Useful information of Iceland for your first trip: culture and daily life

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Before making any excursion in Iceland, it is good to read something about the country you are going to visit. That’s why today we bring you the useful information of Iceland for your first trip. It will make your trip easier. Are you ready to learn more about Icelandic culture and daily life?

Because, we can assure you, it’s not the same visiting Reykjavík knowing how to respectfully enter homes and public places, or knowing the opening hours of stores. Let’s get started!

What is the currency and language of Iceland

The currency of Iceland is the Icelandic krona. If you are traveling from the United States you should know that with 1$ you will have 126 KR and if you are traveling from the United Kingdom with 1 £ you will have 175 KR. On the other hand, if you are traveling from Europe, with 1 € you will get 147 KR (100 KR = 0.70 €).

We won’t do all the conversions because we could be here for a long time. The easiest thing to do is to download a currency converter on your mobile, there are many free apps that can make your life easier during your trip. You have to keep in mind that Iceland is the third most expensive country in the world, so if you travel from Switzerland or Norway it won’t be expensive at all.

It is important to know that in most places you pay by card, except for the bus, where you need to pay bycash.

But what is the language of Iceland? One of the Icelandic fun-facts is related to its language, it turns out that Icelandic is the most preserved speech in the world. It comes from the first Viking peoples who colonized the place. If you are interested in this topic, in our post on Icelandic vocabulary useful for your trip you have some interesting words.

Schedules

Island and Europe share the same opening hours, that is to say, in both areas people eat early (between noon and 1:00pm) and dine between 18:00pm and 8:00p.m. So the stores are open from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Daylight in Iceland

Continuing with the useful information of Iceland, you should know that according to the daylight hours, we can divide the year into two seasons: the darkest and the brightest. If you read our post about Iceland daylight hours by month, surely this information is already familiar to you.

In this country occurs a unique phenomenon worldwide, the midnight sun. It means that there are days with 22 light hours. But, there are also days of total darkness, they call it “the polar night”.

What is the weather like in Iceland

You will find it helpful to know that Iceland is not as cold as most people think. It’s true that it’s close to the Arctic Circle, but the Atlantic Ocean manages to moderate temperatures.

The weather in Iceland is unpredictable and changeable. For example, during a summer day temperatures can go from 47°F (8°C) to 70°F (21°C), while in a winter day they can go from 23°F (-5°C) to 41°F (5°C). In addition, the climate of the country is cold-temperate maritime, with cool summers and mild winters.

So, if you’re going on the Ólafsvík whale watching or the Vatnajökull glacier hike get ready for a unique and chilly adventure. But don’t worry, good warm clothes and a hot chocolate will fill you with energy and warmth to enjoy the experience 😉 .

The Iceland events

If your trip to Iceland is planned for winter, you can enjoy the Icelandic New Year, for sure you will see some elves around the place 🧝🏽♀️ . But, if you plan to visit the island in summer, you can enjoy the summer solstice, a wonder of nature.

In our post about thetop 4 Iceland events you will find some festivities that will surely surprise you.

Iceland traditions

When you travel to a new country you are looking for adventure, disconnection, getting to know unique places, and enjoying the traditions and locals. That’s why knowing about Iceland traditions may be the most useful information of Iceland for your first trip. We tell you some customs of the country that will surprise you.

First of all, if you have the opportunity to meet an Icelandic family and they invite you into their home, you must remove your shoes before entering. Shoes are left right next to the door, in the hall, there is a special place for them.

What may come as a surprise is that you also have to go barefoot for high school and college. But beware, if you go to the supermarket you don’t have to go barefoot 😉 .

Another Icelandic custom is traveling all over the island in search of the sun. As you read it, you can meet much of the Reykjavik crowd at Skaftafell. In short, if the locals are on vacation they take the opportunity to go chasing the sun. It’s a nice way to tour the whole country, don’t you think? :).

Finally, the locals have the habit of going to a restaurant and each one pays his own and by card. They never split the bill equally. Also, few people carry cash, they usually use a credit card. So, be prepared not to use much cash.

Now that you know all the useful information of Iceland for your first trip you can enjoy your adventure to the fullest. Which tip do you think is the best? All you need to know is whether you’re ready to embark on the Icelandic experience right now.