Just got back from 2 weeks in Iceland. Gorgeous! We didn’t use any cash, just credit card for everything. The Icelanders are very friendly and helpful. We had no problems with language. We had a great time.
American tipping culture and Iceland: I was a domestic airline pilot during the Holuhraun eruption and did an incredible number of sight-seeing flights (19-seat turboprop) with everyone from scientists, regular tourists, domestic and foreign (and even Ben Stiller!). Many of these low-level flights around an active volcano were somewhat turbulent and I saw many a green face during those flights - but the experience was, to them, so exceptional that simply EVERYONE was really beaming by the time we landed in Reykjavík. I re-discovered my own country through the eyes of foreign tourists, for which I am forever grateful! My weirdest (well, not really weird, but certainly unexpected) experience was on a Holuhraun flight with elderly American tourists. An elderly lady lagged behind the disembarking passengers and when I exited the aircraft she fervently thanked me for the flight and on shaking my hand she pressed something in my palm and then walked away. By the time I looked at what she had given me (a $100 bill) she was gone. This was the first and only tip I have received in my life! I suppose it was generous but, on reflection I took it as a sign of her appreciation for the experience we had given her. I still have that $100 bill somewhere... Everything in Iceland is expensive, and we Icelanders are paid accordingly. Period. We have this eternal struggle between employers and employee unions about what is appropriate compensation for labor and while the results swing this way and that over time, the general result is that the only real poverty you see in Iceland is mostly due to poor personal choices (addictions of some kind) and some cases where regular people unfortunately fall through cracks in our social safety net. We try our best but we are far from being perfect...
Where i am from (south germany) tipping has nothing to do with how much the person that received the tip earns. Rather, it serves as a "thank you for the services". If you go to a small restaurant here and you don't tip i reccommend not coming back ever again as in some cases this might be considered unfriendly or disrespectfull. Usually the higher the bill the higher the tip. If i go to a restaurant and the bill is 500$ i will tip at least 50$.
I was in Iceland w a 17 hr layover in June. Found an affordable guest house w breakfast. Next day the rainy weather changed my outdoor plans. Visited the National Museum of Iceland for a few hours. Then walked to the bus terminal. Everyone spoke English and were super nice and helpful. I plan to make a real visit next time.
Best Iceland channel on the net. One of the worlds greatest countries. Have been twice and this channel was a fantastic help to me. Was due to come in November but gutted I can’t due to the new quarantine rules 🥺 Hope everyone stays safe in Iceland and hope to be back again one day 👍
I have been to Iceland in June and did not have any local money with me. The only time I could not pay with card was for public transport, so when I wanted to take the bus through Reykjavik I got the App for mobile tickets (with help at the hotel reception). I travelled alone and felt completely safe in Iceland. No weired encounters, just friendly locals. As it did not get dark, I had some relaxed midnight walks, too.
Hey! I'm planning on traveling to iceland alone as well next year. Can I ask you what you did on your trip and how long you stayed? And in which month you visited? Thank you!!!
@@sea_1909 It was in June last year for ten days. As there was a volcano active at the time, I booked the helicopter tour to see it which was the highlight of the trip. As hiking alone can be dangerous in Iceland, I did not rent a car, but booked several tours. Only one night I did not sleep in Reykavik with a 3-day bus tour to the south until Jökulsarlon, the sublime glacier laguna with a boat trip through the icebergs. Absolutely worth it. The tour had the famous waterfalls on the way, a glacier walk, black sand beach and a jeep tour to a glacier cave from Vik. The golden circle was included, too, which is a must-see for the first visit. I also did the 1-day bus tour around Snæfellsnes with all the popular postcard motives, highly recommended. As I like Reykjavik with its colourful houses I walked around the town a lot and visited the penis museum and Perlon which is an awesome museum about Iceland's nature and perfect for starting a trip. As Iceland is famous for bathing I visited two swimming pools in town and went to the Blue Lagoon by bus. A walking tour of the town centre about Elves and other supernatural stories was very entertaining. I was too exhausted from all the action to sample Reykjavik's famous nightlife though, but enjoyed several original restaurants very much.
Visited Iceland last July. Amazing place. Never felt unsafe due to Icelanders. You can certainly put yourself in some unsafe conditions while hiking/exploring the outdoors! Be smart about that and enjoy one of the most amazing places on Earth. And English is widely spoken in Iceland. The only language “barriers” we experienced is when we asked , “How do you say that in Icelandic?” And immediately regretted the question!! 😂
Thank you this video was so helpful! I just got back last week, I’d recommend this place so much to anyone who wants to go. There is so much this country can offer in terms of its landscape. The black beaches, ice caves, glaciers, geysers, volcanoes and mountains and snow are incredible!!
