Iceland

There’s no simple answer to this question—it depends on what you expect from your trip and what kind of experience you’re looking for. Iceland is a desirable destination not only in summer but also in winter. However, in summer you can access interior parts of the country that are largely unreachable from autumn to spring (at least without a 4×4 or guide), and you’ll get 20–22 hours of daylight. On the flip side, you’ll miss out on the chance to see the Northern Lights, encounter crowds of tourists at many locations, and pay significantly higher prices—everything is more expensive in peak season.

We recommend visiting Iceland either around late April to early May or ideally in early September. Daylight will still be long, temperatures pleasant (around 10°C / 50°F), and prices more off-season—meaning fewer tourists at popular spots.

Unfortunately, Iceland is among the more expensive destinations—whether it’s food at restaurants, fuel, or accommodation. However, as mentioned above, if you visit outside the main season (June to August), prices for lodging and car rental are generally more affordable.

We’d say renting a car in Iceland is pretty much essential if you want freedom of movement. Without a car, you won’t get very far. Yes, there are guided tours that include transportation to popular areas like the Golden Circle, but don’t count on them to get you everywhere around the island.

From our own experience, we recommend Lotus Car Rental, located just a few hundred meters from the airport, offering free taxi pickup from the terminal, 24/7 pickup and return, and optional insurance coverage—which we definitely recommend. Blue Car Rental also has very good reviews.

We recommend at least 6–7 days so you can see the highlights of the southeast, explore the capital Reykjavík, and relax in at least one of the many geothermal spas.

Since Iceland is not a budget-friendly country, we recommend doing your grocery shopping at stores like Bonus or Krónan, and opting for good sandwiches or ready-made meals you can easily heat in your apartment or campervan. If you plan to eat in restaurants every day, be prepared: in more remote areas, restaurants can be hard to find, and when you do find one, the food will be pricey.

Definitely not. Even the smallest shops accept card payments without issue. During our four trips to Iceland, we never even saw Icelandic cash, let alone used it.

Yes. Thanks to Iceland’s many glaciers, water is clean and drinkable almost everywhere. You can easily refill your bottle with fresh, safe water wherever you go.