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All Things Iceland: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Jewells Chambers
Discover Iceland’s language, history, culture, & nature
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- 4 days ago47 min
An Incredible 15-Day Winter Adventure in Iceland – Itinerary Review
Can you plan an incredible 15-day trip to Iceland in January? Absolutely! But there are some important things to consider, especially when it comes to winter driving, limited daylight, and making the most of your time. I recently had the opportunity to review a detailed Iceland itinerary submitted by Robert, a traveler from the United States who is planning a very special trip with his wife. They got married 10 years ago but never had a honeymoon. Now, they’re celebrating their anniversary with a long-awaited honeymoon in Iceland! How sweet is that?! Robert is planning a 15-day trip in January 2027, exploring South Iceland, Southeast Iceland, the Eastfjords, the Golden Circle, West Iceland, the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, and Reykjavík. He’s also a member of my All Things Iceland Travel Club, where I personally help travelers plan their trips, answer questions, and provide itinerary reviews. With Robert’s permission, I’m sharing highlights from his itinerary and my recommendations so you can apply some of these lessons to your own Iceland adventure. Whether you’re visiting for three days or three weeks, there’s a lot to learn from this itinerary! Table of Contents What I Loved About Robert’s Iceland Itinerary Before getting into the day-by-day review, I want to give Robert some credit. He put an incredible amount of thought and research into this trip. In fact, he told me that he helps create tours and travel guides in the United States, so he already has experience putting together detailed itineraries. He even used my All Things Iceland podcast, along with Google and other resources, to help plan his trip. I absolutely loved hearing that! Robert had four main questions when he submitted his itinerary: Was he accounting for enough daylight? Were his driving routes realistic for winter? Was he doing any unnecessary backtracking? Was he missing any important attractions along the way? These are fantastic questions for anyone planning a winter trip to Iceland. One thing that impressed me was that he built approximately 25% extra driving time into his schedule to account for winter conditions. He also planned multiple nights in certain locations rather than constantly changing accommodations. Another thing I appreciated was that he wasn’t attempting to drive the entire Ring Road. While 15 days might sound like plenty of time to drive around Iceland, January brings additional challenges. Snow, ice, wind, road closures, and limited daylight can make traveling much more complicated. Instead, Robert chose to focus on several regions and return along the South Coast rather than continue north. There is some backtracking involved, but in this particular situation, I actually think that makes sense. Let’s get into the itinerary! Day 1: Driving From Keflavík Airport to Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon <p data-pm-sl
- 2 weeks ago14 min
I’m Personally Reviewing 50 Iceland Itineraries For Free – Here’s How to Get Yours Reviewed
I have some really exciting news to share with you today! If you’ve been following All Things Iceland for a while, you know how much I love helping people plan their trips to Iceland. Whether that’s through my podcast, YouTube videos, blog posts, or answering your questions on social media, it’s something I’m genuinely passionate about. But I’ve also wanted to create a space where we could take that interaction a step further. A place where you could ask me questions directly, get help with your itinerary, discover places you might not have considered, and connect with other people who are just as excited about Iceland as you are. And I’m happy to say that I’ve finally created it! It’s called the All Things Iceland Travel Club, and it’s officially open! What is the Iceland Travel Club? The Travel Club is an online community for people who are planning their first trip to Iceland, returning for another adventure, or simply love learning about this beautiful country. And one thing I really want to emphasize is that this isn’t just another place where you get a bunch of information and then you’re left to figure everything out on your own. I’m actually in the club every day. I’m answering questions, sharing recommendations, posting about places I’ve visited, and interacting with members. Some of the posts are about popular places in Iceland, but I’m also sharing some of those lesser-known spots that might not make it onto a typical itinerary. And I’m going beyond just saying, “Hey, you should visit this place.” I’m sharing my personal experiences, what makes these places special, things you should know before visiting, and whether I think they’re worth including in your trip. And members can ask follow-up questions, share their own experiences, and have conversations with each other. That’s a huge part of why I created this. I want it to feel like an actual community. Something exciting has already happened! Now, here’s something that has me especially excited. I only created this club about a week ago, and people have already started joining! And one of our new members has already submitted his 15-day Iceland itinerary for January. He’s coming to Iceland with his wife, and I’m currently going through their plans and putting together my feedback. And let me tell you, there are some interesting things to discuss! In fact, I’ve already been chatting with him inside the community because I had a few questions about his itinerary. One of the things I noticed was a particularly long drive planned for the day they arrive in Iceland. And because they’re coming in January, there are a few things I want them to consider, including daylight hours, winter road conditions, and how tired they might be after an overnight flight. But here’s something that’s really important to me. It’s your trip, not mine. My job isn’t to tell someone that they absolutely have to do things my way. It’s to use my experience traveling around Iceland, driving these routes, and understanding the seasons to help them make informed decisions. So sometimes I’ll ask questions before making recommendations. For example, are your accommodations flexible? Would you consider staying somewhere else? Is this particular stop a must-see for you? That way, the feedback is actually helpful for the person and their travel preferences. And what’s really cool is that some of these conversations happen in the community where other members can see them and learn from them, too.
