Iceland, (Icelandic: Ísland) is a mountainous island nation in the north Atlantic Ocean, located between Europe and North America. Though not part of the continental mainland, the country is considered Nordic European. The name of the country—Iceland—may not be that appropriate: although 10% of Iceland is covered by glaciers, it has a surprisingly mild climate and countless geothermal hot-spots and hot springs. The native spelling ("Ísland") is appropriate in English as well.
Iceland is a stunningly beautiful place if you enjoy strange and desolate landscapes. Because it is so close to the Arctic Circle, the amount of daylight varies dramatically by season. The sun sets briefly each night in June, but it doesn't get fully dark before it comes back up again. In the March and September equinoxes, days and nights are of about equal length, as elsewhere in the world. If you go in December, it's almost 20 hours of darkness. Summer is definitely the best time to go, and even then the tourist traffic is still mild. The midnight sun is a beautiful sight and one definitely not to be missed. It is easy to lose track of time when the sun is still up at 23:00. Early or late winter, however, can be surprisingly good times to visit. In late January, daylight is from about 10:00- 17:00, prices are lower than in the high season, and the snow-blanketed landscape is eerily beautiful. (Some sites are, however, inaccessible in the winter).
Iceland was first inhabited by Nordic and Celtic people in the 9th century CE - tradition says that the first permanent settler was Ingólfur Arnarson, a Norwegian Viking who made his home where Reykjavik now stands. It is thought that Irish monks had temporarily inhabited the island some years prior to this. The Icelanders still basically speak the language of the Vikings. Iceland has received a great number of immigrants over the last 10 years. In the last 5 years the population of immigrants has doubled. Most of these people (from Eastern Europe and South East Asia) come for employment. Immigrants in Iceland are now well over 10% of the population. Icelanders also continue to use the old Norse patronymic system, which was formerly in use in Norway, Denmark, Sweden and the Faroe Islands well into the 19th century, until their governments decided that their people should adopt a surname.
CITIES AND TOWNS :
Reykjavik (REYG-ya-veeg) — the capital of Iceland and is the largest city
Akureyri (Ahk-oo-rey-ree) — capital of the North and the largest town outside the Southwest
Egilsstaðir (AY-yell-stath-er) — main town in the East, has some of the best weather Iceland has to offer
Hafnarfjörður (HAP-nar-FYERTH-er) — cosy town on the outskirts of the capital region
Höfn (HERP'n) — main town on the southeastern coast
Húsavík (HOOS-ah-veek) — one of the world's most reliable whale watching sites during the summer
Keflavik (KEP-la-veek) — the location of the international airport, but also an interesting town in its own right
Ísafjörður (EES-ah-FYERTH-er) — biggest town of the West fjords of Iceland
Selfoss (SEL-fos) — South Iceland's largest town, hub of the main agricultural region
Stykkishólmur (STICK-is-hole-mur) — Main town on the Snæfellsnes peninsula, gateway to the islands of Breiðafjörður
Seyðisfjörður (SEY-ths-fjorth-ur) — A town and municipality in the Eastfjords of Iceland
Vestmannaeyjar (Vest-manna-ayhjar) — A cluster of islands and town and municipality in the south of Iceland
It's a shame most visitors don't stray far from the capital as some of the most memorable sights in Iceland are further afield. There are many excursions offered by tour companies, readily available from any of the main centres such as Reykjavík and Akureyri. They will fly you around and take you out to the glaciers and to the big volcanoes for a reasonable price. However, the cheapest option is to drive around with a rented car since none of these sites have entry fees.
Blue Lagoon - (Icelandic: Bláa Lónið) (BLAU-ah LONE-eeth) Famous outdoor pool and health centre. The spa is in Grindavík on the Reykjanes Peninsula, south-western Iceland. It is situated approximately 13km (8 mi) from the Keflavík International Airport and 39km (24 mi) from Reykjavík. This geothermal spa in the middle of a lava field with its milky blue water is quite surreal. Pre-booking is required and shall be done well in advance to be sure to get your requested time slot.
Reykjavik airport in downtown Reykjavik (REK) serves ONLY domestic flights and international flights to Greenland and the Faroe Islands. If you are coming from elsewhere you will be landing at Keflavik international airport (IATA: KEF; ICAO: BIKF), located near Keflavík (pronounced /keplavik/) in the southwest of the country about 40 km from Reykjavík. The airport itself is quite barren; if you have a lengthy layover you should bring books or other forms of entertainment.
ICELAND - Travel Guide | Around The World blue lagoon cocktail | |
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