Iceland
49 reviewed tells · 181 total
T1Essential tells
Iceland Bollards
Iceland uses unique yellow bollards with a white reflector. They are extremely common and can be found throughout the country on almost every section of rural road.
BollardIcelandic Plates
Icelandic licence plates are fully white with blue characters. They do not feature a blue strip on the left.
PlateLicense Plates
Icelandic vehicles use license plates on both the front and back. This is a useful country clue for spotting Iceland.
PlateIceland Road Signs
Iceland’s street signs use a white background with black text. They often have a thin metal rim and are attached to lampposts or traffic lights.
Road SignT2Intermediate tells
Icelandic Letters
The letter ð also appears in Faroese. The letter æ also appears in Danish, Norwegian, and Faroese.
Language ScriptIcelandic Letters
Icelandic uses the letters ð, þ, and æ. Its vowels can also take accents: á, é, í, ó, ö, ú, and ý, and the uppercase form of ð is Ð.
Language ScriptIceland Road Markings
Iceland uses all-white road lines. Outside lines, when present, may be solid or, more rarely, dashed.
Road MarkingNo Yellow Road Lines
Iceland does not have yellow road lines. Yellow road lines in a Nordic setting point away from Iceland.
Road MarkingIceland Road Markings
Road lines use white for both the outside and inside markings.
Road MarkingMýri Means Swamp
Street names with Mýri point to swampy ground. Use it as a vegetation clue for Iceland.
VegetationIcelandic Landscape
Iceland’s lack of trees gives its landscape a look unlike anywhere else in Northern Europe.
VegetationVolcanic Inland Gravel
Iceland’s inland regions are often barren, with dark volcanic gravel and little to no vegetation or signs of life. Most roads covered by this terrain are located in the east.
VegetationBarren Volcanic Landscape
Iceland often looks barren and treeless. Most regions have dark grey soil made mostly of volcanic rocks.
VegetationField Street Suffixes
Street suffixes such as Tún and Akur mean field. Use them as vegetation clues in Icelandic place names.
VegetationLundur = Grove
Street suffix "Lundur" means grove. Use it as a vegetation clue in Iceland.
VegetationHill Place Names
Street suffixes like Hlíð, Hólar, and Hæð indicate hill. Use them as a clue for elevated terrain.
VegetationBraut Street Suffix
Braut means lane in street names. Use it as a clue for Iceland.
VegetationHallormsstaður Forest Valley
The valley around Hallormsstaður has a distinct northeast-to-southwest alignment, with low mountains on both sides and a wide river running through it. It also has an unusual amount of trees for Iceland, and some sideroads pass through the forests.
VegetationRing Road Numbering
Iceland’s main ring road circles the entire island and is numbered 1. No other roads in Iceland start with 1.
TerrainNorthwest Mountain Valleys
West of Akureyri, the mountains contain many valleys between tall, often slightly snowcapped peaks. Most of these valleys generally face north to northeast.
TerrainDistant Mountain Farmland
This agricultural area is notable because the mountains around it are quite distant. That makes it stand out from other smaller farming areas in Iceland.
TerrainSouthwest Agricultural Terrain
The southwest agricultural area in Iceland has a relatively flat farmland landscape. It is scattered with farmsteads, fields, meadows, and grasslands.
TerrainAkureyri Valley Setting
Akureyri is Iceland’s second-largest city and sits in a north-south valley along the western edge of the bay. Mountains lie to both the east and west, making the city easy to recognize.
TerrainWestfjords Terrain
The Westfjords region has many narrow fjords. It is surrounded by moderately tall, mostly flat-topped mountains.
TerrainGeologically Shaped Terrain
Iceland’s landscape has been shaped by plate tectonics and volcanic processes. Many areas are rugged and mountainous, with geothermal lakes, lava fields, rift valleys, and towering rock formations.
TerrainSelfoss Flat-Ridge Landmark
Near Selfoss, a distinct flat-ridge mountain stands out against the otherwise flat landscape. It can be seen from a wide area.
TerrainAkureyri Mountain Setting
Akureyri can feel urban in some places. It can be distinguished from Reykjavik by mountains to the east and west.
TerrainRagged Rocky Cliffs
Ragged rocky cliffs overlook the town of Vestmannaeyjabær on Heimaey. Similar cliffs can also be seen on the islands off the coast.
TerrainEastern Fjords
The far east of Iceland is also home to several fjords. They are distinguished from the Westfjords by generally larger and more jagged mountains.
TerrainRegional Road Numbering
The first digit of other road numbers is region-specific. These regions are arranged sequentially around the island, starting at 2 in the south and increasing clockwise up to 9.
TerrainT3Advanced tells
Driving Side
Iceland drives on the right. Use this as a quick road-direction cue for the country.
Driving SideLocal Direction Signs
Direction signs for very local destinations, such as farmsteads, typically use different background colours. These backgrounds are blue or white.
OtherIceland Google Car
The Generation 3 Google car in Iceland is white and has a long antenna.
OtherEiðar Valley Landscape
The wide valley around Eiðar is slightly hilly and agricultural. Tall, snowy peaks are visible in the distance to the east and northwest.
OtherIcelandic Pedestrian Signs
Pedestrian signs in Iceland feature four stripes. They often have a slight yellow tint.
OtherIcelandic Chevrons
Icelandic chevrons are black with yellow arrows.
OtherYellow Sign Backgrounds
Icelandic signs feature a yellow background. This matches the sign style noted for Sweden and Finland.
OtherIceland Coverage Notes
Iceland is sparsely covered overall, with the densest coverage in the southwest region. Only a few interior roads are covered.
OtherIceland Road Numbers
Iceland uses a road numbering system that can help with quick 5k rounds. Yellow direction signs list the road numbers for the intersection being approached.
OtherBakkagerði Fog Coverage
Very foggy coverage can be found around the town of Bakkagerði in northeastern Iceland. The fog can also be seen from a distance.
OtherRed and White Pickups
Generation 4 coverage includes red and white pickup trucks that have been well blurred. Use them as a visual clue when identifying Iceland.
OtherCountry Domain
Iceland uses the .is country domain. This is a concise identifier for the country in web addresses.
OtherIceland Highway Lanes
Iceland has only a handful of highways that are divided or have more than two lanes. Divided highways are shown in dark red, while highways with three or more lanes are shown in bright red.
OtherDivided Roads Outside Reykjavík
Divided roads can be found inside cities other than Reykjavík. This can help distinguish Icelandic urban areas from the capital.
OtherReykjavík Overview
Reykjavík is the capital and by far the largest city in Iceland. It is mostly flat with slight hills, sits on the south side of a bay, and stands out for its large urban area and bigger-city feel.
OtherSouthern Coast Glaciers
Iceland’s southern coast has impressive glaciers visible from the ring road. Some spill into the sea from the Vatnajökull ice cap.
OtherPickup Truck Colors
Iceland can be split in half by pickup truck color. Red is found in the southwest, while white is found in the northeast.
OtherYellow Pedestrian Signs
Iceland uses pedestrian signs with a yellow background. This is a country-specific clue for Iceland.
OtherYellow Road Direction Signs
Iceland’s road direction signs are yellow and usually include a white inset box with the road numbers. If the inset box has a dashed border, the number refers to a nearby road rather than the road being traveled.
Other