Iceland: Top 10 tips for one week in the summer

To make the most of your trip to Iceland, check out these tips for Iceland: top 10 tips for one week in the summer – including hiring a car, where to stay, how to budget and save money, and what to pack for the weather.

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Looking for a travel guide for a week Iceland in the summer, with tips on what to see and where to go? Check out my Iceland travel guide and also this great guide to Iceland with some really useful tips for your trip (affiliate).

1. Definitely hire a car

The first of my Iceland top 10 tips for one week in the summer is to hire a car. I would definitely recommend driving in Iceland.  A lot of the time when travelling I try to use public transport as much as possible, but in Iceland a car really felt worth it. Nothing compares to the freedom of being able to stop for photos whenever you like, or spend a bit longer somewhere without being restricted by bus times. Plus a car means you can avoids the crowds of the coach tours and really appreciate the beautiful isolation on this island.  

Driving in Iceland is easy – the roads were well maintained, not busy, and well sign-posted. Which is just as well, as some days I had well over 6 hours of driving. It’s easy to just carry to driving when the scenery is so amazing! There’s a ring road which goes all the way around the island, and then other roads just off the ring road.

2. Avoid F roads when driving

There are strict rules in Iceland about only 4×4 vehicles being allowed in the highlands in the centre, on the so-called unpaved ‘F roads’. So unless you hire a 4×4 vehicle, it’s best to stick to the main roads that are tarmacked and easy to drive on. I was in Iceland for a week and it didn’t feel restricting to have to avoid the highlands in the centre, there’s so much amazing scenery everywhere you look. But if you’re set on a trip into the centre, hiring a 4×4 vehicle is a must.

3. Base yourself in Reykjavik and do long day trips

There aren’t many places in the world where I’d choose to use the centre of the capital city as my base for a week to drive out and explore the country, but in Iceland it worked really well. I stayed in an apartment in Reykjavik for a whole week and just did day trips from city. There was very little traffic, and within 5-10 minutes you can be on the ‘ring road’, the main road that goes around the island. Also, there aren’t many other major towns to base yourself in – especially if you want a supermarket so you can self-cater and avoid some of the famous Iceland prices. Driving is easy, so long day trips are easily possible – to the West to Snefellsnes Peninsula, or to the East to the Westman Islands – both are easily possible as day trips.

4. Stay in self-catering accommodation

Iceland is famous for being expensive, and it’s true that a lot of things are expensive. One way of saving money is to stay in self-catering accommodation so you don’t need to go to a restaurant for dinner every night. Of course it’s still nice to try the local food (anything with fish tasted amazing), but it can get expensive eating out every night. I liked having the option to just grab some things from a supermarket and cook to save money. If you’re really into trying the local cuisine, maybe find a local recipe to try cooking yourself!

5. Buy alcohol in separate alcohol shops, not a supermarket

Supermarkets in Iceland don’t sell alcohol, so if you want a bottle of wine or a beer, you’ll need to head to one of the specific alcohol shops. There are plenty around so they’re not difficult to find. And again, Iceland is expensive, but buying a bottle of wine from one of these shops is far cheaper than buying one in a restaurant or bar.

6. Take plenty of memory cards for your camera

Seriously, trust me on this one. It’s impossible to not take photos. Even on a cloudy rainy day, the volcanoes still look really atmospheric and you can get some great photos. The unique scenery is just so different from pretty much any other country in the world you’ll definitely want to remember it.

7. Pack warm and waterproof clothes and shoes, even in the summer

Even though I was in Iceland in early July, so what should have been summer, it definitely wasn’t warm or dry – rarely above 10 degrees and several rainy days in the week. I don’t think I stepped outside without a thick coat on all week, and by the sea with the wind blowing, it was cold. I’ve heard other people say they had lovely weather, 20 degrees and comfortable wearing t-shirts in the sun. So maybe I was just particularly unlucky with the weather, but I’d definitely recommend taking a good waterproof coat and warm clothes just in case. As the saying goes, there’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad choice of clothing. So make sure you’re prepared for whatever the weather might throw at you!

8. Take an eye mask in case you don’t have good curtains – it doesn’t get dark

Iceland is far north, which means in the winter it doesn’t get much daylight, but in the summer it doesn’t get much darkness. I didn’t stay up all night just to see if it went dark, but whenever I woke up through the night (midnight, 2am, 4am etc) it wasn’t dark outside. So if you’re a light sleeper and you’re not sure how thick the curtains will be in your room, take an eye mask to pretend it’s dark!

9. Don’t have a strict driving plan – take detours

I’m usually a massive planner (sometimes too much…but that’s another story). But in Iceland, I actually really enjoyed not having a strict plan. I had a vague idea for each day – for example one day I planned to drive West, and another day planned to drive East. But some of my favourite moments were when I took a detour down a side road just because there was a volcano I wanted to get a closer look at. On these roads, you can be the only car even though it’s the peak summer tourist season, and it gives you a chance to really appreciate how remote and unpopulated this island is.

10. Enjoy!

Most of all, enjoy! Being in Iceland felt incredibly special, just because the scenery is unlike anything you’ll see anywhere else in the world. I’m already desperate to go back. And when I do, there are even more top things to do in Iceland in the summer!

Enjoy your trip to Iceland with these top 10 tips for one week in the summer. Remember to check out my travel guide to Iceland, and also this great guide to Iceland that will help you plan your trip (affiliate). Iceland is a great destination for solo female travellers as well – check out my blogs about solo female travel here.