Iceland Travel Information

Sudden weather change

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Frequent and rapid changes in weather are common due to Iceland's location close to the meeting point of contrasting weather systems and opposing sea currents. Several changes have occurred since the settlement, the centuries were warm, bur a long cold period followed lasting into the 20th century.

Average temperatures have gradually increased since 1920. Short periods of intensely cold weather with sea ice have occurred from time to time. The unstable climate has influenced the Icelandic language, which has rich choice of word, phrases and expressions that describe conditions. There is always plenty to talk about when the conversation turns to the weather. Polls indicate that Icelanders are quite satisfied with their country.

The population has grown rapidly, having almost tripled in the last 100 years to reach 290,000. All the same, this is one of Europe's smallest populations whilst also being one of its most affluent. The nations wealth is built on the resources of the surrounding ocean and on the resourcefulness of the Icelandic people themselves.

The northern districts

2009-12-10T05:59:00.000-08:00

North Iceland is a diverse region, geologically, culturally and socially. Mývatn probably comes to mind first when people look to experience the areas unique natural wonders. There are first-class tourist facilities around Mývatn as there are in nearby Húsavík, where visitors can pop into the Whale Museum or go on a whale-watching trip.

The Herring Era Museum in the town of Siglufjörður is specially designed so that visitors feel they are going back in time and that they are themselves taking part in the Icelandic herring adventure. Hólar and Hofsós, in Skagafjörður, attract a great number of tourists. They are seeped in the history of Iceland and are important parts of the nations rich heritage. A museum dedicated to the Vínland settlers and to more recent emigrants to North America has been opened at Hofsós, where a number of old buildings have been restored to their original style.

This development has been a great success and Hofsós is one of the most visited sites in North Iceland. There are so many sites of historical interest in the Skagafjörður district that visitors should allow plenty of time to explore the area and soak up the atmosphere of past centuries. Grettis Saga is based on events that took place in West Húnathing, including Miðfjörður and Drangey, in Skagafjörður. Most visitors to North Iceland, however, head for the regions main town, Akureyri, which has a distinctive charm of its own.

Akureyri can supply everything its visitors rewire, both in summer and in winter. It is but a short distance from the town to unspoilt and varied countryside. Some of the country's most extensive skiing facilities can be found on the slopes of Hlíðarfjall. A large river delta has been designated as a nature reserve where Svarfaðardalur meets the northeast coast of Eyjafjörður.

There are a large number of lakes in North Iceland and some of the country's most famous salmon rivers run through the region. One place not mentioned so far that everyone should visit at least once is the island of Grímsey. This northerly outpost is unbelievably lively despite its remoteness and tiny population. Visitors can also take the unique opportunity of crossing the Arctic Circle, which passes through the island.

Björk

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Björk Guðmundsdóttir is without doubt the best known living Icelander. She is an international star who sells millions of discs all over the world. She was born on 21 November 1965 in Reykjavík, Björk herself says that she was regarded as being "different" from the age of 11. She has always been somewhat eccentric with her own style of dress that does not follow normal fashions. she started music school at 6 years of age, learning flute and piano while at the same time coming into contact with leading musicians. At home, the music of the Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Frank Zappa and others filled the house and had a great influence on Björk. In July 1993, her Debut disc was released. It was immediately popular both in Iceland and abroad. That disc opened many doors for Björk and won countless awards. Her second release, Post, came out in 1995. It was no less varied and entertaining than her earlier release. Björk's third disc was Homogenic, which appeared in 1997. It reflected her roots and its musical style showed distinct Icelandic influences. A long tour followed as she performed at over 40 concerts. Björk has released two discs since, Vespertine and Medulla, and her star continues to rise and shine brightly.

