home Other countries Best Time to Visit Iceland - Pros and Cons of Each Season! Interview: How to travel to Iceland on your own? Tourist season in Iceland.

Best Time to Visit Iceland - Pros and Cons of Each Season! Interview: How to travel to Iceland on your own? Tourist season in Iceland.

One of the largest volcanic islands on the planet, where fire meets ice, Iceland is an island nation located in the Atlantic Ocean. There are many attractions on its territory that attract tourists from all over the world. But when is the best time to go to Iceland to get the most out of your trip? This will be discussed in more detail in this article.

Features of all seasons in Iceland

To decide exactly when to go to Iceland, you need to decide what kind of weather you prefer, because the same country can look different in different seasons. Peculiarity island state is the absence of extreme temperatures, regardless of the season. But in rare cases they can change literally within a day. Let's consider climatic features each of the four seasons in Iceland.

Autumn

In autumn, the temperature does not rise above +17°C, but does not fall below +2°C. The duration of daylight in September is 13 hours, and in October – 9 hours. The main advantages of the autumn period include:

Not a large number of tourists;

reduction in prices for various services for travelers (housing rental, car rental, etc.);
the opportunity to see the Northern Lights - the first of this season;
the appearance of comfort with the advent of darkness;
the trees begin to bloom golden.

The disadvantages of the autumn season include unpredictability of weather(it may be wet, windy or very cold). You may also miss out on the fall blooms if you choose the wrong travel month.

Winter

With the onset of winter, the temperature in Iceland drops significantly - from -2°C to +7°C, and from geographical location The temperature regime depends (closer to the north of the country the weather is colder). The duration of daylight in December, as in January, decreases to 4 hours, but closer to mid-February, daylight is already 7 hours.

The benefits of the winter season include:

excursions to frozen waterfalls and snow-capped mountains;
New Year celebration (fireworks, fun);
visiting Christmas markets;
the opportunity to travel through ice caves;
swimming in hot springs, of which there are many in Iceland;
tourist walks through snow-covered attractions - these are amazing landscapes;
world-famous gold clock (at this time, the duration of dawn and sunset takes up almost the entire daylight hours in winter time).

But winter Iceland is not only positive, because due to the short daylight hours, it is impossible to get to the mountain roads without a tour. In addition, in December the weather is very changeable, so it will be difficult for travelers to plan a route and predict the weather. Darkness is a serious obstacle for tourists on their way to exploring local attractions. It is difficult to see beautiful places in a few hours.

Note! The weather in winter is very cold, so if you are planning to visit Iceland in winter, you need to carefully prepare for the trip and stock up on good warm clothes.

Spring

Starting in March, the temperature in Ireland increases (from 0°C to +10°C), and the duration of daylight hours increases to 15-18 hours. The main advantages of the spring period include the following:

relatively small number of tourists compared to summer;
warm weather and long daylight hours (you can visit a large number of attractions in a day);
there is an opportunity to see the Northern Lights (in early April);
beautiful warm weather - ideal for travel, absence of crowds of tourists from other countries and inflated seasonal prices;
along with the melting of the snow, all the plants gradually begin to bloom, decorating the already beautiful area.

Even though temperatures rise in the spring, you still won't be able to travel in light clothing like shorts and a T-shirt. In order not to freeze and not spoil your travel experience, you should always have a warm jacket or coat with you.

Summer

This is a great time to travel, including to Iceland, because the temperature in summer rises to +16°C, and sometimes higher. Daylight lasts more than 20 hours, so at the height of summer, that is, in June, there is not even twilight. This is an excellent opportunity for tourists to visit the maximum number of interesting places for one day.

The main advantages of the summer period in Iceland include the following:

the official opening of several Highland roads, allowing travel access to some destinations;
in summer, music festivals are held in major cities;
outwardly Iceland becomes more attractive - everything turns green, blooms and smells;
June 20 marks the longest sunny day in Iceland.

There are not many disadvantages of staying in Iceland in the summer. Let's consider the main ones:

even in summer it is not as warm as we would like, so you can’t count on walking under the hot sun;
It's light outside all day long. Many people enjoy this, but some people find it difficult to sleep in bright light outside;
increasing prices for housing, transport rental and other services for tourists;
large crowds of people. It will be difficult to find at least one attraction where there is not a whole crowd of tourists, because in the middle of summer the tourist season reaches its peak.

