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 st…
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.
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…
Fire and Ice Tours of Iceland
The real guide to fire and ice tours of Iceland — what they cover, which operators to book, what things actually cost in ISK, and how to pick the…
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 …
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.
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, indep…
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 st…
What to Eat in Iceland (and Where to Find It)
What Icelanders actually eat, where to eat it, and what to skip — from kjötsúpa and plokkfiskur to Bæjarins Beztu, Sægreifinn, and Dill, with…
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…
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.
- Tip in restaurants is included. Round up if service was lovely. You’re not expected to add 18%.
- Check vedur.is and road.is daily. Storm closures aren’t dramatic, they’re routine. Plan slack into the itinerary.