# Iceland



## beejaybeeohio (May 29, 2014)

I am thinking about using IcelandAir to fly to the UK for a cruise/timeshare trip a year from now and taking advantage of their Iceland stopover to stay a few days. The cruise goes to the Fjords and the t/s is in Yorkshire- we hope to add another UK week via DAE (doesn't look promising) or UKRE.

Any suggestions from Tuggers who've been to Iceland as to whether to stay 2 or 3 nights and ideas of what not to miss?


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## x3 skier (May 29, 2014)

I spent some time in Reykjavik a couple of years ago. My top experiences were a bike tour of the city and a visit to The Blue Lagoon. The people are very friendly and just about everyone speaks English. 

Reykjavik is pretty flat and the city is compact so biking is easy. The Blue Lagoon is an amazing place even if you don't actually get in the water. 

Depending when you arrive, two nights could be ok but I would suggest three so you are not rushed. It would also help with adapting to the time change when you head further east. 

Cheers


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## PStreet1 (May 29, 2014)

We were there in November because we wanted to see the Aurora Borealis.  We did a golden circle tour one day, and that takes an entire day.  It's interesting, but frankly, if you've ever been to Yellowstone in the U.S., the Icelandic gysers don't count for much; they simply don't compare.

We did a city tour, and that was interesting and took a couple of hours.

On the day we arrived (the airport is odd and arranging for transportation to the city is a bit confusing), we arranged for transport to the Blue Lagoon and pick-up from there to continue on to the city.  I wouldn't do the Blue Lagoon again, but I'm glad we did.  My husband said it looked like a zombie swim meet.  Because it was November and cold out of the water, everyone was sort of squatted down in the water (most of it is very shallow) and sort of creeping along.  By the time you add in the white faces from the mud that you smear on your face to experience the wonderful youthful benefits and the steam coming off the water....well, zombie swim meet is not too far off.  (The Blue Lagoon is man made; it's actually industrial slag from a nearby plant, and is therefore, mineral laden.  The spa facility is very luxurious--and very expensive.)

Your flight will probably get to Iceland pretty early in the morning, so doing the lagoon on the way into the city works well.

Don't go to the lagoon on your way to the airport to leave.  After being in the lagoon, your hair will be dried out and rather unmanageable.  They tell you to be sure you put conditioner in your hair before going in and to leave the conditioner in your hair while you're in the lagoon--that helps, but it also contributes to the zombie swim meet look.  The water is laden with "stuff" so getting it out of your suit isn't that easy either.  For me, stopping on the way to fly out would be a real looser.

Everything in Iceland is enormously expensive; definitely be prepared for that.  You will simply not use cash at all; everyone expects to be paid with a credit card, and of course, using the credit card gives you the best exchange rate.


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## beejaybeeohio (May 31, 2014)

*Thanks*

Appreciate the tips thus far..

Re: credit cards- please tell me that we won't need chip & pin!  I know the US is finally moving in that direction thanks to the Target and Nordstrom breaches, but I'm not optimistic they'll be available 12 months from now:ignore:

Checked out the only Iceland travel guide in our area's largest library which lists some day tour providers.  We may go that route if we don't rent a car.


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## Passepartout (May 31, 2014)

beejaybeeohio said:


> Re: credit cards- please tell me that we won't need chip & pin!
> Checked out the only Iceland travel guide in our area's largest library which lists some day tour providers.  We may go that route if we don't rent a car.



Don't sweat the CC thing. Your mag-stripe cards will work fine, just carry enough cash to pay in restaurants where unscrupulous actors may try to swindle you into paying the bill in dollars instead of in Euros. I've only had this happen in places that cater to tourists (English menus, etc.)

I was able to get one of my CC's to issue me a chip & signature card- with a mag stripe (worst of both worlds!), but so far no joy on a chip'n'pin.

Jim


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## PStreet1 (May 31, 2014)

When we were there, everything was charged in Icelandic Krona.  It's important to be charged in Krona, the local currency.  The credit card company will give you the best exchange rate to dollars, but no one ever even implied that might be willing to take a charge in dollars when we were there.  

The best "buy" for food at a price close to recognizable in U.S. terms is the very famous--and very good--hot dog stand by the harbour, close to the taxi stand.  Write up below from Wikipedia  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bæjarins_Beztu_Pylsur

Bæjarins beztu pylsur (Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈpaːijarɪns ˈpɛstʏ ˈpʰɪlsʏr̥], The best hot dogs in town), often shortened to "Bæjarins beztu," is a small chain of popular hot dog stands located in Reykjavík, Iceland. The flagship stand has been in continuous operation since 1937 and sits across from the Harpa Concert Hall. There are also three additional locations in the city.[1]

It is believed that a majority of Icelanders have eaten at Bæjarins beztu. Foreign visitors are often brought to the original stand by locals eager to have them try the hot dogs, which are often called "The Icelandic National Food." Among all the famous people who have dined at Bæjarins beztu include: Bill Clinton,[2] former president of the United States, James Hetfield, vocalist for the heavy metal band Metallica, and actor Charlie Sheen.

The original stand also appeared in the first season of Anthony Bourdain's travel program No Reservations. In August of 2006, the British newspaper The Guardian also selected Bæjarins beztu as the best hot dog stand in Europe.[2]

A hot dog costs 380 krónas (as of November of 2013) and ketchup, sweet mustard, fried onion, raw onion and remoulade, a mayonnaise-based sauce that contains sweet relish, are all available as condiments. Hot dogs are often ordered with "the works" (i.e., all the condiments), or in Icelandic, "eina með öllu."


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## LJT (Jun 4, 2014)

*Iceland activities*

My husband and I took our nephew on a high school graduation trip to Iceland last year and loved it.  We went to the blue lagoon, took a jet boat ride down a river, went on a whale watching tour, went to see the steam vents, hiked the volcanoes, looked at the continental divide and took a ferry to the arctic circle but the highlight for all of us was snowmobiling on a glacier.  So clean and clear and beautiful like being at the top of the world.  We all loved our week there and would go back in a heartbeat!


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## levatino (Jun 14, 2014)

Chase Saffire cards have Chip data, btw.  And no Foreign exchange fees


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## Timeshare Von (Nov 24, 2017)

Resurrecting this old thread . . .

On a bit of a whim, I'm decided to get away in February to Reykjavik for about a week.  Airfares from O'Hare of under $400 were too good to pass up!

Primary interest will be the northern lights . . . but I'm also planning on doing some sightseeing by tour.  I've booked the Southern Coast trip as well as the Golden Circle.  If the longer Southern Coast tour goes on sale between now and then, I want to see the iceberg lagoon too.

I'm curious what folks have seen and done in the city, or perhaps as a driving trip to neighboring villages.  Anything that you think is a "must do"? (I will have a small rental car.)

As always, thanks in advance for the input!
TS Von


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## Talent312 (Nov 24, 2017)

Do the tours. But use a small tour group, not a big bus.
I'm a fan of GeoIceland... https://geoiceland.com/
Dining: At the "better" places, book at least 24 hours in advance.

Ummm, February is a bit chilly for me, but then I live in Florida.

.


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## x3 skier (Nov 24, 2017)

Took a bike tour around Reykjavik as mentioned earlier and really enjoyed it. 

Cheers


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## Timeshare Von (Nov 25, 2017)

Thanks for the input . . . bike tour in February not likely 

Unfortunately, the small mini-van tours are nearly twice as much as what I was able to book on the larger motor coach . . . so I'll probably "go cheap" and do the buses.

I ended up cancelling my rental car however, as the locals on Trip Advisor say that the small cars are just too dangerous with the weather (especially ice & high winds).


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