Mývatn Nature Baths

2009-11-05T19:50:00.000-08:00

The residents of the Mývatn district have enjoyed bathing in hot pools for over 1,000 years. They live in a region where there are gullies filled with warm water, boiling springs and steam jets uncontaminated with sulphur of other pollutants. One of the early bishops blessed a steam vent early in the 13th century and it was used continuously until 1940. The same steam bath was restored to its original form in 1996 and is now preserved. It proved to be a popular health spa and meeting place and plans were drawn up to develop the site. Considerable financial investment led to the opening of the Mývatn Nature Baths in June 2004. The facilities are excellent. The environment in the Mývatn district plays no little part in the success of the project. Over 30,000 people visited the baths in the first three months after the opening and its future looks assured.

East Iceland

2009-10-31T23:54:00.000-07:00

East Iceland is where many present-day visitors land, disembarking from the Norræna ferry, which dicks in Seyðisfjördur where passengers from Denmark, Norway and the Faeroe Islands disembark.

Skaftafell National Park is an area equalled by few others. Nature has created a magnificent environment. Many other parts of the region are stunning examples of natural beauty, for instance Suðursveit and Hornafjörður, Lön and LonsörAIfi, Breiðdalur and Borgarfjörður, attracting large numbers of visitors year after year.

The scenery in Borgarfjörður is esecially memorable. Colorful stones can be found in the valley and there is a museum in memory of Johannes Kjarval. Every town has its own attractions and East Icelanders have brought the bast out of each place rather than compete among themselves. There ia a natural history museum in Neskaupsstaður, a war museum in Reyðarfjörður, a maritime museum in Eskifjörður, and a unique stone collection in Stöðvarfjörður.

Hallormsstaðaskögur and the nearby River Lagarfljöt attract visitors, not least because of the minster that is said to live in the murky depths. Sailing trips take visitors up and down the river, and the old farm at Burstarfell built in the 18th century, should not be missed. There are town and natural history museums in Hornafjörður.

Swimming Pools in Iceland

2009-10-26T08:04:00.000-07:00

Iceland probably has more swimming pools than any other country in proportion to its population. There are around 200 all over the land. Of these, 160 are geothermally heated while the rest use oil, electricity or waste heat. About 30 of the pools are not open to the public (e.g. school swimming pools). On top of this there are dozens of natural, hot pools. Almost all Icelanders can swim and all schoolchildren receive swimming lessons. Swimming is widely recognized as an ideal form of physical exercise and it might well be said that the country as a whole is an enormous public health spa, with steam baths, saunas and water massages in addition to the pools. Outdoor pools are common because heating costs are rarely considerable. Figured for 2002 show that on average, Icelanders visited a swimming pool 15 times that year. Geothermal energy is one of our most important natural resources. It accounts for 60% of all energy used in the country. Icelanders well understand the need to carefully develop and nurture this precious resource. Geothermal power stations can also reduce the need for hydroelectric installations and thus satisfy the demands of both environmentalists and energy suppliers.

Northern Lights in Iceland

2009-10-24T21:00:00.000-07:00

The solar wind is a constant flow of atomic particles from the surface of the sun. These particles travel at extremely high speeds as they approach the Earth. they are generally repelled by the gravitational field, although some of them enter our atmosphere. When the charged particles collide with gas molecules, energy is released similar to fluorescent light. This light is called the Aurora Borealis of Northern Lights. The lights, which shimmer and shift due to the constant movement of the particles, are normally only visible near the North and South Poles because of the structure of the Earths magnetic field. Many tourists come to Iceland especially to watch the spectacular displays of Northern Lights. They are more clearly visible away from the Reykjavík area, where there are fewer streetlamps lighting up the surroundings.