I'm from Austria and REALY surprised to hear that there are CC or debit cards WITHOUT a PIN. lol As for getting cash: I'd recommend getting it before, from your home bank.
hi Jeanine, the new thing that I learned from this video is about letting babies sleep outside, I think that's good because it exposes kids to fresh air and can get a person used to colder weather. Thanks for putting out videos I'll be in Iceland this year, plan for May/June.
We have just returned from Iceland this week and didn’t take or need any cash while we were there for 4 days, as everyone/place accepted Card payments. A wonderful country, very friendly people and No litter anywhere! We watched loads of your videos before our visit and your advice was very helpful, keep up the great work. 😁👍🏻
Are you from the USA? And if so it would really help to know if a typical debit card with a PIN number works over there or if you need a special type of credit card
@@stevenuseda6317 apologies for my late reply. I have only just seen your question. Visa or MasterCard both work just fine used as contactless or entering your pin number in the usual way, the choice is yours.
@@GamezGuru1 we spent a day in Reykjavík, a day in the blue lagoon on the day of our return as it’s close to the airport, a driving out to the black Sands beach along the southern coastline, a day snowmobiling on the glacier and visited the geezers on the way there, and a trip out to see the currently erupting volcano. I would highly recommend hiring a car at the airport, book it before you arrive. The cheapest place to buy petrol is Costco which is located in Reykjavík next to IKEA.
Travelling to Iceland in two weeks time, I couldn’t be more excited as I’ve waiting for this moment for so long to be able to go! 🥳 I am now just worried about how Covid19 could affect the trip and not being able to go :( UPDATE: Cancelled my trip ☹️💔
I just returned home from my second trip in June. I went solo this time. You are going to have an amazing time. If you plan to spend time on the volcano, how you dress is everything. Hiking up is very strenuous, you need to stay cool and dry, you'll be roasting hot. And then you just stop and sit and watch and things cool right off. It is mesmerizing, you'll want to stay and stay, if you can stand it. And it will be between 0 & 10C and very windy. You need to be ready to add many layers and really bundle up to the wind when you reach the top. Don't underestimate what it takes to sit out in those conditions and you'll have a trip of a lifetime. (I sure did)
@@320dereklopez Just the beauty of what you will pass driving from place to place will blow you away. Another wonder around every bend. Having a car gives you the flexibility to shift around the weather. Weather changes FAST. You'll run into many people doing the same ring-road tour. You're going to have a blast.
Great video! The only thing that also might be useful is that it is a good idea to make sure that your credit card doesn't charge international transaction charges. I didn't realize this until I had bought my plane tickets. I got charged 20 dollars in international transaction fees. You can save alot of money by getting a travel card that doesn't charge them.
Nice to visit. Dont' plan to live there UNLESS your situation demands it. Such as A) you married an Icelander and you are foreigner B) Your Icelandic spouse wants you to stay in iceland. I very much advise to learn Iceland and dedicate yourself to the language as icelanders give a lot of respect to foreigners who can at least speak their language (even if your icelandic is broke). Knowing icelandic is crucial for longterm stay and employment. While most places hire english speaking only workers, you will most see foreigners working in tourism and customer service industry. If you plan on getting a professional job in Iceland, best to learn icelandic because it ups your chances of getting hired. Icelanders get really annoyed when calling at a place, they start speaking in Icelandic but the receptionist does not speak Icelandic and all they hear is "eg tala ekki islensku". Icelanders get really annoyed with that. Getting professional jobs in iceland doesnt require you to learn Icelandic but the environment requires it and its best to know what you hear than not know what you hear. Taxes are very high there and when you live there in winter time, you really do get the winter blues except christmas and new years. After those holidays, its pretty much boring UNLESS you have a big icelandic family and everyone sees each other weekly.
True, cash is mostly a hassle in Iceland. Plastic all the way, even bubble gum. This also explains why I needed to use my debit card for gas (needed the pin). ATMs are everywhere you look in Iceland.
What about washrooms/restrooms? Do we need to pay a fee like in other European countries? Are there enough of them? It's a small country with so many tourists.
Jules 005 went last summer for a week and there are plenty of restrooms. Think in a week we paid twice but even in the middle of nowhere the restroom that charged took a debit card! I never needed cash anywhere. Sorry but I disagree about the alcohol. The drinks were cheaper than what I am used to but I go into NYC frequently!
My husband and I are taking our honeymoon to Iceland later this year and your videos have been soooo helpful ! Is there somewhere once you are in Iceland to put your money on a card with a pin?
Love this channel soooo much. So informative and interesting and fun. Please keep it coming! Off topic question ... where I can find that pizza shown at 5:41?? It looks amazing. Thanks Jeannie!
