Iceland - Recommendations
- michellejshin4
- Jun 9, 2018
- 8 min read
This is a list of my personal recommendations for Iceland that I share with my friends (last updated 10.28.2017) - it has grown quite a bit so it's a little intimidating now :P. That being said, if you have any specific questions, feel free to shoot me an email! I love creating custom itineraries. And when in doubt, google maps or tripadvisor is fairly reliable!
To help, I've added these items to a My Map in Google. Feel free to take a look and use as needed!
DISCLAIMER: this is not an all inclusive list by any means. so many places I have yet to try! use this as a starting point or if you have any you feel should be on this list, let me know! :D I will try them for the sake of science! :P
overall:
- AURORA: this is the best aurora predictor I have encountered. Still changes every day but like that it not only includes predictions on the solar activity but also the cloud coverage. 3 and 4 had really great shows. Definitely the more remote you go or later in the night, the more beautiful the shows.
- NOTE: don't plan the trip just on the aurora borealis. It's a fickle unicorn where all the stars need to align to get a good show. If you get a chance to see, then great! if not, you'll have done and seen so much already you'll have a fulfilling trip anyways
- RENTAL CAR: the best way to get around is getting a rental car. Few places I have used that I thought provided good service/price:
- procar
Based on personal experience, I recommend insurance (especially in winter). Last I checked, Cars Iceland comes with insurance included. To quote a fellow traveler, shit gets real in Iceland...would definitely recommend watching this video on road safety, signs and what to expect.
LEGEND:
S = sight
B = breakfast/brunch
L = lunch
D = dinner
A = afterhours
O = other
!!!!! = recommended
reykjavik/keflavik:
the two cities you encounter right when you touch down. Keflavik including the airport and the blue lagoon and Reykjavik being the biggest city in Iceland.
!!!!! - S - Blue Lagoon - recommend to book in advance online, especially during peak times during the day. bit pricey. If you go either first thing or last thing in a day you can get some nice shots that look like you're the only one there!
!!!!! - S - Hallgrimskirkja - cool architecture. awesome view from the top (small fee) - this is really the only spot I would totally recommend in the city
- L/D - Café Loki - one of the few places you can try Icelandic cuisine if you're interested to try. not traditional but my fave is the geysir bread (rúgbrauð) ice cream. great view of the church from the upper story by the windows
- S - Harpa Concert Hall - interesting building looks nice during the day and at night. Cool if it's on the way but I wouldn't make a special trip...
- S - Solfar Sun Voyager - iconic viking ship sculpture. great for a quick picture. can park quickly by the sculpture
- S - Kolaportið - flea market where you can buy handmade icelandic wool sweaters (be aware, they're pretty pricey). one of the few places to try fermented shark - hákarl - a traditional icelandic dish, but not recommended for the faint of heart. skippable if you're short on time and don't care to try the shark
!!!!! - L/D - Sægreifinn (Sea Baron) - skewers. Favorite spot. place to try whale and amazing lobster soup. Also has veggie skewers that are tasty. recommend going at non-peak time or may have a bit of a wait
- D - Kopar - my favorite tasting menu highlighting local ingredients in a cozy place in the harbor (tried menus at grillmarkaðurinn and fiskmarkaðurinn and personally thought that they were not as good for the price)
* please see my map for additional restaurants I've tried and would recommend
- O - Pools : if you're interested in a lazy day, I would recommend checking out one (or some) of the many many pools in Reykjavik area. do as the locals do by hitting the sauna, jumping into the super cold tub and then hanging out in the hot tub. Or channel your inner kid and ride the slide! Check out this article and you can check out my map under the "Pools" section.
- A - Bar hopping - there is a great little scene to go bar hopping. no entrance fee and the security is very friendly, only checking IDs if you look under 20. Definitely worth checking out and though there isn't a dress code, locals seemed to dress up for a night out. Try a shot of some of these local favorites (not my faves but definitely worth a try): Opal and Brennivin. Check out this article for additional details.
golden circle:
A loop close to Reykjavik that includes some of the most interesting natural sights
!!!!! - S - Þingvellir - free map at the visitor center, they can point out walking path (can easily spend as little or as much time walking around here). Visitor center has some really informative videos about the tectonic plates, has some of the clearest water (check out Flosagjá) and only place you can touch two continents at the same time. had friends do the snorkel/scuba tour in the Silfra crevasse and had some awesome pics
- S - Laugarvatn Fontana - a small hot spring connected to a geothermal lake so you can go between the pools to the lake. they also have a small tour where they show how they cook the icelandic rye bread using geothermal activity.
