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Cruise season
The cruise season in Iceland is from late May to late September.
Climate
Thanks to the Gulf Stream, Iceland enjoys a cool temperate ocean climate: cool in summer and fairly mild in winter. Average July temperatures are around 11°C in Reykjavík - the north and east are often the warmest parts in the summer. However, the weather is very changeable and tourists should be prepared for the unexpected.
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Average temperature in Reykjavik: |
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January |
35 F |
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April |
42 F |
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July |
56 F |
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October |
44 F |
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January |
1,6 °C |
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April |
5,5 °C |
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July |
13,3 °C |
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October |
6,7 °C |
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Time
In spite of its mid-Atlantic location, Iceland is on Greenwich Mean Time all year round.
Church
The National Church of Iceland, to which 97 percent of the population belongs, is Evangelical Lutheran. In addition to the many Lutheran churches in Reykjavik, there is a Roman Catholic Cathedral at Landakot, with regular Sunday Mass.
 Currency
The Icelandic króna (ISK). All major currencies can be exchanged at the airport, banks and currency exchanges. Visa and MasterCard are accepted almost universally, and ATMs are generally not hard to find.
Travellers’ cheques, debit and credit cards
Are widely accepted in Iceland. The major cards in Iceland are EUROPAY/MASTERCARD and VISA. Cash can be obtained at every bank branch (over 170) as well as in all ATMs throughout the country.
Daylight
Summer visitors who arrive to a bright midnight sky and ask when it gets dark in Iceland are sometimes told "in the middle of August." The sun barely sets in the summer in Reykjavík and it´s light round-the-clock in the north at the peak of summer. In mid-winter, expect only about four to five hours a day of daylight. Spring and autumn daylight hours are more or less "normal".
Tax Free shopping
A refund of local Value-Added Tax (VAT) is available to all visitors in Iceland. The refund will result in a reduction of up to 15% of the retail price, provided departure from Iceland is within 3 months after the date of purchase. The purchase amount must be no less than ISK 4,000 (VAT included) per store. All goods (except woollens) need to be shown at customs before check-in.
Business/shopping/banking hours
Office hours are generally 09:00-17:00 and 08:00-16:00 during June, July and August. Shopping hours are Mon-Fri 09:00-18:00, Sat from 10:00 to 13:00/14:00/15:00 or 16:00. Some supermarkets are open to 23:00 seven days a week or even 24 hours in the largest towns. Banking hours are Mon-Fri 09:15-16:00.
Post offices
There are post offices located in all major communities in Iceland. General hours are: Mon-Fri 09:00-16:30. Many post offices in Reykjavik are also open during the weekends.
Emergency
The 24 hours emergency phone number in Icleand is 112.
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