Reykjavik rooftops with mountains behind

Reykjavik

The world's northernmost capital, and the base for everything else.

Photo: Olga Ernst (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Currency
ISK
Emergency number
112
Police, Ambulance, Fire
Advisory level
Normal precautions
Global Affairs Canada
Language
Icelandic
Local transport
Walk & bus
Straeto, compact centre

Good to know

You can travel to the Schengen area, which includes Iceland, for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa…

Iceland follows Schengen area rules. Your passport must: have a ‘date of issue’ less than 10 years before the date you arrive – if you renewed your passport before 1 October 2018, it might have a date of issue that is more than 10 years ag…

The European Union’s (EU) new Entry/Exit System (EES) is now being implemented across the Schengen area…

There are strict rules about goods that can be brought into and taken out of Iceland. You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty…

Exercise normal security precautions. Latest change: Entry and exit requirements section – updated information on the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS).

Exercise normal security precautions. Latest change: Editorial change.

Keflavik airport is 50 minutes away. Flybus and Airport Direct coaches meet every flight, including night arrivals.

Local geothermal pools like Laugardalslaug cost a fraction of the Blue Lagoon and are where Icelanders actually go.

Alcohol is sold in Vinbudin state shops with short hours. Bars are expensive, so most people use happy hour apps.

Most day tours pick up from designated stops, not hotels. Check your stop number the night before.

Local knowledge

Contributed by guides, operators and creators on the ground. Community advice, kept separate from official sources.

Swim where the locals swim

Laugardalslaug and Vesturbaejarlaug cost a few euros, are open early and late, and have the same hot pots as the famous lagoons without the coach parties.

Local guideGudrun Jonsdottir
Check road.is with your coffee

Icelandic road and weather closures change by the hour. Look at road.is and vedur.is before you set off, not the night before.

datakyte contributorEinar Palsson

Book an experience

Verified operators in Reykjavik, booked direct through KLNK.

Frequently asked questions

You can travel to the Schengen area, which includes Iceland, for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa. This applies if you travel: (UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, for British citizen passport holders)

Iceland follows Schengen area rules. Your passport must: (UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, for British citizen passport holders)

For full details about medical entry requirements and recommended vaccinations, see TravelHealthPro’s Iceland guide. (UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, for British citizen passport holders)

There are strict rules about goods that can be brought into and taken out of Iceland. You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty. (UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, for British citizen passport holders)

Global Affairs Canada currently states: “Iceland: Exercise normal security precautions” (advisory level 1 of 4). Always check the original advisory before travelling.

Currency: ISK. Languages: Icelandic. Capital: Reykjavík.

Sources and freshness

Travel information last reviewed 12 August 2026. Compiled from European Commission Newsroom, IATA Timatic, Visit Iceland, Open-Meteo and datakyte Travel Intelligence. Always confirm entry rules and safety guidance with official government sources before you travel.

Advisories, entry rules and alerts apply to Iceland as a whole.

Aggregated from official sources. Content is never rewritten — always display the publisher, publication time and original source link.

Photography: Olga Ernst (CC BY-SA 4.0); Hansueli Krapf (CC BY-SA 3.0); Ivan Sabljak (CC-BY-SA-3.0); Steinninn (CC BY 4.0).