Icelandic Vacation
 

Hi all,

I am planning a trip to Iceland for a future vacation. Any thoughts on the idea? Good places to go, fun things to see etc???

do a search with Iceland as your key word and lots of informative threads will pop up. Iceland is an incredibly beautiful country-but brace yourself for sticker shock-as it's also an expensive destination.

Here's a bit to start with that you won't find on a regular search. (This thread got "hidden" back in the time of large gaping holes and hasn't resurfaced, it seems.)

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...mp;tid=1278237

Enjoy! It's a wonderful place.

You'll have a great time. My wife and I are constantly talking about the trip and are anxious to go back. It can be an expensive trip, but goig in the off-season isn't bad. I posted a fairly detailed trip report on 8/19/2003. Search for "Averyb" under Iceland and you'll find it. Right before we left IcelandAir had a fare special of $198 roundtrip from Baltimore. I would subscribe to IcelandAir's email programs, so you can keep up to date on sale fares. It is only 5 hours from Baltimore, so coach is very doable.

Can't say enough about Iceland. Wonderful and unique.

HI,

I'm going in July and I can't wait!

I was pleased with my $780 fare from Boston but $198? Wow! Hope that was off season...

Thanks Amy for posting that link (is that the thread you started about the 100 best things to do in Iceland?)

Patti

Iceland is a great place to visit. Where to go depends on how much time you have. 'Classic' tourist stops that are worthwhile visiting include:

Reykjavik, including Hallgrimskirkja church, the Asmundarsafn and Kjarvalsstadir museums, and The Perlan scenic observatory.

The 'Golden Circle' of Þingvellir National Park, Geysir hot springs and the Gullfoss waterfall. All of these can be done in one long day from Reykjavik.

The Reykjanes Peninsula lava flows, fishing villages, coastal features, and the famous Blue Lagoon spa and geothermal station. Another day-long trip from Reykjavik.

The South Shore, including the Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss waterfalls, Sólheimajökull and Mýrdalsjökull glaciers, the quaint little coastal towns of Vík and Eyrarbakki, and beach and shorebird locations. A fun thing to do is to take a snowmobile tour around Mýrdalsjökull.

Fly or ferry to the Westmann Islands and see the most recently active volcanoes and shorebird rookeries.

A trip into the Highland interior - past Reykholt, to the waterfalls Hraunfossar & Barnafossar, then through the mountains at Kaldidalur to see the Þórisjökull & Langjökull glaciers.

This does not include the north half of Iceland, which has many other places to visit as well.

Again, it depends on how much time you have, and whether you intend to drive yourself or take tours. The roads are well-marked, and virtually everyone speaks English, so I'd recommend renting a car and buying a couple of guidebooks, then doing it yourself. There is a great system of farmhouse stays that we thought were greatly preferable to hotels.

The blue lagoon is fun - we were swimming outdoors while it snowed. I don't know anywhere else you could do that without getting VERY cold.

I was there last week and I would make a suggestion to save some money by using the grocery store rather than going to the restaurants. My most expensive meal was $10.
They also have a flea market on weekends.

Like many places in Europe, they did not charge any commission to cash travelers checks. I get back to Minnesota to visit relatives and they charged me $2 to cash a $100 TC!