Guidebook Updates for Iceland

• Iceland has implemented pay parking at many of its natural sights. Expect to pay around 1,000 ISK ($8) at most natural sights (easy to pay online at parka.is or via the Parka app; many sights also have payment machines on site).
• Play Airlines, which offered low-cost flights from Iceland to Europe, has gone out of business.

For books printed before April 2024, the following may apply:

• Air Iceland Connect has been absorbed by Icelandair; all routes still operate as before.
• Glacier Guides is now part of Arctic Adventures.

• As the Blue Lagoon has recently closed to visitors for short stretches in response to volcanic activity along the nearby Sundhnúkur fissure, it's a good idea to check its current opening status before booking a visit.

For books printed before April 2024, the following may also apply:

• Given increased volcanic and seismic activity on the Reykjanes Peninsula in recent years, drivers may want to ask locally about any road closures/detours before heading toward the peninsula.

• B59 Hotel in Borgarnes is now called Hótel Vesturland (same phone number, but new email: [email protected]).

• The access roads to the viewing platforms for Stuðlagil Canyon have been rerouted. You'll pass the turnoff for the hike before the turnoff for the viewpoint, so decide ahead of time which to do. Further changes are expected in the future.

For books printed before April 2024, the following may apply:

• Skyr Guesthouse in Hveragerði has closed.

• The Mývatn Nature Baths are undergoing a complete renovation; the new baths are expected to open in the first half of 2026.

• Hlemmur bus junction — one of the two main bus junctions in downtown Reykjavík — is being torn down and replaced with a pedestrian mall. Hlemmur Food Court is still there. Lots of buses that used to converge at the bus junction now have stops in the general area.
• Aurora Reykjavík: The Northern Lights Center has moved to Fiskislóð 53, next to the Lava Show, Flyover Iceland, and Whales of Iceland.

For books printed before April 2024, the following may apply:

• Safe Travel desks at What's On tourism offices are no more, but SafeTravel.is still has updated info on driving, road conditions, and weather.
• There are now only two What's On tourism offices on Laugavegur street (at Laugavegur #5 and #54).
• Two bus companies offer service to/from Keflavík Airport: Flybus and Airport Direct.
• The National Gallery of Iceland now charges a single admission (2,200 ISK) for its three branches in town.
• The I Heart Reykjavík tour company is no longer in business.
• The Volcano House has closed.
• The Pearl no longer has any sections that are free to enter.
• The Geysir clothing store on Skólavörðustígur street has closed, as has the Salvation Army (Hertex) store on the corner of Garðastræti and Ránargata.
• Hrím Eldhús and Hrím Hönnunarhús housewares shops on Laugavegur have closed.
• Several recommended restaurants have closed: Kaffi Vínyl, Bergsson Mathús, Messinn Granda Seafood Restaurant, and The Coocoo's Nest.
• Stofan Café is now Café Rosenberg.
• The Icelandair Hótel Marina is now Berjaya Reykjavík Marina Hótel.
• Hótel Hilda has closed.
• Heiða's Home hotel is now an AirBnB.
• The Galaxy Pod Hostel has closed.
• The Viking Village Hótel in Hafnarfjörður is now Hótel Viking.
• Hlíð Hótel in Hafnarfjörður is now Hlíð Fisherman's Village.
• Edda's Farmhouse in Town has closed.

For books printed before April 2024, the following may apply:

• The Katla Geopark Exhibition Center has closed. Some of its exhibits have moved into the Vík tourist information office (which is now called the "Katla Visitors Center").
• Icelandair no longer operates Hotel Vík. It is now Hotel Vík í Mýrdal, with 78 rooms (+354 487 1480, [email protected]).
• Iceland By Bus, which ran buses from Reykjavík to Þórsmörk, has ceased operations. South Coast Adventure runs Þórsmörk buses from Hvolsvöllur and other points along the South Coast.
• Hótel Selið has closed.
• Álfasteinn Country Home has closed.
• Fosshotel Hekla has closed.

• In Stykkisholmur, Hótel Karólína has new contact info: +354 554 7700, www.hotelkarolina.is, [email protected]. The email address is shared with its sister hotel down the street, Hótel Egilsen.

For books printed before April 2024, the following may apply:

• Hotel Edda Höfn is now Berjaya Höfn Hotel (+354 444 4850, [email protected]).
• Guesthouse Dyngja in Höfn has new contact info: +354 896 0702, [email protected].
• Skyrhúsið Guest House, west of Höfn, is now part of Hostelling International and has a new phone number: +354 899 8384.

• In Ísafjörður, the Museum of Everyday Life has closed.

• Heimaey Island no longer has a tourist information office.
• There are no more kayak tours from Vestmannaeyjar, but Ribsafari runs excellent tours on RIBs and slower passenger boats.
• The new Hop-On Hop-Off Vestmannaeyjar bus provides a good view of the island and good transportation for those without a car.