Last updated on August 20th, 2019

Visit Iceland – Plan Your Trip

Best Time to Visit Iceland

July and August are the best time to visit Iceland, because winter temperatures are common through most of the year in Iceland.

Iceland – Visa Requirements

Iceland participates in the Schengen Zone and Schengen Visa requirements, even though it isn’t a member of the European Union. This makes travel easy between participating members. Some countries that are not members of the Schengen Zone require a Schengen Visa to enter Europe. More than 40 countries outside the Schengen Zone do not require a visa. Exemptions include citizens of Australia, Canada, Mexico, Japan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. Check the list of countries that require a visa at Iceland’s Directorate of Immigration site or check your specific country at VisaHQ. For a list of exempt countries, visit Project Visa.

Iceland – Currency

Iceland does not participate in the Euro, so be prepared to acquire and use the Icelandic krona.

Electrical Adapters for Iceland

The Europlug Type C electrical adapter is what you will need to keep your phones and cameras charged when you Visit Iceland. Your Europlug electrical adapter for Iceland will work in most European countries.

Icelandic Surnames

Icelandic surnames are patronymic, but unlike other Scandinavian countries, they alter female names as well. Also, other Scandinavian countries have discontinued these naming conventions, but they are still in place today in Iceland. If Einar Sigurdsson has a son named Magnus and a daughter named Soldis, the children’s legal names will be Magnus Einarsson and Soldis Einarsdottir.

There are very few Icelandic family names that carry forward through the generations and these have been strictly regulated since 1925. Genealogical records in Iceland are very well maintained, but the naming conventions make for many duplications. When two individuals have the same first and last name, the grandfather’s name is then added. Last names aren’t that helpful in identifying people, so people are often identified by their occupation in order to reduce confusion.