- Oct 8, 202623 min
How to Iceland-Maxx Your Trip: Get More Out of Your Time & Money
Apparently, we are maxxing everything these days. There’s sleep-maxxing, looks-maxxing, money-maxxing… so naturally, I’ve decided we need to talk about Iceland-maxxing. And yes, I know that sounds ridiculous, but stick with me because there’s actually a useful idea behind this. What Does Iceland-Maxxing Actually Mean? If you’re traveling to Iceland, you’re probably spending a significant amount of money to get here. You might be using a week or two of precious vacation time. Maybe this is a trip you’ve been dreaming about for years. So how do you get the most value out of the time, money, and energy you’re spending to be here? When I say Iceland-maxxing, I absolutely do not mean cramming as many attractions as humanly possible into your itinerary. In fact, I think that’s one of the fastest ways to make your trip worse. After living in Iceland for almost ten years and helping people plan trips here for years, I think a great Iceland itinerary comes down to something much simpler: everything on your itinerary should earn its place. How to Create Your Own Itinerary for Iceland This is actually a big part of why I created my Iceland Itinerary Blueprint. I kept seeing people with dozens of amazing places saved for Iceland, but they didn’t necessarily know how to turn all of those places into a trip that made sense geographically or fit the amount of time they actually had. The Blueprint walks you through the process I use to think about your priorities, driving time, where things are located, and how to put everything together into an itinerary that works for your trip. I’ll tell you a little more about it later on in this blog. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hu4lDscI_oE 1. What Is This Stop Actually Costing You? Here’s something I don’t think enough people consider when planning Iceland: even a free attraction has a cost. Let’s say you’ve found an incredible waterfall. There’s no entrance fee, so technically it’s free. Except… is it? Maybe it’s 45 minutes away from the route you were already planning to drive. That’s 45 minutes to get there and potentially another 45 minutes to get back to where you would have been. Then you spend 30 or 45 minutes at the waterfall. Suddenly, your “free” waterfall has cost you more than two hours of your day. And that’s before we’ve even talked about fuel or your energy. This is why I don’t just ask, “Is this place worth visiting?” There are hundreds of places in Iceland that are worth visiting. The better question is, “Is this place worth what it costs this particular day?” That’s a completely different question. If you’re already driving right past it, fantastic. If visiting it requires a huge detour from three other things you care about more, maybe it doesn’t belong on that particular day. This is also where backtracking comes into play. Sometimes I’ll look at someone’s itinerary and they’re driving east, then west, then east again because they’ve planned individual attractions instead of planning a route. You’re paying for that mistake with your time. And in life, time is one of the most valuable things you have. 2. What Is Your Anchor during your Day? The second thing I want you to do is stop treating everything on your itinerary as equally important, because it isn’t. Ask yourself, “If I could only do one thing today, which thing would I be genuinely disappointed to miss?” That’s your anchor. Maybe you’ve wanted to hike on a glacier for ten years. Maybe your dream is soaking in the Blue Lagoon. Maybe you desperately want to see puffins. Maybe there’s a particular restaurant you’ve been dying to visit. Maybe you’re a photographer and there’s one location you specifically came to Iceland to photograph. Whatever
- Sep 24, 202632 min
Planning a Trip to Iceland in Summer 2027? Start Now
If you are planning a trip to Iceland in summer 2027, this is your sign to start now. Yesterday would have been better, but today is the option we have. That does not mean you should panic and book the first hotel, rental car or tour you find. In fact, booking without first understanding your route can create a completely different problem. The goal is to start planning early enough to keep your choices while making each decision in the right order. I talk with Iceland travelers almost every day through private consultations, emails, social media and the monthly Q and A for my Savvy Traveler’s Guide to Iceland. Over the years, I have watched the summer planning window move earlier. I used to remind people in January to start planning for the upcoming summer. Now, for many travelers, especially those with fixed dates or specific accommodation needs, planning six to twelve months ahead makes much more sense. https://youtu.be/ntJLY4Q7cs0 Featured in this blog Why You Should Plan a Summer Trip to Iceland Early Summer is popular for good reason. The landscape is vibrant and green, the Highlands become accessible, puffins return, hiking opportunities expand and the midnight sun gives you extraordinarily long