Each season has its own advantages and disadvantages in terms of staying in Iceland, so when choosing a time to travel, you need to weigh the pros and cons. Of course, even if you go in the winter cold or autumn rains, you will return home with a large load of impressions and positive emotions. That's why everyone loves visiting Iceland.

Best time to travel

As statistics show, a trip to Iceland is mainly decided by people who want to escape from everyone for a while, hide from boring and smoky cities, and be alone with pristine nature and just relax your soul. In the case of Iceland, you can get all this without experiencing a “cultural hunger strike.” The volcanic island is located in the northernmost part of Europe, it combines fantastic landscapes with multiple volcanoes, some of them active.

On a note! Every tourist lucky enough to visit Iceland should visit the Hekl volcano, the Valley of Geysers and the multi-level Gullfoss waterfall. The pleasant sound of underground waters, unity with nature and complete enjoyment of the local landscapes - all this will surely touch the farthest strings of the soul and remain there in the form of pleasant memories.

Iceland. Mystical landscapes

If we talk about the best time to explore the country, it is, of course, mid-summer. Judge for yourself: long sunny days, warm weather, green blooming nature and regular traffic public transport. If you are not bothered by rising housing prices and a large number of tourists, then the best time to go to Iceland is in the summer.

Trip to Iceland

Even though Iceland is popular among travelers around the world, the size of the incoming flow of tourists from other countries still remains relatively small. First of all, this is due to the high cost of air tickets - the high cost of flights affects the current trend. But high prices for vacation and flight, as well as the short duration of the tourist season do not prevent many tourists from visiting this country.

Visa application

To visit Iceland you need. This can be done privately or by contacting travel agency. But if you decide not to spend money on the services of a travel agency and apply for a visa yourself, then you will need to visit a visa center, which is in every major city in Russia (Samara, Rostov-on-Don, Kazan, St. Petersburg and, of course, Moscow ).

The cost of a visa to visa centers RF includes such payments as service fee and visa fee. Their total amount is just over 2,500 rubles. If you have not decided which visa to apply for – a single-entry visa or a multiple-entry visa (with the possibility of multiple entries into Iceland), then it is worth understanding that the cost of these visas is the same.

How to get there

Unfortunately, it is impossible to get from Russia to Iceland by direct flight, so you need to change planes in large European cities eg in Stockholm, London or Copenhagen. There are two main airlines flying to Iceland: Icelandair and SAS.

If you don't want to spend money on air travel, you can choose a ferry as an alternative method of transportation. But to do this you need to get to Denmark, from where ferries regularly sail to the volcanic island. Ocean crossings are carried out by local companies. As a rule, the cost of a ticket is small, so if you are on a budget for your trip, then ferry crossing– this is a great option.

Money issue

The national currency of Iceland is crowns, so if you come to this country with dollars or euros, you can exchange them at the nearest bank or hotel where you are staying during your vacation. All banks operate from Monday to Friday, as in Russia, so there will be no difficulties with the exchange. At these same establishments you can cash traveler's checks. In many stores you can pay using a bank card (American express, Visa and others), which is very convenient.

Note! You can pay for goods or groceries in most supermarkets in euros or dollars, so there is no need to urgently search for the nearest exchange offices. When purchasing for foreign currency, the seller will give the change in crowns, calculating the difference at the current exchange rate.

Where to go

Iceland is one of the few countries that, when visiting for the first time, you want to travel completely to get as many impressions as possible. But what if you don’t have much time to travel? What places to visit first? Below is a list of places we recommend visiting first.

Table. The main attractions of Iceland.

