I wanted to take a break from telling you what I got up to in Iceland to give you some other useful information like what to pack, places to stay, how to get around, who I flew with etc.
Packing:
This was something I wondered about before I went the 1st time especially since both times I have been it has been winter.
Jacket: When I went in November I took an old snowboarding jacket I had. That worked fine but when I decided to go back in February I kept an eye out for deals on the Canada Goose Jackets. I found a promotion through CouponCabin and bit the bullet and bought a Canada Goose Jacket. That was the best investment. That jacket kept me so warm and I didn’t have to wear lots of layers underneath!
Speaking of layers: I would also invest in some Marino wool. My mum actually got me a black long sleeve Marino wool top (similar) that was perfect for the trip. It was thin and light weight but kept me warm. If you can find bottoms to match that would be good. I had some long underwear that I worn and also a pair of sweat pants for when it was really cold. I also had a pair of thermal leggings I wore that kept me warm. The only thing about all of those is that they are not waterproof. I borrowed a pair of snowboard/ski trousers from a friend that I could wear when I needed to stay dry. The last layering piece I bought was this. This marino wool sweater kept we so warm! It is on sale now and there are trousers to match.
Shoes: I only took 2 pairs of shoes when I went. one pair of black leather boots for when I was walking around the town (similar) and a pair of hiking boots (similar). If you have snow boots I would take them.
Other items: In winter you obviously need to other basics like a hat, scarf and gloves (waterproof if possible). I also packed these thick Marino wool socks to that my feet would stay warm. If you are planning on visiting the Blue Lagoon (post coming soon) or any of their other thermal pools you’ll also want to pack a bathing suit.
Other Clothing: Lastly, I packed a pair of jeans and a few tops and sweaters. This was so that I had something to wear in the evenings when we went out for dinner. I didn’t bring very much and nothing was super fancy.
Where I stayed: The first time I went I stayed at Hotel Centrum and the second time Radisson Blu 1919. Both hotels were great and centrally located. It was easy to walk anywhere in town which was nice.
Renting a car: The 1st time I went we did not rent a car and just booked all our activities with a pick up. This can get very expensive. I would say if you are comfortable driving in the snow that renting a car can be a bit cheaper. However, I will say that driving on some of the roads can be scary when it starts snowing. There were times you could barely see a meter in front of you. On top of that I saw lots of cars that had run off the road! When I went in November and was on a tour we had to turn around because the road got so bad! And that was with a tour guide driving!
I remember reading somewhere that if you rent a car you need to be careful when opening your doors. Iceland can have very strong winds and you need to make sure that when you open your doors a gust of wind doesn’t blow it open even further! Something to think about especially if you are parked next to someone.
Parking: We didn’t have any trouble with parking in February. We were able to find street parking the whole time. It was pay and display and I remember it being reasonable in price. To be honest we had the car out most of the days so only had to pay to park a few mornings and evenings.
Tours: I would recommend Superjeep if you are wanting to see the Norther lights (see my post on it here). I have also used Arctic Adventures and Extreme Iceland. One thing to remember is that if you go in winter roads close all the time due to weather so activities can get canceled all the time. When I went in November nearly everything I booked was canceled. I would recommend having a back up plan for the days you book tour.
Airline: Both times I have flown there I flew WOW airlines (minus my return leg this February where I flew Icelanic Air). Every flight I have flown with WOW has been delayed or canceled. I understand that comes with flying into Iceland in the winter. However, this last time my flight was canceled. I was due to fly out on a Sunday and WOW said the next available flight was Wednesday!! No customer service agent on the phone after waiting hours on hold so I ended up having to book another way home. I can say I would not like to spend another night in an airport sleeping on a bench. Their customer service is not great.
Another thing to remember is they are a budget airline so you have to pay to take a carry on and to book your seat! Also, they do not have TVs in the seats.
Other: If you have a GoPro I would recommend taking that with you. Iceland is full of extremes so you can get some really good footage. If you plan on taking pictures of the Norther Lights you will need to take a tripod with you.
I also recommend taking snacks with you. The food is so expensive out there that it is nice to have snacks to help cut down on the costs.
Please let me know if you have any other questions and I will do my best to answer them!
Lots of Love,
Buffy x