!!!!! - S - Strokkur Geyser - famous geyser that is very active. wait for the bubble to take your picture. Also worthwhile to spend some time to walk around to some of the other craters
!!!!! - S - Gullfoss Waterfall - huge waterfall, can drive or walk between the upper and lower views, both are definitely worth doing. Also when it's cold, really enjoy the lamb stew at the cafe
- L - Friðheimar - Tomato greenhouse only open 12 - 16; should make a reservation as many tour groups go through here. famous for all you can eat tomato soup and you can cut basil fresh from the plant at your table!
!!!!! - S - Secret Lagoon - definitely recommend though its a small detour from the normal golden circle. more authentic experience than the blue lagoon. reservation recommended in peak times as tours also come through here
!!!!! - S - Kerið - large crater with red volcanic sand and bright blue water. small entrance fee but pretty well maintained and it's nice to walk around the top but I like walking down to the lake for my photo ops
!!!!! - S - Reykjadalur - one of my highlights but does take a bit of time. free hike + geothermal river 1 - 1.5 hour hike each way (the first hill being the hardest). Accessed from hveragerdi, head north through the town from route 1 exit and come out the north side, take the left road and keep following left until the road end at the car park for Reykjadalur. It's not really well marked so definitely recommend going when there is light. there are wooden paths and changing areas once you get there.
south coast:
famous drive for the waterfalls and the black sand beaches, with the ending highlight of the glacier lagoon
!!!!! - S - Seljalandsfoss Waterfall- awesome waterfall that you can walk behind. be prepared to get wet though!
!!!!! - S - Gljúfrabúi Waterfall- a short walk (5-10 min) continuing on from Seljalandsfoss. I would caution it is a little extreme as you will need to do some precarious walking on rocks or wading in the river but this waterfall inside a cave is one of my highlights
- S - Seljavallalaug - oldest pool using water from natural geothermal bath, free - but I wouldn't really recommend...only cleaned once a year so can have quite a bit of algae growth depending when you visit. can get some nice pictures though
!!!!! - S - Skógafoss Waterfall- huge waterfall. if the light is right and you get closer enough you might be lucky to see a rainbow (check out the picture from my gallery at the top!)
- S - Dyrhólaey - great views of the black sand beach from atop this hill. can be very windy and road up may not be well maintained.
!!!!!- S - Reynisfjara - great black sand beach with lava rocks and huge basalt columns, not to be missed
- S - Fjaðrárgljúfur - canyon with great photo opportunity. could require a hike (since I haven't been myself, I'm not sure), check for road closures
!!!!! - S - Svartifoss Waterfall- basalt column waterfall the Hallgrimskirkja church is based on, one of my favorites. takes about an hour to walk each way
!!!!! - S - Jökulsárlón - Glacier Lagoon- recommend taking a boat tour to get closer to the icebergs but you can also get some good shots just walking around the lagoon. Many parking lots, recommend taking the one on the left after the bridge.
!!!!! - S - Diamond Beach- can visit the right side before and after the bridge. depending on the current, there can be more icebergs on either side (check out the picture from my gallery at the top!)
akureyri/mvatn:
second largest city. if you don't want to drive, you can take a short flight between keflavik and akureyri. added here my highlights but think this article highlights some of the great things the north has to offer.
- S - Lake Mývatn - can't be missed, a huge lake which I'm told is nice to bike around if you have good weather and time (when I went it was frozen over)
- S - Dimmuborgir Rock formations - nice little detour to walk around some interesting volcanic rock formations
!!!!! - L/D - Vogafjós Cowshed Cafe - one of my favorite meals ever in Iceland. Food is fresh, locally sourced and really enjoyed their rye bread (rúgbrauð) and smoked fish and meat.
- S - Mývatn Nature Baths - a small hot spring spot that has two pools: hot and cold. has a nice view of the surrounding area.
- S - Hverir - area of geothermal activity. recommend wearing boots and being careful where you walk as it gets quite muddy
others:
- O - Icelandic Horses - the horses in Iceland are completely unique. they are shorter, friendlier and have luxurious locks. Many times if you go to the side of the road, they will walk right up to you. they also have a unique trot. would recommend taking a ride!
- O - Gas Station Food - ok...sounds weird? but it's actually very nice (and cheap)! I like getting a hot dog (tastes different than in the states) with all the toppings and getting a soft serve cone dipped in chocolate and daim bits. great road trip food!
- O - Glacier activities - there are many glaciers all around Iceland so you have many opportunities to either do a glacier climb or, if visiting in winter, can even go inside! I've not really done these here but I mean, look at these great shots!
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