THE ESSENTIALS
- Iceland is two trips depending on the date. September to April, northern lights and ice caves. Mid-May to mid-July, the midnight sun. There are no northern lights in summer.
- Mexicans enter visa-free for tourism. The European Union is preparing the ETIAS permit, at 20 euros, and as of writing it has no confirmed start date.
- There is no direct flight from Mexico. With one stop, flight sites show between 13 and 19 hours.
- Iceland has three restaurants with one MICHELIN Star: Moss, DILL and ÓX.
- If you bring a drone, register it at flydrone.is before you travel and check the prohibited zones.
Iceland is sold as a four-day trip. I would not build it in fewer than seven nights, and the date decides almost everything else.
The question is when, not where
The country is the same, but what you see changes completely.
- September to April is northern lights season, with more activity around the equinoxes, in September and March. The lights are most often seen around 11 at night, and Inspired by Iceland says they are twice as likely around the equinoxes as around the solstices.
- Mid-November to March is when the natural ice caves of Vatnajökull are visited. Some operators open the window from October to April. They change shape every year, usually last a single winter and can only be entered with a certified guide, who checks conditions daily.
- Mid-May to mid-July is the midnight sun. In most of the country the sun sets briefly around midnight. You can go whale watching at that hour or photograph waterfalls in night light with no crowds. There are no northern lights.
My advice: if it is your first time and you have one chance, choose winter for the northern lights and the caves, or late September and March to get both night and some daylight. Summer is the better option if anyone on the trip cannot stand the cold or does not want to drive on ice.
An aurora cannot be booked
This is what is most often promised wrongly. The aurora needs dark, clear skies, and a little cloud is enough to hide it. The Icelandic Met Office publishes a cloud forecast and an activity scale from 0 to 9 that changes with the date. It is worth opening every night.
That is why where you sleep matters: away from city light. Hótel Rangá, in the south, has its own astronomical observatory and is far from any city. Several nights in a row guarantee nothing, but they do give you several chances.
A seven-night route
This is the one I would build for winter. In summer the order changes and the long days are added, but the backbone is the same. It is the same principle as how many cities fit in one trip: three bases, not six.
Two nights in Reykjavik, at the Reykjavik EDITION. It sits next to the Old Harbour and a few steps from Laugavegur street and the Harpa centre, according to the hotel itself. It has 253 rooms and suites, and its restaurant Tides is run by MICHELIN-starred chef Gunnar Karl Gíslason, with modern Icelandic cooking centred on fish and seafood. It is the base for the capital's two starred restaurants.
Two nights in the south, at Hótel Rangá. It is the starting point for waterfalls, glaciers and black sand beaches, and the place where you have the best chance of seeing the aurora. Prices on its site run from 431 euros a night in a standard room to 1,367 euros in a Master Suite, always "from" (about 480 to 1,530 dollars).
Three nights at The Retreat at Blue Lagoon. To finish: 60 suites, a subterranean spa, a private lagoon fed by the same water as the Blue Lagoon, and Moss, the starred restaurant. Access to the spa and lagoon is included in the stay. Suites run from 230,000 Icelandic krónur a night (the Lava junior suite, about 1,900 dollars) to 440,000 for the Lagoon suite (about 3,600), at 121.55 krónur to the dollar on 22 October 2026, according to the European Central Bank.
If you go between November and March, the ice cave is a full day trip from Jökulsárlón. It is solved with an extra night on the south-east coast, and I adjust it with you according to the date.
Where to eat
According to the MICHELIN Guide, Iceland has three restaurants with one star: DILL and ÓX, in Reykjavik, and Moss, in Grindavík, inside the Retreat. The Nordic guide was announced on 1 June 2026, according to the Guide itself. Book months ahead.
Drones: what you can do
Iceland has landscapes made for flying a drone, and also some of the strictest rules in Europe in its parks. This is what the Icelandic authorities say:
- Register it before you travel. Visitors from outside Europe can register at flydrone.is, the Transport Authority portal. It costs 5,863 krónur (about 48 dollars) and lasts five years. For drones over 250 grams you must pass an online A1/A3 exam, which is free.
