Book cheap flights to Reykjavik

Unsurprisingly, high season in chilly Reykjavik is from June to August, when the summer warmth kicks in and the temperatures hover around a still-chilly, but reasonably comfortable (if you’re properly wrapped up) 11°C. This time of year will offer the most manageable temperatures; but aside from heavy crowds and raised hotel prices, it’s also the time of the region’s famed “midnight sun”, when nights get extremely bright; newcomers unused to it may find their sleeping patterns somewhat disrupted. Later and earlier seasons, of course, will call for even more warm woollies; but aside from thinner crowds and cheaper rates, there’s a number of other advantages to stopping by outside of high season. Perhaps most notably, the world-famous aurora borealis are most visible in the post-summer months, from September until after winter; and if you can weather out the chills, it’s worth going just for that beautiful sight. There’s nothing else like them anywhere in the world. And of course, there’s also the little issue that certain Reykjavik attractions close for off-season, while others are only open for off-season. If you’re headed to Reykjavik for the sake of any particular attraction, be sure to do some research on whether it closes its doors at any point in the year.

South Africans require a visa to visit Iceland. Icelandic consulates are located in numerous major cities around South Africa, including Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban.

Passports may not be older than 10 years, must have 2 blank pages and be valid for at least 3 months beyond your date of departure from the Schengen state.

Honorary Consulate-General Johannesburg

Address: Suite 167, Private Bag X 9924, Sandton, 2146

Phone: ( 27) 011 305 8954

Icelandic Honorary Consulate in Cape Town

Address: TIR Southern Africa, First Floor, 9 Ruby Terrace, Noordhoek, 7979

Phone: ( 27) 021 789 0053

Icelandic Honorary Consulate in Durban

Address: 16 Medical Towers, 162 Old Main Road, Isipingo Rail, 4110

Phone: ( 27) 031 309 4126

Reykjavik is an impeccably run city, and health and safety risks to travellers are almost non-existent. Aside from being sure to practice simple common sense (such as not leaving one’s belongings alone in public), you need take almost no special precautions for your trip to Iceland.

Reykjavik offers an extensive selection of hotels, apartments and guest houses for its visitors to choose from. Whether you’re opting for luxury, affordability, or ease of access, there’ll be a spot for you in this city.

Public transport in Reykjavik is almost entirely dominated by its highly regarded local bus system. Operating on 28 different lines, the buses (or strætó, as they are locally known) ferry passengers to and from most of the city’s major landmarks and hubs of activity, stopping regularly – although newcomers would be wise to study the routes on the service’s website in order to ensure that they board on the right line.

And, of course, given that Reykjavik is hardly the most expansive city in Europe – but is most certainly one of the safest – one should never wholly disregard the option of walking. Not only is it a bracing experience in the brisk Icelandic air, but it’s the best way of uncovering some of the city’s more obscure wonders.