Place name	Description
	That's what it's called in Iceland geothermal pool, which is known in almost all countries. He is famous thanks to chemical composition water in which pathogenic microorganisms die when they enter the Blue Lagoon.
	Lutheran Church, which features a futuristic appearance. Millions of tourists from all over the world visit the island solely to look at Hallgrimskirkja. It is worth noting that when looking at the temple, for most tourists (orthodox-minded), the appearance of this structure causes not only surprise, but also bewilderment.
	A unique place, attractive due to the presence of waterfalls, thermal geysers and beautiful national parks. Not everyone has heard of the island, so the number of tourists on it is small.
	A large sea bay located in the western part of the island. This place got its name because large cluster whales that can be seen with the naked eye from the shore. Many tourists visit Whale Fjord because of the opportunity to admire the giant sea creatures.
	An ancient volcano, which is located 10,000 meters from the capital of Iceland. Esya is not only a volcano that pleases the eye, but also one of the most common female names on the island. Fans of panoramic views will love this place.
	A small valley located in the southern part of Iceland, but at the same time Thingvellir is a park. Known for the fact that in early 2004 it was officially recognized as an object World Heritage UNESCO. Every year, many tourists traveling around Iceland visit Thingvellir.

There are many different options organizing the trip. For example, for traveling you can rent vehicle or book a paid excursion. But from the point of view of economy, it is better to choose the first option and rent a car at the airport. Then, based on your personal preferences, you can create a route and include places of interest to you.

Some facts about the island

If you're really interested in visiting the volcanic island, you might be interested in the following:

all the inhabitants of the island are long-livers, so their average life expectancy is 76-80 years. Of course, if you are more than 100-105 years old, you will not be able to impress any of the local residents;

sounds unlikely, but many Icelanders really believe in trolls who live not only on the Internet, but also in real life. Even engineers and builders, when constructing a new highway or bridge, first consult with folklorists so that during the work they do not touch the trolls’ homes or their habitats;
By law, it is strictly forbidden to bring a live horse into Iceland. No one knows exactly what exactly is behind this ban, but even if the horses were taken from the island, it will not be possible to return them back;
in winter, Iceland is not as cold as it may seem to many people who have not previously visited this country. In rare cases, the temperature drops to -6 degrees, but not lower;
Despite its popularity among tourists, Iceland is a sparsely populated country, since per 1 sq. km. Only 3 people arrive. Therefore, even after breaking up, people communicate with each other, trying to maintain friendship, since most of their friends are still common;

Icelanders take water from numerous geysers that are located throughout the island. Groundwater is very pure, so it doesn't even need to be filtered. But in rare cases, the liquid may smell like dihydrosulfide, which is an absolute disadvantage of living in this country.

Another interesting fact, which few people know about: Iceland is one of the few countries that does not have an army. There are only such structures as the police and Border Service(meaning Coast Guard), but they are not supposed to carry any type of firearms. Even if the Icelanders had an army, the soldiers most likely would not have been issued weapons either.

Video - Should you go to Iceland in winter?

Iceland attractions: Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon© visiticeland.is

Photo 1 of 33:© easyjet.com

Unfortunately, none of the journalists website I've never been to Iceland, although we all dream of going there amazing island. Therefore in in this case the guide will be useful not only to our readers, but also to the entire editorial staff.

And his background is as follows: while browsing the LJ community ru_travel, we came across an interesting post about Iceland by the popular blogger Ilya Varlamov, better known under the nickname zyalt. After reading the text, we realized that it was very useful and detailed guide through the country of geysers and glaciers.

We contacted zyalt with a request to publish his guide to Iceland on website, to which he briefly replied “yes.” We don’t need to repeat it twice - we publish it!

The only thing worth considering is that the guide was written for travelers from Russia, so in some places we adapted it a little for Ukrainians (we are talking about visas, air tickets). Also, out of respect for the author, we did not remove links to some services in his post - you decide whether this is useful or not.

Well, to finish with the prefaces, a short introduction from the author himself:

Write good guide It’s very difficult, especially when I’ve only been to the country once. In this post, based on my experience, I have written tips for those who want to plan their trip to Iceland on their own.

Get to know Iceland in this crazy fun video:

Iceland travel guide - when to go

Everything is simple here. In winter, there are only a few hours of daylight, it’s cold, but there are few tourists, inexpensive hotels and northern lights! In summer there are white nights, flowering meadows, sunshine, many tourists and expensive hotels. The best season is June-August. Choose for yourself. If you don’t have a lot of money, it’s better to go in April-May; prices for many hotels almost double from June 1st.

