Iceland is best known for its many natural wonders, including hot springs, volcanoes, glaciers, lava fields, mountains, waterfalls and geysers. Here are some things to know before you go:
  • Iceland is an island nation in the North Atlantic Sea. It is Europe’s second-largest island after Great Britain.
  • Iceland is part of the Schengen Agreement, but it is not part of the European Union. The local currency is the Icelandic krona (code: ISK).
  • Keflavik International (code: KEF) is the largest airport, and most international flights land here. The local time zone is Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), which is the same time zone as London and 5 hours ahead of New York.
  • The population is around 3.6 million people, and more than half of them live in or around the capital city, Reykjavik, known for its vibrant art and music scene.
  • The official language is Icelandic, but English is also widely spoken. Some common words to learn are ja for ‘yes’, nei for ‘no’ and takk for thank you.
  • The best time to see the Northern Lights in Iceland is from September to March, while the best weather is from May to August. You can experience 24 hours of daylight in the summertime.
Learn more about this destination in the articles below.