Reykjavìk, Iceland - Things to do? Places to see?

[FurnaceFace]

We went end of August 2020. It was a good time of year, but we maybe just lucked out. Weather was really good for most of it. Doesn't look the same right now.

When we were there, covid restrictions and quarantine were still in place so things like Silfra diving was closed. We stayed away from Reykjavik and Thingvellir.

Waterfalls are everywhere, you'll get "fossed out" but many are spectacular.

Random tips or thoughts
When you land, before you pass through customs you pass through the duty free shop. Get your allotment of booze and whatever else you want. It is a bit cheaper.
We rented with Blue Car Rental and they were really good. Their insurance includes sand and ash coverage which isn't always the case.
The highway is 90kph max, and they are pretty strict on that.
When planning what you want to see note the F roads. You need AWD to be on those. If you have an issue with your rental while on one and just have a regular car, your insurance is void.
Do pay attention to the wind direction when parking to protect the car doors. The wind is strong.

Personally I think the blue lagoon is the ultimate tourist trap and not worth it. There are some natural hot springs which look much more authentic. If you must do a pool the one at Myvatn is half the price. Showering with soap before going to the pools is expected/required.

The beaches are really interesting especially around Vik. The signs warning you to watch out for waves is legit. Sneaker waves as they get called have soaked tourists and in some cases killed them.

Keep on paths. They are there for a reason. Don't be like Beiber

[nickerjones]

My company put on a beer league hockey tournament in Iceland this past January. The weather was HORRIBLE but it was an incredible time. We took 84 players over (mainly from north America).

We went went the first wave of Omicron was in full force. For our event we were made to have every one test negative 48 hours prior with a PCR test (even though no one actually came to check). A couple of the players popped positive and they sent black vans to take them to Covid hotels.

Outside of that one of the local rinks rolled out the red carpet us. Brought and forced us all to eat fermented shark and drink Brennivín. Grilled burgers and dogs for us all day. Really went the extra mile to make us feel awesome.

They invited us back so we are going to make a return back to play in May of 2023. If anyone wants to play hockey in Reykjavik you're more than welcome to come with us. The hockey skill isn't important. We make teams by beer chugging contest the night before the games. No one really cares all that much about winning. We do about 40 of these a year all over the world. We are doing Canmore in Sept.

Iceland during Covid was a blast. Can't wait to visit again when it's hopefully less Covid-y and a bit warmer.

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

That actually sounds incredible… do you offer any discounts for people who know the local scene and speak the language?

Though I’m not touching the shark. I don’t need to prove how Icelandic I am to anyone, and shark is revolting.

[Nyah]

Flights out of YYC seem to be all over the place with prices & stopovers. Didn't there used to be a more budget airline that flew direct out of Edmonton?

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

Originally Posted by Nyah

Flights out of YYC seem to be all over the place with prices & stopovers. Didn't there used to be a more budget airline that flew direct out of Edmonton?

Not a budget airline, but Icelandair used to offer direct flights from Edmonton to KEF, and the prices were pretty reasonable. That stopped during the pandemic and I’m hoping they bring it back at some point but haven’t heard anything one way or the other.

[MoneyGuy]

We’re going to Iceland in June. Circumnavigating the island. I’ll have questions and will read this thread but for now: in Reykjavik and smaller towns like Akureyri, Isafjordur and Seydisgjordur do they have cabs? I’d like to get one to travel to sights that aren’t walkable to?

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

We’re going to Iceland in June. Circumnavigating the island. I’ll have questions and will read this thread but for now: in Reykjavik and smaller towns like Akureyri, Isafjordur and Seydisgjordur do they have cabs? I’d like to get one to travel to sights that aren’t walkable to?

I don’t think any sights are walkable to. How were you going to circumnavigate it? Unless you have something prearranged, maybe a rental car is better, was pretty easy to get around.

