Iceland with Kids

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The current state of flying to Iceland

Update for 2021: Covid-19 has of course changed the information below dramatically. Things are changing quickly; find the latest Icelandair schedule here:

https://www.icelandair.com/support/pre-flight/flight-schedule/

The good news is that 24 airlines currently fly directly into Keflavik airport in Iceland. Icelandair is far and away the biggest, with flights from 18 different countries. Let’s take a look at Icelandair, and how they compare to other options you may have.

Keflavik Airport

As an aside, note that nearly all international flights to Iceland land in Keflavik, a city about 45 minutes east of the capital Reykjavik. Even if the destination city is listed as Reykjavik, note the airport code is KEF, which is Keflavik. See options for getting from Keflavik to Reykjavik.

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Seeing the Northern Lights in Iceland

(While this post is specific to Iceland, much of the advice applies to seeing the Northern Lights in other countries as well: Finland, Norway, Sweden, and more.)

Many people associate Iceland with the Northern Lights, also known as the Aurora Borealis. Here’s our comprehensive list of facts and tips about the Northern Lights. [Read more…] about Seeing the Northern Lights in Iceland

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South Coast of Iceland Touring Plan

Outside of Reykjavik and the Golden Circle, the South Coast of Iceland is often the next area that people recommend for tourists. (And I’m one of those people– our sample 1 week Iceland itinerary with kids spends a lot of time in the south!)

Here is a sample itinerary for your visit to South Iceland. You can cover this in a day, or 2 or 3 days, depending on how much you want to see. In the list below you’ll see a couple of potential points where it can make sense to turn around. (And we don’t cover everything– there’s always more to see if you want to explore!) Here’s what we’re going to cover: (Click for a larger version.)

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Icelandic Horses: How to see them and where to ride them

Last update: May 16, 2022

Icelandic horses are unique, and their history is amazing.

Here’s a quick summary. In the year 982 (yes, nine eighty-two!) a law was passed in Iceland forbidding any horse from being imported into Iceland. A horse can leave the country, but it can never come back. And this law has been in place continuously for over 1,000 years.

These Icelandic horses have a unique characteristic. Most (all?) horses can walk, trot, and gallop. But Icelandic horses have two more gaits: The Tölt, and Flying Pace. Both of these gaits are considered to be extremely smooth for how fast they are. [Read more…] about Icelandic Horses: How to see them and where to ride them

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Icelandic words and phrases to learn (or not!)

If you’re planning to go to Iceland, you really don’t need to know any Icelandic– Nearly all Icelanders speak fluent English. But a few phrases and words will help you figure out what’s going on. For example, below you’ll learn you that “safn” as a suffix means museum or collection. Take a look at the picture above. Now that you know safn, it’s easier to figure out that Grafíksafn would be something like a graphics museum.

You most likely won’t be having conversations in Icelandic. What worked for me when speaking to Icelanders was the “sandwich” approach, which isn’t actually a real thing. Say a greeting in Icelandic, say what you need to say in English, and then say goodbye in Icelandic. For example: [Read more…] about Icelandic words and phrases to learn (or not!)

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Clothing in Iceland: What to pack and what to wear

There was a point in our trip planning where we realized we had no idea what we needed to pack. We had plane tickets and lodging figured out. But what did we need to bring with us?

First, make sure you know what the average temperature is for the time of year you will be visiting Iceland. Here’s a graph, taken from our Hours of Daylight in Iceland post. You’ll notice that it isn’t as cold as you may fear, at least in Reykjavik—average highs are above freezing year-round:

temp
Source: http://www.holiday-weather.com/reykjavik/averages/ [Read more…] about Clothing in Iceland: What to pack and what to wear