The Blue Lagoon

2009-10-23T09:10:00.000-07:00

The Blue Lagoon - a health spa on the Reykjanes peninsula, surrounded by volcanoes and lava. This is one of the most popular tourist spots in Iceland. Relaxing in the hot water of the lagoon is an unforgettable experience. People began bathing in the pool around 1980 and soon discovered that the water, with its high mineral content, had a beneficial effect on many skin disorders. Apart from bathing in the Blue Lagoon, guests can enjoy a hot shower in water drawn from deep in the Earths crust, steam baths, saunas, skin treatment or a relaxing massage. The Blue Lagoon is uniquely situated in clean, natural surroundings. The soothing water contains nutrients that soften the skin, while silicon granules give it a smooth, attractive sheen. Skin cream made from the waters and minerals of the Blue Lagoon has cleansing, protective, nutritious and beautifying properties. Bathing in the Blue Lagoon can be a natural treatment for psoriasis. The magnificent surroundings, fresh air, clear water and Blue Lagoon skin products are all important factors in the treatment. A new skin treatment centre is due to open on 2005.

Admission is 20 Euros.

Árbæjarsafn

2009-10-12T06:36:00.000-07:00

Árbæjarsafn is an open air historical museum that gives an insight into the living conditions, work and activities of the people of Reykjavík from the Settlement Age, until today. Most of the museum buildings have been relocated from central Reykjavík. They are more than 20 and form a town square, a village and a farm. The old farm Árbær was an established farm well into the 20th century and for people traveling to and from Reykjavík it was a popular rest stop and inn. Until 1957 The place was abandoned and the farm buildings were in poor condition then the city council agreed that a public park and a historical museum should be created there. Árbær was located in a short distance outside the built-up areas of Reykjavík. Since then, the city has grown considerably, and now reaches far beyond the museum area. Árbæjarsafn got the Icelandic museum awards (Íslensku safnaverðlaunin) in 2006.

Árbæjarsafn is open from 10-17 in the summertime and during the winter (from September-Mai) the museum offers guided tours on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays at 13. Guided tours can also been booked in other times.

Askja

2009-10-11T07:13:00.000-07:00

Askja is a caldera, meaning a huge crater of a volcano which collapsed into the core of magma below. Askja is 50 sq km in size, it is located north of Vatnajokull glacier and is a testimony to the power of mother nature. The eruption that created the original caldera occurred in 1875, stones were thrown from the volcano reached the European continent. Volcanic activity lasted thirty years, culminating in another massive collapse of the upper part. The depression filled with water, forming the deepest lake in Iceland (217 m), sapphire blue color and it is frozen most of the year. In a younger crater which formed near by there is a lake of hot water, good swimming and baths. Askia in the center of Iceland's highland, it is best reached by a 4X4 vehicle or organized tour.

Lake Myvatn

2009-10-09T19:16:00.000-07:00

Lake Myvatn in North-East Iceland is considered one of the wonders of the world. The name of the lake (Icelandic "mý" = midge, "vatn" = water; the lake of midges) comes from the huge numbers of flies to be found there in the summer. It is one of the most interesting sites in Iceland related to volcanic and geothermal phenomena, but the main interest centers on the reservation are the unique blue lake, the abundance of bird life in the area and the environment. In addition, thanks to lake Myvatn location right in the shadow of a huge ice cap which create a rain shadow, lake Myvatn enjoys one of the most beautiful weather in Iceland. Here you can settle down and get calm, spend a week in a tent, or go for walks Jökulsárgljúfur National Park; to Kverkfjöll ice caves; to crater of Askja; or swallow Hverfell.

Perlan

2009-10-09T02:15:00.000-07:00

Perlan (The Pearl) is located in Öskjuhlíð, Reykjavík. It is placed on top of six hot water storage tanks, which contain about 4 million liters of hot water. Perlan was designed by Ingimundur Sveinsson and opened formally in June 1991.
On the ground floor is a 10,000 cubic meters of exhibition space called The Winter garden (Vetrargarðurinn), mainly used for markets, exhibitions and concerts. Its design was awarded with the GOLDEN EAR prize in 1993.

On the forth floor there is a Cafeteria, Ice cream shop, souvenir shop and a viewing deck. On the viewing deck are panoramic telescopes at each of the six corners of the deck with recorded descriptions in Icelandic, English, Norwegian, German and French.

