The feisty volcanoes, spurty geysers, steaming hillocks and lonely lava plains in itself sounds like an unforgettable adventure. Add to it the ethereal Northern lights, gleaming glacial caves, majestic whales, and warm soothing geothermal waters. Offering the best tourist places in Iceland, it is a stunning display of nature’s incredible beauty.
From the fantastic aurora borealis or northern lights, active volcanoes, waterfalls, volcanic craters and geysers at The Golden Circle to the unparalleled seafood, beautiful ice caves and world’s best hot springs, Who says there is nothing but ice in Iceland?
Where else can you trek majestic ice caves, tour about an active volcano on a helicopter, witness northern lights from the luxury of your hotel, and swim in the most epic swimming pools in the world than Iceland?
The unusual yet tasty Hákarl - Shark and Svið - Sheep's head calls food junkies for an unprecedented meal. Be it shopping for souvenirs, Icelandic art or fashion clothes at Geysir, or wool sweaters and warm clothes at Kolaportid Flea Market, Iceland has something for everyone. With Iceland trip packages, the unusual landscapes of Iceland have no dearth of adventures. How about exploring the countryside on Icelandic horses, witnessing the iconic Gullfoss Waterfall, playing with puffins at the old harbour in Reykjavik, diving the Silfra fissure, or simply relaxing in the mineral-rich waters of the Blue Lagoon? Iceland has something for everyone.
And although Iceland looks otherworldly, the friendly locals make it up for the puffin burgers and fermented shark. Also, the roads of Iceland are gloriously crowd free. A true haven if you are considering a crowd free holiday destination unlike other European Countries. It should be in your bucket list to explore the best tourist places in Iceland.
1. Conduct your research before choosing a stay: One of those factors that should be kept in mind while visiting a holiday destination is to conduct your research regarding that place well. Understand the culture, tradition and how-abouts of the place. Moreover, when it comes to choosing a stay for yourself then it is better advisable to opt for something that is comfortable and convenient to your needs. Choose from a number of resorts, hotels and home-stays and enjoy the culture of Iceland.
2. Enjoy Iceland’s culture for what it is: While the truth about Iceland is that it doesn’t take time for visitors to get used to the culture that prevails in Iceland. In fact, visitors find it extremely easy to understand the culture and work accordingly given how easy-going the place actually is. Enjoy Iceland’s culture for what it truly is.
3. Transportation: The great thing about transportation in Ice land is that one won’t have a difficult time exploring the cities as they are well connected. You need not worry about travelling from places to places. However, hiring a car or bike for your personal need in the place great helps. Don’t miss out on any locations and ensure that you get to see all the primary attractions at your convenience.
4. Carry a map: Iceland is quite expansive in terms of its geographical expansion, however, it is always advisable to carry a map when you’re planning on venturing around the place. The names can get quite confusing and if you lose your way, you may even face a hard time communicating with the locals as there is a high possibility that you may not share the same language with.
5. To tip or not to tip: If you’re staying at a resort or a hotel then it is quite obvious that you won’t be required or expected to end a certain matter with a tip. The same applies to restaurants as well. Most of the times, it is your well-trusted guide that takes care of such situations and if you’re without one then do as you may without feeling obligated.
6. Avoid the crowd: While, Iceland itself is not very crowded, there are thousands of tourists flocking every year. And you already know, the real joy and essence of one place can truly be experienced provided there is lesser amount of distraction. Visitors would quite naturally want to visit Turkey during a time when it’s less crowded. Thus, avoid visiting Iceland during peak periods of March, April, October and November as the hotel and resort bookings get full almost instantly and air tickets get quite expensive too.
7. Drinking laws: Alcohol is quite easily obtainable in this place. The legal drinking age in Iceland is 18 and the night-life is quite sorted as well. Party your heart out while you’re in this place. There are numerous pubs, restaurants and bars that will take care of the wild side in you.
The best time to visit Iceland depends mainly on what you want to do and see.
Iceland has a concentrated tourist season in the months of July and August especially because it is summer and one can witness the midnight sun.
Here are the best Iceland day and night tour packages you can book with Thrillophilia:
Here are some famous Iceland holiday packages you can book from various Indian cities through Thrillophilia:
Yes, you need a Schengen Visa for Iceland. Iceland comes in the list of 26 Schengen countries which means that you do not need an exclusive visa for Iceland. A schengen visa will do. A Schengen visa gives you an access to all the 26 countries included in the list of Schengen countries along with Iceland. The Embassy of Denmark handles visa applications for Iceland in India. The visa application is to be filled and submitted to The Embassy of Denmark located in New Delhi. The documents required includes a passport with at least 3 months of validity from the date of arrival in India, and at least two blank pages, latest passport size photographs and any government issued Id.
The tourist visa/short stay visa is valid for a duration of 90 days and takes 16 days to process. The visa fees costs INR 4560 along with INR 1569 VFS service fees.
The currency of Iceland is Icelandic króna. You can get your currency exchanged in Iceland at ATMs, Banks, Hotels and Airport desks. There is a Landsbankinn Bank at Keflavik International Airport which gives you a good mid market exchange rate. ATMs and cashpoints can be found easily in cities and towns. You can get cash, cash travellers cheques and exchange notes with your credit and debit cards from Banks. Although visa and Mastercards are accepted almost everywhere, it is a good idea to keep some cash handy if you intend to visit isolated villages and remote areas.
The local food of Iceland comprises of a lot of seafood, from fermented sharks Hákarl to Hung and smoked meat Hangikjöt and Súrir hrútspungar - Sour ram's testicles.
The best places to taste Icelandic cuisine are
The local language of Iceland is Icelandic. Here is a list of most commonly used greetings in Icelandic to help you communicate better with the locals.
Along with all the photographs, and unforgettable memories you would carry along with you, the dainty shopping streets and fleas of Iceland calls for some souvenir shopping.
With around 170 campsites, Iceland offers camping opportunities in summer as well as year around. Here is a list of some of the most popular camping sites in Iceland.
Europe’s most powerful and awe-inspiring waterfalls can be found in Iceland. Here is a list of famous waterfalls in Iceland.
Iceland is famous for its glacier hiking trails. Have a look at some of the most popular glacier hiking trails in Iceland.
Iceland has some of the most remarkable landscapes on Earth making it a haven for adventure seekers. Here is a list of adventures one can do in Iceland:
Along with the undulating and ethereal landscapes, Iceland also has some notable architecture, that many are unaware about. Here is a list of some of the most iconic buildings in Iceland.
Witnessing Northern lights or Aurora Borealis is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The best time to experience northern lights in Iceland is in the months of September to mid-April. The northern lights appear on full dark nights so these months are the best time. Also the probability of witnessing northern lights depends upon the duration of your stay. It is expected you stay for at least 7 days in Iceland. Also if the sky is clear and there is no precipitation or clouds like in summers, you can experience northern lights. It is advisable to check out with the meteorological department before heading out to watch the northern lights.
Wading in warm, mineral rich, geothermal waters is the favourite pastime of people in Iceland. Here is a list of best hot springs in Iceland to calm your mind and soothe your body.
Iceland provides you unforgettable whale watching experiences all year round. Take a look at the places you can go whale watching in Iceland.
Iceland is home to over 30 active volcanoes making it the most volcanic places in the World. Here is a list of some of the most famous volcanoes in Iceland.
There is certainly no shortage of beautiful beaches in Iceland but some are simply more beautiful and we couldn’t help but list the best beaches to visit in Iceland.
The ice caves of Iceland are truly mesmerising and there are many ice cave tours you can go about exploring. Here is a list of some of the most famous ice caves to visit in Iceland.