Golden Circle, South Coast + Reykjavik

Ok so on one of our longer drives when we visited Iceland someone looked up lesser known facts about Icelandic culture.

One that stuck with me was something like "Icelandic people are touchy about their horses, and will get defensive if you ask about them or why there are so many."

Now i didn't want to be rude to the locals so I didn't want to ask folks just living their lives and be a nuisance to them, but it really stuck with me. Is this really a thing that icelandic people don't like tourists asking about the horses? Does it really make them defensive about it? Is there a cultural thing about it? Was it just some fake factoid some internet list thought would be funny?

Een aantal hoogtepunten van de reis

1. The tours are worth it. I did the Golden Circle and the South Coast tour. Waterfalls were the only “crowded” areas. Tours will save you tons of time and money. Met some really great people from all over the world.

2. Reykjavik is very walkable. I’d say 20-30 minutes walk to get most places. In 1 day I walked from my hotel to the church, Rainbow Street, the Perlan and the marina. Caveat; I did take a taxi back to my hotel only because it was late and freezing. $20 USD for that ride

3. Disappointing: The Glacier - Only because of how much it has melted. It’s actually sad to see and it makes for a less exciting experience. If you go, do the tour where they give you a helmet and special shoes to walk on the glacier. That’s what I would do differently.

The Northern Lights - Yes they are amazing and look beautiful… when it’s clear, dark enough and they’re bright enough. I was only able to get down to the marina to see the lights over the water. Not the best place for the best experience due to the city lights still being nearby. What I didn’t expect was to only be able to see the Northern Lights through my camera lens and not with my naked eye. That was truly surprising. Still cool to see rather than nothing at all.

1. The Blue Lagoon - Do it once and don’t look back. Way too overpriced in my opinion. $100+USD to soak for 1 hour or 2 max. After 75 minutes I got bored. There are plenty of cheaper options closer to Reykjavik that are just as good if not better.

2. The food - Eating out is expensive. I spent $40-$60 USD for 1 meal per person and we aren’t talking fancy. Stop and grab stuff from Bonus or Kronan grocery stores. It’s way cheaper.

3. The weather. It’s unpredictable and it’s cold and it will be windy at some point. It doesn’t matter what the forecast says or what it looks like outside. One day I went from overcast, to rain, to snow, to sunny and to overcast again. Layer and bring a backpack to store your removed clothes or extra layers.

Bottom line - It’s beautiful and has amazing landscapes and wonderful people. Off-peak is definitely cheaper and you don’t have to deal with the crowds. Would I go back? No. Not because it’s not beautiful or I didn’t enjoy myself. Only because the world has so much more to offer that I still need to see. Purchase a package or bundle your flights and hotel and even your tours if you can such as on Expedia. It will save you money. Lastly, plan on spending a good amount of money when you’re there. Create a budget for yourself

We’ve been to winter Iceland several times and I think the weather part might be useful to share here. It's the thing people either underestimate or overestimate the most.

We wrote a detailed guide about Iceland in winter for those interested in a deep-dive: https://epiciceland.net/how-is-iceland-in-winter/

I share below the essence of it + experience form our last winter trip as that one was quite a good example of what you can generally expect in winter in Iceland.

Short version: it's not that cold. It's windy. And it changes all the time.

Our last winter example

Our last winter trip was 2 weeks, end of February / beginning of March. This is what we got:

• 3 days with weather alerts (strong wind and rain). Two of them exactly on the days of our flights. Yes, both flights got delayed
• 2 days sunny, clear skies, no wind
• 2 days sunny, clear skies and very strong wind
• 2 cloudy and windy days
• 1 rainy and foggy day
• 4-5 days with all of the above in one day

That's about normal for Iceland in winter. Plan for it.

Temperatures

Some people expect -20°C. It's not like that. In February we had between -5°C and +8°C. The ocean keeps the coast warmer, and the ring road is basically all coast. In the highlands it can get much colder, but you're probably not going there in winter anyway, unless on a super jeep tour.

And yes, it rains in winter. On our last trip there was almost no snow on the coast, it was +8 and raining. Other years it's full of snow. You can't know in advance.

Wind

Wind is the main thing. It’s rarely that much about the cold or the snow (although it rarely can be). The wind. It's stronger than what most of us are used to, and it's the reason most plans get cancelled.

Small tip: hold your car door when you open it. Wind can bend it backwards, and door damage is usually not covered by rental insurance.

Weather alerts

Iceland has yellow, orange and red alerts. Mostly for wind, sometimes with rain or snow.