On the fifth floor located a revolving restaurant and a cocktail bar that turns one circle every two hours, guests can enjoy the great view of Reykjavík and the nearby areas while dining. The restaurant at Perlan is known for its New Years parties with gourmet food and a spectacular show of fireworks at midnight. Perlan has been chosen one of 5 best revolving restaurants in the world.

Opening hours:
The Pearl: From 10:00
Pearl Cafeteria: Between 10:00-21:00
Pearl Restaurant: From 18:30

Hallgrímskirkja

2009-10-08T02:13:00.000-07:00

The beautiful Church of Hallgrímur or Hallgrímskirkja, located in the center of Reykjavík, it is the largest church in Iceland and the most visited tourist attraction as well. The state architect Guðjón Samúelsson (1887-1950) designed the church in 1937. The construction work began 1945 and ended 1986, it took 38 years to complete this great building. The church tower, which is 73 meters (240f) high, can be seen throughout the city and visitors can take the lift up the tower to watch Reykjavík and the surrounding mountains from the viewing deck.

Hallgrímskirkja is a memorial building named after Iceland's greatest hymn-poet. The priest Hallgrímur Pétursson (1614-1674), who wrote the Passion-hymns (Passíusálmana) that have been translated to many languages.

The Church houses the largest organ in Iceland. It was made by the Johannes Klais in Bonn, Germany and was officially opened in 1992. The organ is 15 meters high, weighs 25 tons and has 5275 pipes. The largest pipes are about 10 meters high. It is popular among musicians around the world to play the organ and record their music in the church. Hallgrímskirkja also houses many beautiful artworks and puts up exhibitions from different artists in the church art museum.

In front of Hallgrímskirkja located the statue of Leif Ericson the explorer.

The church is open daily from 9 - 17.

Gullfoss and Geysir

2009-10-06T20:00:00.000-07:00

The two most visited sites in Iceland are at the center of the South Island, an area renowned by natural phenomena and archaeological sites. Gullfoss, is a waterfall with two cascades, very popular by photographers, when the sun is shining (a rare enough event) a prime rainbow can be seen over the waterfall. At one point this site was offered to foreign investors to construct a power station, but later it was acquired by the government who defined it as national site. Beside Gullfoss is the Valley of Haukadalur which in ancient times served as the learning center of South Iceland.

Located immediately west to Gullfoss is Geysir, a region that includes the best examples of Iceland geysers, hot springs which erupt from underground. The most famous is the 'big Geysir' first erupted in the 14th century and ceased to act in the 20th century, after thousands of tourists were trying to provoke him and managed to block it with large quantities of stones and sand. After the water level was lowered artificially, the Grand Geyser came back to life. However, earthquakes that occurred in June 2000 brought to irregular bursts. Fortunately there is a replacement named Strokkur, which is nearby. The faithful Strokkur is splashing to 20 m height every three minutes, and photographers among you will have to act quickly, because outbreaks are only few seconds in length. Around the site are several other hot springs in different shades, open steam, streams of hot water, psychedelic colors and shapes seaweed mineral deposits.

Local transportation

2009-10-05T18:50:00.000-07:00

Icelandic company internal flights Flugleiðir maintains the only reliable connection in the winter, while the ice and the snow prevent almost any other form of transportation in the island. In the summer the company runs daily expensive flights from Reykjavik to most primary destinations in the country. There are no trains in Iceland and the roads network is the least developed in Europe. The union of bus companies in Iceland Bifreiðastöd Íslands making effort to maintain an efficient inexpensive public transport , although it is not particularly convenient. Also there are several ferries connecting lines between the ports on the island. Offices of car rental companies available in most large towns; prices are almost tolerable, but they added a fee for kilometers above a certain minimum, mandatory insurance and fuel costs among the highest in the world.

Also for cyclist, Iceland is far from ideal country: many roads are not covered with asphalt, hills are steep and the weather is difficult. Still many tourists try to ride a bike here, you can hire them in urban centers, hotels, hostels and guest houses. The local transportation includes taxis, which can also be hired for trips and urban buses.

