Visit Iceland, tourism Iceland

Iceland

Iceland is literally a country in the making, a vast volcanic laboratory where mighty forces shape the land and shrink you to an awestruck speck. The country’s natural features eruptions of lava; gushing geysers such as Geysir in The Golden Circle (the original after which all were named); hot springs; tearing fissures and slow, grinding glaciers are so cinematic that at times they seem unreal. Bathe in turquoise pools, stand behind a toppling cascade or walk across a glaring-white icecap to experience the full weirdness of Icelandic nature.

The landscape is infectious: hidden energy and a desire to shape the world are Icelandic traits. Head to the bohemian village of Seyðisfjörður in The East, and don't miss vibrant Reykjavík. That clean, green little capital, must contain the world’s highest concentration of dreamers, authors, poets and musicians; you'll meet them on the high-spirited runtur, the city’s wheeling weekend pub crawl.

Mapa de Islandia

Reykiavik, Islandia

Fjallabak Nature Reserve

The Fjallabak Route (F208) is a spectacular alternative to the coast road between Hella and Kirkjubæjarklaustur. It passes through the scenic nature reserve to Landmannalaugar, an area of rainbow-coloured rhyolite peaks, rambling lava flows, blue lakes and hot springs which can hold you captive for days. Much of the route is along (and in!) rivers and therefore unsuitable for 2WD vehicles.

The star attractions around Landmannalaugar are: Laugahraun, a convoluted lava field; the soothing hot springs 200m west of the Landmannalaugar hut; multicoloured vents at Brennisteinsalda; the incredible red crater lake Ljótipollur; and the blue lake Frostastaðavatn, just over the rhyolite ridge north of Landmannalaugar. Bláhnúkur, immediately south of Laugahraun, offers a scree scramble and fine views from the 943m peak.

Ferðafélag Íslands’ hut (854 1192 Jul-Sep; sb Ikr2200) at Landmannalaugar accommodates 78 people on a first-come, first-served basis, and books up quickly with tour groups and club members. Others will probably have to use the camping ground (camp sites per adult Ikr700), which has toilet and shower facilities.

Hafnarfjörður

The ‘Town in the Lava’ rests on a 7000-year-old flow and hides a parallel elfin universe, according to locals. Its old tin-clad houses and numerous lava caves are overshadowed by heavy marketing of the hidden people and Vikings – 10 out of 10 to the tourist office for effort! It’s worth a visit on a sunny summer’s day, but in winter, unless the Christmas market is on, tumbleweeds roll.

Hafnarfjörður was once a major trading centre, monopolised by the British in the early 15th century, the Germans in the 16th, and the Danes in the 17th. Many of the finest houses in town once belonged to rich merchants. Today the town is spreading like spilt milk, but the endless new-building estates east of the harbour hold nothing of interest for visitors.

Húsavík

Húsavík, Iceland’s whale-watching capital, is a picturesque harbour town that has become a firm favourite on travellers’ itineraries. With its colourful houses tumbling down to the water and the snowcapped peaks of Viknafjöll across the bay, it’s the prettiest fishing town on the northeast coast. Húsavík is also home to several interesting museums: the award-winning Whale Museum, a rather bizarre but unique Phallological Museum, and a better-than-­average local-history museum. The town also has a good selection of accommodation and restaurants and a lively but relaxed atmosphere, making it a perfect base to explore the area.

Mývatn, Islandia

Jökulsárgljúfur National Park

One of Iceland’s best-loved national parks, Jökulsárgljúfur protects the 30km gorge carved out by the formidable Jökulsá á Fjöllum. The river is Iceland’s second longest, starting in the Vatnajökull icecap and flowing almost 200km to the Arctic Ocean at Öxarfjörður. Jökulhlaups (flooding from volcanic eruptions beneath the icecap), formed the canyon and have carved out a chasm that averages 100m deep and 500m wide. Minor floods occur roughly every 10 years and a major one once or twice in a century.

After the crowds at Mývatn and Krafla, the park feels incredibly remote, with limited access on rough roads and only basic facilities. A wonderful two-day hike, weaves along the canyon through and around birch forests, striking rock formations, lush valleys and commanding perpendicular cliffs, taking in all the major sights en route. If you’re not so keen on hiking, the big attractions, such as the waterfalls at the southern end of the park and horseshoe-shaped Ásbyrgi canyon at the northern end, are accessible by road in a leisurely day.

Kirkjubæjarklaustur

Many a foreign tongue has been tied in knots by trying to say Kirkjubæjarklaustur. It might help if you break it into bits: Kirkju (church), bæjar (farm) and klaustur (convent). Otherwise, do as the locals do and call it ‘Klaustur’ (pronounced more or less like ‘cloister’).

