Travel Tips & Trends

Iceland
© Rob Broek

Iceland: a hot spot for travel

Iceland beckons the traveler with wild, pristine landscapes forged by the fire of volcanic activity and the ice of massive, active glaciers. Visitors to the island nation also find a progressive and tolerant society retaining vibrant traditions from its Viking days. After a major drop in the value of its currency recently, budget-minded travelers are rediscovering Iceland as an alternative to continental Europe.

Thingvellir National Park

Thingvellir (the name means Parliament Plains) was the meeting place of the world's first national legislative body, the Althing, which dates back to the year 930. Icelanders gathered annually here from 930 until 1798 to pass laws, settle disputes and socialize. The rugged, rocky area is now a national park and UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Geothermal wonders

The Mid-Atlantic Ridge cuts through the park. Volcanic activity along this ridge, where the Eurasian and North American plates are pulling apart, formed Iceland and created some of its most dramatic and powerful vistas. Steaming lava fields and hot springs imbue the landscape with a mystical quality.

Geysir is the location of the 200-foot geyser whose name came to define the phenomenon. Though its eruptions are infrequent, a neighboring geyser erupts every five to ten minutes.

Volcanic activity also provides the nation with clean, renewable, green energy. Icelanders harness geothermal power to heat their homes and water, and it provides a quarter of the nation's electricity needs—the rest comes from hydro power.

The Blue Lagoon

Runoff water from a geothermal plant created the world-famous Blue Lagoon. A subarctic lava field with a power plant for a backdrop does not sound like the ideal setting for a swimming hole, but Icelanders and visitors from around the world come to soak in the hot, mineral-rich waters year round.

Gullfoss Falls

Deep in Iceland's interior, the mighty Hvita River cuts through a wide canyon, cascades over a three-step "staircase" and then plunges 105 feet into a deep and narrow crevice, to disappear into the earth. In a country full of amazing natural attractions, Gullfoss Falls is not to be missed.

For more information on Iceland, talk to your travel agent.