For some reason, Iceland has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the past recent years. When my husband and I opted for Iceland as our honeymoon destination, we received one question most frequently: "Why Iceland?" There are many reasons why we chose to go to Iceland. We are both adventurous, love wildlife, exploring, and hiking. The roundtrip airfare from our home airport, Minneapolis-St.Paul, was under $1,000 for the two of us, so we quickly jumped on the deal and booked our tickets. Iceland is a beautiful country and is truly mind-blowing in nature. However, there are a few tips I would've appreciated knowing first; before having traveled across the globe... 1. It is expensive afIceland is an island... meaning all of their goods have to be imported. While flying out to Reykjavik is inexpensive (which by the way, the airport isn't even in Reykjavik, it's in nearby Keflavik, which is a 30 minute drive to Reykjavik), just about everything else in Iceland is. Rental cars are unbelievably expensive, and if it's the winter, you will NEED four wheel drive. Gas is about $12-$14/gallon, and gas station burgers are about $20-$30. Most restaurant meals will cost about $50-$70 per entree. Helpful tips:
2. Get OUt of ReykjavikReykjavik is beautiful, but there is so much more to see outside of Iceland's most populous city. My husband and I decided to drive to Dalvik, which is a beautiful town on the north side of the island. We had to drive through a tunnel that went through the ocean - literally THROUGH the ocean. It was an exceptionally scenic drive. We saw humpback whales within feet in front of us and dined on delicious cod caught by, you guessed, yours truly! 3. Just go to the blue lagoon... It's worth the moneyYou'll hear from the locals about what a tourist trap this place is... but it's so worth it. Even though tickets start at about $70 per person, this is a tourist trap you absolutely do not want to miss. To avoid ridiculous crowds, go early in the morning or later in the evening. You have to make reservations online, you can't just show up and go. There is nowhere else in the world like this place. 4. Go to a local "spa"The people of Iceland absolutely love swimming... in fact, there are several different spas to choose from even as a non-resident. Immerse yourself in Icelandic culture by visiting one of their many pools, most of which are very inexpensive. We opted to go to the Sundhollin Public Bath because it is the oldest spa in Reykjavik and is very affordable (& yes Americans, you do have to shower nude, however, as a shy "thick" American myself, I felt no qualms about this). Since bathing in the nude is so common in Iceland, it really doesn't seem like that big of a deal. Everybody minds their business. It's all about relaxation! 5. Visit the church everyone talks about
Have fun in Iceland! Hope you brought at least 2k
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