Insight Guides Iceland

Insight Guides

• Publisher: Insight
• ISBN:
  9781786716910
• Edition: 8
• Topic: Développement personnel
• Subtopic: Voyage

To say that Iceland is a country bristling with natural beauty is something of an understatement. Volcanoes, lagoons, glaciers, waterfalls, black-sand beaches and geysers densely populate its landscape. The lively capital city of Reykjavik also has a lot to offer visitors, from the stunning Blue Lagoon to its rich cultural heritage. Be inspired to visit by the new edition of Insight Guide Iceland, a comprehensive full-colour guide to this fascinating and dramatically beautiful country.

Inside Insight Guide Iceland:

� A fully-overhauled edition by our expert Iceland author.

� Stunning, specially-commissioned new photography that brings this breath-taking country and its people to life.

� Highlights of the country's top attractions, including the Blue Lagoon and the country's best hiking trails.

� Descriptive region-by-region accounts cover the whole country, from the lively city of Reykjavik to the hot springs and whale-watching spots of Keflavik.

� Detailed, high-quality maps throughout will help you get around and travel tips give you all the essential information for planning a memorable trip, including our independent selection of the best hotels and restaurants.

About Insight Guides: Insight Guides has over 40 years' experience of publishing high-quality, visual travel guides. We produce around 400 full-colour print guidebooks and maps as well as picture-packed eBooks to meet different travellers' needs. Insight Guides' unique combination of beautiful travel photography and focus on history and culture together create a unique visual reference and planning tool to inspire your next adventure.

A-Z: A Handy Summary of Practical Information

A

Accommodation

Accommodation is relatively expensive when compared to mainland Europe. Rooms are always clean, but guests, particularly those accustomed to US hotels, are sometimes heard to comment on the small size of hotel rooms. Reykjavík’s high-end accommodation has all mod-cons, but elsewhere facilities and services can be simple; and almost all Icelandic buildings have thin walls. In spite of the long summer nights, thick curtains and black-out blinds are as rare as hens’ teeth – bring an eyemask if light bothers you. Note, you can often find good discounts with early or online bookings. Rates can be 30 percent lower September–April. You should be able to find space to bed down at camp sites but even youth hostels are usually fully booked during the peak summer period.

Most forms of accommodation, except camp sites, can be booked through tour operators in your own country; better rates can often be found this way. Links can also be found on the website of the Icelandic Tourist Board (www.visiticeland.com).

There is no publication that covers accommodation for the country as a whole, but some organisations (eg Hostelling International, Icelandic Farm Holidays) publish annual brochures listing details of their accommodations; further information is given below under the relevant sections. Hotels usually accept payment by credit card, but payment for guesthouses, farms, hostels and camp sites is generally by cash only.

Admission Charges

Although Iceland is not the cheapest country to visit as a tourist, admission charges for museums and galleries are generally quite reasonable. Expect to pay around ISK700–1,300 for entry into most museums around the country. Some attractions do not charge admission. In some instances, an entry ticket for one museum will give free entry or reduced entry to another (if they are operated by the same organisation – ask locally).

During the winter months, there is often a charge for checking in a coat when entering a bar or smart restaurant. This is not a strict admission charge but if you refuse to pay you will be denied access.

B

Budgeting for Your Trip

Following the 2008 financial crisis and the devaluing of the króna, Iceland became much cheaper for foreign visitors, although the Icelandic currency has recovered nearly all its value since then. However, a small population and high import costs still conspire to make most items and services more expensive than you will be used to paying at home. Adding to the cost, VAT on accommodation (including camp sites) was increased from 7 percent to 11 percent in January 2015; the standard VAT rate is now 24 percent. Accommodation prices change significantly according to the season: they are up to one-third lower outside the main tourist summer season.

A sit-down lunch in a restaurant costs from ISK1,500 (but look out for cheap lunchtime buffet deals), and dinner from ISK3000. Alcohol is expensive: a small bottle of beer purchased from a Vín Búð liquor store costs around ISK350, and a mid-range bottle of imported wine from ISK2,500 – expect to pay almost triple in a bar or restaurant. It’s a good idea to bring your maximum duty-free allowance with you from home.

Reykjavík’s city bus service is good value, with bus tickets costing ISK420. Taxis are costly – the meter starts running as soon as the vehicle pulls up to your hotel, and a trip from Reykjavík to the international airport costs around ISK15,000 (compared to the Flybus ticket price of ISK2,200).

