Iceland Travel Guide for backpackers and independent travellers: What to see and do in Iceland

Find out what to see and do when travelling or backpacking around Iceland.

Iceland highlights

	Destination	Make a reservation
	Reykjavik Reykjavik is a small capital by most standards but is extremely picturesque and is renowned for its nightlife.	Flights Hotels Hostels Tours
	Vatnajokull Iceland's biggest glacier. Get on a skiddoo or super-truck tour to explore it further.	Flights Hotels Hostels Tours
	Lake Myvatn Lake Myvatn in North east Iceland is one of the best fishing lakes in Iceland and the bird life in the M�vatn area is world-famous.	Flights Hotels Hostels Tours
	The Western fjords The Western fjords are stunning and remote - great for exploring by hire car.	Flights Hotels Hostels Tours
	Siglufjordur Many good hiking trails start here.	Flights Hotels Hostels Tours

Main travellers routes

Getting around in Iceland can be difficult and slow if you have not hired a car. It takes about a day to drive from one side to the other but there are so many things to see that you'll be stopping every few minutes.

Capital

Reykjavik

Languages

Icelandic
English is widely spoken.

Currency

The Icelandic monetary unitis the "kr�na. "
Coins are in denominations of 100 kr. , 50 kr. , 10kr. , 5 kr. and 1 kr. Bank notes are in denominations of 5000 kr. , 2000 kr. ,1000 kr. , and 500 kr.
All Icelandic banks provide foreign exchange and are generally open on weekdays from 09:15 to 16:00.
TRAVELLERS' CHEQUES, DEBIT and CREDIT CARDS: Are widely accepted in Iceland. The major cards in Iceland are EUROPAY/MASTERCARD and VISA.
Currency converter

Visas (always check with your embassy)

A valid passport is necessary for visitors to Iceland, except for citizens of the Nordic countries: Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden.
Foreign citizens who must produce a visa upon arrival in Iceland now also gain entry to the other Schengen countries. Schengen visas should be obtained prior to arrival in the Schengen territory. In most instances, Danish embassies will handle visa applications on behalf of Iceland. A list of these embassies is available on the Directorate of Immigration web site
The Schengen agreement went into effect for Iceland on March 26, 2001 and the following countries participate in the Schengen cooperation in addition to Iceland: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Holland, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Germany. Travel between above-mentioned countries will in principle be without document check. Click here for more information.
ATTENTION: Nationals of the following countries do not require visas to travel to Iceland as visitors, although they do require passports that are valid for three months beyond their intended stay: Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong (applicable for those holding HKSAR passports), Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao (applicable for those holding MSAR passports), Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Great Britain (incl. Bermuda, Turks and Caicos Islands, Cayman Islands, Anguilla, Montserrat, British Virgin Islands, St. Helena, Falkland Islands and Gibraltar), United States of America, Uruguay, Vatican and Venezuela.

Foreign Office Advice and safety

Iceland foreign office advice

Getting to and from Reykjavik airport

AIRPORT BUSES: Service is operated between Reykjav�k and Keflav�k International Airport. Buses leave Reykjav�k from Hotel Loftlei�ir 2 hours before flight departure. The drive from the airport to Reykjav�k takes about 40-50 minutes. The fare is USD 10 one way for adults and USD 5 one way for children 2-12 years.

AIRPORT TAXIS: Cab fare to Reykjav�k for a four-passenger taxi is approximately USD 150

Post Offices

There are post offices located in all major communities in Iceland. General hours are: Mon-Fri 08:30-16:30. The post office in Grens�svegur 9 is open on Saturdays year round from 10:00-14:00. The post office in ��nglabakki 4 is open Mon-Fri from 10:00-18:00.

Telephones

Direct calls can be made to all parts of Iceland.The code into Iceland from overseas is +354 + seven-digit number. Direct long-distance calls can be made to Europe and the USA by dialling 00 plus the country code, and the telephone number you wish to reach.

Shopping

The shops in Iceland are of international standard and carry a wide variety of merchandise. Local specialities are woollen knitwear (for example sweaters, cardigans, hats and mittens), handmade ceramics, glassware and silver jewellery. Also available is a great variety of high-quality seafood.

Climate

Thanks to the Gulf Stream, Iceland enjoys a cool temperate ocean climate: cool in summer and fairly mild in winter. However, the weather is very changeable and tourists should be prepared for the unexpected.

Midnight Sun - During summer the nights are bright in all of Iceland. In the month of June the sun never fully sets in the north. There are even special excursions to the island of Gr�msey on the Arctic Circle where you can experience the midnight sun. Keep in mind, however, that the sun at midnight is not as warm as at midday, so bring along a sweater.

Flights and accommodation

Tours and day trips in Iceland

Iceland tours and day trips

Further Iceland resources

Destination Iceland - Enjoy nature at it's best! - Destination Iceland. Here you will find information on Iceland-specially if you are going there for the purpose of hiking camping or skiing. Come and visit the beautiful outdoors of Iceland.

Thanks to Trausti Tomasson from Destination Iceland for the photos and content of this guide.

Next: Planning a trip to Iceland

Iceland travel guide