• Yellow - drive only short distances and only if you have to. No mountain passes (e.g. the one to Seyðisfjörður), no hikes. Walking around is possible, but not nice
• Orange - don't drive. Strong gusts plus wet and slippery roads = recipe for an accident
• Red - stay inside. Things fly in the air

In Reykjavik or Akureyri, yellow or even orange is more bearable, you can try a walk and see how it goes. Never in red.

Check every morning

• en.vedur.is - weather and alerts
• road.is - roads. They close a lot in winter. Closed = closed, no driving at all. Impassable = some local with a big jeep may pass, you won't
• safetravel.is - just to be sure you didn't miss anything

Driving

Last time we drove a basic 4x4 Dacia Duster in February and everything except the roads marked as impassable or very difficult was ok. BUT. We come from a place where you drive on snow every winter.

If you've never seen snow on a road, it’s worth considering a guided tour. Or - take it really slowly. No sudden braking, no quick turns. And try the conditions gradually before you go for longer drives.

I'd always take at least a cheap 4x4 in winter. You can get stuck even in a car park.

And forget Google Maps times. In winter count more, sometimes roughly double.

Flights

Both of our last flights were delayed. Inbound by 8 hours (orange alert), outbound by a few more hours (wind). From what we see, flights within Europe mostly just get delayed, flights from the US or Asia get cancelled more often. So I wouldn't book anything important for the day you land.

Clothes

As I said, it's not about the cold, but more about wind and wet. No jeans. This is what I took for 2 weeks in February and it was enough:

• waterproof hiking boots with good grip, ideally insulated
• 2 lower layers - base (wool or synthetic) + water and windproof pants
• 3 upper layers - base, fleece, water and windproof jacket with a hood
• waterproof gloves, wool hat, balaclava, sunglasses, shoe covers so the snow doesn't get into your boots

My wife took one more lower layer. As always 🙂

Spikes

The thing we regretted the most not taking on our first trip. Lesson learnt. We didn't bring them and every hike longer than 15 minutes was a struggle. Quite often, everything is ice. You can buy them at home or in Iceland. For quick stops at waterfalls next to the car park you'll be ok without, but better have them.

Since that first trip we always take shoe spikes. Doesn’t have to be proper crampons, just about spikes, so that you don’t slide on the ice.

Hiking

Harder hikes like Fimmvörðuháls, Landmannalaugar, Kerlingarfjöll or Þakgil are closed from around October until the snow melts and mud disappears from the trails, i.e., usually sometime in June. You can still hike, just pick something shorter, easier, and a day with good weather. Hiking times roughly double too.

In summer I always tell people to go remote. In winter it's the opposite. Remote in winter means deep snow, no footsteps, and nobody to help you. Even the touristy spots make sense in winter - a warm café, a toilet, and people around if you get stuck.

Which month?

Weather-wise, no answer. Every year is different. A month can have zero alerts, or three in one week.

• More daylight but still winter - February, March (and sometimes October if snow/ice arrives soon)
• Most snow - November to February, typically more inland than on the coast
• Northern lights - September to April, best balance imo around September/October and March
• Busiest winter month is March, quietest December

We like end of February the most.

Iceland in winter is amazing, just don't expect it to follow your plan. It won't :)

Please share your winter Iceland experience too! We’d be glad to hear it :) What are your winter lessons learnt (the hard or the easier way)?

Hi all,

I’m heading back to Iceland this winter and I’m desperate to see the south coast as we missed this completely last time.

No car hire due to me not being used to driving in such cold climates.

What is the best tour for the south coast? I’d like to see all the main generic tourist attractions.

If possible, would also like to do the secret lagoon during this tour too. Many which I have found do not include this as I presume this is more of a golden circle visit? (I did blue and sky lagoon last time)

Any advice is very welcome, thank you!

My wife and I just got back from a long weekend, our second trip to Iceland. Our first trip was a summer week with the kids in the Westfjords. Primary purpose of this trip was to attend the Eivør concert on Friday. Secondary purpose was to see the aurora if possible. Tertiary purpose to explore more of the Reykjavík region.

We arrived morning of Oct 22, rented from Blue, and spent the day exploring Reykjanes with lunch at Sjómannastofan Vör in Grindavik (yummy fish casserole). In the evening checked into Hotel Múli (recommended, would stay again), ate at Olifa La Madre Pizza (yum!), and successfully viewed the aurora out near Grótta Lighthouse (yay!)

Friday, we hit a few stops on the Golden Circle that we skipped in the Summer. Crowds were manageable, but I did feel compelled to yell at some British teens who were vandalizing Kerið crater. They were suitably chastened.

