Iceland

Understand

Iceland is an island nation in the North Atlantic Ocean. Iceland is one of the Nordic countries, and therefore culturally part of Europe. Because it is so close to the Arctic Circle, the amount of daylight varies dramatically by season. The sun sets briefly each night in June, but it doesn't get fully dark before it comes back up again. It is a beautiful sight and one definitely not to be missed, but it can make it hard to sleep. It is easy to lose track of time when the sun is still high in the sky at 23:00 (the time zone amplifies this: wall clock time is 1–1½ hr ahead of sun time). In the March and September equinoxes, days and nights are of about equal length, as elsewhere in the world. If you go in December, it's almost 20 hours of darkness. Summer is definitely the best time to go, even though that time can be more crowded. Early or late winter, however, can be surprisingly good times to visit. In late January, daylight is from about 10:00 to 16:00, prices are lower than in the high season, and the snow-blanketed landscape is eerily beautiful. Some sites are, however, inaccessible in the winter. No matter when you go though, the weather is never hot, though Icelanders bemoan their glaciers shrinking due to climate change. Be prepared for rainy days in fall, and for it to be windy everywhere during any season. Icelanders are proud of their independence from external influences and strive for political neutrality. An exception to this is their NATO membership, and even there, they are the only nation in NATO which is not required to have a military contribution. Indeed, Iceland does not have a military. This streak of independence is also used to justify them not being a member of the European Union even though there are many voices within who advocate for this. Ice

See

The Gullfoss waterfall is quite spectacular. Geysir, the namesake of all geysers, and its neighbour Strokkur which erupts every five minutes or so. Þingvellir National Park, a beautiful landscape of water-cut lava fields, which is historically important as the site of Iceland's parliament from 930 AD. Vatnajökull glacier is in Southeast Iceland and is Europe's largest glacier. Jökulsárlón, the largest glacier lake in Iceland, is located off Route 1 and part of Vatnajökull glacier. In the darker months (September to April), there are frequently stunning views of the Aurora Borealis, a.k.a. Northern Lights anywhere away from city lights. Three conditions need to be true for viewing the northern lights from any given spot: (1) It needs to be dark. The extremely short nights in summers greatly reduce the chance to view the northern lights. Similar impacts come from light pollution from city / street lights (2) The skies need to be free of cloud cover and (3) There needs to be solar activity that sends the charged particles barrelling towards the earth. The magnitude of the visible displays is dependent on chance and can vary over the viewing period as the solar activity and cloud cover changes. There are weather sites that track the chances of seeing the aurora on a given night for a given location, and you can use those ratings to guide you in how late you plan to stay up to see the lights.

Do

The geothermal spa Blue Lagoon, although being an artificial hot spring, is a very popular sight and activity located between the capital and the main airport. Mývatn Nature Baths is another

Getting there

Visas and immigration Iceland is a member of the Schengen Agreement. See Travelling around the Schengen Area for more information on how the scheme works, what countries are members and what the requirements are for your nationality. In summary:

There are normally no immigration controls between countries that have signed and implemented the treaty; there may be such controls temporarily, such as in connection with important events and various crises. The operators may carry out identity checks before passengers board international flights, ferries or trains, even between Schengen countries. Citizens of the EEA countries and Switzerland do not need visas to travel in the Schengen area, and may stay up to 90 days with no requirements other than having a valid ID card or passport. See European Union#EEA citizens. Normal visas granted by any Schengen member are valid in all countries that have signed and implemented the treaty (with exceptions for some overseas territories). The granting country may offer additional rights (such as longer stays or right to work) that apply only locally. However, as Iceland is not part of the European Union, all travellers entering Iceland, including those from EU countries, are required to undergo customs inspections on entry.

By plane

Iceland is easily reached via air and the main international airport is Keflavík Airport (KEF IATA), in the south-west of the country about 40 km (25 mi) from Reykjavík and serves around 30,000 passengers per day in high season. The airport itself is spartan; if you have a lengthy layover you should bring books or other forms of entertainment. Better yet, make sure you can leave the sterile area and explore the country a bit. Passengers arriving from outside Iceland (including from EU countries) whose

Getting around

By plane Aircraft in Iceland are like buses or trains elsewhere - they're the main form of internal travel other than the roads. Be warned though, that the ride can be a bit bumpy if you're entering one of the fjords like Akureyri. Domestic flights from Reykjavik operate from Reykjavik Airport, a different airport located closer to the namesake town. Scheduled service to nearby destinations, including Greenland and Faroe Islands, is provided by Icelandair, Atlantic Airways and Eagle Air.

By car

See also: Driving in Iceland A car offers the most flexibility for travel around Iceland. Numerous agencies rent vehicles, and ferries allow individuals to bring their own car with them. Rental prices are high (try to book as far in advance as you can) - expect to pay at least 4000 kr per day for a two wheel drive vehicle, and upwards of 12,000 kr per day for a four-wheel-drive vehicle; these prices include basic car insurance, but additional insurance may be purchased to protect against damage from gravel or other common mishaps. A four-wheel-drive car is needed only in the interior, which is open only in the summer. Renting cars in advance is often cheaper than doing so on-location. Off-road driving is strictly forbidden in Iceland and punishable with fines in the range of 300,000–500,000 kr. Icelandic nature is sensitive and does not recover easily from tire tracks. Driving in Iceland is on the right side of the road. Headlights and seat belts for all passengers must be on at all times, even on buses. If you are in an accident and not wearing a seat belt, you are considered to be uninsured. There is a single main highway, Route 1-Ring Road, which encircles the country. Because of Iceland's ever-changing weather, one should keep extra food and know where guesthouses and h