Klaustur is tiny, even by Icelandic standards – a few houses and farms scattered on a backdrop of brilliant green. It’s a major crossroads to several dramatic spots in the interior – Fjallabak, Landmannalaugar and Laki. Klaustur is also the only real service town between Vík and Höfn: there’s a petrol station and a good café.

Mývatn

Mývatn is the calm, shallow lake at the heart of a volatile volcanic area. Nature’s violent masterpieces are everywhere  crazy-coloured mud pots, huge craters, and still-smouldering eruption debris. Once you’ve had your fill of all the explosive horror, mellow out with cycle rides, bird-watching (geese, Arctic terns, golden plovers, ducks and swans can be seen) and with a bathe in the north’s version of the Blue Lagoon.

Reykjahlíð (population 208), at the northern end of the lake, is more an assortment of accommodation than a true town, but it makes the best base (Skútustaðir, at the southern end, also has summer facilities). The tourist office (464 4390; 9am-9pm Jun-Aug) is in Reykjahlíð, on the main road next to the supermarket. At the time of research, low season hours weren’t determined due to the office being newly opened.

The down side to Mývatn (Midge Lake) are the dense midge clouds that appear in summer: on the bright side, they don’t bite! Also, if hiking, keep a look out for deep fissures, especially if you are travelling with children.

Gullfoss, Islandia

Reykjabik

The world’s most northerly capital combines colourful buildings, quirky people, a wild nightlife and a capricious soul to devastating effect. Most visitors fall helplessly in love, returning home already saving to come back.

The city’s charm lies in its many peculiar contrasts, which, like tectonic plates clashing against one another, create an earthquake of energy. Reykjavík offers a bewitching combination of village innocence and big-city zeal. It’s populated by darkly cynical citizens (a quality brought very much to the fore by the country's recent near-bankruptcy) who are, in spite of everything, filled with unstoppable creativity and enduring spirit. In summer the streets are washed by 22 hours of daylight; in winter they’re scoured by blizzards and doused in never-ending night. Reykjavík is a city that treasures its Viking past but wants the future – the very best of it – NOW!

You’ll find all the cultural trappings of a large 21st-century European city here: cosy cafés, world-class restaurants, fine museums and galleries, and state-of-the-art geothermal pools. Reykjavík has also become infamous for its kicking music scene and its excessive Friday-night runtur, a wild pub crawl round the small, superstylish clubs and bars.

Add to this a backdrop of snow-topped mountains, an ocean that wets the very toes of the town, air as cold and clean as frozen diamonds, and incredible volcanic surroundings, and you’ll agree that there’s no better city in the world.

The Golden Circle

Gullfoss, Geysir and Þingvellir are unique sites commonly referred to as the Golden Circle. These sites make up Iceland’s major tourist destinations, offering visitors the opportunity to see a wild, roaring waterfall, spouting hot springs and the country’s most important historical area in one condensed, doable-in-a-day tour. Although they’re mobbed by coach parties year-round, they’re still worth visiting for their undeniable natural beauty.

Hiring a car will mean you’ll be able to enjoy other nearby highlights. Nesjavellir is great for its surreal other-planet landscape; on clear days, the active volcano Hekla is a sublime sight; and there are interesting Viking ruins in the scenic Þjórsárdalur valley.

Vestmannaeyjar

Black and brooding, Vestmannaeyjar forms 15 eye-catching silhouettes off the southern shore. The islands were formed by submarine volcanoes around 11, 000 years ago, except for sulky-looking Surtsey, the archipelago’s newest addition, which rose from the waves in 1963.

Several islands are scattered with summer huts, used by bird hunters and egg collectors, but Heimaey is the only inhabited one. Its little town and sheltered harbour lie between dramatic klettur (escarpments) and two ominous volcanoes – conical Helgafell and blood-red Eldfell. The latter has only been around for 34 years – it was created during the huge five-month eruption that buried parts of the town under 30 million tonnes of lava. Heimaey is famous for its puffins – around 10 million birds come here to breed – and for Þjóðhátíð, Iceland’s biggest outdoor festival, held in August.

Maybe it’s the relative isolation or maybe it’s because everyone lives on top of a temperamental volcano – whatever the reason, Heimaey is one of the friendliest places you’ll find. It’s also a self-sufficient working town – the islands supply around 15% of Iceland’s fish catch.

The ferry Herjólfur provides daily connections to Þorlákshöfn on the mainland. It carries cars, but Heimaey is small enough to explore on foot. There are also flights here from Reykjavík and Bakki (near Hvolsvöllur). An undersea tunnel was discussed recently, but the 100-billion-krónur price tag looks a little high.

Heimaey

Heimaey enjoys a spectacular setting, squeezed between dramatic cliffs to the west, and the two looming volcanic cones to the east. It has better tourist facilities than many towns on the mainland.