Iceland guide - how much it costs

It all depends on how you are used to relaxing. You can consider 3 extreme options, but everything is very individual. One thing I can say is that less than 30,000 (we are talking about rubles, in terms of hryvnia it is 8150), this is not Egypt or Turkey. Let's imagine that 2 people are traveling to Iceland for 10 days.

Option 1: 30,000 rubles per person. (8150 hryvnia)

You buy tickets in advance, with a backpack with a tent on your back. You hitchhike or take buses, live in campsites, maybe a couple of times in hostels, if bad weather+ you need to wash yourself, you buy food in stores and cook it yourself on the grill. The only expenses are food and transportation, as well as sometimes housing.

Option 2: 170,000 rubles per person (46,100 hryvnia)

You rent a car and drive around the island. You have lunch and dinner in restaurants, live in 3-4 star hotels, take several excursions.

Option 3: 500,000 rubles per person (135,770 hryvnia)

You are taking good car, live in best hotels and go to good restaurants. Helicopter and airplane excursions, all-terrain vehicle rental, guides.

Iceland guide - how to get a visa

Iceland is one of the Schengen countries. Ukrainian tourists who want to visit Iceland must submit documents for a visa to the Consular Section Norwegian embassy.

All information, in particular the documents required for visas, is listed on the official website of the Norwegian Embassy.

If you still have any questions, please contact the visa department by phone +380 44 281 22 00 (call from 14 to 16). Address: Kyiv, Yaroslavov Val, 38.

Guide to Iceland - how to get there

There are no direct flights from Ukraine to Iceland. You will have to fly with at least one connection. Often the algorithm is as follows: from our “nenka” you need to get to one of the European cities from where the Icelandic airline Icelandair flies. In particular, Amsterdam, Paris, Stockholm, Milan, Brussels, Madrid, Munich, London, etc. Full map See routes.

There is already a flight from Europe to Reykjavik. Tickets are not cheap. In general, such a trip will cost at least 6000-8000 hryvnia. Naturally, you can plan your trip based on some special offers, airline promotions, then the budget for the flight will be 20% -30% less.

As an example, we tried to buy tickets to Reykjavik from Kyiv for mid-May - early June, using the ticket purchasing service tickets.tochka.net.

The cheapest ticket that the system offered us cost 7,110 UAH. Connection in Stockholm. On the Kyiv-Stockholm leg you fly with Aerosvit, on the Stockholm-Reykjavik leg - Icelandair.

Of course, it's not just Icelandair that flies to Reykjavik. You can find cheaper tickets from the same low-cost airline EasyJet or Air Berlin; there are good prices from Lufthansa. In general, you need to monitor, see how best to design (namely design) your route. We think the search algorithm is clear - go for it.

Keep in mind that international Airport is not in Reykjavik, but in Keflavik, which is about 50 km from the capital. A taxi to the capital will cost you $60-80, so if possible, it is better to rent a car right at the airport. There is also no need to book your first hotel in Reykjavik; if you just need to spend the night, it is better to take a hotel near the airport.

Iceland guide - where to live (hotels and hostels)

The first thing you need to get used to is that everything is very expensive in Iceland. Hotel prices are no exception; on average, you will pay 2 times more for food and accommodation than in continental Europe. Another feature of Iceland: hotel prices here in most cases are set not per room, but per person. That is, if you see that the cost of a room is €100, then for two people they can charge you €200.

It is better to book hotels in advance. There are a lot of tourists in Iceland, but not many hotels. In winter, many hotels close, but in the remaining ones prices drop several times. You can live in Iceland in hotels, hostels or on farms and cottages.

The hotels we rented are shown on the map; reviews and details can be found on the Turbina.ru website. Keep in mind that five-star hotels outside of Reykjavik are almost impossible to find, and four-star hotels do not always live up to their status. On average, a 3-4 star hotel for two will cost €160-200 per night.

Eat interesting hotels. For example, the Ranga Hotel in the Icelandic town of Sudurlandsvegur was named by Sunday Times best The best place in the world to watch the Northern Lights. The Northern Lights are the main attraction with which the hotel lures guests. Best time to monitor this natural phenomenon- from September to April.

