The world's northernmost capital and the gateway to a land of volcanoes and glaciers: the Hallgrímskirkja tower, Harpa concert hall and geothermal lagoons (Blue Lagoon, Sky Lagoon). By car, the Golden Circle (Þingvellir, Geysir, Gullfoss), the South Coast (waterfalls, Reynisfjara black sand) and the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon. Midnight sun in summer, Northern Lights from September to March. A very expensive country. No direct flights from UB — MIAT to Frankfurt, then Icelandair/Lufthansa ~3 h 50 min. Mongolian citizens need a Schengen visa; for Iceland, applications are taken by the German Embassy in Ulaanbaatar (VFS Global).
🛂 Visa: Visa required · 90 days✈ Flight: 16h☀ Best months: June, July, August, September
#nature#Northern Lights#hot springs#waterfalls#glaciers#Schengen visa
Orange — daytime average, blue — night, grey bars — rainfall, green — sea temperature. Best months: June, July, August, September.
Things to see (12)
🧸 for kids
Hallgrímskirkja church and tower
CultureChurch free; tower 1,500 kr, ages 7–16 200 kr, under 7 freeSep–Apr 10:00–17:00, May–Aug 9:00–20:00; closed Sun 10:30–12:30 for mass
A 74.5 m white concrete church inspired by basalt columns — the symbol of Reykjavík. Take the lift up the tower for views over the colourful rooftops, the sea and the mountains. Inside is a huge organ with 5,275 pipes. The Leif Erikson statue stands in front; walk down Skólavörðustígur into the centre.
CityBuilding and sculpture free; guided tours and concerts extra
Travel guide
Like a well-travelled friend for a first-timer: before you go, landing, SIM, transport, money, food, safety, manners, apps, leaving — step by step.
🧳Before you goIceland has no embassy in Mongolia, so Schengen visas for Iceland are taken by the German Embassy in Ulaanbaatar (VFS Global). Iceland is very expensive and summer hotels and rental cars sell out early, so book everything well ahead.+
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Schengen visa: German Embassy, VFS Global
The German Embassy represents Iceland in Mongolia for Schengen visas, so if Iceland is your main destination book a VFS Global appointment and go in person to the embassy building to give fingerprints. Fee €90 (ages 6–11 €45, under 6 free) plus the VFS service fee of 100,000₮. Apply between 6 months and 4 weeks before travel; processing takes at least 15 days.
Tip: If you will also spend a few days in Germany via Frankfurt, work out which country is your longest stay — you apply for that one.
Medical insurance valid in all Schengen states with cover of at least €30,000 is mandatory. Since you will travel in remote areas, choose a policy that includes air ambulance and rescue. Attach the return ticket, hotel bookings, car-rental confirmation, bank statements and an employment letter.
At your first Schengen border (Frankfurt) the EES system records your fingerprints and face (fully live since 10 April 2026); ETIAS does not apply to Mongolians with a visa. If you will rent a car, bring an International Driving Permit (IDP) together with your Mongolian licence — rental companies often ask for it.
🛬Landing and getting to the cityKeflavík Airport is ~50 km from the city; there is no train, so go by bus or car.+
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Flybus
After every flight, Flybus runs to the BSÍ bus terminal in ~45 minutes: adults 3,999 kr, ages 6–15 ~2,000 kr, ages 1–5 free. Flybus+ (drop-off at your hotel) is 5,199 kr. Buy online or at the desk in arrivals; your seat is guaranteed even if your flight is late.
Tip: If you want the Blue Lagoon on arrival day, book a combined airport – Blue Lagoon – Reykjavík transfer.
Rental companies are outside the terminal and run shuttle buses. In winter take a 4x4 with winter tyres, and add gravel, sand-and-ash protection (GP/SAAP) — gravel damage is common on the South Coast. Route 41 takes you to the city.
If your phone supports eSIM, install a Europe travel eSIM (Airalo, Holafly) before you leave — it works as soon as you land in Frankfurt and in Iceland at no extra charge (Iceland is in the EEA, so 'roam like at home' applies).
Tip: Coverage drops out in remote areas and the highlands, so download Iceland in Google Maps for offline use.
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Icelandic prepaid SIM
Síminn, Vodafone and Nova tourist SIMs are sold at the 10-11 shop at KEF and at petrol stations such as N1, with no passport registration. Síminn is generally considered to have the widest rural coverage.
🚇Getting around town and countryCentral Reykjavík is small and walkable. There is almost no public transport on the Golden Circle or South Coast — rent a car or join a tour.+
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Strætó buses
A single city bus ticket is 690 kr (from 6 January 2026), in the Klappið app or in cash (no change given). Walk the centre; take the bus to Perlan, the swimming pools or Sky Lagoon.