[Table 5]

Yeah, unless you're part of some tour group, you're going to need a car to circumnavigate the island. Everything outside of Reykjavik/SW is pretty remote and small (Akureyri is the second biggest city, and it's around half the population of Cochrane), and the best sites are always the natural ones in the countryside. It's what makes it a fantastic adventure, but I wouldn't be counting too much on cabs to get me around. You may be able to get a cab (there is no Uber or Lyft), but for an already expensive place, I'm sure it would be crazy pricey.

[MoneyGuy]

Thanks, Table 5. We’re circumnavigating by ship.

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

There are for sure cabs in Akureyri, almost certainly in Seyðisfjörður too. They might be a little low-tech and availability may be an issue, but even some of the super small places like Egillsstaðir (population under 3,000) have at least one such service…

https://m.facebook.com/mjamjataxi

In fact, that guy might even pick you up in Seyðisfjörður, for an extra tip. It’s about a half hour drive.

With that said, I agree that counting on taxis to get around the smallest towns in Iceland is probably not the best plan. I would think your tour operators have some options to get you around some of those places if you need to—noting that the smallest towns in Iceland do tend to be at least sort of walkable in that their footprint is small and there are only a couple of things you’d want to go and see anyway.

I would suggest reaching out to CP user Thor if you have questions—don’t know if he’s still in the business but he lives in Iceland, and at one point I think he was doing some tourism-related work, so he may have some suggestions for you. I’m also happy to answer what I can, noting that I haven’t lived there since I was a kid (but do get back from time to time to visit family).

[MoneyGuy]

Thank you so much. That’s very helpful.

[Igottago]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

We’re going to Iceland in June. Circumnavigating the island. I’ll have questions and will read this thread but for now: in Reykjavik and smaller towns like Akureyri, Isafjordur and Seydisgjordur do they have cabs? I’d like to get one to travel to sights that aren’t walkable to?

I did an Iceland trip last year.
Cabs are there but very, very expensive. It would cost an arm and a leg to get out to the major sites, its not like they are just beside the cities, you need to drive a fair bit to see them. I would think a bus tour from one of your stopping locations is your best bet, but you'll spend a full day on that tour.

Honestly if you can get your hands on a car rental its the way to go. Iceland is a piece of cake to drive around and having the autonomy to go see everything in your own set of wheels is the optimal experience.

[annasuave]

I just saw Thor's post that he's joined the tourism industry in Iceland - so in that case - I'd offer a big shout to Thor and say that anyone wanting to visit should connect with him as a first step. We didn't manage to meet up with him in person when we were there, Thor was a great ambassador for the country and his tips were spot on. Highly recommended.

Some tips: Your debit card/credit card will work in most places. You won't need much in the way of krona. Pack multiple swimsuits. Rent a car. Driving is decent and easy in Iceland. Don't try to argue the insurance requirements (volcano insurance, sheep insurance, wind insurance, whatever. Icelander's are easy going, polite people, however you WILL pay the insurance, or you WILL NOT drive the car. And they aren't kidding about the wind. Or the sheep. Or the volcanoes, for that matter). Skip the Blue Lagoon. Visit any local, rural, or municipal hotspring instead. Many of them are licenced and have picnic spots out front too. GORTEX! BRING GORTEX. You'll need a waterproof jacket. You'll need waterproof boots/walking shoes. Do not imagine you will be able to use an umbrella or some flimsy "travel poncho". Get the hotdog from the hot dog stand in Reykavik. If offered, eat the sheep head, but under no circumstances should you eat the shark. If possible, try to buy food at a grocery store and prepare your own meals. I didn't think grocery prices were outrageous, but restaurant meals are. Icelanders have this idea that all cititizens deserve a decent living - and this is reflected in the cost of dining out. Visit the Perlan (museum). Pet the kitties. Play soccer with random children if invited to do so. Yeild to bicycles. If you manage to find out the name of the bakery in Reykavik that makes those awesom cinamon buns - fill your face! Sunscreen! Iceland might be "norther" than you expect and there could be more sunlight than you bargain for.

