They say that going to Iceland is like being in another world. Iceland is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. This island is located in the Atlantic Ocean, near the Arctic Circle. Iceland is fabulously beautiful, although its nature is quite ascetic. It is a country of glaciers, volcanoes, hot springs and geysers.
- Air and water.
Both are the purest in Iceland. It is very easy to breathe here, since there is no heavy industry on the island. In any corner of the country it is easy to wake up and you can drink water straight from the tap – it will be delicious.
- Residents of Iceland.
Friendly and smiling. Always. If they see that you are looking for something, they will try their best to help you. If you are not so good with English – do not worry, you will be understood here anyway. See Countryvv for labor market in Iceland.
- Mountain landscapes.
As soon as you leave the city, you find yourself in a magical land where lava fields overgrown with moss and other plants give way to snow-capped mountains, at the foot of which you can occasionally see houses. Space, sky and no trees – bewitching landscapes.
- Horses.
In Iceland, they are everywhere, you just have to leave the city. There are quite a lot of stables and there is one horse for every three people. Almost everyone knows how to ride a horse.
- Geysers.
Geyser fields are the hallmark of Iceland. In total, more than 250 fields have been discovered here, including about 7,000,000 large and small hot springs, and this is the largest accumulation of geysers per unit area in the world.
- Knitted woolen things.
It seems like everyone in Iceland knits. Funny hats, sweaters, patterned leg warmers, shawls. In the city, on every corner, in addition to souvenir shops, there are knitting shops where you can buy not only knitted items themselves, but also threads – very high-quality, but cheap local wool.
- Icelandic tales and myths.
This region is “saturated” with the atmosphere of mysterious myths. It seems that anywhere you can meet one of the mystical inhabitants of the country – a magical elf or troll. And the inhabitants themselves can tell many fairy tales and legends.
- Hallgrimskirkja.
The largest and most famous Lutheran church in Reykjavik. Below is a small shop and a huge hall with benches. Above the entrance are the pipes of the organ, which is played by the organist sitting below. You can just come and listen to music – in the morning, when there is nobody. You can get to the bell tower and admire the city from above.
- Lobsters.
Nowhere else in the world do they eat lobsters in such quantities as in Iceland, and do not cook them in such different ways. And nowhere else will you try the lobster tail cream soup, which is prepared in a small family restaurant Lobsterhouse, located in the center of Reykjavik.
- Soak up the spa.
Iceland is home to the world-famous geothermal pool, the only place on the planet of its kind – the Blue Lagoon. This spa is located on the Reykjanes peninsula in the southwestern part of Iceland, formed mainly from porous lava. This lava is so loose that sea water seeps through it. Thanks to this process, entire reservoirs are formed deep underground, filled with hot geothermal sea water. It is here, in Svartsengi, that a vast high-temperature area with geothermal activity is located.
Icelandic Cuisine
A feature of Icelandic cuisine is a variety of ways of processing products. The meat is smoked, salted and marinated. By tradition, almost all animal parts are used. Lots of fish and seafood dishes. Fish, like meat, is often dried, cured or smoked. One of the national fish dishes is hakarl – shark meat, stored in the ground for 2 months, which is served in small pieces and washed down with Icelandic schnapps. Dairy products are also very common.
National features of Iceland. Traditions
In Iceland, surnames are practically not used. Until now, the medieval system has been preserved (and is proudly cultivated, by the way), when a person has only a name and patronymic, which creates a lot of problems for tourists who are unaccustomed to such a system. It is customary to address each other only by their first names.
