" Land of Ice " Iceland
It's time for a road trip during a long weekend in Iceland, my first trip in the Nordic countries. To me the aurora borealis, the geysers and the black sand beaches!
Direction the country of legends, where Trolls, Elves and Fairies live! No, no, it's not a joke most Icelanders are convinced that other beings live in their country: the hidden people. So we don't want to disturb this little people too much, but we're going to graze this land of ice and wild landscapes.
To book your flight
We bought our tickets from the law cost company Esasy Jet departing from Geneva 127th A/R per person.
Several companies serve Iceland: Transavia, Air France, Wow Air... I advise you to have a look on Skyscanner to find the most attractive ticket.
Thanks to Icelandair you can also make a stopover (7 days max) in Iceland with a ticket to the US or Canada.
Entrance formality
Valid identity card or passport. You can stay 90 days on the territory.
Car rental
For our Road Trip we decided to rent a Toyota Yarris (30e/day) with the company Sadcars. There is only one main road in Iceland: Road No. 1. If you don't want to go off the beaten track, a passenger vehicle will do. On the other hand some roads are only suitable for 4×4.
To lodge you
Lodging in Reykiavic is rather expensive, we opted for an Airbnb at 5 min by car from the city center. You can also book a youth hostel the kexhostel with good reputation. The guesthouses also offer rooms with cheap bathrooms, but outside of Reykiavic it is difficult to find accommodation, especially out of season, but camping is allowed, which is quite nice in summer.
Where to eat
Saegreifinn on the port of Reykiavic my favorite! The langoustine soup is delicious. You choose your fresh fish skewer, several varieties of fish are offered. We settle down on large tables while admiring the completely offbeat decoration. A canteen spirit, you eat next to your neighbor, rather nice concept.
Islenskibarinn in the center town of Reykiavic, a very nice address in a bistro/pub spirit. we find there the local dishes: whale, puffin, sheep and shark! But also more traditional burgers. Phew. The little extra: a selection of good local beers!
When to go?
The tourist season is from June to August. The nights are very short. So we take advantage of the prolonged daylight and mild temperatures (finally mild for Iceland we understand each other). You can practice wild camping, make late hikes, take your time, admire the puffins, the days being longer you can more enjoy the spots.
All the roads are open! On the other hand who says tourist season says a lot of tourists especially on the places impossible to circumvent!
It is in winter that you can admire the aurora borealis, the season starts from September to mid-March but the best period is in the middle of winter, and some glaciers are only open for hiking in winter! You can also practice all ice activities: trekking, visit of ice caves, snowmobiling...
On the other hand, not all wild roads are open and some roads are only accessible by 4×4. Don't worry, temperatures rarely go below -10°, but the days are much shorter and it is important to know that many addresses are closed.
The unusual and the useful
The webcam that connects Iceland to the rest of the world. livefromiceland a great site that allows us to admire some places of Iceland anywhere in the world.
A map that lists the locations of filming in Iceland filminiceland
Iceland is a country with many legends, and there is also a map that lists all the haunted places in the country! Isn't that great?