sightseeing days. You should not avoid summer simply because demand is high. You should plan strategically so you can experience it without paying more than necessary or settling for a trip that does not fit you. As June, July and August get closer, prices generally rise, availability shrinks and many of the best-value options disappear. Occasionally, someone cancels and a room becomes available at the last minute, but that does not mean it will return at its original price. A hotel or vacation rental may reopen the dates at a much higher rate because demand is already strong. Planning early is not only about saving money. Even if you have a generous budget, it gives you more control over the trip. Outside Reykjavík, towns such as Vík, Höfn, Mývatn and Akureyri have fewer accommodations than many travelers expect. Iceland continues to add hotels, but the countryside still has limited inventory, including a surprisingly small number of luxury properties. The best-located and best-reviewed options can fill up regardless of price. This matters even more if you need a family room, several rooms for a group, an accessible space, a kitchen, separate beds, a private bathroom or a particular price range. The more specific your needs are, the earlier you should begin. The Domino Effect of Booking Too Late in Iceland One of the most common mistakes I see is booking flights and thinking the difficult part is finished. A few months before the trip, the traveler begins searching for accommodations and discovers that the affordable, highly rated places are gone. What remains may be far from the planned route, poorly reviewed, too small for the group or simply nothing like the experience they imagined. If you are driving the Ring Road, South Coast, Golden Circle or Snæfellsnes Peninsula, your overnight location affects the entire next day. You do not just need a room somewhere in Iceland. You need the right room in the right area on the right night. Imagine that you intended to continue east but the only available accommodation requires you to backtrack. That detour adds driving time, fuel costs and fatigue. It changes when you reach the next attraction, how much time you have to explore and where you can stop to eat. A room that looked cheaper may not be a better value once the whole route is considered. Booking early gives you a better chance of choosing an overnight stay that supports your itinerary instead of forcing the itinerary to bend around whatever was left. <img decoding="async" width="1024" height="595" src="https://allthingsiceland.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/11-1024x595.jpg" alt="" srcset="https://allthingsiceland.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/11-1024x595.jpg 1024w, https://allthingsiceland.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/11-300x174.jpg 300w, https://allthingsiceland.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/
- Aug 31, 202630 min
My Emotional Journey Having a Baby in Iceland – The Cost & Care I Received in 2025
One of the questions people often have about living in Iceland is how the healthcare system actually works, especially when it comes to having a baby. As an American who has lived in Iceland for 10 years, I was very aware when I became pregnant for the first time in 2025 that having a baby in the United States can potentially cost thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars depending on your health insurance. My experience with maternity care in Iceland was very different. https://youtu.be/lib5G9vAFIA From prenatal appointments and ultrasounds to an unexpected breech pregnancy, labor, an emergency C-section, two nights in the hospital, and postpartum care at home, I received an incredible amount of medical care and support. When I added up the things I actually paid for throughout this entire journey, the total came to just a little over $1,600 USD. And importantly, a decent portion of that total came from things I chose to pay for rather than essential medical care that I was required to pay for. Finding Out I Was Pregnant in Iceland My pregnancy journey started with a positive pregnancy test in February 2025. After finding out, I called my neighborhood health center, or heilsugæsla, to let them know I was pregnant. I was accustomed to regular healthcare appointments sometimes taking quite a while to schedule, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. Pregnancy was completely different. A midwife called me back very quickly and started explaining what would happen next. It genuinely felt as if becoming pregnant suddenly put me at the front of the line. That feeling continued throughout my pregnancy. Prenatal and postpartum care in Iceland is very midwife-driven, which I ended up loving. I had 10 prenatal appointments with midwives, and unless there was a reason for more specialized medical care, I didn’t need to routinely see a gynecologist or obstetrician. During my appointments, my midwives checked things like my blood pressure, urine, the baby’s heartbeat and my general health. I also had blood tests to monitor things like my iron and vitamin D levels. As someone who has been completely plant-based for 11 years, I was also curious whether being vegan during pregnancy would become an issue. It didn’t. My healthcare providers weren’t judgmental about it, and the focus was simply on making sure I and the baby were healthy and getting what we needed. Ultrasounds, Testing and the Costs That Started Adding Up