Generally, if you visit during the summer, stay in decent hotels, eat out in restaurants most nights and undertake a few activities, you should expect to pay upwards of ISK30,000 per person per day, based on two people sharing. However, it is possible to cut costs by staying in guesthouses or youth hostels and eating the odd meal in a restaurant – for this, you should reckon on about ISK20,000 per day. Camping and self-catering will cost around ISK10,000 per day.

C

Climate

Iceland’s temperate oceanic climate is surprisingly mild for the latitude (63–66°N), thanks to the Gulf Stream and prevailing southwesterly winds. However, these mild breezes frequently meet with icy Arctic air, creating extremely changeable weather fronts. The south and southwest of the country are more prone to storms and rain: for example, the south side of Vatnajökull, covered in thick spongy moss, receives 10 times the annual 400mm (16ins) of rain that falls on its barren northern side.

The Icelandic language allows for at least eight different degrees of wind, from logn (calm) to rok (strong gale), and you can expect to encounter most of them during your stay: Icelanders rarely bother with umbrellas, since they usually end up inside-out. Storms in the central highland deserts or glacial outwash plains can be unpleasant, whipping up soil and ash and covering the land in a brown haze.

Summer (June to August)

The main tourist season runs from June to August, when (if you’re lucky) you will experience Iceland’s finest weather. Rather than blistering sunshine, this means an average daily high temperature of around 12°C (54°F); and even in the middle of summer, you should prepare for rain, as there is a 70 percent chance that a little will fall.

For haters of heat and hayfever, though, Iceland’s climate in summer is delightfully refreshing. Combine this with White Nights during the first half June, when the sun stays above the horizon for almost 24 hours, and you are blessed with bright, mild days that seem to last forever.

High summer is also the time for hopping into a 4WD to explore the country’s interior: most of the highland routes open in July, depending on the snow thaw.

Spring (May) and autumn (September)

The first day of September signals the end of summer, and many sights and accommodation options beyond the capital close their doors. However, for those seeking to escape the summer crush of visitors, May and September are good alternatives. May is a good month for birdlife, while the weather in September can be Indian-summer glorious, with many of the highland routes still passable with care – the added dimension of autumn colours and a dusting of snow on the mountain ranges can make this one of the most beautiful months. Many accommodation and flight prices fall outside high season.

Winter (October to April)

Although winters in Iceland are not particularly cold (the average daily temperature is around 0.5°C/33°F), Arctic winds, frequent storms and long, dark days can make them feel bleak. The winter nights draw in quickly, with 12 hours of daylight in late September diminishing to just four in December. On the positive side, the dancing, billowing Northern Lights are visible between September and April.

Reykjavík is gaining in popularity as a winter-break destination, and a number of tour operators offer bargain packages out of season. Hotels, most museums and some excursions operate all year in the city. Some bus routes and most flights operate year-round but schedules can be disrupted by weather. If you plan to hire a vehicle in winter, a four-wheel drive is a must.

What to Wear

“If you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes and it will change” – so runs the local saying. Layers are the best option: besides normal summer clothing, invest in a...

Table of contents

• Iceland’s Top 10 Attractions
• Editor’s Choice
• Introduction: An Extraordinary Island
• Forged by Fire, Honed by Ice
• Decisive Dates
• Ultima Thule
• The Coming of Christianity
• The Dark Ages
• The Push For Independence
• Modern Iceland
• The Icelanders
• Icelandic Literature
• Insight: Heroes And Heroines Of The Sagas
• Living with the Environment
• Harvesting the Sea
• Insight: Life on the Land
• Food and Drink
• A Naturalist’s Paradise
• Introduction: Places
• Reykjavík
• The Reykjanes Peninsula
• The Southwest
• Vestmannaeyjar (the Westman Islands)
• The Southeast
• Insight: Natural Wonders
• Snæfellsnes and the West
• The West Fjords
• Insight: Observing Iceland’s Sea Birds
• Húnaflói and Skagafjörður
• Akureyri and Surroundings
• Grímsey
• Lake Mývatn
• Insight: Outdoor Pursuits
• The Northeast
• The East Fjords
• The Interior
• Transport
• A-Z: A Handy Summary of Practical Information
• Understanding the Language
• Further Reading