Iceland took my breath away over and over again. It was truly one of the most spectacular destinations I’ve been to. Until 2015 or so when Justin Bieber filmed a music video here, I didn’t really have any idea why anyone would ever want to go to Iceland because it’s so dang cold and remote. Thanks to social media and additional research, I learned I was missing out. Iceland is a dream destination for anyone who loves the outdoors, and Reykjavik is one of the cutest little cities I’ve spent time in. My trip was guided primarily by a tour company, while some other portions I planned on my own.
The weather
The city was windy, rainy, and overcast for the majority of my trip, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying every moment. It should be noted that the weather anywhere in Iceland is wildly unpredictable and often harsh. Be sure to check the forecast before your adventure and pack accordingly.
Searching for the Northern Lights is an extremely common activity around the island, yet in addition to perfect conditions, it still requires some bit of luck. You can check the aurora forecast, but unless the sky is perfectly clear, you still might miss them.
Winter and summer offer two very different Icelandic experiences. As you may already know, because of Iceland’s location on the globe near the North Pole, it experiences extremely long, dark winter days and short, dimmed summer nights. The infamous lights can only be seen when the sky is dark, with the best times between the autumn and spring equinox, peaking around the winter solstice. Summer brings some other opportunities to the area though, the weather is supposed to actually be quite nice. There’s also a lot more daylight hours for exploring the great outdoors and whale watching, as well as witnessing nesting season for the local puffins!
How to get around
Getting to the city from the airport is easy. There’s a shuttle bus that will take you from Keyflavik airport (KEF) right to your hotel (it’s not free, but isn’t wildly expensive either). It’s not a massive airport and the busses and shuttles are easy to locate.
Getting around the city is even easier, just walk! It’s really not a huge place. Calling a taxi can get expensive around here though. Unfortunately, ride share apps like Uber and Lyft don’t operate here because there isn’t really a market for it. With the rapid increase of tourism to Iceland, that could change one day in the future. Only time will tell.
Getting around the island can be a bit more complicated. Outside the city of Reykjavik is where you’ll find places like the Blue Lagoon and the Golden Circle. You can rent a car in the city or book individual tours for the places you want to go. It’s all a matter of preference. Note that there really aren’t any other major cities on the island, so if you’re thinking you’ll drive from city to city, think again. There are, however, some lodges, smaller grocery stores, and restaurants scattered around.
How much money?
A LOT.
Iceland uses the Icelandic Krona and is one of the most expensive countries you can possibly spend money in, both for living and for exploring. Budget airlines might get you there at a pretty good price, but once your feet hit the ground, expect everything to cost more than you would normally pay for it. It’s an island in the middle of the Northern Atlantic ocean and everything is imported from somewhere else. I budgeted myself 700-850 Kr. (80-100 USD) per day and still ended up needing to pull out some extra funds. However, it appears that the conversion rate has changed significantly since 2018 benefitting USD holders, though prices have also likely gone up since then.
Where to stay
Anywhere in city because it’s mostly too small to make much of a difference, but I would recommend the areas surrounding the Hallgrimskirkja because it’s central to everything and easy to navigate back to. You can actually walk from one side of town to the other in less than half an hour.
Most day tour companies will pick you up directly from your hotel, making location mostly irrelevant when planning your daytime activities.
How much time
2-5 days is a great start, but it really just depends what your plans are. The city might be small, but it’s basically the only major place in the country with shopping, a variety of restaurants, and nightlife.
Once you exit Reykjavik, it’s mostly just vast, untouched wilderness, but it does make a great base camp to return to after going on adventures all day. Aside from the Blue Lagoon (which is about 40 minutes south of the city), it is a bit of a drive to get to other famous spots like waterfalls, glaciers, geysers, and beaches. Depending on weather conditions, roads may not always be accessible.
What to eat
Iceland is a great place for seafood. Hot dogs are a very popular street snack. Hot beverages are especially nice here in the winter. You can also try puffin (the bird) if you’re into that!
Most produce is grown in greenhouses or imported from elsewhere, making fresh items a luxury.
What to do
In the city, there are loads of museums, my favorite being the Icelandic Phallological Museum (literally a museum of penises from hundreds of different animals). The Icelandic people certainly have a sense of humor!
The Hallgrimskirkja is a must visit. There’s some shopping but honestly, you can do that anywhere so I would skip on it here unless you find a souvenir you really want to splurge on, although I won’t deny that there is a lot of cute stuff in those shops.
The best part about Reykjavik is that all of the following are a bus-ride away: Blue Lagoon. Glaciers. Volcanos and lava. Horseback riding. Hiking. Waterfalls. Ice caves. Black sand beaches. Snorkeling between tectonic plates. Whale watching. Puffins… the list goes on.
For adventures outside the main city, you can check out the Golden Circle, the Southern Coast, and Ring Road (although I haven’t had the opportunity to do that last one yet). Find out what interests you most from this list and go for it!
Overall I would absolutely recommend this destination to friends and family seeking a little bit of adventure. Many thanks to EF Ultimate Break for designing and organizing this trip, and to our tour director for her impeccable execution of the itinerary. ❤
Have you been to Reykjavik? What would you recommend to others? Share it in the comments below!
Happy traveling!
(this post was last edited and updated on February 11, 2024)
Laura the explora: the blog 
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