Welcome to this complete guide for Iceland for first-time visitors! My name is Antonette and I’ve traveled to Iceland no less than 11 times over the past two decades. I traveled in summer, winter and the in between seasons, rented a car, hiked, camped, stayed in hotels and also did several bus tours. In this guide for your first time in Iceland, I’m sharing my most precious pieces of advice with you. Enjoy!
Is Iceland expensive?
Over the past few decades, I have seen Iceland change from a relatively unknown travel destination located between mainland Europe and North America into a popular year-round travel destination. And while you can make Iceland as expensive as you want (or as affordable) by choosing your transportation, accommodation and activities wisely, I would not consider Iceland a budget friendly destination. Compared to other destinations in Europe where you may have visited, Iceland is definitely on the more expensive end of the spectrum.
This will be your main Iceland travel costs
Your main travel costs for Iceland will be your transportation to Iceland (most commonly a flight, although there also run ferries from Denmark), accommodations and activities. Secondary are your meals, entrance and parking fees and souvenirs. Later this year I will publish a budget break down for traveling in Iceland.
How many days do you need for Iceland?
The easy answer would be: as many as possible! There’s incredibly much to see and do, however given the fact you are probably time (and possibly budget) limited, I would suggest you plan at least 4 days in Iceland to get a first impression. A week will give you the opportunity to explore a bit further than just Reykjavík and the Golden Circle, while a two week period will be perfect to drive the entire Ring Road.
Not sure how to spend your time? Check out my guide to planning an Iceland road trip, including how many days you need, where to go and how to plan your route. In short this means:
- 4 days: Reykjavík + Golden Circle + South Coast highlights
- 7 days: Reykjavík + Golden Circle + South Coast
- 10 days: more time on the South Coast + additional regions
- 14 days: Ring Road
Avoid this big mistake most people make
One of the biggest mistakes people make when visiting Iceland is trying to see too much in too little time. During my most recent visit to Iceland, I guided a group of women and we joined a South Coast day tour. And honestly … I felt like we were rushing the whole time. Ten minutes here, fifteen minutes there, quickly taking a few photos and off we went again.
Now, if this is your cup of tea, go for it! But I think most visitors underestimate how much time they need to properly experience Iceland. Planning too much also leaves little room for spontaneous stops and unexpected discoveries. Wouldn’t it be a shame to drive past a beautiful place you’d love to explore simply because your schedule tells you to move on?
Less is more is definitely how I prefer to travel, and it’s the approach I recommend to my readers as well. You don’t have to see everything on your first trip to Iceland. In fact, leaving a little room for unexpected treats in your itinerary might make your trip even more memorable.
Don’t let Iceland’s endless summer days fool you
Following my previous tip for Iceland for first-time visitors, is that even when it doesn’t get dark, your time is not unlimited. Let me explain what I mean.
In the summer, especially around midsummer (June 21st), it barely gets dark in Iceland. This can make you feel you have all day to travel. And technically you do, but you only have so much energy to spend. My best friend and I made exactly this mistake during our road trip in 2016. Since we thought “it’s going to be light all day long” we decided to drive all the way to the iceberg lakes in a day, making many stops along the way. We arrived at Jökulsárlón just before midnight but … only to realize we had a long drive back to Reykjavík ahead of us. Needless to say, we arrived back in our hotel completely exhausted and with little energy left for our next day in Iceland.
So yes, you have an incredible amount of daylight in Iceland during summer. But your energy is still limited. My advice? Don’t use the endless daylight as an excuse to pack even more into your itinerary. Make smart choices about how you spend your days, and leave yourself enough energy to actually enjoy the places you visit. And remember: just because it’s light outside at midnight doesn’t mean everything is open.
When should you go to Iceland?
Although there is no such thing as the best travel period for Iceland, there are a few factors to take into consideration when planning your trip, such as:
- What is your main reason to go to Iceland? If you want to experience the midnight sun, summer is the obvious choice. If seeing the Northern Lights is your priority, you’ll need to visit between fall and early spring.
- The highland roads (the F-roads) are closed most of the year. Depending on the snowmelt and weather conditions, they open mid-to late June and can close again as early as September.
- If you plan to go hiking, aim for no earlier than July and no later than early September, especially for multi-day hikes such as the Laugavegur. Do not even attempt to go here outside of these months.
