Iceland's stark, pristine scenery has been shaped by fire and ice: More than 200 volcanoes and numerous glaciers form the country's landscape. It's a frozen land that's always letting off steam. Its U-shaped valleys, jagged lava fields, monstrous icecaps, hot springs and geysers have carved a rugged, bizarre landscape you won't see anywhere else on Earth. But you don't need the fortitude of a Viking to enjoy Iceland. In fact, you can experience many of its extremes in relative comfort. During a recent trip, we swam outdoors in a naturally heated pool just feet/meters away from a glacier.
Despite its relative isolation and untillable terrain, Iceland has one of the highest standards of living in the world (with sky-high prices to match). Tourists began to flock there in the 1990s, realizing that it's actually a destination in its own right rather than just a long layover on connecting Icelandair flights. The country is considered part of Europe, and it is a popular vacation and conference destination for Europeans.
Icelanders, like many islanders, are self-confident and reservedRead More ... , but once you break the ice, so to speak, they are among the friendliest in the world. Of course, they, too, have their extremes. Although weeknights in Reykjavik, the capital city, are usually quite sedate, the wee hours during the weekends (particularly Friday nights) can get downright raucous as stylishly dressed young people observe a rowdy party-on-the-streets ritual known as the runtur, or circuit.Iceland is in the midst of an economic boom, with building cranes all over the capital, Reykjavik, though it has slowed down a bit because the country is having difficulty financing the expansion. As Reykjavik becomes more like other large cities, visitors will need to travel outside the city to find the essence of the country.
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