Tips and Tricks by HelgaStina
What to bring
Clothing and other information
In Iceland we never promise good weather but weather.
It is therefore better to pack more than less clothes, fleece, wool, good hiking shoes, mittens and hats and extra warm socks. If you run out of warm clothes you can find all kind of wool and fleece products at gas stations around the country. Sun glasses are important when you go to the glacier and extra clothes when you go on tours. Remember to fill up your water bottle. Water is some of the best you can get in the world, straight from nature. Swimming clothes are a must while in Iceland.
At the summer house near the lake there are some small flies that can be annoying at times. Lavender has proven to work well keeping them away or other anti fly methods. Good to keep the windows and doors shut during the afternoon and night in these places.
In case of emergencies in Iceland you dial 112. This goes for ambulances, police and fire department.
In case of illness you dial 1770 or 1700.
Language: Normally the Icelanders have a good knowledge of English and occasionally Scandinavian languages, German and French.
Alcohol is expensive in Iceland and is sold in special shops called "Vínbúðin". You can find these shops in towns all around Iceland. I reccomend however that you buy alcohol in the duty free in Keflavik. Each person over 20 years old can buy either six bottles of wine or one bottle of hard liquor and two bottles of wine. A sixpack of beer roughly equals a bottle of wine, depending on can size and beer strength.
What to try
Iceland by helgastina would like suggest that you try out the following items.
Dry fish (Harðfiskur) or Shark – you can get that in most grocery shops. It is very good for you and refreshing even though the smell is challenging. You can get this in any grocery shop in Iceland.
Licorice and chocolate combined are common and popular - Kúlúsúkk is one of my favorites.
The Icelandic hotdog – with everything. It is a mix of lamb and pork with a lot of good stuff. You can get them most places but a real treat is to have one after a swim in one of Reykjavik´s pools. ... Ask for one with everything. :-)
There is a great selection of Icelandic beers at the moment, exciting to try that or even try out the Icelandic schnapps Brennivin.
Lava cheese is something very exciting to try as well and you can get it many places around the country. There are also many vegan options as well on the road if you stop at our gas stations. That is the Icelandic way of doing it when traveling.
In the green houses on the south coast such as Friðheimar and in Hveragerði you find wonderful options grown in the geothermal green houses in Iceland.
Kjötsúpa is a very wonderful meal in Iceland, a soup filled with lamb and vegetables. You can even get Kjötsúpa in some gas stations on your path.
Plokkfiskur is also one of my favorites.
Here is a bit about the Icelandic beers
The water in Iceland is amazing and clear. So make sure you drink a lot of that on your trip. You can fill up your bottle in creeks around Iceland. Pure glacier water.
Please ask for advice to the Icelanders on you path. It is a great way of getting to know the culture and people.
Practical information
Shopping
There are three major supermarket chains in Iceland. All of them have a good selection, also of organic products.
Bónus - Nettó - Krónan can be found in towns around Iceland.
Kringlan in Reykjavik - Driving distance from your hotel
Smáralind in Reykjavik - Driving distance from your hotel
Wool and handcraft
This is a good shop for wool items (GOES TO CHARITY) - Thorvaldsen bazar
This is a good shop for art and also wool - Rammagerðin
In various locations in the center and also in Harpa concert house.
If you buy very expensive items you can look into taxfree
Shopping for wool, I recommend stopping in the small towns and buying from the locals. The same regarding buying art.
Pharmacies
You can find pharmacies around Iceland and some of them are open 24 hours. Please contact Helga Stína if you need to find a pharmacy near you.
Wifi and phone
WIFI is very common in most places in Iceland and easy to get connected. Iceland is a part of the European cooperation of free data. If you are traveling from outside of Europe please contact your phone company for a package.
Money
The currency of Iceland is called Krona (ISK).
Please check the exchange rate before you travel. You can use all major credit cards in Iceland and you have ATM machines in many areas. There is one at the airport on arrival. American Express is sometimes difficult to use in Iceland, especially by smaller vendors.
Tipping
Paying service fee is not obligatory in Iceland but if you are very happy about the service it is very well received by the vendors.
Security and driving in Iceland during winter
Iceland's weather can greatly impact road conditions, making driving here more challenging than in many other countries. At any time of the year, you may encounter a range of weather conditions. Be particularly cautious of thick fog, snow, and high winds, as these can significantly complicate travel. Also, please be aware that daylight hours are shorter in winter, and your itinerary has been designed with this in mind.
I recommend that you read this very useful information about driving in Iceland from your car rental company.
Road.is is a great website to check for road conditions before heading out for the day. Another important website to check everyday is the weather conditions.
It’s great to register for alerts on Safe travel to stay updated. Also, if you are going for big hikes you can submit your travel plan so the Icelandic emergency service knows where you are.
Here is a little bit about roundabouts in Iceland. In Iceland, on a two-lane roundabout, it’s vehicles that occupy the inner lane which has the right of way. Those vehicles in the outer lane must yield.
Reading and getting under the surface
Book tips
The Icelanders are known for being the book nation. Every year before Christmas authors publish their books and we call that the Icelandic book flood.
It is a very interesting experience to read one of the books that happens in Icelandic society while you are there or before you travel. Here are my suggestions.
The heart of man by Jon Kalmann Stefánsson. All of his books are great
Anything by Arnaldur Indridason
Halldór Laxness (Our Nobel Prize winner in literature). Independent people or Salka Valka are great ones to understand Icelandic society. You can find his books around Iceland in bookstores.
Karitas untitled and Chaos on Canavas by Kristin Marja Baldursdóttir are fantastic books on Iceland and life in the past and present with focus on powerful women.
For children of all ages - The Blue Planet by Andri Snær Magnason and the Icelandic folk stories by Jón Árnason.
Furthermore we have books on elves and other creatures in every bookstore in Iceland.
Music
Here is a playlist made by Iceland Unwrapped by helgastina