My husband and I were in Iceland in the mid '70's while he was stationed there with the Navy. I don't know if this is true but we were told that the crime rate in Iceland was so low that they only had one jail cell and that there was a short waiting list of people waiting for their turn. 😂
Hi Jeannie, great videos and I just bought your guide bundle for our upcoming trip. Here's a question that I haven't seen you address - for those of us without credit cards that use PINs, what is the Apple Pay/NFC payment situation in Iceland? Is relying on Apple Pay a realistic alternative to CC and PIN for everyday use including gas stations?
You glossed over that pay to use the toilet bit entirely too quickly haha. The currency exchange being roughly 10,000 to $100 sounds similar to Japan's ¥ exchange, also no tipping is just like Japan. Sounds like I'll be alright. As for getting a refund on taxes, I've never been one to care about paying sales tax while traveling. Kinda seems more fair all around. I've been to Japan many times and have been planning a different trip. The similarities sound crazy lol. Can't wait.
We just returned from a two-week Iceland trip and many of your tips came in handy. Regarding the credit card PIN number, the only place we had to enter a PIN was when purchasing diesel fuel for our camper van. A few restaurants required signatures, but most of the time we ran the card and that was it.
Thank you so much for the tips. I like the no tipping in Iceland and where to get US Dollars exchanged for the Iceland Krona. I'm leaving next week. My boyfriend was born in Reykjavik and his mom and sister live in there.
Just a funny thing. I wonder if you can do a video on wedding stags. That is also a good thing to carry some cash to make a donation to the bride or groom. It’s very entertaining, suamst jeannie 🇮🇸🤗
What do you mean by entering PIN number. I’m from the US, US’s credit cards don’t have PIN numbers when making purchases. You just either insert it in a POS terminal or scan it.
I am planning to travel to Iceland on April , which main cities do you recommend to stay in ? And from those cities I will travel on day trips . My vacation will be for 10 days
Hi there! Which cities to stay in depends on what type of trip you want to do! Ring Road (different city every night)? Reykjavik, Golden Circle, South Coast, Snaefellsness (a few different hotels)? Just day trips from Reykjavik? Are you renting a car or only doing guided tours? There is so much to consider! Head over to my website ~ icelandwithaview.com ~ for more guidance. And, check out my video all about April in Iceland: icelandwithaview.com/april/ ~ I also offer guidebooks, digital maps, pre-made itineraries, and custom itinerary planning, all to help you have the best.trip.ever! Happy planning!
I want to doa two week trip in late August. I plan on back packing the trails in the south east part of the country (the "L" trail and and the water fall trail. Those hikes will take five -six days total. Before that I want to to do the circle route clockwise out of Reykjavik. I will rent a car from Blue Car. May rent a compact or the next size car up from that. Last step is getting places to stay along the road trip. Advice please. Richard
Hi Richard! Sounds like an epic trip! Check out my Ring Road Travel Guide (icelandwithaview.com/product/self-drive-road-trip-guide/) and my Highlands Guidebook (icelandwithaview.com/product/self-drive-highlands-guidebook/) to help you plan! Oh, and if you're looking to do this trip in August of 2023 - beware that accommodation options along the Ring Road are extremely limited and you'll need to camp in your own tent along the Laugavegur trail as the mountain huts are surely booked already. Happy planning!
They don't really take Discover according to people I know there. I have some Krónur, but they are old. I just keep gathering currency when I come across it.
Love your videos. Short and right on point. Thank you so much. I would like to ask you a question on the tunnels on Ring Road. Do we have to pay tolls to pass through tunnels that are on the No.1 highway?
Imho everyone should always learn "Sorry, my is not good, do you speak English (or other language you speak that you might expect someone to speak, e.g French if you're visiting Belgium but a local talks to you in Flemish). It's really not that hard to put it into google translate or ask on a language subreddit. As someone from England I like to not take it for granted that "the whole world speaks english" and learn a bit more than that, proportional to how long I'm staying and what I can be reasonable expected to need to say, but I think thats the bare minimum people should learn just to show a bit of respect to the locals and their culture.
If you're coming from the US, check @travelgov for the latest advisories. It's their job to tell you if it’s safe to travel, and they’ll be monitoring CDC recommendations. Iceland Monitor is a local trusted source of information in Iceland for the latest updates on COVID-19, travel, closures within Iceland, and more.
The tax free has gone up from 6000 to 12000kr. This was what I was told the last time asked for a tax receipt. Also, make sure your credit card doesn’t charge international purchase fees!
yeah, lots of surprises there. i found out as a tourist polish is a lot more helpful than icelandic. the tourist activity seems almost completely separate from the ordinary goings-on of the icelandic people. it was a surprise to me. the workers in the tourist industry are rarely icelandic; they are usually foreign, most often polish. not sure how it is now.
Following your Channel and it's too good with information, Just have few questions, 1: About business opportunities for a investors, 2: What are prices of automobile and apartments or Houses, 3: best time to visit Iceland and transfer of amount from my current country would it be easy?