- Aug 14, 202630 min
10 Weird Things I Now Find Normal After Living in Iceland for 10 Years
2026 marks 10 years since I moved to Iceland, which is honestly a little hard for me to believe. I can still remember stepping off the plane, starting work, and feeling like my brain was being bombarded with things that seemed foreign or strange. Even hearing Icelandic names like Ása, Björn, and Arnbjörn took some getting used to. https://youtu.be/AKL2qYEzEkU Fast-forward a decade and so many of those things don’t even register as unusual anymore. They’re just…life. Living in another country for this long has also made me realize how much our definition of “normal” is shaped by where we grow up. Things that initially made me think, People actually do this?! are now things I barely notice, and in some cases, things I do myself. Here are 10 things that have become normal to me after living in Iceland for 10 years. 1. Letting Babies Nap Outside This might be the biggest transformation of them all because I went from thinking this was absolutely bizarre to doing it with my own baby. I learned about babies napping outside when I first visited Iceland in the winter of 2013. At the time, I couldn’t understand how people could possibly be comfortable leaving a baby outside to sleep. Then I had a baby. Halli’s mom showed us how to bundle her up properly so she could be warm while getting fresh air outside, and it completely changed the game for us. At one point, she could sleep for around three hours outside when an indoor nap might only last about 20 minutes. It’s also something you regularly see in Iceland. You can walk through residential neighborhoods or even pass cafés in downtown Reykjavík and see a stroller outside with a sleeping baby while a parent or caregiver is nearby and checking on them. Years ago, that sight would have immediately caught my attention. Now? Completely normal. 2. Thinking 60°F (15°C) Is Warm New York Jewells would like a word with current Jewells. I moved to Iceland in June 2016, and I remember seeing Icelanders walking around in shorts, T-shirts, and sandals when it was about 60°F/15°C. Meanwhile, I had on long pants, sneakers, a sweater AND a jacket. I genuinely thought, What is wrong with these people? This isn’t warm! Then something happened. I acclimated! After experiencing Icelandic winters and then feeling the temperature climb again, 60°F started feeling legitimately warm. If it’s around 60°F, sunny and, this is important, there’s no wind? That’s practically tropical now. <img decoding="async" width="1024" height="595" src="https://allthingsiceland.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/4-1-1024x595.jpg" alt="" srcset="https://allthingsiceland.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/4-1-1024x595.jpg 1024w, https://allthingsiceland.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/4-1-300x174.jpg 300w, https://allthingsiceland.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/4-1-768x446.jpg 768w, https://allthingsiceland.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/4-1-1536x892.jpg 1536w, https://allthingsiceland.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/4-1-2048x1189.jpg 2048w, https://allthingsiceland.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/4-1-750x435.jpg 750w,
- Aug 5, 202612 min
Iceland’s New Road Tax Explained (2026): What Every Tourist Needs to Know
Planning to rent a car in Iceland? Learn how Iceland’s new road tax works, why it was introduced, how it affects tourists, and how you can save money on your rental. I’ll also explain why not all rental car companies charge the fee the same way and share my recommendations after living in Iceland for the past 10 years. One of the biggest reasons I recommend renting a car in Iceland is the freedom it gives you. Some of my favorite memories have come from pulling over at an unexpected waterfall, taking a detour because someone mentioned a hidden canyon, or completely changing my plans after seeing that the weather was better in another part of the country. Those spontaneous moments are often the highlights of an Iceland trip. That’s why, when Iceland introduced a new road fee at the beginning of 2026, I immediately started getting questions from members of the All Things Iceland community. People wanted to know: What exactly is Iceland’s new road tax? Why did Iceland introduce the road tax fee? Does it apply to tourists? How much will it cost? Should I still rent a car? How to budget for Iceland’s new road tax fee How can you save on a rental car in Iceland? If you’ve been wondering the same thing, you’re definitely not alone. In this guide, I’ll explain everything you need to know