Iceland is a fabulous country to visit and I have been a number of times, including during the turn of the millennium when the whole country put on a brilliant party.

Many people only visit Reykjavik and the nearby countryside for just three or four days but if you are thinking of a longer, more in-depth visit, here are some things to be aware of or to consider.

Although Iceland is not a member of the EU, it is a member of the European Free Trade Association and has non-voting but participatory status in a number of EU agencies and programs, including business, environment, education and research. It therefore can feel quite European although I find that Iceland is very decidedly itself, too.

Everyone speaks amazing English. It is the designated second language and Icelanders are very adept with it and have a high rate of fluency. Icelanders are also very polite and helpful, even though they must at times feel impatient with all the tourists. According to the UN, it is also the safest country in the world; at no time have I ever felt uncomfortable about my security while visiting.

The food is out of this world, especially the fish and seafood in general. We ate in a variety of restaurants from the high-end to the basic, and the food was always stellar. However, you will see horse meat on just about every menu as it’s a very common dish. Ditto lamb, as it’s also very common. On our drives through the countryside we saw many, many sheep but fewer cows; the ones we saw were mainly dairy cattle. Nevertheless, every menu has at least one beef dish.

Icelanders use a lot of eggs in their cooking, too, and in ways with which Canadians or Americans might be unfamiliar. For instance, I was served a sliced chicken breast sandwich that had chunks of hard boiled egg in it. I actually liked the combination, and especially the dipping sauce that came with it, but initially I was quite surprised. The beer is excellent as is the local gin and of course, good akvavit is also available.

The weather, ergo the wind. During our visit in June, many locals told us that their weather was unusually cold and stormy, and since they were headed for 24 hours of daylight or nearly so, their weather seemed unusual to me, too.

Having experienced the Northwest Territories for six years, I know that the midnight sun can really send the temperature quite high, well into the 20s or even low 30s, but Iceland definitely wasn’t experiencing that! The temperatures during our visit averaged around 12° (54F) or so; we had two days of 18° (64F). Given that geographically, Iceland is near the Arctic Circle – in fact, the Arctic Circle passes through a northern tip – it’s probably best to be prepared for all weathers, good and bad. Remember that in such a northern country spring arrives late and autumn arrives early, so it’s best to dress in lots of layers and to bring along good footwear, rainwear and an umbrella, too.

The wind can be a serious challenge, especially if you are at a higher elevation. Tourists are warned to watch the doors of their rental cars as the wind can literally take them off their hinges. When we visited a bird sanctuary, the wind was strong enough to send us flying, especially if we lost our footing. So come to think of it, make sure you bring along good windbreakers!

Driving is on the same side of the road as North America and Europe. We drove all around Iceland and didn’t see a single speed trap and only one highway patrol-type vehicle.

The Icelanders have employed other means to make people slow down, however. There are many rivers and all of them in the country have single-lane traffic bridges. Additionally, the road shoulders are very narrow and have considerable drop-offs.

Driving can be challenging, especially if you aren’t used to winter conditions. We drove through a major snowstorm on June 5, and even though we are seasoned winter drivers we found it difficult. The narrow roads dropped to snow-covered single-lanes and there were road closures, as well. The plowing and sanding were efficient, however, and closed roads re-opened quickly. We were glad we chose to rent a 4-wheel drive, though.

One other note: off roading is illegal in Iceland as it damages the environment. Fines for doing so are hefty and jail time can also be imposed. It’s important to remember that Icelanders take this prohibition very seriously. The F-roads are back country dirt roads that people can use only between July and September. A 4×4 is required for these roads but it’s important to remember that they are not to be used as access points for off-roading.

Iceland is expensive. Expect it and save for it. You will pay much more for lodging, meals, rentals and activities such as hot springs visits. One thing that you will not have to do is tip. Tips are already included in your bill as part of the VAT (Value Added Tax, which is anywhere from 11 – 24%). It may feel odd to not leave a tip, particularly in a restaurant, but it is considered somewhat rude to do so as servers might assume that you think they aren’t paid properly.

We avoided the very famous hot springs – the Blue Lagoon is the most famous of all but it was closed due to a nearby volcanic eruption – because they can be extremely expensive. The ones further away from Reykjavik and more off the beaten track are much more reasonable and also excellent.

The currency is the Icelandic króna. Icelanders use debit and credit cards; we didn’t see cash being used at all. We used a “no foreign transaction fee” card for everything which saved us from having to convert and was extremely practical. That said, the major tourist areas usually accept many different currencies.

I don’t usually do this but I am going to recommend the Berjaya Iceland Hotel chain as a clean, comfortable alternative to many other hotel offerings. This is a local chain with hotels all over the country at relatively reasonable prices (prices vary in Reykjavik) and most have restaurants or are within walking distance to restaurants.

A visit to Iceland is all about exploration of this country’s long seafaring and pioneering history, rugged geographical and geological beauties and stunning waterfalls (excellent food, too!), so be ready to do lots of walking and admiring and most of all, have fun!