The dream to travel to Iceland is a come true for us. It is a perfect destination to be amazed by the power of nature and appreciate the wonders it creates. In this guide to Iceland, we tell you everything you need to know before traveling. We help you plan your route, choose the best accommodation, and a suitable car and save on food. Ready to prepare for the trip of your life?
Travel guide to Iceland: preparations
Flights to Iceland
There are direct flights to Iceland from four Spanish cities: Barcelona, Madrid, Alicante, and Santa Cruz de Tenerife. They are operated by Icelandair and Norwegian companies. The flight takes about 4 hours and a half. As a curiosity, did you know that it takes about the same time to fly to Iceland from New York? It is right between Europe and America. The cheapest tickets are around €100 each way, not bad for a long flight! Of course, you must book months in advance and be aware of promotions. we tell you a lot of tricks to get cheap flights.
How Many Days Are Needed To Travel To Iceland
We recommend a minimum of one week to get to know the south of the island in depth. Most of the attractions are concentrated there. If you skip a few stops, you can also make it all the way around the island in a week. But the ideal thing to do the circular route is to have at least 10 days.
In case you have 4 or fewer days, we recommend choosing Reykjavík as a base and making excursions from there. You don’t even need to rent a car if you don’t want to!
Regardless of the days you have, we have an organized itinerary for you! We have created routes of 3, 5, and 7 days, in addition to sharing the one we did in 10 days. We hope they will serve as a guide to organizing your trip to Iceland.
Guide To Accommodation In Iceland
Planning the accommodation bases well is an essential step to avoid wasting time and money doing extra kilometers. It is also important to book accommodation as far in advance as possible, especially if you travel in the high season. Iceland is an island with a very low population density and, therefore, there is not a great hotel infrastructure either. Therefore, it is advisable to be quick to get the best cheap accommodation, which is usually in great demand. If you do not want to spend a lot of money on meals, it is essential to look for accommodation that has a kitchen.
The price for a double room in a hostel is around €100, while in a hotel it usually does not fall below €200. We leave you an article where we explain in detail all the areas to sleep in Iceland and we recommend accommodation for all budgets.
Documentation Needed To Travel To Iceland
You already have your flight and accommodation booked, don’t forget the most important thing! Fortunately, no visa is required to travel to Iceland for less than 90 days. You can travel only with your DNI or passport. hey! Your identification document must be valid for at least three months from your planned date of departure from Iceland.
Is It Very Expensive To Travel To Iceland?
The quick answer is yes, Iceland is a pretty expensive country. To give you an idea: it is difficult to find basic accommodation for less than €150 per night, a meal in modest restaurant costs €20 or a liter of gasoline around €2.
Luckily, the best things in life are free, even in Iceland! You hardly have to pay entrance to any natural attraction. And believe us, seeing a geyser spewing a huge jet of water or contemplating brutal waterfalls is priceless. So it’s totally worth the expense.
Weather In Iceland: When Is The Best Time To Go?
The million-dollar question! The weather is a determining factor for you to enjoy your trip to Iceland. Going prepared, every season of the year has something special. Summer is the most popular time to travel to Iceland because temperatures are warm and there are plenty of hours of sunshine (you’ll be able to see the midnight sun!). But there are more tourists than at any other time and prices go up. Also, as there is hardly any darkness, you will not be able to see the Northern Lights.
In contrast, winter has extremely low temperatures, there are many hours of darkness, everything is snowy, and it is more difficult to drive in Iceland. That is why there is little tourism and prices go down. In short, we believe that the best times are spring and autumn to avoid both extremes. In the following article, you can see the particularities of the Icelandic climate month by month.
Essentials in the suitcase for Iceland
It is very important to have good planning when packing. The extreme Icelandic climate can make you have a very bad time if you are not well prepared. Leave your best outfits at home, Iceland is an adventure trip where you will spend a lot of time outdoors. So the priority is to be comfortable and warm. We leave you a small list with the essentials.
- Comfortable, waterproof sports shoe with good grip
- Undershirt, tights, and thermal socks
- Waterproof pants and jacket
- gloves and hat
- Sunglasses
- Bathing suit and towel for the thermal baths
You may like to read Five Safety Tips To Travel With Peace Of Mind