I have reprinted information about some hostels; contacts and details can be found on Turbine. You can also find and book a hostel on this website. The price per seat is on average €25.

Iceland Travel Guide - Where to Live (Farms and Cottages)

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There is hardly a place on earth similar to the exotic landscapes of the attractive island-state of Iceland. This incredible explosive mixture of glaciers, bubbling hot springs, volcanoes and northern lights will surprise even seasoned tourists. The weather in Iceland is changeable at any time of the year. But it’s a new experience every time. Most tourists prefer to visit the Scandinavian beauty during the peak tourist season from June to September. But this is more likely due to the period of mass holidays. This is the time of the white nights, when the sun shines almost 24 hours a day and the average daily temperature reaches 15°C, peaking in the middle of the period - up to 20°C.

Holidays in Iceland in autumn mean extraordinary colors and relative calm. At this time there are good discounts on accommodation and excursions. Already in October the climate changes sharply, which is caused by cyclones Atlantic Ocean.

Winter holidays are also not devoid of impressions, although daylight hours last only 4-5 hours. But even with a relatively warm climate from 0 to -3-4 ° C at night, and +2 ° C during the day, a strong piercing wind can turn your vacation into a test.

The harsh winter is fully compensated by the friendly attitude. And if many museums are closed at this time, you can find a carefully left note with the phone number of a caretaker who is ready to come, hospitably open the doors and give an unplanned tour.

Spring is quite snowy. The landscapes allow you to enjoy the view of the bizarre shapes of drifting ice that gathers off the coast in winter. Therefore, Iceland in the photo at this time changes every day. Here it is most big glacier in Europe Vatna-Jokull, equal in area to all the glaciers of the European subcontinent. Temperatures rise to 2-3°C in March, and 8-10°C in May.

Despite the harshness of the landscapes, the flow of tourists to the land of ice does not decrease. They are magically attracted by one of the main attractions - famous volcanoes. The most popular and most active volcano in Iceland - Hekla, the national symbol of the country, “Gateway to Hell”, as it was called during the Middle Ages.

From Reykjavik you can see dormant volcano Esya, attracting lovers of active walking tourism (trekking). The Eyjafjallajökull volcano with a crater of up to 4 km is active today. Truly a miracle of nature - a volcanic eruption under a glacier.

Many of Iceland's geothermal lakes were formed as a result of active volcanic activity. And it ranks first in popularity Blue Lagoon, the water temperature in which is maintained at the same level all year round due to underground sources. Healing properties sea water has long been known for its rejuvenating effect and healing effect on skin diseases.

Prices for holidays and food

Northern city of Akureyri picturesque coast Eyjafjord is one of the world's sport fishing centers. And people line up at the Gullfoss waterfall to capture it. By the way, here you can purchase a special photo tour “Forces of Nature”, which will cost almost 245,000.00 ISK/per person (standard room) and 345,500.00 ISK/person (single) for 9 days/8 nights.

Those going on holiday to Iceland should expect a comfortable stay for 300 euros/day. Accommodation in a 4* hotel – 190 €/for two in a standard room (140 € – in a 3* hotel), and luxury villa will cost from 390 EUR/per day.

The topic of nutrition is relevant, because products grown in a greenhouse are very expensive. If you want to eat in a restaurant, be prepared to pay 520-780 rubles for a simple soup, 935-1560 rubles for a meat dish. The prices for drinks are simply off the charts (a glass of mineral water costs 200-300 rubles). Well, are you thirsty?

Thus, it is better to cook at the hotel yourself, because in the supermarket you can buy fish for only 10-12 euros/kg ( cheaper than cheese- up to 15 euros), rice or make sandwiches.

Video

Photo: superbwallpapers.com, colbybrownphotography.com,
demilked.com, damnuglyphotography.wordpress.com

Iceland - a unique, bewitching mix of ice, volcanoes and hot springs attracts more and more tourists, while remaining at the same time unique and unknown. The land of ice hospitably welcomes guests throughout the year; here you can always get acquainted with the life of the country and its attractions. No matter how many times you visit this country of contrasts, at any time nature will show...

