Those wanting to see Aurora borealis might know the bad news: it appears only during winter. But there is no coin with only one side and travelling in Iceland in the winter season is not as foolish as it might sound to some.
It is generally known that Iceland offers amazing sites and natural wonders visited mainly in summer. Not so many tourists however think about exploring this northern island in winter when the spectacular waterfalls, glaciers or geyser take on a whole new appearance.
Yes – the roads get icy and the snow can be tricky, but when equipped with the right gear, the remote places can still be accessed in comfort.
Car rental companies in Iceland offer high performance cars such as Ford, Jeep or BMW which inspire confidence even when roaming rural Iceland.
All cars are equipped with a range of extras such as GPS navigation, roof boxes, fuel cans and other essentials.
The current exchange rate for Icelandic krona makes the already low prices for renting a car outside the main season even more affordable.
The company can either pick customers up at Keflavik International Airport or deliver the selected car to hotels in Reykjavik.
For more information visit the company website at www.reykjavikrentacar.is.
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I am planning to visit Iceland in January. Can anybody tell me if it is difficult to travel the ring road at this time?
If I have one week should I go all around, or is my time better spent on a couple locations?
STAN
We sold Landsanki 2002 for 12300 million Iskr
most of the growth took place in only 3 years
before the banks were sold Iceland was a rich country that was built on a solid foundation
that foundation still exsist, Iceland will be here forever for people to enjoy,
we need to replace some people in the central bank and government, change a few rules and solve some issues, but nothing changes here,
its a big task obviously but we are up to it.
STAN
I believe you need to hang over a different topic with your vendettas. This story seems to be about how Iceland could be advantagous to tourists visiting Iceland….you need not worry, the revenue brought in will not turn around the current situation in Iceland, so you can relax, this article is not going to help your arch enemy, the terrile, senseless and heartless Icelanders. I see it moreso as helping potential travelers. A good relatively cheap, unique holiday, for sure.
Waterman-Yes,Iceland is with many great things; however, Iceland is lacking one important thing, since the world survives on currency; You have NO government officials that have any idea on how to monitor/regulate bankers that are allowed to rip off foreign investors. I would expect this behaviour from a 3rd world country but not from a civilized country.It has not dawned on Icelanders, yet, that you MUST lower your living standards, significantly,and absorb your own financial losses instead of having the rest of the civilized world feel sorry for you and pay for your greedy bankers mistakes.
@ espana:
I dont wish to be argumentative but I wish to point out these aspects that Iceland does offer.
Highest life expectancy, very clean air and plentyful water supply Hot & Cold, renewable green energy, Buses that run on Hydrogen, A good health service, 25 Earth quakes per day average, Volcanoes, Glaciers, Northern Lights, Whale Watching, Puffins, Numerous wonderful locations of untouched beauty, A very high standard of living, a big night life scene with many varrying restaurants cafes bars.
Very low population, A society that is very much family & health concious, Organic Sheep and probably the best Fish and Sushi in the world.
There is only 8 detectives in the country crime is so low, and last december was voted the best Country in the world to live in, having been 2nd for the few years previous.
But I guess Iceland doesnt offer anything ? ? ? ?
I visited Iceland in the late spring in 1996 or so; barely saw the night as the sun went down and came right back up again. The point I want to make is you really don’t need to have a car in Iceland at all, and we didn’t the 2 weeks we were there. In Reykjavik you can walk or use public transportation. For nearby sites, there are sight-seeing tours; and to get around the rest of Iceland, there’s a ring-road bus.
I visited Iceland in the late spring in 1996 or so; barely saw the night as the sun went down and came right back up again. The point I want to make is you really don’t need to have a car in Iceland at all, and we didn’t the 2 weeks we were there. In Reykjavik you can walk or use public transportation. For nearby sites, there are sight-seeing tours; and to get around the rest of Icelane, there’s a ring-road bus.
espana, “Iceland doesn’t give you anything”…. well what do you give iceland?
also, i’m sure you speak 5 lenguages, good or bad, it’s just that i couldn’t understand what you were taking about…
I visited Reykjavik for little under a month ago. Very nice but different small city, nice people who are naturally somewhat afraid of existing economic crisis and future. As a whole I will definately go back, hopefully next Spring or so. Somebody asked about echange rate ISK/Euro and price level. Here is my recent approx. price experiences:
– Hotel Plaza single room (city center): 3 nights 135 euro !!!
