Iceland is an extraordinary travel destination. Most of the vacationers who visit the island come because of the unspoiled nature and archaic landscape. Due to the remoteness in the vastness of the Atlantic, the air here is particularly clean and the water particularly clear. The impressive landscape is shaped by volcanism and large glaciers. In the land of geysers, tours to the most famous sights are a popular form of travel. The Gullni hringurinn – the golden tour is a popular itinerary in southwest and southern Iceland. Starting from the capital Reykjavik, you can visit the three of the most famous sights of the island in one day trip.
The most important sights on the route are the former thing site Pingveller in the national park of the same name, the geothermal area Hauskadalur with the Great Geyser, the Geysir Strokkur, which bubbles about every 10 minutes, the thermal spring Blesi and the waterfall Gullfoss. Also popular excursion destinations are the hot springs around Laugarvatn and the former bishopric of Skálholt. On some coasts, such as Skjáfandi Bay, you can take boat tours for whale watching.
Although Iceland is almost in polar latitudes, the dampening effect of the Gulf Stream means that extremely low temperatures are not reached here. The best time to travel to Iceland is between June and August, when the country has the “midnight sun” and it hardly gets really dark.
Iceland climate
According to bridgat, the climate in Reykjavik is relatively mild, but you have to go with strong ones Rains, Fog or wind. May, June and July are the driest months of the year. In the north and east the weather is better than in other parts of the country. Violent snow and sand storms can occur in the central desert and sandy river deltas.
Best travel time for Iceland
Mid-June to August is the high season in Iceland, but most inland tours don’t start until July, as the snow stay here for a long time. During the high season, many tourist facilities outside Reykjavik are closed.
Iceland – how to get there
Airplane: only a few airlines offer scheduled flights to Keflavik, Reykjavik and Akureyri. These include Atlantic Airways (RC),British Airways (BA), Flugfélag Íslands (NY), Icelandair (FI), Iceland Express and SAS (SK).
Direct flights to Keflavík, for example, start in Amsterdam, Berlin, Gothenburg, Copenhagen, Oslo, Paris, London and Stockholm.
There are also a number of seasonal flights, including between Keflavík and Alicante, Barcelona, Berlin, Helsinki, Glasgow, Madrid, Milan, Munich and Zurich or between Akureyri and Copenhagen.
Airports: Keflavík Airport, 48 kilometers west of Reykjavíkis the main airport in Iceland. However, flights to and from Greenland and the Faroe Islands operate from Reykjavík’s municipal airport. Some international flights land on little Akureyri in northern Iceland.
Ship: Eimskip’s cargo ships cover the route Rotterdam – Hamburg – Gothenburg – Arhus – Fredrikstad – Tórshavn – Reykjavík within eight days. The return journey to Rotterdam leads over the east of Iceland and Torshavn. The ships can accommodate up to three passengers. However, passengers are not allowed from April to October.
Travelers can take a ferry – operated by Smyril Line – from Hirtshals (Denmark) or Tórshavn (Faroe Islands) to Seydisfjördur in eastern Iceland.
Iceland – traveling in the country
Airplane: there is a dense network of domestic flights in Iceland as they are the fastest way to get from one place to another. A flexible oneTravel planning is essential, however, as flight schedules are dependent on weather conditions.
The main domestic airline is Flugfélag Íslands. It offers a daily in summer link between Reykjavík and Akureyri, Egilsstadir and Isafjödur. There are also flights from Reykjavík to smaller airports in the country, including Vestmannaeyjar.
Offers for cheaper tickets are often available on the Internet. There are also discounts for seniors, students and children.
Ship: the most important ferry connections in Iceland are Herjólfur – between Polákshöfn and Vestmannaeyjar -, Baldur – between Flatey, Stykkishólur and Brjánslækur – and Sœfari between Dalvík, Hrísey and Grímsey.
Car rental: Renting a car in Iceland is expensive, but cheaper than traveling by bus or plane. The Reykjavík Tourist Office has an overview of cheap offers.
If you want to rent a vehicle, you should be at least 20 years old and, if possible, have an international driver’s license and a credit card.
Bus: Iceland’s long-distance bus network is divided between various private companies that offer routes to different parts of the country. They are controlled by the BSÍ (Bifreiðastöð Íslands) based at the Vatnsmýrarvegur bus station in Reykjavík. Tickets are available at the booking desk there. The free brochure Ísland á Eigin Vegum with timetable information is also available there.
The main bus companies are Austurleid + -Kynnisferdir, Flybus, SBK Travel, Stjörnubílar and Trex-Hópferdamdstödin. Tickets are available at the booking counters.
From June to August there are regular bus connections to most places on the ring road along the coast and to places in the Westfjords. During the other months, however, the service is severely limited.
Bicycle: the Icelandic landscape can be explored very well by bicycle. However, storms, sleet and sudden snowstorms pose a particular challenge. Waterproof equipment is therefore necessary. A mountain bike is recommended for back roads and unpaved paths, and cyclists need enough spare parts and repair kits. Children under the age of 15 must wear a helmet.
the The best areas for exploring by bike are Myavtan, Reykjavík and Akureyri. The Kjölur highland path is also suitable for cyclists. There are bridges over all major rivers.
Bicycles can be taken on domestic flights and long-distance buses. However, the space is very limited at peak times.
