Iceland: 7 Important Things To Know When Traveling

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As many of you know a few weeks ago I visited Iceland. Iceland is simply breath-taking! It’s an unforgettable experience from the beautiful landscape to our airline leaving us stranded. Today, I’m giving you the tea on the 7 important things to know before and while visiting Iceland!

1. DO: plan properly before your trip

Planning this trip to Iceland was a little complicated. I had no idea what to pack because the weather shifts dramatically and rapidly in Iceland. No matter the season in Iceland you’ll need warm layers. It’s best to pack waterproof shoes or boots, crew boot socks, swimsuits (you’ll need these for the hot springs), lots of layers, and a waterproof jacket. Warm Essentials by Cuddl Duds was my go-to, and you can find them at target.

Plan your itinerary for Iceland

Having a flexible itinerary is essential. Iceland isn’t a place where you go with the flow, with the weather constantly changing you’ll need to have a plan in place. You can stay up-to-date on the road conditions in Iceland by visiting their travel site. 

*Major 🔑: Cash/Credit cards

Cash isn’t necessary in Iceland. Visa and Mastercards are convenient and safe to use. Be sure to check with your bank in case of a foreign transaction fee.

I would recommend booking everything on your credit card in case you need to dispute a charge. Also, if you plan to rent a car use your credit card to purchase gas. For some odd reason, you are charged twice for gas in Iceland. Eventually one of the charges will drop days later but just a heads-up.

Save money

Is Iceland expensive?!

Stay safe in Iceland

Stay safe in Iceland by reading the Safe Travel site. You can also leave your itinerary with them to start search or rescue in case something happens on your trip.

2. DO: get an accommodation with a kitchen

I would highly recommend having a kitchen with burners. Iceland is costly! Yes, that includes food! We stayed at The Swan House, which is the perfect location to walk anywhere in Reykjavík. The receptionist was very friendly and helpful. The overall stay was great!

3. DO: get a rental car in Iceland

Renting a car is the best way to get around, but it isn’t strictly necessary. I enjoy having a rental car to be in control of my time, whereas with a tour bus you are very limited. Also, with two or more people it can get expensive when paying for tours.

We booked our rental car with Blue Car Rental. Blue Car Rental was very efficient and provided exceptional customer service. PLEASE be sure to review your contract and include travel insurance. Iceland winds can be very severe, a car door could blow off, or rock could crack the windshield, and I would hate for you to leave Iceland with a massive bill.

Depending on your itinerary you may need a 4WD, especially if plan to travel the F-roads. Be prepared for the unexpected on the F-roads such as big potholes, rocks, very loose gravel, sheep, tight corners, and soft shoulders. Be cautious and stay up-to-date on road conditions!

4. DO: buy and cook your own food

Don’t let the hype fool you, the food isn’t thaaaat great (it’s very bland)! Food in Iceland can be overpriced and expensive due to importing. Our first meal in Iceland was breakfast (pictured below) for a total of *🥁 please* $45! Yes, forteee-five dollas and it wasn’t the best food ever, it was just OK.

To prevent us from cashing out on food, we pulled up on Bonus! Bonus is an inexpensive grocery store chain in Iceland; it’s easy to fall in love with the wide variety and low prices. Bonus is located throughout the country, so it’s not hard to find a location.

5. DO: try Mia’s Country Van in Skógar, Iceland

OK, if there’s one meal you should spend money on it has to be fish and chips! You can’t visit Iceland and not try their fresh cod and chips. Mia’s Country Van – local fish and chips in Skógar was the BEST meal we had in Iceland! 😋

Mia’s Country Van is a small food truck located near the Skógafoss waterfall. The fish and chips were succulent good AF! The food is freshly made to order and took about 10 minutes to prepare. It was definitely worth the wait!

What’s on the menu?

The menu was simple, as they only serve fish and chips. You have the option to pick a sauce with your meal. I chose the Icelandic tartar sauce, in which I devoured. The tartar sauce is much different from what I’m used to and instead the consistency reminded me of an aioli based sauce.

As a lover of food, I highly recommend trying Mia’s (cost: $15 per plate). While eating a delicious meal, you have the option to view the Skógafoss waterfall – which is simply amazing!

6. DO: visit Blue Lagoon

I was a bit skeptical at first because I assumed the Blue Lagoon was overrated. Since it was my first time visiting Iceland, why not?!

The Blue Lagoon is a geothermal spa in the middle of a lava field. The water temperature is generally between 98-104°F. Besides the milky blue water, the other interesting fact about the lagoon is that it’s rich in minerals. These minerals can have positive effects on your skin, but not your hair. Your hair could become brittle if it’s in the water. To prevent this from happening, apply conditioner while in the lagoon and rinse your hair once you’re out.

So how much does this cost? The cost varies on the time of day you go, as well as the package you select. If you want to ball out you could spend anywhere from $632 and up per person at the Retreat spa. However, if you’re not into all of the extraness, you can select the comfort package and spend $56+ per person. Every package includes a mask, towel, and a drink.

Is it worth it? Because of its uniqueness, it’s worth the experience. However, if you decide against it, it wouldn’t ruin your Iceland trip.

7. DO: make a list of attractions that interest you along the Ring Road and Golden Circle

In Iceland, there’s the Ring Road and Golden Circle. The Golden Circle is the most popular route in the South of Iceland and perfect for a day trip. The Ring Road is Iceland’s main road and allows you to drive the entire island in 15-16 hours. Many tourists take 10-14 days to visit sights and make frequent stops.

Skógafoss (Skógar, Iceland)

Eventually, I stopped taking photos of the waterfalls because there were so many. My favorite of them all was Skógafoss in Skógar. Skógafoss is one of the biggest waterfalls in Iceland with a drop of more than 60 meters! I loved that you could walk up to it and capture all of its beautifulness!

Reynisfjara (Vík, Iceland)

Reynisfjara is a world-famous black-sand beach on the South Coast of Iceland. The beautiful views and overall experience was magical!

Gullfoss (Southwest Iceland)

Gullfoss is one of Iceland’s most iconic waterfalls. The waterfall was HUGE and quite amazing! Gullfoss is along the Golden Circle route and easy to access. During my visit the weather was very disrespectful, so we cut our trip short.

Strokkur (Haukadalsvegur, Iceland)

Strokkur is a geyser located in a geothermal area that spouts water 100 ft in the air every 4-8 minutes. It was very cool to witness the active geyser erupt. The only issue was the smell; the sulfur smells like rotten eggs!🤢

Park your car in Iceland

If you happen to see something in the distance you want to explore, find an outlet and park there. The Icelandic nature is extremely fragile and can take decades to recover if damaged.

We pulled over a few times to take photos of the unique Icelandic horses and a fence with bras. 🤔 Rumor has it – it started as a joke. The owner of the land decided to hang her bra on the fence, and since then others driving by started doing the same. Interesting…

Iceland is a fascinating country and perfect for all of nature-lovers. If you decide to visit, remember to have fun and live in the moment!

Thank you for reading! Comment below and let’s chat! 💕

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