about Iceland’s new road fee, including why it was introduced, how it works, how it affects tourists renting cars and camper vans, how different rental companies handle the fee, and some practical ways to save money while planning your Iceland road trip. https://youtu.be/oqXebmLiA38 What Is Iceland’s New Road Tax? Although you’ll often hear people, including me, refer to it as Iceland’s new road tax, the official name is the kilometer fee, or kílómetragjald in Icelandic. The fee officially came into effect on January 1, 2026, and it’s designed to help fund Iceland’s road infrastructure in a different way than before. Under the standard government system, most passenger vehicles are charged 6.95 ISK per kilometer driven, although rates vary depending on the vehicle’s weight and classification. Unlike a toll road where you stop to pay at a booth, this fee is based on the total number of kilometers a vehicle travels. For Icelandic residents who own a vehicle, the fee is reported and paid according to government regulations. For visitors, however, the process is much simpler because your rental company handles it for you. That means you don’t have to register with the Icelandic government or report your mileage yourself. Instead, the rental company collects the fee as part of your rental agreement before paying it to the government. This is where many travelers become confused because not every rental company chooses to pass that fee on in the same way. I’ll cover that in detail a little later because understanding this difference can make budgeting your trip much easier. Experience Tip: One thing I’ve noticed after helping thousands of travelers plan trips to Iceland is that most people assume every rental company calculates this fee exactly the same way. That
- Jul 23, 202623 min
I Just Finished 8 Months of Maternity Leave in Iceland. Here’s What It Was Really Like.
After eight months of maternity leave in Iceland, I’m finally back to work. Looking back, I can honestly say that this experience has given me an entirely new appreciation for Iceland’s parental leave system. Before becoming a mom, I had so many questions. Would I qualify since I own my own business? How would my payments be calculated? How much time would I actually get with Eva? And what would maternity leave even feel like? In this episode/blog, I’m sharing both how parental leave works in Iceland and my personal experience navigating it as a first-time mom. https://youtu.be/BzbZjLI2-xo How Parental Leave Works in Iceland One of the things I love most about Iceland’s parental leave system is that it’s designed for both parents. Each parent is entitled to six months of parental leave, giving families a total of twelve months together. Parents also have the option to transfer up to six weeks of their leave to one another, while still encouraging both parents to spend meaningful time bonding with their child. Another aspect I really appreciate is the flexibility. Parents can spread their leave out and use it until the child turns two years old. In our family, I decided to take my leave all at once, while Halli took the first three months immediately after Eva was born. He still has additional leave remaining that he plans to use before she turns two. For me, this flexibility is one of the strongest parts of Iceland’s system because every family’s needs are different. My Experience Taking Leave as a Self-Employed Business Owner One of my biggest concerns before having Eva was whether I would qualify for parental leave since I own my own company. Even though I’m the only employee at All Things Iceland, I still pay all of the required employer contributions, including payments into Iceland’s parental leave fund, known as the Fæðingarorlofssjóður. One important difference for self-employed people is how parental leave payments are calculated. Instead of looking at recent monthly wages like traditional employees, self-employed parents have their payments calculated using their average income from the previous tax year. It was fascinating learning how that process worked, and thankfully everything went smoothly for me. Even so, it made me realize how important it is for self-employed people to understand these rules before planning parental leave. Why I Chose Eight Months Instead of Six Although I technically had six months of paid leave, I decided to spread those payments across eight months. That meant receiving smaller monthly payments while allowing me to stay home with Eva for longer. For me, six months simply didn’t feel like enough. Maybe it was because I wanted to experience more of Iceland’s brighter spring and summer months with her, or maybe I simply wasn’t ready to jump back into work. Whatever the reason, I’m incredibly grateful that Iceland gave me the flexibility to make that decision. Understanding the Parental Leave Payments in Iceland Parental leave in Iceland isn’t intended to fully replace a person’s salary. Instead, the goal is to provide financial support so parents can spend meaningful time with
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