Extra Tips for Winter Travel

Restaurant Closures

Outside of Reykjavik and the Golden Circle, many restaurants and cafés close for the winter. There is a significant decrease in tourism and life in general slows down when the skies are dark and the weather is cold. Places like Skool Beans in Vík, Pakkhús in Höfn, and Gamla fjósið near Seljalandsfoss, send their staff home to enjoy time with their families. Though few people visit the Westfjords, East and North Iceland in the winter, available services in these areas are even more limited. 

There are no set and consistent dates for closures across the industry. Some places are closed from September 1 all the way to May 31 while others are just closed in February. In general, you should double check the opening hours of restaurants you want to visit if you are coming to Iceland anytime between November - March. Some restaurants may re-open for Christmas and New Year’s celebrations as well. When planning your visit to Iceland in the winter you should consider your options for food.

Reserving accommodation with breakfast included is a great idea. Going to a grocery store to pick up items to snack on in the car or make your own lunches is a solid plan as well. Don’t forget about the grills that are at many gas stations. They serve hot and tasty food for a good price. For dinner, if you can’t find an open restaurant, go to a nice hotel nearby - most of them have on-site restaurants, open year-round for guests and non-guests. Definitely check the restaurant’s Google business page for opening hours. If it says ‘Temporarily Closed’, it’s closed. But, if they do have published opening hours, double check for closures on the restaurant’s Facebook and/or Instagram pages.

Fortunately, most restaurants are open year-round in Reykjavik and the Golden Circle. And, here are a few of my favorite restaurants in other areas that are also open year-round (subject to change):

South Coast

• Faxi Bakery

• Black Crust Pizzeria

• Systrakaffi

• Freysnes

West Iceland & Snæfellsnes Peninsula

• Blómasetrið - Kaffi Kyrrð

• Vegamót at Hótel Snæfellsnes

• Narfeyrarstofa

Campsite Closures

Traveling around Iceland in a campervan is a real adventure best experienced when the weather is nice and all the campsites are open. But, this is only for a very short time, June - August. Beyond these months, many campsites close and the freedom that camping offers becomes a bit more restricted since the next open campsite may be a far drive away. If you are staying overnight at campsites from September - May, be sure you have a rough plan of where you will end each day. 

Weather and Road Conditions

Intense snowstorms and heavy winds can drastically impact your ability to follow your itinerary and your safety. Stay on top of weather forecasts, road conditions, and safety alerts. Check these three sights EVERY day before heading out and throughout the day:

• Weather: https://en.vedur.is/

• Road Conditions: road.is

• Safety Alerts: https://en.vedur.is/alerts

Tour/Excursion Availability

There are a lot of awesome excursions in Iceland that can enhance your itinerary and provide you with safe access to the coolest locations (for example, ice caves). Some excursions are only available in winter or summer, and some are available year-round. Even so, Iceland has occasionally experienced periods of warmer weather in the depths of winter. This can greatly affect the quality and safety of glacier-based tours. In addition, high winds and storms can also cause tour cancellations. Because the ice is constantly changing, do not expect your tour to be identical to photos you have seen online. Please also be patient and understanding with tour guides when they adjust plans so that you have a great and safe experience.

In summary, traveling to Iceland in the winter can be a really special adventure for which you should take extra thought in planning. Hope for great weather, beautiful landscapes, and fewer crowds but be prepared for some inconveniences.