A Week in Iceland

Iceland Overview

Best Of IgoUgo

Story/Tip

Quote:

Iceland was not somewhere that was on the top of my holiday wish-list. When we noticed that a budget airline was starting to offer a service from our local airport to Reykjavik, we thought it sounded an interesting location for a week during the half-term school holidays. I must admit, I questioned the logic of this as it got closer to our departure date. We had a very cold and miserable spring in the UK, the weather forecast for Iceland was even worse. Why, I asked myself, are we not going somewhere hot and sunny and pleasant.The weather was cold, it rained a lot during our stay, but I fell in love with Iceland. It is a wonderful place, you get used to the wind and rain, there is so ...Read More

Iceland was not somewhere that was on the top of my holiday wish-list. When we noticed that a budget airline was starting to offer a service from our local airport to Reykjavik, we thought it sounded an interesting location for a week during the half-term school holidays. I must admit, I questioned the logic of this as it got closer to our departure date. We had a very cold and miserable spring in the UK, the weather forecast for Iceland was even worse. Why, I asked myself, are we not going somewhere hot and sunny and pleasant.

The weather was cold, it rained a lot during our stay, but I fell in love with Iceland. It is a wonderful place, you get used to the wind and rain, there is so much to see and do, it is mind blowing.

First of all, the actual location of Iceland is fascinating. It is right on the edge of Europe, just below the Arctic Circle. It actually lies on the Mid Atlantic Ridge which divides European and American continental plates. The plates are actually moving apart, slowly, every year - this accounts for the amazing landscape and features on the island.

There is so much to see - vast expanses of really beautiful terrain, some of the most impressive natural sights and wonders in Europe, endless daylight in summer and the Northern Lights in winter, the list just goes on and on.

You can enjoy nature here at its finest - there are glaciers, powerful waterfalls, volcanoes, geothermal hot springs and lots of geysers. Apparently there are also about 150 earthquakes every day (luckily you don't notice these), but there is a major earthquake about every 5 years.

The volcanoes are amazing - they even have some inactive ones where you can look down into the crater. The lava fields are everywhere on the island - lava fields cover 11% of Iceland. If you travel from the airport to Reykjavik, lava fields are the first thing you will see - endless black lava everywhere.

I read that Iceland has more hot springs than any other country in the world, that it has 14 high temperature fields with steam holes and mud pools and 800 low temperature fields with hot springs.

Children are intrigued and enchanted by this country - our 9 year old was fascinated with the lava, waterfalls, geysers, mud pools and also the geothermal power stations. Here they use geothermal power to heat the houses in the city. Pipes carry this water to the houses - it runs out of the taps, but beware of the smell of sulphur - the smelly showers do take some getting used to!

We loved Iceland and were so impressed with the sheer beauty of this country. The air is so pure and clear, there is so much space and it is the perfect place to really enjoy the great outdoors. We actually left vowing to come back again. This does not happen too often with us, our must-see travel list is so huge, we tend to feel that no matter how much we enjoy a trip, there are so many places in the world to see that we would probably not go back there. Not Iceland, we are already looking at when we could return - that says it all! Read Less

Cheer!
Flag

Iceland General Tips and Hints

Best Of IgoUgo

Story/Tip

Quote:

* We had always thought that Iceland would be an exceptionally expensive destination for a holiday. Since the collapse of its currency - the krona - in 2008, it has actually transformed from being an extremely expensive destination for a family holiday to a relatively affordable one. It is not cheap by any means, but prices are more or less on a par with the UK. If you shop around, you can find reasonably affordable accommodation and restaurants.* Iceland is a year round destination for holidays. In spring the days become much longer and culminate in the Midnight Sun - 24 hours of daylight in the height of summer. It is wonderful to go for a walk at 11.30 at night with a bright blue s...Read More

* We had always thought that Iceland would be an exceptionally expensive destination for a holiday. Since the collapse of its currency - the krona - in 2008, it has actually transformed from being an extremely expensive destination for a family holiday to a relatively affordable one. It is not cheap by any means, but prices are more or less on a par with the UK. If you shop around, you can find reasonably affordable accommodation and restaurants.