The Eivør concert at Harpa on Friday evening was wonderful, and not just because we are fans. She gave a very high energy performance, perhaps due to friendly, familiar location at the start of a tour. I highly recommend attending a concert in the Eldborg Concert Hall if there’s something that appeals to you. It’s a lovely venue, and it was fun to be surrounded by Icelanders instead of tourists.

Saturday morning we visited the National Museum of Iceland. What a gem! I was fascinated by the exhibits from the migration/viking era, and the temporary exhibit “A Voyage in History—The Bridal Costume” is not to be missed. Saturday afternoon we visited Hallgrímskirkja and the flea market and paid our respects to Ofelia the cat (she was asleep).

Saturday evening, we wanted inexpensive Plokkfiskur, so we headed to IKEA. They had their holiday menu and the restaurant was very crowded (but line moved fast). Like the concert at Harpa, this was one of the few times we were surrounded by locals.

Sunday, gave ourselves plenty of time to check-in, clear security, and clear passport control. The whole process took about ten minutes total.

eta: forgot to mention that the iPhone maps app led us to a completely wrong location for Hotel Múli. Use the street address, not hotel name, for navigating.

P.S. That little ball of cuteness just hopped in my car 🥹

LINK!

NOTES:

Confirmed hours mean the hours are confirmed, not that a place is necessarily open on any given holiday. You have to read the information for the details on specific dates.

Use Dineout.is to make reservations, this is easiest.

DO NOT WAIT to make reservations for Christmas or NYE.

This site will continue to be updated as it has been in the past, so checking back isn't a bad idea.

Hi all- I’m traveling to Iceland in January. I’ll be staying in Selfoss for 6 days.
I’m surprising my parents with the trip and I know they will want to go out to a bar.
Looking for some chill local places. They are very much a diver bar crowd. But happy to have any suggestions of your favorite places.
Just want to build out a list so we aren’t trying to find things the day of.
Thanks so much!!

Hello folks!

I’ll be visiting Iceland this weekend and have decided to hire a campervan for the trip.

I was wondering if anyone could recommend some good spots to see the Northern Lights? From what I understand, I’ll need a dark location away from city lights, ideally somewhere along the coastline.

I’ve asked AI for some recommendations, but most of the spots it suggested are a bit too far out of my way. I’ll mainly be travelling along the south coast between Reykjavík and Vík, so I’m hoping to find somewhere in that area.

Any recommendations or tips would be greatly appreciated! 😊

Hello, I am planning an 11-day trip to Iceland to do the Ring Road with my family (3 adults). I have a dilemma regarding our timing and would appreciate your opinions.

When comparing early September versus late September, aside from daylight hours and statistically slightly worse weather, I don't see major price differences in accommodation or activities. The only noticeable difference seems to be the car rental, but not enough on its own to dictate the trip dates.

On one hand, early September offers more daylight, which feels like it would make for a more relaxed and manageable driving pace. On the other hand, we’d love to catch the Northern Lights and avoid heavy tourist crowds if possible. Maybe I'm just overthinking it, but I'd really love some real-world perspective.

A few specific questions:

1. Is it noticeably less crowded in late September?
2. What are the realistic chances of reaching Landmannalaugar via Route 208 North (we’ll be renting a compact 4x4 SUV), as I really wouldn't want to miss it?
3. Are there other major pros and cons between these two periods that I might be overlooking? Given the balance between daylight hours, crowds, and Northern Lights chances, would you choose the first 11 days of September or the last 11 days?

Thanks in advance for any insights and recommendations!

** Yes I used AI to help with phrasing/syntax since English isn't my first language..

I'll be visiting Reykjavik in early December and was wondering if there would be any professional handball games happening at that time in Reykjavik? I have tried to find a schedule online, but haven't had much luck. Also, if anyone has any other suggestions on live sports to attend/watch that time of year I'd be interested.

It's between 4 and 5 AM in central Reykjavík. The streets are empty and the city hasn't woken up yet. Come along, and let the quiet keep you company for a while.

Gorgeous country with accessible sights everywhere but going to have to try again in Alaska

Hi everyone! I’m 29F planning my first solo trip to Iceland and torn between two options:

Dec 28–Jan 6 (10 days): Already have refundable flights booked, but wondering if 10 days is too long given the limited daylight, winter weather and costs.

Feb 13–17 (5 days): A shorter, potentially cheaper trip, but worried about weather-related tour cancellations.

My main priorities are:
- Blue ice cave
- Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach
- Northern Lights (hopefully!)
- visit sky lagoon or blue lagoon, swimming pools
- golden circle day tour, if time permits

I won’t be driving and plan to use guided tours.

I’m definitely returning in summer to experience Iceland’s green landscapes, waterfalls and other attractions, so I don’t need to squeeze everything into this winter trip.

