5 BIG Mistakes First-Time Visitors Make in Iceland and How You Can Totally Avoid Them!

Hey there, awesome traveler and welcome to the ultimate Iceland travel blog!

We’re beyond excited to have you here and trusting us with your Iceland itinerary and recommendations, you’re definitely in the right place. YAY
Whether you’re counting down the days to your first Iceland trip or just daydreaming about soaking in hot springs and chasing waterfalls, this blog is for YOU MY FRIEND!

Hi! We’re your friends at Wake Up Reykjavík, a passionate team of local Icelanders who live and breathe everything Iceland. And today, we’re spilling the beans on the 5 most common mistakes people make when visiting our magical island so you don’t have to make them when you arrive! Let’s dive in shall we?

MISTAKE #1: Trying to See the Whole Country in 3 Days.

We love the ambition in trying to explore Iceland as much as you can in a short period of time but Iceland is bigger and slower than people might expect.

Here’s the deal: the famous Ring Road that circles the island is over 1,300 km long. That’s at least 15 hours of straight driving (with no stops!) and let’s be real, you’re going to want to stop all the time because the views are just that good.

So, unless you’ve got 10–14 days to spare, forget the Ring Road for now.

Instead: Base yourself in beautiful Reykjavík and join scheduled tours that begin and end in Reykjavík. We for example offer a lot of scheduled day tours with pick up and drop off included for many locations in the 101 downtown Reykjavík area.

Join our most popular and epic day tours to the South Coast, Golden Circle, or the Snæfellsnes Peninsula and see the best of what Iceland has to offer! Waterfalls, geothermal areas, Black Sand Beaches, lava fields, hot springs, stunning scenery and glaciers just to name a few highlights.

Chase the Northern Lights in the evening from the end of August and to the end of April or soak in the hot springs when you have the time off! They are the BEST.

Trust us, it’s way more fun to enjoy the tours with plenty of time to spare rather than to rush through it all!

MISTAKE #2: Skipping the Local Food

Many people think that the Icelandic food culture is just rotten shark and weird fermented things (though yes, we have those too).

In fact, Reykjavík’s food scene is absolutely on fire right now and we have a lot of award winning chefs and restaurants that have flooded the restaurant scene in Reykjavík for the past years, so there are plenty of high quality places to choose from in and around Reykjavík. Local Icelandic food and also cuisines from all over the world are offered here in Iceland so people can definitely find something of their interest!

• We’ve got insanely fresh seafood
• Mouthwatering Icelandic lamb
• Crisp veggies from geothermal greenhouses around Iceland
• And yes... our dairy? Next-level and SUPER fresh!

Add to that a booming craft beer scene (beer’s only been legal here since 1989 - wild, right?!), and you’ve got a truly magical foodie paradise.

If you really want to taste it all, join our Reykjavík Food Walk - our #1 rated experience and the most delicious way to kick off your trip in Iceland. Walk, eat, laugh, and get local tips while munching your way through town!

MISTAKE #3: Ignoring the Weather Forecast

Let’s just say this: Icelandic weather has a personality. It changes fast, it’s moody, and sometimes it throws tantrums. You could have sunshine, wind, sleet, and snow all on the same day and the phrase ‘’If you don't like the weather, just wait for 5 minutes’’ is never more true than here on this island of ours!

It's actually sometimes funny how fast the weather can change here.

Here’s how to stay one step ahead: Follow these two websites: vedur.is for daily and accurate weather alerts and use safetravel.is for road conditions and travel tips throughout Iceland.

Download the safetravel app, watch for yellow/orange/red weather warnings, and always have a Plan B in Reykjavík just in case your day tour gets cancelled (especially in winter).

Yellow warning is for moderate winds/rain and snow and people have to be careful in those kinds of situations. Tours might be cancelled due to yellow weather warnings.

Orange warning is for heavy rain, strong winds and or heavy snowfall. Tours are definitely cancelled in those conditions and flights can be disrupted. People should not be out of town or driving on the roads in those circumstances.

Red warning is for dangerous winds, heavy rain or snowfall and the community is basically on lockdown. Roads are closed, flights are cancelled and people should not be wandering out of their hotels or accommodations since it can be very dangerous to be outside.

Pro tip: Layer like a Viking. Too many layers? You can peel. Not enough? Yikes.

MISTAKE #4: Driving in Iceland Without Experience

We get it, road trips are a huge fun. But Iceland isn’t your average drive-through country. We’ve got gravel roads, icy patches, wind gusts, river crossings, and black ice that you literally can’t see. So road conditions here are very different from anywhere else in the world and it can be difficult even for us local Icelanders to drive and navigate the roads in tricky weather conditions. So be aware and please drive carefully.

So if you’re not fully confident driving in challenging conditions (especially in winter), take this friendly advice:

Do not rent a random car and expect to conquer Iceland because that is just not a smart idea, LOL.

Join us in a small-group day tour with a pro guide who knows the terrain like the back of their hand.

And if you are planning to drive in Iceland, here are some good tips for you to have in mind:

• Learn local road signs
• Rent a well equipped car with good tires
• Never stop randomly on the road (even for sheep or the Northern Lights)
• Don’t do any off-road driving in Iceland (it’s illegal and damages our fragile and beautiful nature)

Stay safe. Stay smart. And let someone else do the driving if you’re unsure.

MISTAKE #5: Skipping the Local Swimming Pools

Yes, we all love the Sky Lagoon and Blue Lagoon, but did you know we’ve got over 120 awesome geothermal swimming pools around the country?
Every tiny town in Iceland has one and it is heated all year-round with natural geothermal water. They often have:

• Hot tubs (great to relax and social gatherings)
• Cold plunges (super refreshing and does great things to your blood circulation)
• Waterslides (no matter how old you are, waterslides are always a blast and we have plenty of them around the island)
• Saunas (always relaxing, good for your heart and blood circulation and if you have a cold, going to a sauna will make you much much better so that you can keep on exploring Iceland)

It’s a HUGE part of our daily life and culture. So hit up a local pool, soak under the sky, and relax like a true Icelander. Just one thing:

You do need to shower naked before hopping in. Embrace your inner Viking! YAY

Final Thoughts

So there you have it! Avoid these 5 mistakes and you’ll be way ahead of most visitors. Iceland is absolutely magical and with a little preparation, you’ll create unforgettable memories, stay safe, eat like a local, and truly connect with this wild and beautiful country.

We sure hope that this helped, and we can’t wait to see you here in Iceland!

Hit us up via our email address: info@wakeupreykjavik.com or visit our website: wakeupreykjavik.com and check out all of the amazing tours that we have to offer for you to complete the Iceland experience!

Safe travels, happy exploring and see ya soon!