* Iceland is a year round destination for holidays. In spring the days become much longer and culminate in the Midnight Sun - 24 hours of daylight in the height of summer. It is wonderful to go for a walk at 11.30 at night with a bright blue sky - we never ceased to be amazed by that. There are lots of festivals and outdoor events in spring and summer too. In winter, despite what you might think, the weather is actually fairly mild. Iceland has a temperate climate due to the Gulf Stream. This leads to relatively mild winters but also cool summers. It also does rain a lot - we experienced that a lot! Be sure to bring waterproof coats. Do not though, let the weather put you off. I was put off before I visited, but when I arrived, I actually hardly noticed the rain, the natural wonders in the country are so amazing.

* We did actually find the weather is extremely unpredictable and can change dramatically within an hour or so. Quite a few times during our week, we found that a freezing cold, wet day changed and within half an hour we had bright sunshine and blue skies. The south and west coasts tend to be the wettest areas and if you go somewhere with geothermal activity, it feels a bit warmer there.

* Sun can be an issue here too, even on glaciers and in the snow. You should have sunglasses with you at all times. The sun can really burn you here, even if it does not feel hot. This is due to the location of Iceland - its northerly latitude, so you should bring sun protection and lip balm. Pack clothes for all weathers whatever time of year you visit. You need to be prepared every day for the elements. The air is extremely clear, but the wind is very strong and can whip up dust in no time.

* You need to take care in Iceland, especially if you visit geothermal areas. They do not take health and safety into account and you are definitely not nannied in any way. Do not stand downwind of any geysers because of the heat of the steam. Watch children carefully in these areas too - you can get really close to the geysers and hot springs. Apparently around 10 people are actually taken to hospital on average every year with injuries from the hot springs.

* The official language is Icelandic. It was brought to the country by early Viking settlers and has hardly changed since those times. They are very proud of their language and make every effort to keep it pure. There is an official committee which invents new words for modern useage. English is very widely spoken and we did not meet anyone who could not speak or understand English. Many local people also speak Danish and German. Read Less

Cheer!
Flag

Iceland Travel Tips and Hints

Best Of IgoUgo

Story/Tip

Quote:

* International flights arrive into Keflavik airport - this is about 32 miles south west of Reykjavik and takes about 45 minutes to travel to the city centre from the airport. You can take a taxi into town, but it is expensive - around £70. We found a great option was to take the Flybus coach. It connects to all the flights at the airport. You buy your ticket from the desk at the main exit, it is also cheaper if you buy your return ticket at the same time. It costs £10 per person each way and is free for children under 11 years. They have a website which lists all their stops. It leaves from right in front of the terminal building and shuttles you into the Bus Terminal in Reykjavik. From here...Read More

* International flights arrive into Keflavik airport - this is about 32 miles south west of Reykjavik and takes about 45 minutes to travel to the city centre from the airport. You can take a taxi into town, but it is expensive - around £70. We found a great option was to take the Flybus coach. It connects to all the flights at the airport. You buy your ticket from the desk at the main exit, it is also cheaper if you buy your return ticket at the same time. It costs £10 per person each way and is free for children under 11 years. They have a website which lists all their stops. It leaves from right in front of the terminal building and shuttles you into the Bus Terminal in Reykjavik. From here, you transfer to a small bus and they drop off at the various hotels. If your accommodation doesn't appear on the list of stops, there will probably be a stop within walking distance. We stayed in an apartment, but got the bus back to the airport from a hotel close by. Departures from the city are timed to connect with international flights.

* The flight time from the UK to Iceland is supposed to be around 3 hours. Our flight to Reykjavik actually took 2 hours and 20 minutes, while the return leg took just 2 hours. It is thus very accessible and an easy journey from the UK, especially if you have young children.