Speed limits are 50 km/h in towns, 80 on gravel and 90 on paved roads. In winter check umferdin.is (road conditions) and vedur.is (wind) every day; strong winds rip off car doors and push cars off the road. Never stop on the roadside or on bridges for photos. Highland F-roads are summer-only and 4x4-only.
If you don't know winter roads, take Golden Circle, South Coast, Northern Lights and ice cave trips with licensed operators such as Reykjavík Excursions, Arctic Adventures or Troll — they pick you up and drop you off. Never enter an ice cave on your own.
💳Money and prices+
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A card is enough
The currency is the Icelandic króna (ISK). Almost everything — even toilets, parking and small stalls — takes cards and contactless, so you barely need cash. Petrol pumps ask for a card PIN, so know yours. Tipping is not customary; service is included.
Tip: If the card reader offers to charge you in tögrög, say no — choose ISK.
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An expensive country — plan your budget
Restaurants, tours and hotels are among the priciest in Europe. Buying food at Bónus or Krónan and cooking in your accommodation saves a lot; tap water is excellent, so don't buy bottled water. Petrol-station hot dogs (pylsur) are cheap and famous.
Non-residents who spend above a minimum amount can reclaim VAT with a Tax Free form (wool lopapeysa sweaters are a popular buy). Get the form in the shop and validate it at KEF when you leave.
🍜FoodIcelandic food is built on fish, lamb and dairy — flavours that feel familiar to Mongolians.+
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What to eat
Lamb soup (kjötsúpa) — very like Mongolian shöl — fresh cod, plokkfiskur (fish mashed with potatoes), langoustine, skyr (thick yoghurt), geothermally baked rye bread and hot dogs from Bæjarins Beztu. Skip whale meat — it is mostly sold only to tourists.
Tip: Try hákarl (fermented shark) — but only a small bite!
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Supermarkets
Bónus (with the pink pig logo) and Krónan are the cheapest; 10-11 is open late but expensive. Alcohol is sold only in the state-run Vínbúðin shops, age 20+; stock up on food and water before heading into the countryside.
Police, ambulance, fire and rescue are all 112, free, 24 hours, answered in English. The 112 Iceland app sends your location, and you can leave a travel plan with SafeTravel. For non-urgent illness, Læknavaktin — 1700.
On black-sand beaches such as Reynisfjara sudden waves sweep people away — a child died in August 2025: keep well back, never turn your back on the sea and obey the warning lights. A new eruption is possible on the Reykjanes peninsula (Grindavík, Blue Lagoon) — follow closure signs and vedur.is warnings.
Sudden storms, icy roads and short days cause many accidents in winter: check road warnings and don't drive into the countryside on a red-warning day. Go onto glaciers and into ice caves only with a professional guide; you need crampons on snow and ice.
Before entering an Icelandic pool or lagoon you must shower fully, naked, with soap — staff check. Don't be shy in the shared showers; it is completely normal here. Pools are the heart of Icelandic social life — cheap and easy for families.
Moss grows extremely slowly — don't step off the paths, and off-road driving is illegal with very high fines. Sleeping in your car or outside designated places is banned — use campsites. Leave no litter and use proper toilets.
Icelanders are informal and direct — people are addressed by first name (not surname). Take your shoes off when entering a home. Respecting queues and keeping your voice down are part of the culture.
📱Useful apps+
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Safety, roads and weather
112 Iceland and SafeTravel — emergencies and travel plans. Umferðin (road.is) — road closures and ice. Veðurstofa (vedur.is) — wind, volcanoes and the aurora cloud-cover map. Check all three before heading out of town.
Klappið — Strætó bus tickets. Parka and Checkit — parking fees at nature sites (cameras read your plate, so if you forget to pay the rental company adds a fine). Google Maps and Google Translate cover the rest.
Flybus from BSÍ takes ~45 minutes; Flybus advises being at the airport at least 3 hours before your flight. Return a rental car with a full tank and take photos of its condition. Validate Tax Free forms before check-in.
Leave the Schengen area no later than the date on your visa — EES records your exit day automatically. If you connect to MIAT in Frankfurt, Icelandic winter storms can delay flights, so flying out a day early is safest.
AI answer: double-check anything beyond our researched facts with an official source.
Harpa Sun–Tue 10:00–18:00, Wed–Sat 10:00–20:00; Sun Voyager 24 hours
A concert hall with Ólafur Elíasson's coloured-glass 'honeycomb' façade, which changes colour with the sun and the aurora. A 10-minute walk along the shore brings you to the Viking-ship-like steel sculpture Sun Voyager (Sólfarið), with Mount Esja behind. Best at sunset.
