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Iceland

l9il9i member
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in Chit Chat
Any knotties ever been to Iceland??

We are going in November and staying three days as a stop between US and Europe.  Any advice on what to do or what part of the island to stay?  I've been researching but I feel lost...

Thanks in advance!
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Re: Iceland

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    jenna8984jenna8984 member
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    I went just 2 months ago and I'm fairly certain that @lacqueredlover has been in the summertime.

    Definitely stay in the city center in Reykjavik, as that's where all the buses are for airport transfers and tours. We stayed at the Reykjavik Centrum and they were great. There was an issue with prepaid our reservation being lost and they handled it great and got us a room. (the 3rd party provider booked the wrong hotel, wasn't Centrum's fault). From there you can walk to the bus terminals, the shops & restaurants, the Harpa concert hall & harbor, the famous church with observation tower. The restaurant next door, Fish Market was the best food I've ever had- I'm stil raving about how it was the best salmon of my life.

    We took a day tour to Golden Circle which hits up a geysir and a waterfall. Recommend that since you get to see the real natural beauty of the countryside. We booked The Blue Lagoon in advance on their website with transfers- this is a DO NOT miss!!

    We had booked a private offroad Jeep tour at midnight to see northern lights but we happened to get hit with major storms so that got canceled. It was a bummer but we obviously got refunded.

    You don't need a car since their bus transfers and tours are the most organized I have ever seen, very efficient!! And everything is credit card, no cash needed anywhere. Feel free to ask me any other questions- you will love it!!

                                                                     

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    lacqueredloverlacqueredlover member
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    I was there in June 2008.

    Definitely stay in Reykjavik.  You MUST go to the Blue Lagoon, it's awesome!  Get a massage if you can, it's super weird and fun.

    We did the golden circle also and booked a private driver and it was wonderful.  We also did Puffin Island which was very cool although I'm not sure if the weather will allow for it in November.
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    l9il9i member
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    jenna8984 said:

    I went just 2 months ago and I'm fairly certain that @lacqueredlover has been in the summertime.

    Definitely stay in the city center in Reykjavik, as that's where all the buses are for airport transfers and tours. We stayed at the Reykjavik Centrum and they were great. There was an issue with prepaid our reservation being lost and they handled it great and got us a room. (the 3rd party provider booked the wrong hotel, wasn't Centrum's fault). From there you can walk to the bus terminals, the shops & restaurants, the Harpa concert hall & harbor, the famous church with observation tower. The restaurant next door, Fish Market was the best food I've ever had- I'm stil raving about how it was the best salmon of my life.

    We took a day tour to Golden Circle which hits up a geysir and a waterfall. Recommend that since you get to see the real natural beauty of the countryside. We booked The Blue Lagoon in advance on their website with transfers- this is a DO NOT miss!!

    We had booked a private offroad Jeep tour at midnight to see northern lights but we happened to get hit with major storms so that got canceled. It was a bummer but we obviously got refunded.

    You don't need a car since their bus transfers and tours are the most organized I have ever seen, very efficient!! And everything is credit card, no cash needed anywhere. Feel free to ask me any other questions- you will love it!!

    Thanks so much @jenna8984

    That does help a lot!  I was looking at hotels and had no idea whether I would want to stay in Reykjavik or not.  We are for sure doing the Blue Lagoon our last day to relax before heading home :)  Other than that I was hoping for a Northern Lights (really hoping to see them!) our and saw something about a glacier hike which sounded fun.  I'll have to check out the Golden Circle because that also sounds good.

    Did you book tours and stuff once you got there or did you do it ahead of time?
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    lacqueredloverlacqueredlover member
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    Just an FYI to see the Northern LIghts, you would have to take a car very far from Reykjavik  because you need to be away from any city light pollution.  when I was going to go see the Northern lights, we stayed at a very remote village in Finnish Lapland where your odds are much higher and you don't have to be hopping in and out of a car but rather a warmer cabin.  If you're serious about the Northern Lights, you're looking at a very different kind of trip.
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    l9il9i member
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    @LaqueredLover did you do an overnight at the remote village?  Would it be doable to stay in Reykjavik perhaps one night and remote the next so something like that or is that too much for one trip?  I know going in winter means there would be a better chance but then I've also read that could make travel much more difficult. 
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    jenna8984jenna8984 member
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    Yea the Northern Lights are such a crapshoot. I researched and it said he best time to see them was Jan-March so we went in March and it was overcast the entire time. My friend went in September and just so happened to step outside her hotel and see them. The staff at her hotel said that like never happens due to the city lights. So you just never know!

    I booked all my tours online before I went. It was funny because I compared all these diffferent companies- Viator, Iceland Excursions, Nordic Explorer. And then when I got there I found out they're all the same. Literally Grey Line owns the bus station and the buses and all the tours go in and out of there on the same Grey Line buses hahaha. So you can book online, or you can just walk into the Grey Line bus office and book them on the spot. However, you risk them being sold out, so I'd say book them online first.