* If you only want to see Reykjavik, then you do not need a car. It is a small place and is really easy to travel around on foot. The bus network is also very good, if you want to go a little further in the city.

* We based ourselves in Reykjavik but hired a car for 3 days to see the main sights outside the city. Iceland is a small country - only 500km across so you don't cover vast distances even if you do want to explore further. The Ring Road is great to drive on - not too much traffic. Some of the other roads are more like gravel tracks, so you need to be aware of that.

* It can be difficult to travel overland in Iceland in the interior, especially in the winter time. If you need to go any distance, you would need to take an internal flight. There are no railways here - the terrain makes them impossible.

* Renting a car can be expensive, I would definitely recommend arranging this in advance over the internet. We did this and ended up only paying around £30 per day for a small car. We used Procar, their offices in Reykjavik are very easy to find and picking up and returning the car was no problem. You should also take out the gravel insurance - apparently lots of people have chassis damage and get charged big amounts for this, so better safe than sorry. Petrol prices are also very high. Parking in Reykjavik is free on Sundays and in the evenings.

* We found renting a car gave us a lot of freedom. There are plenty of organised coach tours to all the main sights, but you get to see a lot more in your own hire car. Parking in the city was really easy for us too. Driving was a pleasure. There were next to no cars on the road once you got out of the city. The landscape is stunning and you will want to make lots of stops for photos and just to look at the amazing views. Highway 1 is mostly paved. The speed limit is 90 km/hour and you must have headlamps on at all times. We only had a small compact car so did not drive on any of the "difficult" roads, but even the main routes can become gravelly and bumpy in parts. We had no problems with our car though and would recommend driving around to see a bit more of this stunning country.
Read Less

Cheer!
Flag

Iceland Tips and Hints for Families

Best Of IgoUgo

Story/Tip

Quote:

* Iceland is a great place to bring children on holiday - we saw families there from many different countries with children of all ages. Like most Nordic countries, children are very well catered for here. Lots of attractions have free entry for children below a certain age, most places offer significant reductions. Many museums we found often had really good play areas and activities laid on for children.* There are lots of playgrounds scattered around Reykjavik, so plenty of places for children to let off a bit of steam in between all the sight seeing. There were always Icelandic children playing in them when we visited. Apparently Icelandic children are expected to spend a couple ...Read More

* Iceland is a great place to bring children on holiday - we saw families there from many different countries with children of all ages. Like most Nordic countries, children are very well catered for here. Lots of attractions have free entry for children below a certain age, most places offer significant reductions. Many museums we found often had really good play areas and activities laid on for children.

* There are lots of playgrounds scattered around Reykjavik, so plenty of places for children to let off a bit of steam in between all the sight seeing. There were always Icelandic children playing in them when we visited. Apparently Icelandic children are expected to spend a couple of hours playing out of doors every day, no matter what the weather is like.

* Find out about the Icelandic belief in elves before you visit the country. There are lots of websites and lots of stories which really capture children's imaginations. Apparently many Icelandic people used to (some still do) believe in a hidden world inhabited by elves and other such things. The lava landscape really does lend itself well to these stories. Many of the rock formations are said to be trolls, turned into stone for doing bad things.

* It is fun while walking around the city to look for the wooden elf houses in lots of the Icelandic gardens. A visit to Hafnarfjordur is also a good idea for children. This is the "elf capital" of Iceland. They think most elves live here because lines of mystical energy converge here. In this town, and many other places, they will not build a house or make a road until it has been established that there are no elves living there. Our 9 year old was fascinated and enthralled by all these stories.

* Do not forget to pack your swimming costumes and take the children swimming, whatever the weather is like - even if there is a snowstorm. The wonderful pools and hot spring baths are such great fun. The water is warm/hot and everything is so clean and family friendly. The changing rooms are great and every town and village has its own pool. Reykjavik has lots of pools, but the most fun outdoor pool for children is at Laugar. It is very cheap to get in, they have a slide and lots of inflatable pool toys and it seemed to be tourist free but somewhere local families came to relax.

