- Important points
- Choosing wings
- Hotel or apartment?
- Transport subtleties
- Nightingales are not fed with fables
- Routes and trails
- Best travel to Iceland
Iceland is not a very big country. It is not even included in the first hundred world powers in terms of its territory. About half a million tourists visit the island annually, and a trip to Iceland for most of them becomes one of the most vivid impressions in their entire tourist life.
The sights of Iceland are a huge number of picturesque volcanoes, active and temporarily dormant; and bird colonies in sea bays; and bizarre fjords, from the walls of which powerful waterfalls fall. The icy country is famous for the northern lights, midnight sun, geysers and delicious herring, which at the beginning of the last century made many local residents rich.
Important points
- The icy land is one of the most expensive countries on the planet. Even a short trip to Iceland will require considerable material costs - from the flight to the purchase of ordinary souvenirs.
- The country has very strict customs rules for the import of goods and items. Do not try to take some food with you to save money on breakfast: the list of foods prohibited from import is very extensive.
- For exchanging currency for Icelandic crowns, you will be charged a commission of $ 2.5, regardless of the amount of money being exchanged.
Choosing wings
There are no direct flights from Moscow to Iceland in the airlines' schedules, but there are plenty of opportunities to fly with transfers:
Germans, Latvians, Danes, Swedes and Norwegians fly from Moscow to Reykjavik with one connection. The travel time will be from 7 hours, and the ticket price will be from $ 400
If you happen to be in Denmark, you can get from Copenhagen to Reykjavik by Smyril Line ferry, but this way will take much longer, and is unlikely to be cheaper.
Hotel or apartment?
Icelandic solid prices also apply to housing, moreover, the price per night even in the most budget hotel with 2 * on the facade starts from $ 120 at best. Most often you will have to pay for breakfast separately. Hotels in Iceland look rather austere and there may be free wireless Internet in the "two-room", but the bathroom is shared for the entire floor.
The most economical and unpretentious tourists prefer Icelandic campsites, where for $ 10 -20 $ per night they are provided with a place for a tent, the opportunity to use a toilet, shower, supplied water and a hearth for making a fire.
Icelanders do not practice renting apartments, but there are family pensions where you can rent a room in the country. Prices - from $ 70 per day and more.
Some hotels in Iceland adopt their own five-star classification system, but this is not mandatory.
Transport subtleties
Railways in Iceland do not exist in principle and you can get from one settlement to another only by car, bus or plane. Renting a car, like other pleasures, is very expensive in Iceland, but buses from BSI Station in Reykjavik regularly leave to all parts of the island. The main carriers are Reykjavik Excursions, Sterna and Straeto.
The main Icelandic nature trail follows the ring road that runs around the island. The N1 road crosses the capital and the largest settlements.
The Reykjavik Weicome Card, valid for 24, 48 or 72 hours, will significantly save on public transport and visit many museums, attractions and thermal pools for free.
Nightingales are not fed with fables
The daily bread on a trip to Iceland is no less an urgent problem than a roof over your head. The bill for a no-frills lunch for two in this country can easily run up to $ 100 or more, so knowing the right places and addresses is important:
- As in the rest of the world, fans of Thai food can dine best in Iceland. A huge portion of noodles with chicken or shrimp will cost you a maximum of $ 12.
- Huge sandwiches with smoked lamb will pull only $ 10 in the Nonnabiti chain of cafes, while they can easily be divided into two as a good snack.
- Even rock stars and ex-presidents of the United States do not disdain sausages in the dough from the Bæjarins Beztu network. The main sausage trailer is located next to the Colaport flea market in the capital, and the British newspaper Guardian considers this fast food one of the most decent in Europe.
Good news: Tipping is not customary in Iceland. But you shouldn't be too happy either, because they are included in the bill by default.
Routes and trails
Despite the small size of the island, Iceland tours surprise with a variety of routes, modes of transportation and the number of natural masterpieces seen.
10-day circular trails around the island allow you to see the geothermal springs of the Reykjanes Peninsula and the Blue Lagoon, Gullfoss Waterfall and Thingvellir National Park. The trip will continue on the South Coast, where black volcanic beaches, immense pure glaciers and huge bird colonies are located.
Three-hour helicopter tours allow you to see the capital of the country from a height, fly over the lava field, admire the highest waterfall in Iceland, Glimur, and land at the foot of the volcano.
A huge number of options for jeep tours attracts extreme lovers and nerves to a trip to Iceland. Roads run among glaciers and volcanoes, cross rivers and storm mountain slopes. Behind the wheel can be both the traveler himself and an experienced instructor - it all depends on the preferences and wishes of the guests.
Best travel to Iceland
Despite its name, the "ice country" does not at all belong to the list of arctic ones, and its climate can be called moderately cool rather than harsh.
The Icelandic climate is shaped not only by the latitude on which the island is located, but also by the warm Gulf Stream that washes its shores. In winter, it is rarely colder than –10 ° С, but even at the height of summer, the thermometer does not rise above + 20 ° С. In any season, it is worth taking warm clothes and a waterproof windbreaker on a trip.
The ideal time to explore Icelandic sights is from May to August. As early as September, many hotels begin to close, and public transport significantly reduces the number of flights. In the fall, the day shortens and the polar night sets in, but in the summer the luminary only touches the horizon, showing the amazed public the effect of the midnight sun.
