I think its safe to say, Iceland is a bucket list destination for most and for good reason.
Getting Around
We did not rent a car. If we were going in the summer I think it would be a good choice but for our trip we had a few tours booked and we knew the bus system around town was easy to use. One of the main stops- Bus stop 12 was literally right outside the front entrance of our hotel. There was a main bus terminal that is the starting point for most tours and the bus stops are numbered throughout Reykjavik.
Currency
Icelandic KrΓ³na
We visited in November 2023 and at the time 1 Icelandic KrΓ³na = 0.0074 USD. A little difficult to figure out on the fly so for starters 7000 IKC is about $5 or USD.
Best time to visit
That really depends on what you are looking for. Generally, the best time is going to be in the summer, June-August. This is when youβll experience warmer weather and long days as well as the spectacular midnight sun. However, if you plan to see the northern lights, youβll need long, dark winter nights- Late September to early March is ideal.
Our Experience
Typically, the cheapest flight from the New York area is going to be a red eye. We landed at about
Β 6AM in Iceland. Since check in wasnβt until the afternoon, we arranged to go to Blue Lagoon. You can book this directly with Blue Lagoon β they have a bus that will get you from the airport, they will drop you off at Blue Lagoon and then pick you up and bring you into Reykjavik. Once we got into town, we switched buses and got on a bus that brought us to our hotel. We stayed at FossHotel for our entire stay. Breakfast was included with our room β which was awesome! It was the biggest breakfast buffet weβve ever seen. You can also fill up your water bottles with any tap water considering its some of the freshest cleanest water in the world!
We did a few tours, all with Reykjavik Excursions. Overall, it was a great experience. They really were a great way to maximize the little time we had. All of the tour guides were very knowledgeable.
I highly recommend South Shore Adventure tour and of course, Golden Circle.
The Golden Circle is the most famous scenic route in Iceland. It combines beautiful landmarks and historically significant places in a circular sightseeing tour. The whole tour is about 250km (155 miles) from and back to Reykjavik. The stops along the route include Gullfoss Waterfall, Thingvellir National Park and the Geysit Geothermal Area.
South Shore Adventure is great for nature lovers like us. This tour stopped at two incredible waterfalls, Skogafoss and Seljandsfoss as well as the famous black sand beach, Reynisfjara, Solheimajokull Glacier and the charming town of Vik.
Most everyone speaks English which we appreciate, and the locals are super accommodating and nice.
Before we left we made appointments (recommended) to get tattoos at Ritual Tattoo Reykjavik. What made this special was the fact that they were hand poke! We kept it traditional and had a great experience. The owner Trine was awesome and made the experience so much fun.
Food Recommendations
Braud & Co. β Donβt make the same mistake we did and come here on your final day. The cinnamon rolls are their claim to fame, and they were out of this world, but we tried a bunch of pastries and they were all incredible.
CafΓ© Loki β If youβre looking for traditional Icelandic food, this is a great option.
Icelandic chocolate is amazing so make sure you stop to pick some up as it also makes a great gift for family and friends
Valdis Ice cream β Rye bread ice cream. It sounds strange but its so good!