Kids7,090 kr online (7,490 kr at the desk); ages 5–12 5,090 kr; under 5 freeDaily about 9:00–21:00
A glass dome built on top of hot-water tanks: a 100 m ice cave made of real snow, a Northern Lights planetarium show, interactive exhibits on volcanoes, glaciers and puffins, and a 360° observation deck. The best bad-weather option for families with children.
RelaxSaman pass from 14,990 kr, Sér pass from 17,990 kr (varies by day and time); no children under 12Winter (21 Oct–30 Apr) about 11:00–22:00, from 10:00 at weekends; longer in summer
A geothermal lagoon 10 minutes from the centre with an 'infinity' edge facing the Atlantic, plus the 7-step Skjól ritual of sauna and cold plunge. Best visited while staying in town rather than on the way to the airport; evening slots are popular in aurora season. Book a time in advance.
RelaxComfort from 11,990 kr (dynamic pricing); ages 2–13 free with an adult; no children under 221 Aug–31 Jan 8:00–22:00, Feb–May 8:00–20:00, summer up to 7:00–23:00
Milky-blue 37–39°C silica water in the middle of a lava field — 20 minutes from the airport, so many combine it with arrival or departure day. It closed temporarily many times in 2023–2025 because of the Sundhnúkur eruptions; as of 2026.10 it is open, but it may close if a new eruption starts — check bluelagoon.com and vedur.is before you go.
NatureElding classic tour 14,500 kr; ages 7–15 7,250 kr; under 7 freeYear-round, several departures a day in summer; tours last 2.5–3.5 hours
Sail into Faxaflói Bay to see minke and humpback whales, dolphins and, in summer, puffins. If you see no whales you get a free second trip. It is very cold at sea — wear the warm overalls the company provides. The harbour has a whale museum and seafood restaurants.
NatureEntry free; parking 1,000 kr (cars up to 5 seats, valid all day)24 hours; visitor centre daily
The first stop on the Golden Circle (UNESCO), ~45 minutes from Reykjavík: walk through the Almannagjá gorge where the North American and Eurasian plates are pulling apart. The Althing, one of the world's oldest parliaments, met here from 930. Snorkel between the two plates in the Silfra fissure (professional tours, age 12+).
NatureFree (parking free at Gullfoss, may be charged at Geysir)24 hours
The Strokkur geyser shoots hot water 20–30 m high every 5–10 minutes — the place children love most; the word 'geyser' comes from here. Ten minutes on is Gullfoss, the two-tiered 'Golden Falls' of the Hvítá river, with rainbows on sunny days. Paths are icy in winter, so stay behind the ropes.
NatureFree; paid parking at Seljalandsfoss24 hours; the path behind the falls closes when icy in winter
The South Coast's two famous waterfalls (1.5–2 hours from Reykjavík): you can walk behind 60 m Seljalandsfoss (you will get soaked by spray — wear waterproofs). 30 km further on is the 60 m-high Skógafoss — climb 500-plus steps to the top, with the Skógar folk museum next door.
NatureFree; paid parking24 hours; the beach closes when the red light is on
Black sand, basalt column cliffs and the Reynisdrangar sea stacks. WARNING: one of the world's most dangerous beaches — sneaker waves drag people in, and a 9-year-old child died in August 2025. Never turn your back on the sea, hold children's hands and obey the yellow/red warning lights. The nearby village of Vík has food and lodging.
NatureLagoon free; amphibian boat 7,100 kr, ages 6–12 3,500 kr, 0–5 free; Zodiac 16,600 kr (10+)24 hours; boat tours roughly early May to mid-November
A lagoon of blue icebergs calved from the Vatnajökull glacier, often with seals swimming; across the road, ice chunks glitter on the black sand of 'Diamond Beach'. About 5 hours from Reykjavík, so fit it into a 2–3-day South Coast trip. From November to March, ice caves in nearby glaciers can be visited only on professionally guided tours.
NatureFree; paid parking at Kirkjufellsfoss24 hours
Called 'Iceland in miniature' (~2.5 hours from Reykjavík): the arrow-shaped Kirkjufell mountain and waterfall, the black church at Búðir, the Arnarstapi–Hellnar cliff path, Djúpalónssandur beach and, at the tip, the national park around the Snæfellsjökull glacier. Much quieter than the busy South Coast.
Síminn, Vodafone (Sýn) and Nova prepaid SIMs are sold at the 10-11 shop at KEF airport, in city petrol stations and shops, with no passport registration. Iceland is in the EEA, so under 'roam like at home' rules EU SIMs and eSIMs work at no extra charge — a Europe eSIM (Airalo, Holafly) is easiest. Coverage drops out in remote areas and the highlands. You can pay by (contactless) card almost everywhere.