- Summer and winter months are the busiest in Iceland. The in-between seasons (April, May, October and November) are quieter, although I have to be honest that it’s never really quiet at many places in Iceland nowadays.
- Be prepared for unpredictable weather. Rain can occur at any time of year, as can freezing temperatures. No kidding! I’ll tell you more about Icelandic weather in the next section.
- If you want to avoid snow, travel in summer. If you want snow, winter is best but … there’s not always snow in winter either. Icelandic winters can be surprisingly snow-free, especially along the coast.
The Ice in Iceland may not be quite as you expect it to be
A common saying about Iceland from back when I worked at a travel agency selling trips to Iceland, was that Iceland and Greenland should have swapped names. Iceland is not covered in ice and greener than Greenland actually is. With its many glaciers, you will certainly find plenty of ice in Iceland, but also expect a lot of green meadows, sheep grazing and colorful wildflowers, depending on the season of your Iceland trip.
You can read all about the Icelandic glaciers in this article.
Be prepared for Icelandic weather
Having traveled to more than 50 countries, many of them in Arctic regions, I have to say that Iceland has some of the most challenging weather conditions I have experienced. Please don’t be fooled by the sunny pictures you see on social media. Yes, you may be lucky a day or two, or perhaps even three, but Iceland is generally a wet and windy destination, no matter what time of the year you are traveling.
Does not let this put you off, though. You may experience rain, sunshine and wind on the exact same day. Icelandic weather is notoriously changeable and can shift in the blink of an eye. I’ve experienced this countless times myself.
So my best advice is simple: come prepared for anything, and don’t let the weather dictate whether you enjoy your trip
Your down jacket is not that important (despite what you may think)
I see many tourists come to Iceland with expensive and thick down jackets, only to get soaked by the rain and being unable to get their jacket dry for the next day. A down jacket may be handy, but please take this one piece of advise from me: a proper rain jacket is more important than any other outer layer.
Sure, it may not look as cool and fluffy, but it may just save your ass. Down keeps you warm, but it doesn’t keep you dry. A good waterproof rain jacket does. And trust me, staying wet and cold for hours is not just uncomfortable. In Iceland’s often windy and unpredictable weather, it can become a serious issue and increase the risk of hypothermia.
Want to know what I actually recommend packing for Iceland? Check out my Iceland summer packing list and Iceland winter packing list.
Do you need a rental car for Iceland?
Let me be honest: a rental car is the best way to see Iceland. This way, you can travel at your own pace, stay away from the biggest crowds and you have much more freedom than when you’re joining a tour or organized activity.
Having said this, I’ve also traveled in Iceland without a vehicle many times and this can also be an excellent choice for your first time in Iceland. First of all, you don’t have to get used to driving a European car and our road rules. Secondly, driving in Iceland can be quite challenging, especially under poor weather circumstances. Also note that most Icelandic rental cars are manual and not automatic so if you’re not used to using a manual gear box, forget it or book your rental car very well ahead as automatic cars are limited.
So do you need a rental car or not? It’s a personal choice. You can read my rental car guide for Iceland here.
Should you book tours on Iceland?
If you decide not to travel with a rental car, the only way to explore Iceland is by going on organized tours. This may be multiday tours or day excursions, depending on the destination of your choice. I have been on several tours on Iceland the past trips (such as Into the Glacier and a Golden Circle Tour) and my suggestion is absolutely that you book them ahead as they tend to fill up anyway.
An excellent website for booking guided tours and activities in Iceland is Get Your Guide.
Where to stay in Iceland?
Iceland has plenty of accommodation options to choose from. If you’re bringing a tent in summer, you can stay at one of the many campsites around the country, but be prepared for some seriously strong winds.
You’ll also find B&Bs, hostels, hotels in all price ranges and plenty of other types of accommodation. Keep in mind that breakfast is not always included. Whenever I travel to Iceland, I try to find a good balance between location, price and reviews.
I recommend booking your accommodation well in advance, especially during the busy summer months. Popular places can fill up quickly, particularly along the South Coast and around Reykjavík which are the most popular destinations any time of the year.
Ready to start planning your trip to Iceland? Check out my guide to the best places to stay in Reykjavík on any budget here.