Iceland, the "ice country", lies in the cold Atlantic, but the island's spare northern nature is very picturesque. It is precisely this exoticism that attracts our tourists to vacation in Iceland, although there are extremely few of ours here. Cities, towns and villages are located mostly along sea coast, more than 50% are concentrated in the southwest of the country. But, despite the apparent distance from civilization, life here...

A country active volcanoes, cosmic lava and geyser fields, fantastic landscapes of pristine nature and incredible landscapes against the backdrop of the emerald northern lights - Iceland appears in all its glory to the few tourists who dare to travel to the north Atlantic Ocean.

Fact! During the tourist season, only half a million tourists visit Iceland.

If you think that this island state is a country somewhere beyond the Arctic Circle next to permafrost, where steam turns into ice in the cold, and the tourist season lasts only a month, we are in a hurry to debunk all the myths! In fact, the “land of ice” is not so harsh, but is ready to welcome tourists all year round!

Climate zones of Iceland

The climate of the country of glaciers can be described as subarctic marine. For the significant mitigation of the harsh climate, the inhabitants of this island state near the Arctic Circle must thank the “old” Gulf Stream, a current that brings warm air masses from equatorial latitudes.

But at the same time, a cold maritime climate prevails throughout Iceland. After all, the weather on this island in the north Atlantic Ocean is formed not only by the warm current, but also polar ice. These ice blocks, weighing several thousand tons, come very close to the coast in the spring.

The landscape of Iceland is predominantly flat, but a large number of volcanoes, including active ones, create a separate microclimate in some areas. At higher elevations it can reach -10°C in winter.

The weather on almost the entire island is the same, but there are still distinctive features. The northern and eastern outskirts, especially near the coast, are a couple of degrees colder than the southern and western ones. For example, in Reykjavik and the southwest of the country, the average annual temperature does not fall below 5 degrees Celsius. In such a large city as Akureyri and the entire northern coast, the average annual temperature is +3°C.

The warm North Atlantic Current (as a continuation of the Gulf Stream), bending around the southern and western part islands, significantly affects the weather there. In the south of the island state it is warmer, but very windy. The central part has low precipitation and is characterized by a continental climate; in the north it is colder and rains more often. For beautiful snowy landscapes in winter, it is also worth heading to the north of the island. Another distinctive feature of the northern part is that here you can most often see such unique natural phenomena as the northern lights in winter and “white” nights in summer.

Tourist seasons in Iceland

If you are planning to see this huge volcanic island with your own eyes, admire the northern lights, plunge into healing thermal springs, see geysers with your own eyes, or just taste National dish hakarl (rotten delicacy shark meat) or skyr cheese, we assure you that there is a great season for each of these activities in Iceland!

High season. Lasts from June to August - the warmest time of the year. At this time all tourism infrastructure– at the service of travelers.
Low season. Lasts from September to March. A very small number of hotels operate in the autumn-spring and winter periods. Small hostels have been opened, mainly aimed at “extreme” tourists.

In summer the average temperature is about +12°C. In winter (contrary to popular belief about extremely low temperatures) - about 1 degree below zero.

Among the features of winter are cold, windy, rainy and snowy, but: low prices, few tourists, and the northern lights in the sky.

This is interesting! On the website http://www.vedur.is/ you can follow the “migration” of the northern lights - one of the main attractions of winter Iceland. The special emerald green northern lights (called Aurora Borealis) appear here and there in different parts of the island. To be sure to catch it amazing phenomenon, and the above site was created.

Summer is characterized by warmth, low rainfall, and the presence of “white” nights, but: high prices for housing and excursions, crowds of tourists at the main natural attractions.

The optimal weather/price ratio is spring (April-May).

What clothes to take with you

The main feature is that in Iceland the weather changes very sharply, and very often, even within a few hours. And you need to be prepared for this - don’t go out without an umbrella, don’t forget your hat, it’s better to always have gloves with you. A windbreaker or down jacket in the autumn-winter period is a prerequisite for staying outside (since strong gusty winds and high humidity create a feeling of low temperatures, even in positive weather).

In the summer, at the height of the heat (by Icelandic standards, +20°C is practically sweltering), it’s worth keeping a jacket or a warm sweater for the evening; during the day you can get by with a T-shirt.

