Iceland, by an Icelander.
Tours, food, history, and the small things that make a trip here yours. Written from Reykjavík.
Three good places to start
If you're new here, these three are the best on-ramps, what to actually do, eat, and know up here.
How to Plan a Custom Iceland Tour
What a custom Iceland tour actually involves, which operators to call, how to brief a designer, what it costs in ISK, and when a scheduled tour is …
13 Things to Know About Christmas in Iceland
Iceland has thirteen Yule Lads, not one Santa. A twelfth-century troll mother. A cat that inspects your wardrobe. And a national book flood on Chri…
What to Do in Reykjavik, Iceland
A local Reykjavik guide, neighbourhoods, where to stay, the pools locals actually use, where to eat, the day trips worth doing, and the small stuff…
Tours worth your money
Honest write-ups of the tours actually worth doing, what you see on the day, who runs them well, and what to skip.
The Iceland Tours Actually Worth Booking
A friendly local guide to every kind of Iceland tour worth booking, from day trips out of Reykjavik to bespoke multi-day itineraries, with prices i…
Reykjavik City Break: 2 to 5 Day Itineraries
How to plan a 2, 3 or 5-day Reykjavik city break: where to stay at every budget, day trips that pair, named restaurants and pools, ISK prices, and …
Bird Watching Tours in Iceland
A friendly Icelander walks you through bird watching tours in Iceland, the species, the cliffs, the seasons that actually matter, and the operators…
Best Day Tours from Reykjavik
Every day tour worth doing from Reykjavik, Golden Circle, South Coast, Snæfellsnes, Westman Islands, whale watching and more. Operators, ISK price…
Photography Tours of Iceland
An honest look at photography tours of Iceland, what they actually involve, when to go for what, the locations that earn their reputation, and the …
Iceland’s Glaciers, Geysers and Golden Circle
Golden Circle staples (Thingvellir, Geysir, Gullfoss) plus the glacier hikes that pair with them - operators, ISK pricing, the Strokkur eruption rh…
The country, in detail
Reykjavík, the food, the history, the way Christmas works up here. Written for people who want to understand a place, not just check it off.
The Icelandic Language, Phrase by Phrase
A friendly local takes you through what Icelandic actually is, the alphabet (yes, including thorn and eth), how to pronounce the place names, and t…
Iceland’s Geology, Fire and Ice Up Close
A friendly Icelander walks through why Iceland looks the way it does: the Mid-Atlantic Ridge under your feet, the volcanoes worth knowing by name, …
Iceland’s Climate, Season by Season
A first-person guide to Iceland's weather, daylight, storms, and microclimates by season. What to expect in each month, what to pack, and how local…
Wildlife in Iceland: Whales, Foxes, and Horses
Wildlife in Iceland: a friendly Icelander walks you through horses, arctic fox, reindeer, whales, and seals, with where to see each, who to book wi…
A History of Iceland, From Vikings to Today
A thousand years of Icelandic history, from the papar and Ingólfur Arnarson, through the Commonwealth, the sagas, Snorri Sturluson, Laki, independ…
What to Do in Reykjavik, Iceland
A local Reykjavik guide, neighbourhoods, where to stay, the pools locals actually use, where to eat, the day trips worth doing, and the small stuff…
Designing a custom Iceland trip?
If you'd rather skip the package tours and have someone build the itinerary around the places you actually care about, the custom-tour guide walks through how it works, operators, pricing in ISK, and the trade-offs that aren't obvious from the brochures.
Read the custom-tour guideBy category
Quick things to know before you come
- The dark is real in winter. December has about four hours of daylight. Pack a head torch and the right layers.
- Don’t drive an unsealed F-road in a 2WD. Iceland rentals fine you for it. The summer-only highland routes need a 4×4.
- Tap water is excellent. Bottled water is a tourist trap. Skip it everywhere except a long hike.
- The Blue Lagoon isn’t the only one. Sky Lagoon, Laugarvatn Fontana, the local pools, all worth a look depending on your budget.
- Tipping is built in. Restaurant prices include service, so you don’t need to add 18%. Round up if it was lovely’re not and that’s plenty.
- Check vedur.is and road.is daily. Storm closures aren’t dramatic, they’re routine. Plan slack into the itinerary.