As the story goes, this island was named Iceland to lure people away from settling there and sending them to Greenland, which was misnamed in hopes of luring people to settle there. Iceland is one of the most sparsely populated nations in Europe and the last country to be inhabited. Most of the land is barren, rural, and uninhabitable. The culture, language and people are mainly influenced by Scandinavian countries with a combination of Celtic appearances. I was prepared for a relatively small town feel during our stay in Reykjavik and mainly for rural tourism and hiking, but I was very surprised to find out how isolated, arid, unique, exotic and how extremely beautiful this place is.

From black sand beaches to white ice caps, glaciers and volcanoes, hot spring baths and exploding sulfur geysers, cliff faces to folding double waterfalls, dog sledding to whale watching, white water rafting and hiking mountain, the possibilities are not only endless, but also Awesome!!! Nowhere in the world can I imagine seeing the ocean from one side while standing on an ice covered glacier, with volcanic activity causing ridges and gullies on the mountainside!

For miles and miles we drove (in the little rental car I like to refer to as ‘Herbie’), constantly cursing Avis for not giving us 4 wheel drive. There are only one or two main roads in Iceland that run several hundred kilometers in one direction. Depending on how adventurous you want your trip to be and where you’re headed, your deviation from the main road will lead you onto a dirt road in the middle of a national park or a glacial mountain. These roads can get rough for a small rental car, and instead of risking a flat tire or being stuck on the side of a mountain with not a soul in sight, no cell phone service, no one to come rescue you. and because stuck in a pothole, I strongly suggest renting an SUV. Also, there are no lights on the roads, so for safety reasons, plan your time accordingly so that you can be back in a major city before sunset.

As we left Reykjavik, I found myself deeper and deeper into what seemed like a dream visit to the moon. We came to a crater on the side of a road, which contained a beautifully calm mini lake that reflected the colors of green and blue amongst the mist that settled in the hole in the ground. As you got closer, the effort to get down was worth it! As we were driving down the highway looking for our first stop on the Golden Circle tour, we suddenly came upon a small parking lot that opened up on the side of the road and what looked like a small hill in a very flat and barren landscape.

Suggesting a quick stop, we peer up the hill to find the remains of a volcanic crater. Lying at the bottom of the ‘little hill’ which turned out to be a BIG crater, we noticed a very steep cone-shaped bottom with a reflection of light blue-green water. We decided to walk down to the water from one of the slopes that had a hiking trail built into it. It was definitely a lunch-earning hike, but the calm, clear water with the blue skies was so worth it! We then continue on our way to the Golden Circle tour, which includes Strokkur Geyser, Gullfoss Waterfall and Thingviller Viking Village.

The drive itself takes a good part of a full day, with the horizon reflecting the dark, barren soil kissing the blue sky, with a light dusting of ice cap glaciers on occasion – the most impressive sight! Driving on Route 1 which seemed to continue on dry and barren land, with the occasional grazing horse or sheep crossing the road, I was convinced we were lost until we came to a ridge with a ravine and out of nowhere the road cuts you off! leads to the most fabulous ravine with a double collapsible waterfall! The Double Collapsible Waterfall was basically a waterfall with not one, but two steep layers of collapsible water, coming down a cliff with such force that the two layers of water falling from different angles met in the middle causing a very high flow of water. Quick. a gathering mist before falling back down a steep cliff into a small ravine several meters below.

Traveling to Iceland is much cheaper and much closer than most people imagine. Icelandair (the only airline that offers flights from Reykjavik to most major cities in the US and Europe) offers one flight a day from New York, San Francisco, Boston, Washington DC, London and all major European cities western. Flight time from New York and London is approximately 4-5 hours, Reykjavik has become a popular destination for young people for a long weekend and to experience the “Reykjavik style party scene”. Several years ago, Icelandair launched a series of provocative promotional campaigns, which initially began to raise awareness and travel to this faraway land for young people looking to have a good time. Icelandic marketing boasted statements such as “Icelandic Overnight Stand” inviting Americans and Europeans to spend a night on transatlantic flights.

Last year, the US television show The Sopranos featured prostitutes dressed, skimpily, in “Icelandic Airline” uniforms, partying in a New York hotel room. The show was called “Cash for Nothing and Free Icelandic Girls”. These campaigns led Icelandair to a series of court cases and lawsuits, and an angry staff supported by the Icelandic Feminist Association, but it worked to draw immediate attention to one of the most popular summer destinations for stag parties, adventures in glaciers, diving and hiking.

The peak tourist months are from May to October and although to the surprise of most people the winter temperatures are not as dramatic as those in North America (due to the warm Gulf Stream), the 4 hours of daylight are not conducive to sightseeing, walking or driving. on those very rough dirt roads. The month of June offers the midnight sun and the attraction of early October is the northern lights, making these the two most expensive times to travel to Iceland. Very reasonable fares can often be found on icelandair.com and summer specials closer to the August/September time periods.

So you ask yourself, once in Iceland, what is there to do? How are the people? What do they eat? How they live? Well, it took me 5 days to find out what they do, how they spend time on dark winter days and what they really eat. The opportunities for tourism, exploration and adventure are many! I highly recommend renting a car (a four wheel drive is a MUST!) and exploring at your leisure and schedule. A word of caution, the maps are not to scale and not that comprehensive so be sure to do your navigation before you leave the hotel or you could find yourself in a volcanic crater instead of a waterfall. There are many tourist buses from Reykjavik, but they are very expensive per person and take most of the day.

If you’re a vegetarian, you may have to frequent the pizza stands a lot, but the few quaint little traditional restaurants in Reykjavik offer an incredible range of seafood and lamb, beautifully prepared with eclectic flavors and served at extraordinary prices. If you’re feeling adventurous, your menu options range from reindeer carpaccio to blubber, pony meat, or penguin meat. If you are not looking for haute cuisine, the local grocery store will serve you to prepare the car with a picnic lunch based on sandwiches, fruit, salad, juice, chips, etc.

An average meal in a relatively famous/traditional restaurant ranges from $50 to $80. That seems like a lot for a glass of wine and a piece of fish, which will explain why the local Icelandic youth only come out to enjoy their cocktails afterwards. dinner around 11 PM. Nightlife in Reykjavik is mostly limited to the bars/clubs and restaurants on the city’s main street, Laugavegur. For a country that had a 40 year ban on alcohol, they sure are making up for lost time! The ‘scene’ peaks around 2am when all the bars/clubs come alive at night and the street feels like a parade – a very different take on the weekday and morning when finding a local restaurant or pharmacy seems like a struggle. . A few wool shops, with fine pure wool clothing and accessories is the scope of shopping you can enjoy in the city center. I personally preferred to look at the sheep grazing on the highlands from which the wool was created!

From the Golden Circle tour, to the Blue Lagoon and Langjokull Glacier, the sights to see are many. Leaving the city and driving through the countryside, you can enjoy the outdoors, go horseback riding, whale watching, bird watching, or spend an afternoon mineral soaking in the warm natural waters of the Blue Lagoon. If you’re intrigued by geography, the Reykjanes area (close to Keflavik via the airport) has plenty of places to visit. There’s a bridge said to be gradually pulling the North American and European continental plates apart as a result of tectonic activity, a birdwatcher’s paradise where migratory birds from Greenland find refuge, and a hiking trail to the hot spring region. So strike it rich and I guarantee the trip will be worth it!