Hi Peter! This is a common question that gets many people confused so thank you for asking! Most gas stations will require a PIN number as well as some other merchants. However, this does NOT mean you have to us a DEBIT card. Call your CREDIT CARD company and ask for the 4-digit PIN required for international purchases. Also, be sure to put a travel note on your account so that your card isn't flagged for fraudulent activity when you use it in Iceland! Happy planning!
So this credit card PIN situation is making my stomach hurt. I called my travel credit card company & they said under no circumstances (unless an emergency) should you use the PIN function with you credit card because the cc company views it as a cash advance & charge ridiculous fees. The rep I spoke with said she had heard that using 0000 will work as a PIN on credit cards. Anyone with experience with this? I asked my other credit card company & their response was the same-it will be viewed as a cash advance with steep fees. Thanks in advance!
Nice Video, good info on cash. Please excuse me, but regarding Duty Free Alcohol on entry, what is the limit on how much one adult person can bring into Iceland? Thank you. I'm new to your channel, so lots of questions but I will wait until I see if you answered them elsewhere. I see the pinned links in the intro are to videos to your youtube channel. Please, may I ask if you have a written blog as well? Thanks again.
I'm going to iceland from the 19 Jun to the 26 July 2020. We will be 4 people. I'm thinking to maybe stay in 2 different Rbnbs and from there explore. Maybe the first 3 days in on place and the rest of the time in another place. I dont really know in witch areas we should stay, so we can just drive from that Airbnb and explore around. Should I first explore the south and then the west? Or should I stick to the typical tourist area around all the south? I really need to plan an itinerary for 6 days and coordinate a trip for 4 people (my, my girlfriend and another couple)😅🤦🏻♂️
Hi I am from Iceland and I would recommend exploring the west and north part of Iceland. A great place to stay at is Akranes which is about 40-60 minute drive from Reykjavík, and from there it is like a half way between the south and the west. Also in the summer it is sunlight 24 hour a day so you can explore the more touristy places late in the evenings when there are not as many people around. The west fjords in my opinion as a local is one of the most beautiful parts of the country ( there is also a lot less tourist there). I would also recommend renting a car with four wheel drive.
You shouldn't need much cash at all - the equivalent of $100 USD should be just fine - cash is great to have for tipping your tour guides (if they provide exceptional service), a candy bar or hot dog at the gas station, or if your credit card will charge you a foreign transaction fee (in this case you'd need much more than $100 USD). Otherwise, MasterCard & Visa are accepted everywhere. Oh, and your leftover ISK makes for a good souvenir!
Hi! Thanks for all the tips. By the way, do you have a estimated budget for 6 days trip? Is better to rent a car for Transportation o just local buses? Thanks 😊
Hi Bruce! Budget can vary greatly depending on how you travel and what you want to do/see. And I definitely recommend renting your own car so that you can travel to the places you want and when you want. The local transportation system is only semi-reliable for getting you around the city, not to the best sights in the wild. If you don't want to rent a car your other realistic options are to do a multi-day guided tour with a group and you travel by mini-bus OR base yourself out of Reykjavik and take guided daily excursions. My guidebooks and pre-written itineraries will help you have the best.trip.ever! ~ icelandwithaview.com/shop/
Jeannie, we love your videos! My husband and I are headed for Iceland in August. I was wondering if you could tell us the name of the store full of sweaters at 6:46 in your video. I want to get a bunch!
I am headed to Iceland in April and I assume that is still winter? So bringing warm clothing, boots, gloves and hats is a MUST for any hiking/outdoor activities near Selfoss?
Hi! Yes, April is still winter but towards the end of the month we start to see spring. Here's my packing list for April: icelandwithaview.com/spring-packing/
I was really looking forward to seeing your packing list that I've heard you mention a few times in your videos. So I signed up to get it but I still dont have access to it! I appreciate all the info from the emails but all I really want is that list so it's pretty frustrating to not have access to it after signing up.
Don’t take out too much cash….you cannot exchange it at a monex type exchange place in the USA. The Icelandic currency is volitale, and hard to exchange back to US dollars…..I got stuck with about 200.00 worth of currency I could not get rid of…even at major banks.
Hi there, learning lots from your videos, so loving it thank you. Quick question, the guided tour I am thinking of doing in early October suggests buying something to attach to your shoes for hiking. Apparently they can be bought everywhere in Reykjavik. What is your advice on this? Or would hiking shoes suffice. Obviously no one wants to slip over, but if you are travelling for many months after doing the Iceland tour, it’s a hassle to carry huge hiking boots everywhere! Cheers from !arg in Australia!
Hi there! Check out this article: www.icelandreview.com/ask-ir/how-can-i-move-to-iceland/?mibextid=Zxz2cZ ~ and all my videos about expat life: icelandwithaview.com/category/expat-life/