What you can expect to see in Iceland
Iceland’s biggest asset is is undoubtedly their stunning nature. Nowhere else in Europe I have found such diverse and rugged landscape as here. Not even in the arctic region of Sweden, where I live … From glaciers and volcanoes to waterfalls, black sand beaches, lava fields and endless open landscapes, Iceland is all about the great outdoors.
Although things are quickly changing, Iceland may not be the ideal destination if you’re primarily looking for culture, museums and historic cities. Reykjavík is worth spending a day or two in, but beyond the capital, it’s the nature that steals the show. And is what draws most visitors to Iceland.
Do you need cash?
Typically you do not need cash in Iceland as you can pay everywhere with a debit- or creditcard. Apple Pay is also widely used. Most card readers accept chip-and-PIN or contactless payments, while ATMs may charge a transaction fee if you decide to withdraw cash.
And here’s something that may come as a surprise if you’re visiting from the US or Canada: tipping is not customary in Iceland. If your guide has provided excellent service, you can of course leave a tip, but it’s not expected. The same goes for restaurants. You can round up the bill if you want to, but there is no need to add a standard 15–20% tip as you might at home.
Iceland is not the most reliable place to see the Northern Lights
This might come as a surprise to you, but Iceland is not necessarily the best place to see the Northern Lights. From my own experience I can say that I have never seen the aurora in Iceland, even though I was there four times during the Northern Lights season.
The reason is simple: even when the aurora is active, you still need clear skies to see it. And as I mentioned earlier, Iceland is known for its challenging and unpredictable weather. Thick clouds can easily hide an otherwise spectacular Northern Lights display.
For that reason, I would suggest you consider seeing the Northern Lights in Iceland as a bonus, not the main reason for your trip. If this is the case, I would choose Lapland (northern Finland or Northern Sweden) instead, where clear, cold winter nights can offer more reliable viewing conditions.
(PS I live in the north of Sweden so feel free to visit my Sweden guide for my best tips!)
Is the Golden Circle really worth it?
About 25 years ago, the Golden Circle was the place to visit in Iceland. A day trip to the Golden Circle was a must and typically including Þingvellir (Thingvellir), Gullfoss (the golden waterfall) and Geysir. I recently read an interesting article from someone strongly advised against traveling to the Golden Circle and instead suggested to go somewhere else.
While a lot of tourists go and visit the Golden Circle, I truly believe that it’s still a must-see. Yes, there are places with less crowds and places that may be more spectacular. But for me, the Golden Circle and Iceland simply belong together. Even after five visits to Geysir, I still get excited when Strokkur erupts. I’m still amazed about Gullfoss’s power and I certainly think it’s still quite spectacular to wander inbetween two tectonic plates in Þingvellir.
So is the Golden Circle really worth it? I believe it is.
Stick to local advice (or you may get yourself into big trouble)
I don’t mean to scare you, but Iceland has the potential to become quite a dangerous place if you don’t listen to local advice or ignore warnings. Each season, tourists get severely injured because (and some even die) because they underestimate Iceland’s nature and weather or ignore safety guidelines.
Some of the most common mistakes include:
- Ignoring warning and stop signs.
- Walking on glaciers without proper equipment (such as crampons) and/or a qualified guide.
- Driving a non 4WD vehicle on F-roads or other roads where it’s not permitted.
- Attempting to cross rivers with regular vehicles.
- Ignoring warnings that a place isn’t safe (such as Reynisfjara black sand beach, where several tourists have been swept away by sneaker waves).
- Getting too close to geothermal pools, geysers and other hot areas.
- Heading out by car even if the weather is horrible.
- Heading out for a hike without the appropriate footwear and other necessary equipment.
My Icelandic friend Bírna used to work for the mountain rescue service and she told me quite some frightening stories in which tourists ignored warning signs and got themselves into trouble. Don’t be one of them, always follow local guidelines and take warnings seriously. In Iceland, they are there for a reason.
Book your Iceland trip
Do you want to travel to Iceland? Find the best options to book your trip below:
Conclusion and further reading
I hope you found my guide for Iceland for first-time visitors useful and that you have found the information you were looking for. If you wish to continue reading and/or plan your trip further, you may also enjoy the following articles:
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