Iceland is generally a very informal country. People always refer to each other by their first names, even when addressing teachers, doctors and the president, so don’t be offended if you are addressed in this way. Even the telephone book is alphabetised by first name! Dress is also fairly casual and smart casual attire rather than a full suit would be appropriate on most occasions, although traditional sectors like banking and the law still maintain more formality. It is a good idea to wear at least smart casual clothing in a nightclub or bar. Dinner times are relatively early in homes but around 8pm if eating out. Weekend entertainment runs until the wee hours (many bars remain open until after 4am) and the crowd never really picks up until after midnight. Thanks to the extremely high cost of alcohol, it isn’t customary to buy rounds in pubs, although an offer to do so would undoubtedly be well received. Icelanders are proud of their country, so expect everyone to ask you, “How do you like Iceland?” with eager anticipation of your response. Negative answers aren’t necessarily well received. You may wish to avoid discussing the issue of whaling in Iceland, which over 90% of the population support. Also remember that Icelandic women quickly grew tired of an Icelandair campaign to visit Iceland “for a one night stand”. They are not all eager to meet foreign strangers in pubs.

The country is generally extremely safe and it’s not unusual to see prams outside popular cafés—the baby is securely napping in the pram while the parents are enjoying a good espresso inside. Children, in general, are very welcome and accommodated by society.