– beer 4-6 euro in restaurants
– ‘tourist food’ like pizza, pasta, mexican 13-15 euro
– fish meals in luxorious fishrestaurant 35-55 euro
– hamburger, local bread boat about 7-9 euro
– bus trip to Blue Lagoon 25 euro
– whale watching trip 45 euro (available during April-early/mid October)
From ATM’s I got money with my Visa-card: 1 euro = 154 ISK, from Tourist Office 1 euro = 138 ISK (in May 2008 it has been 1 euro = 70-80 ISK). I read somewhere this week that European Central Bank has noted currency rate to 1 euro = about 200 ISK this week.
Above price level is very much like in Finland, except fish meals are cheaper here. Hotel room was super cheap: 135 euro was for 3 nights.
IcelandAir also offered fairly cheap tickets, HEL-REY-HEL was about 330 euro. Very nice aircrafts too (B757) with entertaiment system in chairs also in tourist class.
I very much recommend to visit Iceland, night life during weekend nights were spectacular.
I have been trying, for weeks, to get an answer on the ISK ‘REAL’ exchange rate to the Euro, to no avail. Since I have heard that Iceland residents are very angry, at foreigners, and blame them for wanting back their bank deposits from Icelandic banks,Iceland does not seem like a pleasant place to have a holiday. Who wants to visit a country that cheats people? I have made other plans to travel elsewhere. Good luck/effort, Iceland -and please acquire a conscience—-
I have been around the world so I know what I am taking and Iceland doesn´t give you anything. Even culture.
Michel hannes, I speak 5 lenguages, good or bad, if you don´t like get out of Europe.
kk
Come to Nothern Russia at winter ;) Here’s much more spectacular veiws include glaciers, valleys, volcanos (Kamchatka peninsula, for example), lands of neverending lakes (just imagine – lakes, lakes, lakes with small soil stripes between them on the territory of a medium european country), taiga for thousand kilometers (boreal coniferous forest) and… no people around! Most of Russian popuation reside in European part of the country. At the north – there’s nobody except of Nature and you, if you’ve found time and money to meet the Nature.
And, aurora borealis looks everywhere the same :) It’s just pretty.
maybe espana should move back home and work on her english
I have also spent a few winters in Iceland and I would have to co-sign Hans’ description…it is indeed utterly spectacular!
The fashion is very much aligned with the most current styles you will find in Milano or Paris, and if you crave adventure take a super jeep or snowmobile trip up onto one of Iceland’s many glaciers, and settle into a nice hotel, hostel, guesthouse or a small rental rural holiday home….most of which have an outdoor jacuzzi from which you can lay back in silence and enjoy the northern lights in amazing clarity. The sky is so alive, it is something to see in life.I am from Canada and often encourage family and friends to travel to Iceland in winter…I LOVE IT!
P.S
Beware of taking advice from folks who seem to have a chip on their shoulder! ;)
@ españa
I don’t live in Iceland and visited it as a tourist. And I liked it. And actually I liked Reykjavik BECAUSE it is small.
Thank you for letting me have my own opinion :P
RE : españa
I take from you obvious lack of travelling and experience in this wonderous location, you didnt move here from choice and you resent being here.
I honestly do not know how someone can say this place is boring when you have so much on offer given the size of the population, Pro-rata this place has a lot more to offer than most locations in the UK & Europe.
When I have at least a ‘general idea’ of the ISK/Euro exchange rate, I will travel to Iceland. Will the ISK float, pending the IMF loan?
Don´t be comunist ideas. I live here and winter is nothing to see when the weather is pretty bad, like always. The icelandic style is horrible and I don´t think that the people are gonna buy clothes like that. Now is the poor country and always been boring.Stop to say somethings nice about iceland to make money from the tourist. This country is finish.Reykjavik is very small town and is nothing to do.
Iceland in winter is simply spectacular. Been there last february when it was freezing quite a bit and a big blanket of snow covered the country. Walking down a gorge in þingvellir, sometimes sinking away till your waist in snow, was pretty special. Can’t wait to go back again.