Looking for info on Iceland? Here's what I enjoyed and found useful on my weeklong trip in October of 2022.
First let me start by saying how beautiful Iceland is. The air is so clean and they're a very eco-friendly country. Icelandic people are some of the friendliest I've met on my travels. Everyone I encountered spoke English and were lovely to chat with.
We did a tour through Nordic Visitor, where they set everything up for us from the hotel to day excursions to airport transfers. We enjoyed having guides each day to tell us more about the country and give us tips on things to do and places to eat.
If you're going to visit in October, it's winter for them, so be prepared for cold, wind and rain. Being the Florida girl I am, I was definitely chilly!
Here's what I packed:
-Hiking boots (everyone wears these around town as well)
-Pair of winter boots for going out to dinner. Reykjavik is very hilly, so bring comfortable shoes.
-Thermal long sleeve shirts & pants that I wore everyday under my clothing
-2 pairs of jeans
-Workout leggings (these came in handy on long days where we were hiking a lot)
-Snacks for long excursion days. Protein bars, granola, nuts...
-Reusable water bottle (the water is clean & drinkable)
-Sunglasses & yes, we did have several gorgeous, sunny days
-Swimsuit for the lagoons
-My friend brought rain pants, which I wore for hiking behind the waterfall, but they weren't necessary
As far as food goes, I didn't try the local dishes. I'm a pescatarian, and the seafood I had was incredibly delicious. The food halls are great for finding less expensive meals. The food and alcohol can become expensive very quickly.
Make sure you have a Visa or Mastercard with a chip and no foreign transaction fees. I used Apple Pay almost everywhere I went.
If you're going out for the Northern Lights, bring a charged phone, if you don't own a real camera. The lights aren't very visible to the naked eye, so you'll want to hold up your phone to see them better. I used a tripod to take photos with my iPhone on night mode.
In conclusion, Iceland is a place I highly recommend visiting. Head out to a local bar and mingle with the locals. You never know what you might have in common!