Also, in Iceland itself you can buy a lopapeysa - a knitted vest made of sheep's wool. Icelanders all wear this, it warms you well and looks beautiful - the fabric must be printed in the national style.

Weather in Iceland by month

March

The temperature in Reykjavik is about 4 degrees Celsius. Water temperature on the coast is +5°C. Cold, damp. The influence of drifting ice from the Arctic is felt.

April

The thaw gradually begins, thanks to which the melting snow fills waterfalls and streams, and the nature of Iceland comes to life. average temperature months +6°C. It's time to catch sea trout.

May

According to statistics, the least precipitation falls in this month. Average temperature +10°C.

June

Summer in Iceland is special. Here you can watch “white” nights. This unusual phenomenon “starts” at the beginning of summer, and the peak occurs on June 21, when the sun rises at three in the morning and sets at midnight. It's an excellent time for fishing - the warm Gulf Stream attracts huge schools of a wide variety of fish to the coastal waters.

July

The warmest month. At this time, Iceland seems sunny, warm and welcoming. During the day up to +15°C, maximum +20°C. At night +8+10°C.

This is interesting! When the sun shines almost all day long (especially on the island of Grímsey), there is no time for sleep, Icelanders believe. And they came up with the idea of spending time usefully, turning this activity into a national treasure. Golf. It's simple - playing golf while the sun is shining at night is described by many as an incredible and exciting process.

August

The average monthly air temperature is about +14°C, the water on the coast warms up to a maximum of +10°C. During this time, you can watch the migration of humpback whales in Fachsafloui and Hervey bays!

September

Autumn comes into its own very quickly - literally from the end of August the landscape is painted in red and yellow tones. The average temperature of the month is +11°C.

October

The most generous in terms of precipitation, because a series of cyclones form overseas and then pass over Iceland. In October, it is not uncommon for the weather to turn silver in the mornings with frost. It's time to go see the geysers!

This is interesting! The largest number of geysers is in the so-called Haukadalur Valley in Iceland, where there are 250 groups of geyser fields, consisting of more than 7 thousand sources.

November

There is already snow on the slopes of the volcanoes. Periodically, volcanoes erupt, and the wind carries the ash around, forming a futuristic landscape. There are only about one hour of sunshine per day, the rest of the time is cloudy. The average temperature of the month is +4°C.

There is no polar night as such in Iceland, but the short daylight hours, starting in mid-November, remain this way until February.

Fact! When traveling to Iceland, it is worth having a small supply of cash. But it’s better not to remove the rest in advance, because here it’s customary to pay by bank card while shopping or even ordering a cup of coffee at a restaurant.

December

Daylight hours are short, only 5 hours, due to the fact that the sun is only a couple of degrees above the horizon. According to statistics, the sun shines brightly in December for only 20 minutes a day! But you can see the northern lights - the main attribute New Year's holidays in Iceland. This is exactly what people come here for, buying Christmas tours in advance.

On a note! In the low season, and especially in winter, most roads in Iceland (due to the natural landscape and minimal human intervention in nature) are impassable. Impressive SUVs and jeeps with huge wheels are the vehicles you should use to travel around the island. Tourists are also taken on organized excursions on huge “all-terrain vehicles”.

January

The coldest month. The temperature during the day is about zero degrees, at night – a slight minus – up to 4 degrees below zero. You can see floating ice on the ocean.

On a note! You should not ask hotel owners about heating when booking - in Iceland, centralized heating is a priori available in every city. In addition, the country actively uses alternative energy sources - steam and hot water are taken directly from thermal springs. Almost 90% of the energy here is generated through the use of geothermal sources.

February

Cold windy month. The temperature only occasionally rises slightly above zero. But at this time, the harsh landscape of Iceland is most beautiful - snow-capped volcanoes, from the tops of which mountains of ash erupt, exploding with hot water in the middle of snow-white fields, geysers...

On a note! There is also something to do on long winter evenings in Reykjavik - for 5-7 euros you can take a hot thermal bath!

Iceland is a country with an amazing climate, where several extraordinary natural phenomena take place! And Icelanders consider the changeable nature of the weather to be their national treasure, so it even served as the basis for the Icelandic proverb - “If you don’t like the weather now, wait five minutes - everything can change!...”