* Be sure to bring the right kinds of clothing. Layering, we found, was the absolute key. Our son really did feel the cold, so had to wear several layers on the really chilly days. The weather is so changeable as well, children in particular need to be able to shed the layers if the sun comes out and they are running around. We found our waterproof, wind-tight jackets to be invaluable. You really also need walking boots that are well broken in, sunscreen and sunglasses, a woolly hat and sweaters. Read Less

Cheer!
Flag

Dining in Iceland

Best Of IgoUgo

Story/Tip

Quote:

I was completely surprised by the quality, diversity and choice of restaurants available in Reykjavik, something I was really not expecting. You could almost say this was a culinary destination in itself. Food wise, there is really something for everybody, all ingredients and meals we had were superb. It is quite astounding to find this in such a remote country.It is certainly not cheap to eat out in Iceland, although if you do some research, there are more affordable (and still excellent) places in which to dine. It is probably around £25 for a main course in an average restaurant, lots of places charge much higher prices than that. I did think though, overall value for money was exc...Read More

I was completely surprised by the quality, diversity and choice of restaurants available in Reykjavik, something I was really not expecting. You could almost say this was a culinary destination in itself. Food wise, there is really something for everybody, all ingredients and meals we had were superb. It is quite astounding to find this in such a remote country.

It is certainly not cheap to eat out in Iceland, although if you do some research, there are more affordable (and still excellent) places in which to dine. It is probably around £25 for a main course in an average restaurant, lots of places charge much higher prices than that. I did think though, overall value for money was excellent, as the quality of the food was so good.

Unsurprisingly, fish is an important part of the diet in Iceland. Most restaurants also had a lamb dish available. You can find whale, dolphin, puffin, reindeer and horse on lots of menus. Seafood included lobster, herring, haddock and halibut. Horse (hestur) seemed to be generally served in stew like dishes - we did not try this. Dried haddock is a bit of a staple dish and is sold in most convenience shops. They only serve minke whale which apparently is not an endangered species, although the decision by Iceland to hunt them is somewhat controversial. We did eat whale one evening, it came served in a pepper sauce, was quite nice and tasted like a cross between beef and fish (a little strange).

Hakarl sounded absolutely gross to me, but apparently the Icelanders love it. This is raw shark meat. It is usually served as an appetiser.

We found most dishes did not come with vegetables.

Icelanders seem to eat a lot of dairy products including skyr (a bit like yoghurt) and mysa (whey). Skyr is delicious, it tastes a bit like yoghurt, creme fraiche and cream cheese mixed together. They have all kinds of berry flavours and it is non-fat.

Alcohol is extremely expensive and drives up the cost of eating out quite a lot. You can drink water from the tap - it is pure spring water, just make sure you let the tap run for a few minutes to make sure no hot water is mixed in - you can tell by the sulphur smell if it is!

The clean environment makes the local food some of the healthiest in Europe and most of it is plain cooked. A lot of the restaurants we ate in also had children's menus with food for even the pickiest of eaters.

Definitely try the hot dogs in Iceland - they don't look too different and I didn't see what the fuss was about until I had one myself - they are delicious. They come topped with raw and crispy onions, mayonnaise, ketchup and are a cheap but very tasty lunch option.

Also try the coffee shops - there are lots of these and they are all great. A particular favourite of ours was the Laundromat. Icelanders drink a lot of coffee, you see the locals in the coffee shops and you can linger for ages with newspapers and magazines. Most cafes serve coffee and food in the day and then are clubs and bars at night. They tend to open around 11am and close really late.

There are no international chains that we could find - so refreshing and a real highlight for us. The coffee shops were all independent, as were all the restaurants, snack places etc. such a great change for us in the UK, where all cities seem to be dominated by the same names. We absolutely loved this. Read Less

Cheer!
Flag

IgoUgo

Iceland Journals

Upload Photos