- The usual rules. Maximum 120 metres of height, the drone always in sight, never over people, and more than 150 metres from sensitive sites such as power plants, hospitals or police stations. Around airports you need the operator's permission. You can read them in full on island.is and in the open category.
- Parks have their own. In Vatnajökull National Park, the park's rules ban drones at Jökulsárlón and Fellsfjara from 15 April to 15 July to protect birds, and outside those dates only at set times. In Skaftafell they are banned across most of the area, in Askja they are prohibited, and in Jökulsárgljúfur you can only fly at Dettifoss, with time limits.
- Volcanoes change the map. Near the Grindavík eruption site a prohibited zone was set up for drones above 60 metres, and restrictions can change at short notice. Check the Transport Authority's restricted-zones map on the day of the flight.
If you are going to film commercially, for a brand or a production, the procedure is different: the park requires a permit. Ask me before you leave and we will review it according to what you are going to film.
Before you book
- Entry. Mexicans can stay in Iceland up to 90 days without a visa. island.is lists Mexico among the countries with a bilateral agreement allowing a stay of up to three months beyond the 90 days of the Schengen Area. Your passport must have at least three months of validity after entry.
- ETIAS. The European Commission says the ETIAS permit costs 20 euros and will start operating at the end of 2026, and its official site says it is not yet receiving applications. I found no confirmed start date. If you travel in 2027, confirm it before booking.
- Flights. There is no direct flight from Mexico City to Keflavík. According to Kayak, there are options of about 13 hours with one stop and of 19 with a stop in Chicago; with two stops it exceeds 36 hours. Schedules change, and I did not find 2027 ones confirmed.
- Volcanoes. The Retreat is on the Reykjanes peninsula, where there have been several eruptions since 2023. The hotel is operating, but the Grindavík area has had closures. Before you travel I check the status on Safetravel.is.
- Roads. Safetravel warns that weather and road conditions in Iceland change fast. In winter I would not drive without a guide or driver. We solve it with a private transfer.
What I am asked most
When is the best time to go to Iceland for the northern lights?
September to April, with a better chance in September and March.
Are there northern lights in summer?
No. With the midnight sun, from mid-May to mid-July, they cannot be seen.
Do Mexicans need a visa for Iceland?
Not for tourist stays of up to 90 days. The ETIAS permit is planned for the end of 2026 and costs 20 euros.
Can I fly a drone in Iceland?
Yes, if you register it at flydrone.is, respect the 120 metres and avoid prohibited zones, such as Jökulsárlón between April and July and most of Skaftafell.
How many nights do I need?
Seven at minimum to sleep in three areas without rushing.
What I would ask before building it
The date, how many nights you have, whether anyone travels with children, whether you want to drive or not and whether you are bringing a drone. I quote a trip like this after that. If you prefer animals to glaciers, also see how to choose a safari, and if you want places where silence still fits, four luxury destinations that are not crowded yet.
This is how we build a tailor-made trip, starting with the first call, which costs nothing. If you already have a date, tell us when you can travel.
SOURCES
- Hotels: Reykjavik EDITION, Hótel Rangá and The Retreat at Blue Lagoon. Restaurants: MICHELIN Guide, Iceland and Nordic Guide 2026.
- Seasons: Visit Iceland, northern lights, Inspired by Iceland, midnight sun, ice caves and aurora forecast, Met Office.
- Entry: island.is, Visit Iceland, European Commission, ETIAS and official ETIAS site. Flights: Kayak. Safety: Safetravel.
- Drones: island.is, rules, open category, flydrone.is, Vatnajökull National Park and eruption zone.
- Exchange rate of 22 October 2026: Frankfurter, with European Central Bank data.
Escrito por Diego Ramírez · Publicado el 22 October 2026