All The Single Ladies: Iceland

There are four major areas I consider when choosing a solo destination. Let’s see how Iceland stacked up:

                                                                        Language and communication

Easy peasy. Most Icelanders speak excellent English, and travelers from other countries tend to default to English as well, due to the difficulty of the Icelandic language. I had no problem communicating, although I recommend learning a couple of phrases in Icelandic—it’ll go a long way, and if you’re a language nerd like me, you’ll find Icelandic weird and wonderful!

Getting around 

Reykjavík is quite small and very easy to navigate on foot. If you want to explore outside of the city (and you definitely should), renting a car by yourself is doable but can be costly. Alternatively, you can join day tours that leave the city by coach or minivans.

Dining and drinking

I didn’t get so much as a second glance when asking for a table for one in Reykjavík. Once, at a nice family restaurant, the hostess seated me at a four-top, no questions asked. It was easy to enjoy a beer or two around town without being bothered. Many restaurants have bars at which you can dine, but I found that most were happy to give me a table though I had no companion.

Safety 

I’ve hardly felt safer anywhere else. Iceland has dazzlingly low crime rates, and if you go in summer, the constant sun will light your way home at night.

In conclusion

Solo female travelers will thrive in Iceland, and I couldn’t recommend it more as a first-time destination if you’re just dipping your toes into solo travel!