Iceland Vacations

Christianity is the most dominant of the 41 religions practiced in Iceland. Apart from Icelandic, locals speak English, Danish, and German.

Iceland has many unique customs, including Bondadagur or Husband's Day that celebrates husbands and male partners, including boyfriends or fiances. It is one of the world's most feminist countries and has the smallest overall gender gap.

Christmas is a popular holiday in Iceland but the celebrations last twelve nights, with January 6 marking the end of Christmas season. The last day of Christmas is celebrated with fireworks, bonfires, and drinking until dawn.

Despite a population of just 380,000, the number of museums and art galleries in the country is impressive. Cities, towns, and fishing villages alike have public places dedicated to art and heritage. Reyjavik has a thriving art, music, and theater scene. The Iceland Symphony Orchestra's cultural season begins in fall, and gives about 60 performances, including classical concerts and contemporary music.

The National Theater and Reykjavik City Theater have two full time companies that perform the year round. Major festivals include the Reykjavik Arts festival, featuring exhibitions, performances, and installations by local and international artists, Iceland Airwaves, a famous music festival showcasing Icelandic and international musicians, and Secret Solstice, a music and culture festival held under the Midnight Sun.

Icelanders treasure their epic sagas, passed down from generations and offering glimpses into the beliefs, struggles, and triumphs of the early settlers. The medieval sagas appeared in the 13th and 14th centuries, which are considered the golden age of Icelandic literature. 

Icelandic weather is unpredictable, changing unexpectedly and fast. Waterfalls and rainbows are common sights, but rainfall, snowfall, or extreme winds are frequent.

The best time to visit is in the summer when the midnight sun is out in all its glory and up to 24 hours of sunlight can be expected. All the attractions are open, and it is an ideal time for hiking, camping, whale watching, puffin watching, and other popular activities.

Shoulder season is between mid-May/mid-June and September through mid-October. The weather is good, tourists are fewer, and prices for accommodation are less expensive. The Golden Circle still stays busy but does not receive large numbers of summer tourists.  

In the winter, Iceland gets a few days of sunlight. The long twilight before sunlight and sunset, and the sunsets are a sight to behold. Christmas to New Year is pretty packed with tourists. It's calmer in early December and January/February, and a more peaceful time to enjoy the winter scenery and Northern Lights.

Aurora activity happens throughout the year but is difficult to observe during the summer. September of April is a popular time for Northern Lights tours. But October to March offers many opportunities too. The best places to see the mesmerizing lights include the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, Grótta Lighthouse, and Thingvellir National Park

Iceland is not in the EU but has a reciprocal agreement with the EU to waive visas for travel. Citizens of Australia, Ireland, Japan, Israel, New Zealand, the UK, and the USA can travel visa-free to Iceland and stay in the country for up to 90 days in a six-month period.

Around 20 airlines offer regular flights from North America and Europe to Iceland, with virtually all landing at Keflavik Airport, which is around minutes from Reykjavik. The average flight time between the United States and Reykjavik is about six hours.

Iceland is one of the most expensive destinations in Europe. So, it is a small comfort that tipping is not customary; restaurant bills include service charges. If you want to tip your tour guides, pay in cash in USD (or EUR).

Like most of Europe, the country has right-hand driving. The main roads of Reykjavik have one lane in each direction. Single-lane tunnels and single-lane bridges also abound. Apart from people, you may encounter sheep on roads.

Icelanders are forward-thinking but less so when it comes to mythical creatures. Surveys have found that almost half the nation believes in elves and hidden people, and that it is bad luck to deny their existence. 

Fish, Iceland's largest export product, is also its staple food. Seafood restaurants dot the country, and most have a 'fish of the day'.  Fish dishes commonly use cod, salmon, haddock, and monkfish.

Plokkfiskur is a hearty fish stew prepared with white fish, onions, potatoes, flour, milk, and seasoning. Fiskeboller or fish balls, the quintessential Norwegian dish, also features on Icelandic tables. It is made from minced white fish and typically served with white sauce, along with steamed vegetables.

Lamb is another popular meat in Icelandic cuisine. It is prepared in many ways: baked with potatoes and salad, thin-cut smoked lamb pieces are served on traditional flatbread with butter, seared rare with wild berry sauce, and incorporated in soups and stews.

Fermented shark or Hákarl is not to everyone's taste but considered a delicacy. Hákarl has a strong fishy taste; some have compared it to strong cheese. If that doesn't sound too appetizing, you may be disappointed to know that Hákarl smells of ammonia.

Humar or Icelandic lobster, with its tender, tasty meat, is a better bet. It is grilled, fried, baked, or used as pizza topping. Humarsúpa or lobster soup is a popular Icelandic dish, prepared with lobster, vegetables, and seasoning, and topped with cream and chives.

Icelandic skyr, a yogurt-like product rich in protein and low in fat, has been handed down since the Viking era. It is a dessert, had with breakfast oat flakes, and also eaten with fish.

Straight rye bread called rugbraud is a sweet-tasting, crustless bread baked low and slow overnight and served with smoked, cured, or pickled foods. Flatkaka is a round rye flatbread with a distinct pattern that was originally baked on a hot griddle.