5 things to know before visiting Iceland

Skogafoss waterfall

Iceland is one of the most beautiful places on Earth. Due to the reach of the internet and the traveling bug caught by most of us it is on everyone's bucket list now. However before landing in Reykjavík it is useful to be aware of a few things.

The smell!!!
The tap water in Iceland smells (A LOT) due to sulfur. From what I had read only the hot water is supposed to smell and not the cold water but in our rented accommodation even the cold water in the kitchen had a distinct smell. Nothing can really prepare you for the odor. The water is heated naturally by geothermal springs, pumped from the ground and supplied directly to each home. The locals swear by the health aspect of the pure water and highly recommend drinking it however I found it really difficult to get comfortable with the smell .

Icelandic air smells as well although it is very pure and clean. The smell is stronger if you are near a geothermal plant or a natural spring like this one in the below picture.

No drones!

Iceland has very strict regulations regarding the use of drones. Most of the major tourist attractions are no drone zones! Check the latest rules beforehand and pay attention to the signs.

A very common sign everywhere

Don't step on the moss!

As soon as you go a little away from the city, you will see vast areas of lava fields covered in moss. However the Icelandic moss is very fragile and if you step on it, it is easily destroyed and takes years to grow back. Under ideal conditions, it can grow by as little as 1 cm (0.4 in) annually. Hence the tour guides often remind the tourists to stick to the road and not step on the 'sacred' moss.

Another reason for not walking on such terrain is that as they are lava fields you never know what you might step into!

Moss grown on lava fields

How expensive it really is!

After spending a fortune on the flight and the stay, there are more expenses to consider. Like food! Due to the location and geography of Iceland, most vegetables have to be imported and for tourists that means there is a high cost associated with eating out. e.g. the most basic pizza costs around 20 euros while in Germany it costs 5 euros 😇. It is advisable to buy food from the local supermarket and make something quick yourself or bring some packets of ready-to-eat meals.

Prices are in Icelandic Krona

Trolls!
When I first heard the tour guide speak of trolls I thought he is talking about the trolls on the internet. But soon I realized that he means the giants or dwarfs isolated from humans and living in the mountains according to the Icelandic folklore. Trolls and elves are a big part of the Icelandic stories so all souvenir shops are full of the ugly mythological figures.