore Iceland, you’ll need a car to get around. And if you’re from the US, be prepared for manual transmission vehicles or you will have to pay extra for an automatic. The roads can be challenging, too. You’ll see a lot of one-lane bridges, or switchbacks, and you won’t see a lot of guardrails where you might expect to in some places. The driving can be scary, but it’s totally worth it to be able to travel at your own pace.
Watch: Advice for Driving in Iceland
Hate #2: Lack of Accommodation
It’s getting better, but once you leave the main cities, it can be hard to find accommodation in Iceland. As soon as you start planning a trip to Iceland, you really need to sit down, map out your trip, and make reservations as early as possible. Especially in the summer! Iceland tourism has really ramped up, and they are struggling to meet the demand. On your Iceland road trip, you’ll be staying in guest houses, not hotels, and once they are full, the next guest house may be a few hours away.
Hate #3: Distance Between Services
Iceland is pretty sparsely populated, so it can be a long way between restaurants, guest houses, and even gas stations. It’s a good idea to fill up anytime you see a gas station, and always have some snacks in the car, especially if you are visiting Iceland with kids!
Read: Top Ten Road Trip Essentials
Hate #4: Weather in Iceland
The weather in Iceland can be temperamental. We visited in July and it rarely got over 50 degrees. You really have to pack carefully and bring lots of layers to wear in Iceland so that you can stay comfortable in the changing weather. All of that beautiful green scenery doesn’t happen without a lot of rain, so be prepared for any kind of weather when you travel to Iceland.
Bonus Hate: If you visit Iceland in the summer, you’ll have almost 24 hours of daylight. It’s a cool experience, but you’ll miss out on the Northern Lights and it can be hard for kids to adjust to it. Be prepared for arguments about not going to bed because it’s still light out!
Hate #5: Prices in Iceland
Yes, Iceland is expensive. Flights to Iceland are pretty inexpensive and with the free stopovers, tourism in Iceland has grown exponentially. Although it may be cheap to get there, it’s definitely not cheap once you arrive. Accommodation and food are expensive in Iceland. You can save money by shopping at the grocery stores. Most guesthouses don’t include breakfast, so if you bring your own breakfast and have picnic lunches along the way, you’ll save a lot of money on eating out.
Love #1: Natural Beauty of Iceland
The first thing you will love about Iceland is the scenery. It feels like you are on another planet at times. From lava fields to icebergs to geysers to mountains to fjords, everywhere you look in Iceland, there is something amazing to see. It’s a nature photographer’s dream, so bring plenty of memory cards and camera batteries because you will probably take thousands of pictures like we have.
Love #2: Icelandic People
The people in Iceland are the nicest, kindest, most helpful people. We’ve traveled all over the world and the people of Iceland are easily the friendliest people we’ve met. They speak perfect English and are eager to share their country with you. On top of that, Iceland is very safe with very little crime.
Love #3: Thermal Spas in Iceland
You can’t visit Iceland without visiting a hot pot or a geothermal spa. The Blue Lagoon near Reykjavik is the most popular, but they are scattered all over Iceland. Even if you don’t make it to one of the geothermal spots, a lot of the towns around Iceland have public swimming pools that have the same warm water as some of the spas.
Love #4: Outdoor Activities in Iceland
Iceland is an outdoor adventure paradise. There’s hiking, mountain climbing, fishing, whale watching, glacier hikes, and even snorkeling! It’s one of the best outdoor destinations in the world, so be prepared to spend a lot of time outside when you visit Iceland!
Love #5: Eco-Friendly Iceland
Iceland’s approach to energy and sustainability is really impressive. Most food you eat will come from Iceland and the menu will tell you specifically where everything is from. You’ll see this in the souvenirs, too. The most popular thing to buy is an Icelandic sweater; they are handmade from wool made from local sheep and often sewn by a local. There’s a very local-centric feeling in Iceland, and it feels very healthy.
Obviously, we love Iceland and can’t recommend it highly enough! The “hates” are really just a few things to keep a head’s up on rather than a reason not to take a trip to Iceland. Want to know more about traveling to Iceland? Check out some of our other blog posts: