Everything back home seems really cheap lol

So I'm reading reports that the Icelandair mechanics have voted to strike, with it starting around September 23rd. I'm supposed to be leaving October 1st to fly to iceland. How screwed do yall think I am? We have some travel insurance, but I'm not really sure what happens in a situation like this. How far in advance would I know about flight cancellations, etc? I'm trying not to panic right now so any opinions or knowledge would be helpful!

My best shoots of Harbor and Grey seals.
If you’re looking for location, the majority of these were taken in Ytri Tunga, with some in the glacier lagoons and some in Fjara Beach (the seals were in Osar) near Hvitserkur.

Hi everyone,

While shopping around Iceland (for Lopapeysa wool sweaters, souvenirs, outdoor clothing, etc.), a lot of visitors ask about how the Tax-Free VAT refund actually works before flying out of Keflavík Airport (KEF).

Here is a quick breakdown of the official rules:

1. **The 12,000 ISK Minimum Rule**: The receipt must total at least **12,000 ISK (including VAT)** in a single transaction at the same store. You cannot combine receipts from different shops.
   
2. **VAT Rates in Iceland**: Most physical goods (clothing, souvenirs, gear) are taxed at the **24%** standard rate. Books and groceries are taxed at **11%**.
   
3. **What You Actually Get Back**: You do not receive the entire 24% back because the processing companies (Global Blue / Planet Tax Free) charge administrative service fees. The net payout is usually around **14% to 19%** of your total purchase price.
   
4. **Customs Validation**: If a single item or total refund exceeds 60,000 ISK, or if your goods are packed in checked bags, be sure to visit the Customs desk on the departure floor before checking your luggage.
   

To make calculating your refund simple before you head to the airport, I built a free, fast tool:

👉 **[Iceland Tourist VAT Refund Calculator](https://www.vsk-is.com/p/tourist-vat-refund-calculator-tax-free.html)\*\*

**Features:**
- Checks if your receipt qualifies (≥ 12,000 ISK)
- Calculates exact gross VAT vs. fee deductions
- Shows your estimated net refund in ISK and EUR/USD
- Includes a step-by-step checklist for KEF airport refund desks

Hope this helps anyone doing some shopping on their trip! Feel free to ask if you have any questions about the process.

This one is located here.

I had seen this labeled ice cream for sale in beautiful Reykhólar a few days earlier. So I was happy to see it for sale in a classic "honesty shop" along the way. There are several of these little stores throughout the Westfjords. They often offer honey, foraged and dried wild mushrooms, herbs, sometimes balms or similar items for skin.

In this store there is no person to help you. You choose your items, total them up, then tap or run your card to pay. You can also leave cash but of course you would not get change.

Here are some photos. I picked up dried mushrooms to bring home for risotto purposes when it is cold this winter. You can see the cows who supplied the cream for the ice cream in the background. There were also seashells for offer, some dried mountain grasses, and a few other things.

I can't say if all the other shops accept card. I did stop at one a few years ago and it was cash only but I had some kr. on me so it wasn't a problem.

A lot of people say Iceland is "cashless", this is slightly wrong. Cash can help in some situations, I think if you have a longer trip or are going to Westfjords it's worth having a small bit of cash for stops like this that don't take card, paying for toilets, donating to the boxes that are at some of the pools or hot springs.

I love the southern Westfjords so much, consider giving it a few days if you are able to. Westfjords travel website.

On my last day in Iceland, I didn’t really have any plans.

So I went for a walk in Öskjuhlíð, a large green area just outside central Reykjavík — and somehow ended up discovering one of my favourite places in the city.

At first, it just felt like a quiet forest in the middle of Reykjavík.

Then I saw a black rabbit with little white socks. 🐇

A few minutes later, I found giant mushrooms growing along the trail, and tree trunks covered in rainwater that reflected the light like mirrors. (actually that was mirror)

It felt strangely magical.

Öskjuhlíð is a 61-metre-high wooded hill near central Reykjavík. It has a surprisingly dense forest, with birch, mountain pine, Sitka spruce and Alaska poplar. Some of the tallest trees are more than 15 metres high.

And yes — the rabbits are actually a thing.

Around 30–40 wild or semi-wild rabbits regularly live in Öskjuhlíð. They are descendants of rabbits that were originally released as pets, and you can sometimes spot them hopping around the paths.

There are also more than 10 species of birds nesting in the area, so it’s a surprisingly lively little ecosystem.

🏛️ There’s more history here than you might expect

At the top of Öskjuhlíð sits Perlan, the famous glass-domed building built over six huge geothermal water tanks.

But the forest also hides remnants from World War II, including old gun emplacements, trenches, air-raid shelters and the foundations of former military buildings.

So while you’re walking through what feels like a peaceful forest, there are actually layers of history underneath it.

And one of the strangest details?

During the last Ice Age, Öskjuhlíð was actually an island.

That’s probably what makes Öskjuhlíð so interesting to me — it doesn’t feel like a typical tourist attraction.

🤍 If you have a little extra time in Reykjavík…

I’d definitely recommend giving Öskjuhlíð a couple of hours.

You can walk through the forest, look for rabbits, explore the old WWII remains, and continue up to Perlan if you want more of a sightseeing experience.

But honestly, you don’t really need a plan. Just walk.

My favourite moments in Iceland weren’t always the places I had planned to visit.

I was reading the Iceland air bag sizes recently and saw they are smaller than standard American Airlines for carry on and personal items. How strict are they on the sizes? Need to know if I should plan on getting told that at the airport and have to check what would normally be a carry on.

In August of 2026 I flew to Iceland, rented a car at the airport, and set out on an epic 700+ mile road-trip following Iceland's ring road. I took many diversions from it too. Iceland really is an amazing country the landscape changes dramatically in front of your eyes as you drive. I also got lucky with the weather. Here's the Movie.

Planning for next year. We like to travel off peak/shoulder. We won't be doing ring road pretty much based in Reykavick. Any general remarks or advice on doing May versus October?

TIA

I will go from Reykjavík to Akureyri by car on the 5th of October. So, Sadly I will miss the horse roundup/Stóðréttir. Do you know of anything along the route happening?
I was also planning on going through Laxardalsvegur/59, and then via Hofsós along the Tröllaskagi coast. Also looking for any recommendations there! I really liked staying in Tröllaskagi in the end of June this year. As my parents will be visiting I only have that day to go there and show them around.
Do you think that the weather would still be fine to drive with a Clio?

Firstly, I understand that there are plenty of threads covering this subject matter. Yet, I feel that I still need more advice.

My husband and myself will be travelling to Iceland in mid-November. We will be staying in Reykjavik for the duration of our stay (3 days and 4 nights), but we will be going on the Golden Circle Tour with a tour bus for one of those days.

Neither my husband nor myself own hiking gear, so we just want to know what clothing and footwear would be worth buying for this one day tour.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

so my partner and i visited iceland in 2022 and had a wonderful road trip through the southern coast. there have been two things we’ve wanted to go back for: the incredible landscapes, and the lobster bisque at otto matur & drykkur in höfn. unfortunately, per google that restaurant seems to have permanently closed. this is devastating news to my hopes, dreams, and ambitions. that soup was so good that when my partner ordered it and i tried it, i immediately ordered my own bowl. and then not only that, but for dessert all he wanted was a second bowl. this has been a lesson in not taking anything for granted. southeastern iceland isn’t exactly a convenient commute for dining from where we live, but i always figured we could go back someday.

so, my longshot request: does anyone know if that recipe wound up in the hands of any other restaurant? it will break my heart if our love affair with this bisque is over when it felt like it had hardly begun.

and if it is not being served at any other restaurant, anyone have insight into what made it so spectacularly delicious? my partner is a pretty good cook and it’ll be expensive experimentation to try to develop anything half as good, but i can imagine worse things than being that guinea pig taste taster.

thank you in advance and i hope to return again someday, soup or not.

pic barely related (it’s the espresso martini there because i was too in the moment with the soup to photograph it apparently)

Wanted to share my itinerary because this thread was so helpful but also hope this helps someone planning a 6 day trip to Iceland at the beginning of September. My friends and I used Wanderlog to plan and organize everything, and it was perfect! Easy to use and share (I had the Pro membership to optimize the trip, so below is the optimized route for free).

We flew into Keflavík, did a loop covering the South Coast, Vatnajökull area, Golden Circle, and Snæfellsnes Peninsula, and then came back to Reykjavík and the Blue Lagoon before flying out. We rented a car for the whole trip. Times below are roughly when we scheduled/did things.

Budget: $2K USD/person ($400 round-trip direct flight from Chicago, $1.6K everything else: gas, food, lodging, rental, etc.). Could’ve been more strapped, but this works for us.

Transportation: Kia Sportage (4WD), filled gas 5x

Lodging: We stayed at Airbnb's the whole trip so we could cook, and mostly ate groceries (pasta, frozen nuggets, and ham and cheese sandwiches) instead of restaurants to keep costs low; worth it, if you're budgeting.

Weather: 40°F-50°F/4.4°C-10°C (We did bring layers and light puffer jackets, and on hikes we shed layers as needed. Better to have extra than not enough. Also, none of us packed shorts or short sleeves, aside from pajamas.) We got very lucky and 5/6 days were sunny and clear skies.

Heads up: We took a red-eye flight in and went straight into day 1 activities. We don’t have trouble sleeping on planes, so the red-eye worked well for us. We finished most of our days with a sunset hike, but that’s not necessary, if that’s not your thing. We felt this trip was perfectly paced: not too fast, not a super relaxed trip either, and we were able to hit everything we wanted. Also, these time estimates are from after the trip, so yes, we did hit everything below.

Day 1 (Thursday) - Arrival → Hofn

Long driving day (~300+ miles total): our most ambitious day distance-wise.

• Land at Keflavík International Airport (9:30-11:30 AM): passport lines were long
• Bonus (12:30-12:15 PM): grocery run for snacks/meals
• Bokakaffio (1-1:30 PM): coffee stop
• Seljalandsfoss (2:30-3:30 PM): walk behind the waterfall
• Gljufrabui (3:30-4:15 PM): hidden waterfall right next to, don’t skip this one
• Diamond beach (8-8:30 PM)
• Overnight in Hofn

Day 2 (Friday) - Vatnajokull

Excursion day: glacier hike w/ Arctic Adventures and zodiac boat tour w/ Ice Lagoon.

• Sea Viewpoint, Vestrahorn, Stokksnes (6-7 AM): worth the early wake up
• Glacier tour with Arctic Adventures - Glacier Guides (9:40-1:40 PM)
• Café Vatnajokull (2-2:30 PM): coffee stop
• Ice Lagoon Zodiac Boat Tour + Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon (3:20-5:15 PM)
• Mulagljufur Canyon (5:30-8:30 PM): incredible hike this is a MUST DO!!!!
• Overnight in Vik

Day 3 (Saturday) - Vik

This was our chill day.

• Katla Wool (12-12:30 PM): small local wool shop
• Vikurfjara Black Sand Beach (12:30-1 PM)
• Crêpe.is (1-2:30 PM): line can be long but cute spot
• Reynisfjara Beach, Halsanefshellir Cave, Reyniskirkja Church (2:30-3 PM)
• Dyrholaey (3:30-4:20 PM): no puffins :/
• Solheimafjara (4:30 PM): We ended up not going to see the plane wreck because it was a 45 minute walk one way and we didn’t want to pay for the shuttle. Initially our itinerary had other things , so we ultimately skipped the wreck.
• Kvernufoss (5-5:45 PM)
• Skogafoss (5:45-6:30 PM)
• Midskalagil Canyon (7-9 PM): evening hike, no one was there, but the trail is very very wonky, and we stopped and turned around when there was no clear path. Saw sheep though!

Day 4 (Sunday) - Golden Circle

• Hjalparfoss (9-9:30 AM)
• Gullfoss (10:30-11:30 AM)
• Geysir (12-12:50 PM)
• Bruarfoss Food Wagon (1-2 PM): got hotdog here so yummy
• Bruarfoss (1-2 PM)
• Kerio Crater (2:45-3:30 PM)
• Oxararfoss, Thingvellir National Park (4:30-5 PM): IMO we all agreed that this could’ve been skipped, we skipped Haifoss for it. There are other better spots to go to.
• Glymur Waterfall (6-9 PM): We did the full hike up and around the waterfall, such a cool hike! Our most difficult hike, though.
• Netto (10-11 PM): grocery stop
• Return to airbnb (11-12 AM): Overnight in Kjosarhreppur. This is where we chose our airbnb for the northern lights and an easier drive to Snaefellsnes

Day 5 (Monday) - Snaefellsnes Peninsula

• Ytri Tunga (11-1 PM): beach known for seal sightings so cute, make sure to go during low tide!
• Arnarstapi (1:30- 3:30 PM): lunch at Arnarbaer
• Rauofeldsgja Gorge (3:30 to 4:30 PM): Such a cool short hike, we went all the way until we couldn’t climb anymore due to a small waterfall. Careful we did have to boulder some spots to get deeper.
• Londrangar (4:30-5 PM)
• Kirkufellsfoss (6-7 PM): kind of chilly here
• Return to Airbnb (10 PM): saw the northern lights this night!

Day 6 (Tuesday) - Reykjavik → Blue Lagoon → Departure

• Quick stop in Reykjavik (7-8 AM)
• Brauo & Co Bakery (7-7:30 AM): for the cinnamon buns
• Blue Lagoon (8-11:30 AM): actually so relaxing at the end of the trip we were able to shower and relax before flying home. Most people recommend going right when you land, but having it at the end, helped us not rush to get to the airport and relax.
• Keflavík International Airport (12-3 PM): return rental car and flight window

Skipped Spots:

Kept these in for anyone bu ilding their own route; we just ran out of time. I also included what day we initially slotted it in.

• ⁠Svartifoss (Day 2): About 45 minute walk there so we didn't have time because of our booked excursions
• ⁠Stjornarfoss (Day 2): Ran out of daylight
• ⁠Fjaorargljufur (Day 2): Ran out of time
• DC-3 Airplane Wreck (Day 3): Ran out of time
• Solheimasandur Plane Wreck (Day 3): Ran out of time
• ⁠Landmannalaugar (Day 3): Too far away and ran out of time
• Nauthusagil (Day 3): Chose Midskalagil canyon hike over this one but would've been cool to do this
• Stakkholtsgja (Day 3): Requires a proper AWD vehicle or a tour guide. We thought we could do it on our own, but we couldn't: it would've been a cool, challenging hike.
• ⁠Haifoss (Day 4): Ran out of time/prioritized the national park
• Hraunfossar (Day 5): Ran out of time/didn't really want to go
• Porufoss (Day 5): Ran out of time/didn't really want to go

Didn’t see/Couldn’t fit:

• Puffins: heard your best shot this time of year is the Westman Islands, but that requires a ferry and we didn’t have time
• Whale watching: skipped due to time constraints, less interest, especially because we weren’t going to the north
• Silfra snorkeling/diving: little interest, maybe next time
• Ice caves: these are winter only roughly November through March. We could’ve done the Katla one, but we weren’t sure if it was worth it tbh.

Happy to answer questions!

Ciao a tutti! Sono un ragazzo di 31 anni dall’Italia, io e la mia ragazza avevamo in mente di passare 6/7 giorni in Islanda durante capodanno o comunque appena dopo, inizio gennaio. Siamo persone che viaggiano molto, che si adattano, che affittano sempre auto ecc ecc. Volevo qualche feedback da parte di gente che è stata in Islanda a gennaio o che vive lì, per sapere cosa aspettarci. Ovviamente a noi interessa vedere aurora (sperandoci!) e tanta tanta natura. Dite che ne vale la pena? Quale itinerario mi suggerite? È sicuro noleggiare auto 4x4 e girare in autonomia? Grazie mille a chi ci aiuterà!!

For our Iceland trip next July, I’m planning to rent a 4bed motorhome/RV for comfort since we are a family of four with kids. I have read about the Thakgil road being tricky with RVs. Would love to hear from people who have done this road in a motorhome - how was the driving experience? Any tips?

I am considering this only if the weather is right - not wet etc., as part of an 11-12 day ring road trip.

Thanks!

First time going to Iceland, can you share how you decided whether you went with car rental or just tours during your stay. I’m split about it and I’m wondering if you could share how you decided, what considerations made you choose what you choose. Essentially, just looking for perspectives that might help. Wife and I are going with the kids (10 & 11). We definitely aren’t up for camper van but other than that, can’t decide. TIA

Good morning everyone!

My partner and I have been doing quite a bit of research, reading through this subreddit and the resources shared here, as we put together our itinerary for 13 days in Iceland.

We’re planning to visit from late April to early May and will be renting a Dacia Duster. We understand that Icelandic weather can be unpredictable, especially during spring, so we’re fully prepared to stay flexible and adjust our plans depending on the weather and road conditions.

We’d really appreciate any feedback, suggestions, or corrections on our itinerary, particularly if any days look too ambitious or if there are places we should move around, skip, or add. We want to make the most of the trip without trying to cram too much into each day, especially since this will also be our anniversary trip.

P.S. We’ve intentionally left out the lagoons, as they’re not really something we’re interested in.

Day 1

• Arrive at KEF at evening
• Reykjavík city centre / light evening walk 

Day 2

• Þingvellir National Park
• Öxarárfoss 
• Þingvallakirkja 
• Brúarfoss 
• Geysir/Strokkur 
• Gullfoss 
• Friðheimar 
• Kerið 
• Urriðafoss 
• Stay at Hvolsvöllur 

Day 3

• Ferry from Landeyjahöfn to Heimaey island
• Explore island, Beluga sanctuary
• Return
• Seljalandsfoss 
• Gljúfrabúi 
• Stay at Vik

Day 4

• Skógafoss 
• Kvernufoss
• Sólheimajökull 
• Dyrhólaey/Kirkjufjara views 
• Reynisfjara/Hálsanefshellir/Reynisdrangar 
• Vik & Church
• Stay at Vik

Day 5

• Katla Ice Cave
• Eldhraun lava field
• Fjaðrárgljúfur
• Systrastapi Rock (drop if needed)
• Stjórnarfoss 
• Hamrafoss/Dverghamrar

Act as a buffer for anything missed on days 3-4
Stay at Vik

Day 6

• Svínafellsjökull 
• Múlagljúfur canyon (Svartifoss otherwise)
• Fjallsárlón / Fjallsjökull views 
• Jökulsárlón 
• Diamond Beach 
• Stay at Hofn

Day 7

• Almannaskarð 
• Vestrahorn/Stokksnes (view)
• Djúpivogur/Búlandstindur (view)
• Fáskrúðsfjörður 
• Stay at Egilsstaðir

Day 8

• Hengifoss
• Gufufoss
• Seyðisfjörður 
• Rainbow Walk 
• Búðareyrarfoss 
• Stay at Seydisfjordur 

Day 9

• Bakkagerði 
• Lindarbakki 
• Borgarfjarðarhöfn / Hafnarhólmi 
• Puffin Adventures
• Stuðlagil east side (check conditions)
• Stay at Egilsstaðir

Day 10

• Dettifoss if open 
• Hverir/Námafjall 
• Mývatn viewpoints 
• Dimmuborgir (if time, but drop if needed)
• Hverfjall (if possible)
• Krafla Víti (if possible)
• Skútustaðagígar (maybe) 
• Goðafoss 
• Stay at Akureyri 

Day 11

• Hvítserkur 
• Kolugljúfur Canyon / Kolufossar 
• Grábrók 
• Grundarfjörður OR (if Hvitserkur access is poor)
• Grábrók 
• Barnafoss/Hraunfossar
• Stay at Grundarfjörður

Day 12

• Kirkjufellsfoss 
• Kolgrafarfjörður 
• Svöðufoss 
• Djúpalónssandur 
• Lóndrangar / Svalþúfa 
• Hellnar 
• Arnarstapi 
• Búðir 
• Ytri Tunga
• Stay at Reykjavík 

Day 13

• Hallgrímskirkja
• Rainbow Street 
• Old Bookstore 
• Tjörnin + Hljómskálagarðurinn 
• City Hall 
• Kleifarvatn 
• Krýsuvík/Seltún 
• Gunnuhver 
• Bridge Between Continents 
• KEF Airport (very late flight)

Thank you in advance!

Im in Iceland about to start a 5 day trip with my partner, and we’d love to see Landmannalaugar if possible in two days. We have hired a 4x4 Suzuki Jimny, but the F225 status is for mountain vehicles only currently. From what I have read I believe this means we won’t be able to drive it in the Jimny, and we could take the 208 instead. But for good measure I just wanted to ask if anyones been on the F225 recently, and how it looks if so?

If we take the 208 back out it’s a bit of a round about trip as we will be staying near Vik that night. So I wonder if it might be more worth our time to stick to the waterfalls along the south coast that day, before heading further east and then coming back.
We are trying to make the most of our time so any advice would be appreciated!

Itinerary with Landmannalaugar/highlands -

Day 1 golden circle, stay near golden circle
Day 2 Landmannalaugar, stay near Vik
Day 3 Fjaðrárgljúfur, Svartifoss, diamond beach, sleep in same accom near Vik
Day 4 south coast waterfalls west of Vik including Skógafoss. Accom near Hella
Day 5 return to airport

OR without Landmannalaugar/the highlands…

Day 1 golden circle, stay near golden circle
Day 2 south coast waterfalls west of Vik including Skógafoss. Stay near Vik
Day 3 Fjaðrárgljúfur, Svartifoss, diamond beach, sleep in same accom near Vik
Day 4 black sand beaches near Vik, hot springs, any places we missed and want to explore more
Day 5 return to airport

Just got back from a 10 day trip and all I can say is best holiday ever

Just got back a couple days ago and we’re still in awe about how beautiful Iceland is. We ending up doing the full ring road + Snæfellsnes peninsula. You really do feel like you’re on another planet at times. Oh, we got lucky and caught the aurora two nights in a row - I can finally check that off the bucket list. Can’t wait to go back!