Weather in cities and resorts by month

Reykjavik

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	But I	Dec
Average maximum, °C	2	3	3	6	9	12	13	13	10	7	3	2
Average minimum, °C	-3	-2	-2	0	4	7	8	8	5	2	-1	-3

Ulyana Kuzmich

Hitchhiked since 2011. Practices survival in the wild. Traveled to more than 12 countries, Russia - from Vyborg to Baikalsk and from Murmansk to Vladikavkaz. He writes for the publications “My Planet” and KYKY.org, and also runs his own public page MyTravelBook on VK and YouTube channel Wild and Lonely.

Visa

There is no point in opening an Icelandic visa: it is expensive, inconvenient and difficult. You can go my way.

I obtained my visa through the Spanish embassy. Everything is done there quickly and clearly. I was given a multiple entry visa for 90 days. In fact, all of Europe and the countries of the Schengen zone are open to me. Few people know that Iceland does not belong to the European Union, but is attached to the Schengen Agreement, which means your visa is valid for staying on the island.

Transport and housing

You can fly to the island with Wizz Air or Ryanair. Since I prefer Wizz Air, I flew from Gdansk, Poland: this route was recently opened there.

From Keflavik Airport to Reykjavik it is about 55 kilometers. You can take the bus, which runs every 30 minutes (18 euros), get there on your own, or do what I did. I went to the airport parking lot, where I found a car going straight to my hostel.

Despite the fact that Reykjavik is the capital, the people there are like small town- 118,840. The infrastructure is developed. Of course, there is no metro, but there are buses that have no competition. They go to every corner of Iceland.

The central point for them is bus station Hlemmur, located in the heart of the capital. It is quite small and does not operate around the clock, so if you have nowhere to stay overnight, you won’t be able to stay at the station.

Hitchhiking is very common in Iceland; I literally waited 5-8 minutes maximum. If you agree on the road with local residents who have their own farm, you can get accommodation and food by working hard for the benefit of the farm.

If you fly in the summer, then the option with a tent will work, but if in other seasons, book a hostel. I found mine through Booking.com in the "Special Offers" section for only 18 euros.

It is more difficult in Iceland than in Europe, since the local population does not use the Couchsurfing.com service very actively. If you still want to connect your trip with couchsurfing, then start looking for a host at least a week before departure, or even earlier.

Prices

In Iceland, everything is imported, so prices for food and other goods are high. For 12 euros I was able to buy cheap hamburger buns, processed cheese, sliced ham, chocolate and baby chocolate milk. All this, by the way, was on sale!

I bought the products from the Bonus supermarket chain, which is very popular among the locals. If you fly from Poland or Lithuania, buy food right away, it’s quite cheap in the Polish supermarkets Żabka and Biedronka. Most of the products arriving on the shelves of Icelandic stores are brought from Poland. For example, the same bottle of water will cost you 1 zloty in Poland, and 5 zloty in Iceland.

Cloth

Be sure to take care of your clothes. The island is periodically stormy. Locals are used to this, but for residents of milder and drier climates it will be something else.

Regular things like jeans, jackets and sneakers will not work. Be careful when choosing waterproof clothing that is comfortable and durable, as well as footwear. Trekking shoes with a waterproof layer are ideal.

People

People in Iceland are hospitable and speak English fluently. Travelers from all over the world stay in hostels. If you catch the moment and overcome your shyness, you can talk to them in interesting topics: where to visit, how to get there, where to stay, and so on. Maybe you’ll even go traveling around the island together.

Useful little things

Bonfires are strictly prohibited in Iceland! Poor Icelanders already live among rocks and ice, so take care of their future. By the way, now they are planting conifers. I hope in 10–15 years, if most The islands will not be flooded by the melting glacier; it will be possible to observe the forest area.

This country has a rather unstable banking system. There was a case when the bank could not issue my money due to the fact that “the island has no connection with the continent.” Therefore, take cash (preferably dollars) and a card. There is an ATM at the airport, next to which - Duty Free. If you pay there in dollars, you can get change in Icelandic kroner.

Enjoy your time in Iceland!