Iceland is an island nation located in western Northern Europe in the northern Atlantic Ocean. It is located on the island of Iceland and several small nearby islands. Quite often, this area is poetically called the land of ice. This is understandable, because glaciers cover a significant part of the land here - 11 900 km 2.
Features of travel to Iceland
Iceland is not in high demand among tourists. In part, this can be explained by the peculiarities of the climate - the average January temperature here is -1 degrees, the average July temperature is +11 ° C. Such indicators are very far from the temperature of beach resorts - those that are so loved by many travelers.
On the other hand, the road to Iceland is not long, so the cost of the trip is slightly higher than the average ticket to the classic resorts. However, if the soul requires adventure and incredible sensations, then it is Iceland that is worth choosing - there are a lot of attractions here, and guests will definitely not be bored. Those who decided to make a trip to this country will not hurt to find out where to go and what to see.
What else should be considered before buying a ticket to Iceland? Almost all travelers who returned from there noted high prices for rental housing and food. For this reason, tourists are advised to carefully plan their spending in this country.
Walk around the capital to the symbol of Sun Voyager
The capital of Iceland is Reykjavik, which is also the largest city in the country (about 200 thousand people) and an economic center. It is here that tourists from other countries arrive, since Reykjavik has an international airport. And if you are already in this very northern capital of Europe, then it is worth staying at least a couple of days.
Monument “Sunny Wanderer” - one of the most famous sights of Iceland. Photos and the name of this sculpture will certainly be found in every guidebook, because Sun Voyager is considered to be a peculiar symbol of the city.
This design was installed in 1990, just on the day of the 200th anniversary of the capital. The talented architect Gunnar Arnason made a monument in the form of a Viking ship, reaching 4 meters in length and 3 in height. Made of steel, the sculpture shimmers in the sun and symbolizes faith in a brighter future.
Hallgrimskirkja
You should not ignore the largest Lutheran church in the capital - Hallgrimskirkju. The architectural features of the building turned the temple into a real attraction of Iceland.
The main tower soars into the sky to a height of 73 meters, and the stepped walls are very similar to the remains of volcanic rock. There is also an observation deck from where you can enjoy plenty of picturesque views of the city and its surroundings. However, Hallgrimskirkja gained fame not only due to the peculiarities of the structure, but also because of the unique church organ. The tool reaches a height of 15 meters.
Vatnajekull National Park
Among the natural attractions of Iceland , the Vatnajekull National Park, created in 2008, should be called first of all. Why does he so attract tourists? The fact is that the territory of this park contains two national parks created earlier.
On the territory of 1,200,000 hectares there is Skaftaftel Park (founded in 1967) and Jekulsaurgluvur Park (founded in 1973). Such a vast territory allows us to consider the Vatnajekull National Park the largest not only in Iceland, but throughout Europe.
Tourists who come in search of an amazing experience will find here the eponymous glacier, which exceeds all existing glaciers in Europe in size.
Here is one of the largest glacial lakes - Granaloun, its area is about 18 km 2.
Dettifoss Waterfall
Tourists will be able to meet face to face with the raging elements, standing on the edge of the Europe’s largest waterfall Dettifoss. Its width reaches almost 100 meters, and the height of the fall of the bubbling stream is 44 meters. Almost 200 cubic meters of water rush down every second. At the same time, the flows are noisy, foaming and breaking into billions of splashes.
This landmark of Iceland is located in the Vatnajekull National Park already mentioned above. Even the most experienced traveler will not be able to remain indifferent after all that he has seen.
Many are trying to compare this waterfall with Niagara, but the comparison here is completely inappropriate. Dettifoss appears before tourists in its original, untouched state, the hand of civilization has not yet touched it. In addition, those who came to admire the natural beauty will be able to do this almost alone - no noise from the crowd and crush.
Polar Lights
According to legends, when elves dance and have fun on earth, bright flashes are visible in the sky. This beautiful fairy tale only strengthens the interest of millions of people in such an amazing phenomenon as the northern lights. In fact, everything is much more prosaic, and bright overflows in the sky are just millions of solar particles that burst into the earth's atmosphere.
However, a boring explanation does not detract from the beauty of this landmark of Iceland. Literally every eyewitness tends to leave a photo and description of such an event. You can see such a miracle from the beginning of October, there are even special routes in the country that allow you to see colorful performances in detail.
Husavik city
If you find yourself in the northern part of the country, be sure to check out the small town of Husavik. It is located at the very edge of the water. At first glance, this is an unremarkable settlement, but it is here that tourists can witness a truly exciting event.
Whales regularly swim here. Seeing them is a real success, there are even sea excursions that allow tourists to get to know these sea giants better. Is it any wonder that such photos of Iceland's attractions annually attract hundreds of tourists who want a truly unusual experience.
Here, in the city, a museum is completely dedicated to whales. By visiting it, tourists will be able to learn even closer all the features of life of these inhabitants of the depths.
Blue Lagoon
The Blue Lagoon is a unique natural phenomenon, representing a natural thermal pool. The waters of several springs with powerful healing properties flow here.
People slightly ennobled the shores of the reservoir, so that they became more convenient for a tourist holiday. Since then, the Blue Lagoon is a well-known name for a landmark in Iceland.
Lake in the crater of the volcano - Askya
Those tourists who are not afraid of walking can see a real geological phenomenon. That's what scientists called the acting stratovolcano Askya.
The fact is that this natural attraction of Iceland is located far from the paved roads, and you can get to it only on foot. To do this, you need to walk at least half an hour through the lava fields. However, believe me, the expended efforts will not be in vain. Translated, the word “Askya” means “crater”, and the name is fully true. There is a lake in the crater of an active volcano, the waters of which constantly maintain a high temperature. It is necessary to swim in it, because you will not experience such sensations anywhere else.
Landmannalaugar Valley
The southern part of the island is occupied by the Landmannalaugar valley, which is very impressive in size. Once here, travelers will certainly feel like on another planet or in some mysterious world, because the main feature of the Landmannalaugar valley is the unusual color of the mountains.
The volcanoes of Hekla and Torfaeküdl, located nearby, helped to create such an amazing landscape. Lava emissions with impurities of minerals and metals gave the mountains blue-black and bright red hues. Among all this diversity, bright blue spots of water bodies can be seen. The overall impression is truly unusual.
Vic Beach
As many have probably already guessed, there are a huge number of unusual sights. "Vic" in Iceland is just one of those. Many tourists just dream of white sand beaches, of which there are plenty in the world. But tell me frankly: how many managed to visit the black beach?
Vic Beach is completely formed from ash and solidified lava. Black sand gives way to bizarre black boulders here. Such a landscape immediately gives rise to imagination of a picture from the world of fantasy. According to legend, black boulders, now and then seen from the water, are huge trolls, which were caught by the first rays of the sun.
There are usually not many tourists on Vic Beach, which is why it is a great place to enjoy the sound of the waves and to be alone with nature. It is worth noting that not everyone will like such a gloomy atmosphere. Only the gothic connoisseurs will feel the joy of staying here.
All the photos and brief descriptions of the sights of Iceland presented to your attention are just a small part of what the country is ready to surprise and impress tourists with. And still it is worth emphasizing: it is necessary to go here first of all to those who do not expect comfort and civilization in the European sense. Iceland is a country of untouched nature, a riot of colors, the sound of waves and the cry of birds, and it will be able to impress just those who appreciate such wealth.