Has anyone been there? Where and when would you recommend going and for how long? Are there any good guidebooks with decent itineraries?
Rick doesn't cover the country in his books, but with the sagging economy there, I'm thinking it should be much cheaper than before, plus the country can use the tourism money.
Hey, Alan. The deals in Iceland are phenomenal right now. They are practically paying tourists to Visit. Lonely Plant and Frommer's are also both have Iceland books I believe (I have them in another room).
IcelandAir also offers free stopovers ranging from 4 to 7 days depending on your fare. GREAT DEAL. They offer flight s from Minneapolis, Toronto, NYC, Boston, Halifax, and Orlando. Occasionally they are known to add a market in the high season, like Seattle. The hotels deals they offer in combo with that are also pretty darned good.
You can usually book those fares right on the web site. Hope that helps!
PS - Go in summer, unless your looking for the hard core winter adventures! :) chris
I went to Iceland in January 3 years ago. We took our free stopover for 5 days in Stockholm.
Very low fares, esp. with the extra legs added on.
January was certainly cold, and the place was pretty devoid of tourists. Much of the island was inaccessible because of ice and snow, but we did get to the major geysers, waterfalls and the Blue Lagoon.
I actually think that the total lack of crowds pretty much made up for the limitations of the weather, so if you can't go during the summer, don't hesitate.
EM
Thanks for the tips. Do you have any recommended itineraries or specific places to see?
Link to a prior discussion here of Iceland http://www.ricksteves.com/graffiti/helpline/index.cfm?topic=7890
My wife and I went to Iceland just over a year ago, in September. Personally, I would reccomend going in the "busy" season, because just as Rick says for Britain, it is still not that crowded, and tons more activities are available. For instance, in Reykjavik, the outdoor historical museum closes after August and does not reopen until the end of May. Also, prices aer not significantly higher and it stays light much longer. Iceland is incredibly beautiful and really easy to get around.
Unfortunately we were only there for three days, but you could easily fill a week.
Iceland Air has some great deals, so check them out at www.icelandair.com
Reykjavik can probably be a full day, then a half day of whale watching, followed by a realxing afternoon at the Blue Lagoon. We did a trip to the Seljalandfoss (I think?) waterfall near the coast and then into Thorsmark, which was very beautiful.
Another full day would be the "Golden Circle" tour, which is described just about everywhere, so i won't bother!
Iceland is one country that I would love to go back to. The people speak excellent English, the land is starkly beautiful, and the sights are wonderful.
My husband and I are taking advantage of Icelandair's stopover deal: 4 nights in Iceland on our way to Paris in August. I've been reseaching on the net and with the Lonely Planet guide. I've been looking at sample itineraries from various tour companies and then looking up the specific locations to try to piece together something that will appeal to our tastes. It is overwhelming, though, and it would be nice to get some opinions from folks who've been there. Alan, I'd be interested in hearing what you decide.