                                                                     

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    lacqueredloverlacqueredlover member
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    @l9i I went to Finland for 4 days and it wasn't until the last night that we actually saw the lights, and that was the peak year.  We are 3 years beyond the peak of seeing the lights now (it's in a cycle due to solar flares from the sun.)  Honestly I wouldn't go to Iceland for it, I would go to Lapland which is in Finland, Norway and Sweeden and make a separate trip of it.
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    l9il9i member
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    @laqueredlover I am not going solely for the purpose of the Northern Lights, just thinking it would be awesome to have the opportunity to see them if possible.  Of course I know there is zero guarantee like Jenna said above and perhaps it's more something that you wait and see if there's good conditions and then decide, I don't know.  I've seen they do the evening tours and thought we'd do that (if it looked like there would be a good chance once there)... are you suggesting not to?  That's what I'm here for - suggestions!
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    lacqueredloverlacqueredlover member
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    You're welcome to try but November isn't really the best tiem to see them there and you will be out in the cold for a solid 6-8 hours trying to see them away from the city if you decide to.  Totally up to you, but I've heard some not so great things about people trying to see them in Iceland and just being uncomfortable.  That's something you'd have to do your research into, just when I went to see the lights, we immediately crossed Iceland off the list of places to go try it due to that and decided to go to Europe instead.  There are enough amazing things to do in Iceland (they seriously have some great restaurants from what I remember, and we were exhausted from doing stuff all day) that staying up all night to try to see the lights would not have been fun!
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    jenna8984jenna8984 member
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    Yea, we had booked the private Jeep tour from 8pm-1am to see the lights because we figured even if we didn't see them it would still be wicked fun to just tool around in a Jeep. But it was so rainy and heavy winds that the company called our hotel to tell them it was not safe to go. They let you try it the following night but the storm was still there, so that didn't work either so we got our money back. But I read some shitty reviews about the coach tours like just being stuck freezing on a bus for hours sitting there, that's why I went with the private tour for that. I found the coach fine for the Golden Cirlce though since you're busy doing and seeig things all day, not just sitting on a bus waiting.

                                                                     

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    JennyColadaJennyColada member
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    I've been dying to go to Iceland and stay at ION hotel.

    I looked into it for our honeymoon, but we opted for something warmer and closer to home.
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    l9il9i member
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    @JennyColada I just did a Google search and that place looks awesome!

    @laqueredlover and @jenna8984 it sounds like maybe a northern lights tour wouldn't be the best use of our time.  I will however be looking into that Golden Circle tour - thanks!
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    WinstonsGirlWinstonsGirl member
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    For sure do the Golden Circle.  Stay in Reykjavik, though it's much smaller than I expected.  We thought we'd spend 2-3 days exploring the city, but we walked it in 1.  The Blue Lagoon was pretty neat, but bring a tuque as my ears were freezing.  Actually, bring layers and wind protection.  We went in July and I bought one the first day there.  

    As well, you can scuba/snorkel the continental divide at Silfra (the first stop on the Golden Circle).  Lots of companies offer it.  There is no marine life to see, but the colours are stunning.  It was a very cool dive.  

    We would love to go back and drive the island.  As for Northern Lights, don't plan the trip just to see them, but city lights shouldn't be a huge issue.  Yes, it's better with no lights, but I'll see them in my city 1-2 a year, and I'm much further south than Iceland.  But don't be disappointed if you don't see them.  They're dependant on solar flares, so if there's not a lot of activity, you may not see them anyway.  

    As PP's mentioned, Grey Line does all tours.  You can head down to their main office and book on the spot, though their more popular tours will book up faster.  We booked everything there a day or two before with no issues.  Depending on the trip, you may have some long days though.  Have fun!! 

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    l9il9i member
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    @WinstonsGirl Thanks for the advice!  I did some looking at the Golden Circle and it looks awesome - glad I asked you fine knotties!
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    jenna8984jenna8984 member
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    WinstonsGirl said:


    As well, you can scuba/snorkel the continental divide at Silfra (the first stop on the Golden Circle).  Lots of companies offer it.  There is no marine life to see, but the colours are stunning.  It was a very cool dive.  

     
    That is SO cool!! I really want to go back in summer, because in winter this was just snow, snow, cold snow.

                                                                     

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    WinstonsGirlWinstonsGirl member
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    jenna8984 said:

    WinstonsGirl said:


    As well, you can scuba/snorkel the continental divide at Silfra (the first stop on the Golden Circle).  Lots of companies offer it.  There is no marine life to see, but the colours are stunning.  It was a very cool dive.  

     
    That is SO cool!! I really want to go back in summer, because in winter this was just snow, snow, cold snow.
    Doesn't matter, time of year.  Water there is about 2-3C all year round, so you can go in the winter too.  You do it in dry suits, but mine leaked, so I was still cold.  Totally worth it though.  

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    jenna8984jenna8984 member
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    well this looks terrifying and cool at the same time...opens in June

    http://www.grindtv.com/travel/into-the-glacier-tours-put-the-ice-in-iceland/#0xocJpUakLKPtejV.97

     

                                                                     

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    l9il9i member
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    @jenna8984 that looks amazing!  We were planning on a glacier hike but this looks absolutely epic!
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