Getting there

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Every year on August 15 the tourist season stops in Iceland; hotels, youth hostels and many camping sites are closed, and buses stop running. Many travelers who stay until the end of the summer disappointed for the lack of possibility to reach most popular sites after September 15th, and on September 30 the country already looks as if set to its winter sleep. Although it can be assumed that in the following years the situation will be change, but in the meantime you should plan the trip keeping in mind the status quo.

IcelandAir, the national airline, has regular flights directly to Europe and the United States. For countries who has no direct flights to Iceland, usually the cheapest way is to fly to Copenhagen and continue to Iceland. A pleasant way to get from Europe to Iceland is the ferry, but the cruise is long, 3 days with night stop and Faeroe Islands and far from cheap. Late May to early September ferries are leaving from Hanstholm in northern Denmark.

Reykjavik

2009-10-03T03:28:00.000-07:00

Reykjavik, Iceland's capital is like no any other European capital. It is not only the world's most northern capital, but also one of the youngest, having only formed late 19th century. Despite its name (Reykjavík - 'smoke bay'), it is known today for its clean air, thanks to constant winds and widespread use of geothermal energy. In Reykjavik there is an interesting old quarter, whitewashed houses and rows of concrete buildings painted in bright colors. Almost all interesting sites are within walking distance of the old quarter.

In the heart of the old quarter there's countryside look like area, with parks, lawns, lakes, markets and museums. For anyone interested in Icelandic Norse cultures, should visit the National Museum, which display sacred tools, handicrafts and tools dated to the period of settlement. Famous of these is the door of the church since 1200, it's carved with Norse battle scene. In basement are tools of sailors and farmers, models of old fishing boats and sophisticated tools that were used in the farms. The museum is located immediately behind the Árni Magnússon Institute, which is compulsory site for Saga fans. The Building has a collection of famous works, including the Landnámabók, a description of the settlement period in Iceland, Njáls Saga, which were returned to from Denmark independent after Iceland become independent.

Modern Reykjavik old quarter extends east and includes a number of interesting sites such as Hallgrímskirkja, an impressive church which was designed in the form of a mountain heart. It is not the most beautiful building in town, but it will be the most memorable structure you'll see for many years. Church construction began in the late 40s of the 20th century and was completed in 1974. It is named after Iceland's most famous poet, Hallgrímur Pétursson. You can walk in its light-drenched hall, then take the elevator to the tower height 75 m shows a great view of the city. At the park in front of the church placed a monument to Leif Ericson, who is described as Iceland native who discovered Vinland (assumed as Newfoundland or Labrador, Canada). Another not attractive site by appearance is the presentation of volcanoes. Here you can get to know in depth the elements that Iceland lives in its shadow (or above). You can expect few dramatic films of several strong volcanic eruptions that occurred in Iceland, including prize-winning film documenting the surprising birth of the island Surtsey which emerged from the sea in 1963. Additional sites in the city are the lovely botanical garden, a popular amusement park and several museums dedicated to the works of important Icelandic artists.

Cheap hotels, cheap restaurants and shops you will find right in the old quarter. In the evening, you can choose between a movie (movies are projected in the original language with subtitles in Icelandic) and cultural performances (theater, opera, symphony orchestra and dance performances on Viking sagas). Runtur is Reykjavik institution, which means turning the fashionable bars, clubs and discotheques of the city, to ensure that no one loses the action.

Travel Iceland information

2008-04-11T03:09:00.000-07:00

Travel Iceland Information provides a great travel resource for Iceland.

Iceland which is also know as Europe most kept secret become in recent years one of Europe's most popular travel destinations. Iceland offer unique travel adventure for travelers who are looking to experience nature in its most magnificent form. Glaciers, volcano's, Geysers and natural thermal pools are Iceland most famous natural features. Unique wild life, clean air and fresh pure water add an extra value for already a perfect vacation.

To learn more, you may also visit Iceland Portal.