Which option would you recommend for these experiences? Is February better, or would 5 days be too risky with potential weather disruptions?
Would love to hear your thoughts! 😊

Hi everyone!

Currently travelling in Iceland and looking for some good gloves to keep my hands warm and dry in cold, windy and rainy weather!

I get chilblains quite easily :(

Ideally looking for one pair for everyday wear and another for hiking.

I’ve heard lots of good things about Icelandic wool gloves, but wondering if they’re scratchy or itchy? Also open to other materials or brands/ shop to check out here..

Would love to hear what works for you, especially if you struggle with chilblains too. Thanks so much! 😊

Hello everyone! I've been going through the sub for the last 3 days looking for advice on tour providers and options, since we just added Iceland to our trip, which is very soon (nervous giggles). I've chosen 2 tours so far and would really appreciate any different insights or ideas from you, awesome people of Reddit!

I'm arriving in Reykjavik on Nov 9th at 11am and was thinking of strolling around the city and visiting the Blue Lagoon on that first day. We're planning to stay in Iceland until the 14th or 15th.

It's me and my husband. We've never driven in snowy conditions or on icy roads, so even though we really can't stand bus tours and touristy tours with lots of people, we decided that tours are the wisest and safest option this time.

1. We liked the idea of snowmobiling: https://adventures.is/iceland/day-tours/snowmobiling/golden-circle-and-snowmobiling/

2. Hiking was the reason for this one: https://adventures.is/iceland/day-tours/glacier-tours/glacier-tours-from-reykjavik/glaciers-and-waterfalls/

I'm very interested in Vatnajökull and in going inside an ice cave. Since we'll be based in Reykjavik, I was thinking of combining tour #2 with one that goes all the way there, to make the most of our time, but I'd like to keep the hiking from tour #2, and I haven't found any option that includes both. So maybe I should add it as a 3rd tour?

I'll look into an aurora tour as well. I'm thinking of booking it for our first night, so we have backup nights in case we can't see any. The horse tours also sound interesting, but I feel a bit uneasy about using animals as a daily part of tours.

I'm not into the Inside the Volcano tour, and I don't want to visit the man-made ice cave either. I've seen many different opinions about snorkeling at Silfra, so we're leaning towards skipping it.

We'd also like to visit Hafnarfjörður on Friday (Nov 13). Full-day tours would be on Nov 10, 11 and 12, maybe, and we'd spend the 13th and 14th in Reykjavik only.

Is there anything you think we'd regret missing that we haven't considered?

I recently rented a car from SIXT in Iceland and have now received a bill for four parking charges totaling 14,910 ISK (approximately $123 USD).

The part I am struggling with is the lack of transparency and the additional handling fees. SIXT is charging 1,290 ISK (approximately $10.60 USD) per parking incident, for a total of 5,160 ISK (approximately $42.30 USD) in handling fees alone. That is on top of the actual parking charges.

One of the charges is 5,500 ISK for N1 Hringbraut, which seems particularly high. I also have not received the original parking invoice or sufficient documentation for this charge. During my trip, I encountered a parking location where I could not pay because the payment machine was not working, so I am trying to understand exactly what happened and whether these charges are legitimate.

I emailed SIXT asking for an itemized explanation, supporting invoices, and clarification of the handling fees. So far, they have not answered my questions, but they keep insisting that payment is due by October 28.
Has anyone dealt with SIXT Iceland or similar parking charges in Iceland? Is there a way to dispute these fees, request the original parking operator’s evidence, or challenge the handling fees? Should I contact the individual parking operators directly?

I am happy to pay legitimate charges, but I do not think it is unreasonable to expect proper documentation and answers before paying a bill I am disputing.
I would really appreciate advice from anyone who has dealt with this situation.

Flying from NYC. Have option for delta out of jfk at midnight or iceland air out of newark or jfk around 8:30pm. Any thoughts?

Hey folks, I’m going to sky lagoon and blue lagoon and plan on bringing back some fancy Iceland beauty products. I’m wondering what’s the relatively more affordable place to get them? Yes I know they’re very expensive, so key word is relatively 😅 I’ve considered:
1. Airport duty free
2. Gift shop at sky/blue lagoon
3. Shops in Reykjavik
4. Anything else? I’ll have time in Reykjavík and a lot of the touristy destinations

Thanks!

Hello, I’m travelling to Iceland at the end of next month (I can’t wait) but I don’t think I have suitable clothing for the weather. Could anyone tell me if my Uniqlo Down Long coat is good enough as an overcoat? I of course will layer up underneath. Help me out please!