Travel tips · Reykjavík · Iceland
Reykjavík travel tips: what to know before you go
The etiquette, money and practical details that make the first day easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Olga Ernst, CC BY-SA 4.0
.jpg){kind=link}
Quick answer
Icelanders are informal, direct and egalitarian: everyone is addressed by first name, and the phone book is alphabetised that way. Most people speak excellent English. Social life revolves around swimming pools, family, music and the outdoors, and old folklore about elves and hidden people still turns up in place names and stories.
Key facts
- Language
- Icelandic and English
- Currency
- ISK
- Plugs
- Type C and F sockets, 230 V, 50 Hz
- Tap water
- Cold tap water is excellent to drink; hot water is geothermal and may smell…
- Emergency
- 112 (emergency number in Iceland)
Things to know
- Shower naked and wash thoroughly before entering any pool or lagoon; there are attendants to enforce it.
- Take your shoes off when entering someone's home and in some guesthouses.
- Stay on marked paths and never drive off-road; moss and tundra take decades to recover, and off-road driving is illegal.
- Respect closures and rope barriers at waterfalls, geothermal areas and beaches; they mark real dangers.
- Do not stop on the road to take photos; use pull-outs and parking areas.
- Book Whale watching from the Old Harbour ahead: Trips are often cancelled for rough seas; book early in your stay so you can rebook if needed.
- Book Sky Lagoon ahead: Entry is by timed slot and popular times sell out; book online ahead.
- Public geothermal pools give a lagoon-style soak for a fraction of the price of the big spas.
Tipping
Tipping is not customary in Iceland; service is included in prices and wages. Leaving a little extra for exceptional service is appreciated but never expected.
Language
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Halló / Góðan daginn | Hello / Good day |
| Takk / Takk fyrir | Thanks / Thank you |
| Skál! | Cheers! |
| Bless | Bye |
| Já / Nei | Yes / No |
What to wear
Dress in layers in every season: a waterproof and windproof shell, a warm fleece or wool layer and sturdy shoes. Microspikes for shoes are useful on icy pavements and trails in winter.
Practical details
- Plugs and voltage
- Type C and F sockets, 230 V, 50 Hz
- Drinking water
- Cold tap water is excellent to drink; hot water is geothermal and may smell faintly of sulphur.
- Emergency number
- 112 (emergency number in Iceland)
- Phone and internet
- Mobile coverage is good in towns and along the Ring Road; EU roaming applies to European SIMs, and free Wi-Fi is widespread in cafés and hotels.
- Time zone
- Atlantic/Reykjavik
Crime levels are low; the real risks are weather and nature. Check road conditions and weather warnings daily, respect barriers at waterfalls and geothermal areas, stay far from the waterline at black-sand beaches, and never walk on glaciers without a guide.
Entry requirements
Visa and passport rules depend on your nationality and change often. Check Iceland's official government guidance and your own government's travel advice before booking.
Plan the trip
Questions travellers ask
+Do you tip in Reykjavík?
Tipping is not customary in Iceland; service is included in prices and wages. Leaving a little extra for exceptional service is appreciated but never expected.
+Can you drink the tap water in Reykjavík?
Cold tap water is excellent to drink; hot water is geothermal and may smell faintly of sulphur.
+What plugs are used in Reykjavík?
Type C and F sockets, 230 V, 50 Hz
+What language is spoken in Reykjavík?
Icelandic and English.