Iceland

Capital: Reykjavík

Language: Icelandic (English near-universal)

Currency: Icelandic króna (ISK)

Time zone: UTC+00:00 (بلا توقيت صيفي)

Visa required — 90 days

Emiratis are Schengen-exempt (90/180). Other GCC nationalities need a Schengen visa via VFS — Iceland is a full Schengen member despite being outside the EU. Aurora season (September–March) and summer (June–August) fill appointments — book months ahead. €30,000 insurance is mandatory.

Official source ↗

⚠️ Guidance only — always verify with the official source before traveling.

🕓 Last officially verified: 14/07/2026

June–August brings the midnight sun and a fully open Ring Road — easiest driving, longest daylight. September–March is aurora season (summer nights are too short to see it). February–March combines aurora with slightly longer daylight.

Halal food: Among the smallest halal scenes in European destinations, in full honesty: a couple of declared spots in Reykjavík, near-none beyond it. Fresh fish and vegetarian are your daily answer, and larger hotels accommodate with confirmed — not always guaranteed — advance arrangement.

Prayer places: A small prayer room serves Reykjavík's modest community (no large official mosque yet) — a qibla and times app is your essential companion entirely outside the capital.

Friday is an official holiday: No

The Muslim community is very small, so no iftar markets — fasting here is more personal or family-based than communal, and the sunless summer follows nearest-moderate-country rulings. Hotels prepare suhoor with a clear advance request.

A small, socially flat society — no formal titles, first names even with strangers. 'Icelandic time' flexes a bit more than its Scandinavian neighbours'. Separate indoor shoes are a strict home custom. Nature is an inexhaustible conversation topic.

Nearly fully cashless — among the world's highest card-usage rates, Apple Pay works almost without exception. Cash sees very rare use even rurally. Don't pre-exchange currency — your card suffices from the airport to the Ring Road's farthest point.

Straeto for Reykjavík buses. Vedur.is (official weather) and SafeTravel.is are essential before any drive — they flag road closures and storms instantly. Google Maps is accurate on the Ring Road, but the two official apps matter more for real safety.

Right-hand driving like the Gulf, but conditions differ radically: crosswinds that rip open car doors, invisible black ice, and unbridged river crossings in the highlands (F-roads need a 4x4 exclusively, and standard insurance excludes them). Check Vedur.is and SafeTravel.is every driving morning.

Not expected at all — service is legally included in every bill, and nothing extra is anticipated.

Síminn, Vodafone and Nova — tourist SIMs from the airport kiosk or 10-11 (a 24h shop), eSIM common. Coverage is good on the Ring Road, thinning in the interior highlands — download offline maps before setting off.

No trains at all — a rental car (4x4 in winter) is practically the only way around the Ring Road; buses link major towns sparsely. Strætó buses suffice inside Reykjavík. Organised tours are a great alternative for those unwilling to drive snow.

Among the world's priciest, uncontested: casual meal $20–35, good restaurant $45–80 pp, Reykjavík hotels $150–350/night, 4x4 rental $90–180/day. Groceries (Bónus, the local budget chain) save substantially.

ℹ️ Prices are approximate and subject to change

Among the very safest countries on Earth — crime is nearly nonexistent. The real risk is purely natural: Ring Road conditions flip suddenly (crosswinds, black ice), and swimming near waterfalls or the black-sand coast is effectively off-limits for sudden, deadly sneaker waves (Reynisfjara especially).

• The Golden Circle (Geysir, Gullfoss, Þingvellir)
• The Blue Lagoon
• Reynisfjara black beach
• Jökulsárlón iceberg lagoon
• The green northern lights