A typical first trip here runs about $1,375 to $1,875 per person for 7 days at a mid-range style, before flights. Get your own number from the Budget Calculator.
- Lamb is exceptional, free-range sheep roam wild in volcanic highlands
- Skyr, thick, protein-rich dairy product similar to yogurt; eaten daily
- Plokkfiskur, fish stew with potatoes and onion; ultimate comfort food
- Hákarl, fermented shark; a notorious acquired taste and rite of passage
- Reykjavik's restaurant scene is surprisingly diverse and world-class
- Northern Lights (Sept–April), the greatest natural light show on Earth
- Þorrablót (January–February), midwinter feast with traditional preserved foods
- National Day (June 17), celebrating independence from Denmark in 1944
- Secret Solstice Festival (June), music festival during 24-hour daylight
- Elf and folklore culture, surveys show most Icelanders believe in elves
Icelandic is one of the world's oldest unchanged languages. English is universally spoken, nearly all Icelanders are fluent.
Icelanders are friendly and direct. The country is famously egalitarian and gender-equal.
- Never leave marked paths near natural features, the landscape is fragile
- Respect geothermal areas, they are both dangerous and sacred
- Geothermal pool etiquette: always shower before entering hot pools
- Tipping is not expected; service is included in prices
Latest for Iceland
Updates for Iceland will appear here as they are published. Every update cites official sources, so you can plan on it.