[TorqueDog]

I'm planning to do Reykjavík this summer with a couple friends for a week provided everything goes okay for me in the new few weeks.

That's actually a good question, is a week enough?

[Table 5]

If it's just Reykjavik and the general SW area, a week is enough in my opinion.

If you want to circumnavigate the island, that's going to be tough. Still doable, but you're gonna have to make some compromises or rush through it all. In my experience, the best parts of Iceland were on the opposite side of Reykjavik, but that's probably because they were also the places that didn't have tour buses.

[MoneyGuy]

We’ll have three days in Reykjavik then circumnavigating on a smaller cruise ship.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by annasuave

GORTEX! BRING GORTEX. You'll need a waterproof jacket. You'll need waterproof boots/walking shoes. Do not imagine you will be able to use an umbrella or some flimsy "travel poncho".

This is a great point. I went in April/May, so the spring volatility was to be expected...but it was basically Calgary on steroids in terms of weather changes. Snow/rain/sun/wind...I experienced it all, often on the same day. I thought I went overboard with all high-tech outdoor gear I brought...but I used every fancy-pants waterproof Arcteryx jacket, fleece, camera rain cover etc I had. Iceland is definitely one place where you want to bring all your hardcore gear if you have it, especially if you're going to be hanging out around all those waterfalls, volcanos, beaches etc. At the very least, don't be like the bus tourists from China who show up in Burberry coats and high heels.

[Slacker]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

We’ll have three days in Reykjavik then circumnavigating on a smaller cruise ship.

If you're looking to go to thermal waters, the Sky Lagoon is very close from Reykjavik. I think it was a $25-30 CAD cab ride from Laugavegur (Alda Hotel to be specific).

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by annasuave

I just saw Thor's post that he's joined the tourism industry in Iceland - so in that case - I'd offer a big shout to Thor and say that anyone wanting to visit should connect with him as a first step. We didn't manage to meet up with him in person when we were there, Thor was a great ambassador for the country and his tips were spot on. Highly recommended.

Some tips: Your debit card/credit card will work in most places. You won't need much in the way of krona. Pack multiple swimsuits. Rent a car. Driving is decent and easy in Iceland. Don't try to argue the insurance requirements (volcano insurance, sheep insurance, wind insurance, whatever. Icelander's are easy going, polite people, however you WILL pay the insurance, or you WILL NOT drive the car. And they aren't kidding about the wind. Or the sheep. Or the volcanoes, for that matter). Skip the Blue Lagoon. Visit any local, rural, or municipal hotspring instead. Many of them are licenced and have picnic spots out front too. GORTEX! BRING GORTEX. You'll need a waterproof jacket. You'll need waterproof boots/walking shoes. Do not imagine you will be able to use an umbrella or some flimsy "travel poncho". Get the hotdog from the hot dog stand in Reykavik. If offered, eat the sheep head, but under no circumstances should you eat the shark. If possible, try to buy food at a grocery store and prepare your own meals. I didn't think grocery prices were outrageous, but restaurant meals are. Icelanders have this idea that all cititizens deserve a decent living - and this is reflected in the cost of dining out. Visit the Perlan (museum). Pet the kitties. Play soccer with random children if invited to do so. Yeild to bicycles. If you manage to find out the name of the bakery in Reykavik that makes those awesom cinamon buns - fill your face! Sunscreen! Iceland might be "norther" than you expect and there could be more sunlight than you bargain for.

I think we waived all the insurance for our rental car when we went since it was included with our credit card. We didn’t get any damage, but it was really windy and a lot of the roads to attractions are gravel, so I would recommend checking your cc and decide based on that.

[MoneyGuy]

I’m reading this excellent thread for the useful information. Thor, if you’re reading this, thank you. It’ll be helpful as we plan excursions and our time in Reykjavik. Our trip is about five weeks away.