A trip to Iceland offers both an exciting minimal metropolis in Reykjavik and magnificent natural phenomena. The hot springs fill the sky with boiling water and steam. A kestrel leaves a long line with its large wingspan. In the waters below, seals, dolphins, killer whales and humpback whales mingle. It is highly probable that the magnificent surroundings can be attributed as part of the credit for the great successes of the Icelandic artists. With a number of leading writers, visual artists and not least musicians, the inhabitants of the volcanic island definitely stay ahead of the European cultural scene.

See Iceland Travel

Population: 332,000

Capital: Reykjavik

Language: Icelandic

Iceland has the world’s oldest parliament? The Althing first met in 930 on the plain of Þingvellir. Since then, the Althing has moved their meeting place to the parliament building Alþingishúsið in Reykjavik.

there is no military service in Iceland? If the Icelanders want to do military service, they can do it in Norway instead.

The blue Lagoon

The smell of sulfur mixes with fresh clear air and the steam settles like a light mist bank over everyone who has settled in the turquoise blue pool. The water in the Blue Lagoon is 35-40 degrees warm and the artificial lake, which was created during the construction of the nearby heating and electricity plant, forms a wonderful environment for a fantastic wellness experience. Sometimes the place also hosts various events. For example, the lagoon has been used as a backdrop during the magnificent Iceland Airwaves, a music festival that is organized every year in October and which primarily launches new, exciting Icelandic artists.

Reykjavik

The capital Reykjavik’s clubs and venues lend their premises to the festival. Reykjavik has recently, despite its modest size of 183,000 inhabitants (or a little more than half of the entire population of Iceland), become a cultural metropolis with many talents in both art and literature and especially in music. Not least the singer Björk’s success has had a positive impact on the international music scene, and other big names like Sigur Ros are also doing well. Reykjavik is, of course, more than just music. The city also has outdoor pools and hot tubs, the artist Einar Jonsson’s museum and the Cultural Heritage House with the old Icelandic manuscripts, which have had an enormous significance for the history and self-perception of the Icelandic people.

Iceland’s natural attractions

In Reykjavik’s immediate surroundings you can be impressed by a magnificent nature. Explore the Golden Circle, which includes the three major attractions Thingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss. On the large Thingvellir plain, you can look out over Iceland’s largest lake, Thingvallavatn, on the edge of the lava slope. Due to the geysers Strokkur and Geysit, you can experience humid springs, which since the 14th century have regularly launched water and steam into the sky. At Gullfoss you can admire how an impressive waterfall with muddy glacial water falls 32 meters into a 70 meter deep and 2.5 km wide ravine. Those who need to pump up the adrenaline can challenge themselves with river rafting on the river Hvita – an exciting opportunity to get right up to the elements of nature. Also read our article on the fascinating Geysers

You should also not envy yourself a visit to Snæfellsnes with the mythological volcano and glacier Snæfellsøkull, and challenge your horsepower along the Atlantic. Also experience the Västfjordarna where you can see almost all the way to Greenland, which is 300 km away, Nordlandet with the roaring waterfall Dentifoss, the speckled clay formations and the huge flocks of birds. Along the coast are large bird colonies with over 280 different species. One of these is the peregrine falcon, which was Iceland’s symbol when the country belonged to Denmark. One should not forget the South and the Westman Islands, nor the volcanoes that are still active today. From the top of the cone volcano Hekla, which had its last eruption in 2000, offers a formidable view of the glacier, the vast Atlantic Ocean and the flat plains of the South.

The Icelandic holiday offers wide horizons, splashing glaciers, hot springs, roaring waterfalls, volcanoes and craters – sometimes also distinctive gastronomic experiences and ingredients that you definitely do not put in every day. Seagull eggs, sharks and food smoked over sheep poop – or why not a delicious sea parrot. Have a nice meal.

Iceland climate and weather

Here you can read about Iceland’s climate and weather. See, among other things, temperatures for Reykjavik.

	JAN	FEB	MAR	APR	MAY	JUN	CHRISTMAS	AUG	SEP	OCT	NOV	DEC
Reykjavik
Daytime temperature	2	3	3	6	9	12	13	13	10	7	3	2
Night temperature	-3	-2	-2	0	4	7	8	8	5	2	-1	-3
Precipitation (mm)	76	72	82	58	44	50	52	62	67	86	73	79

According to top-medical-schools, Iceland is on the border of that polar climate. In the north of the East Greenland stream, icy weather is with it, while in the south it has a branch to the North Atlantic stream that contributes to a warmer climate. For the same reason, most Icelanders live near the southern coastal parts. The weather in Iceland is often changeable and windy even though it is much milder than the name of the country suggests!