Iceland is an island nation located in the west of Northern Europe in the North 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 km2.
Features of traveling to Iceland
Iceland is not in high demand among tourists. In part, this can be explained by the peculiarities of the climate - the average temperature in January is -1 degree here, the average temperature in July is +11 °C. Such figures 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 close, 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 Iceland is worth choosing - there are a lot of attractions here, and guests will definitely not be bored. Those who decide to make a trip to this country will not hurtlearn about where to go and what to see.
What else should I consider before buying a ticket to Iceland? Almost all travelers who have returned from there note 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 the city of Reykjavik, which is also the largest city in the country (about 200 thousand people) and the economic center. It is here that tourists from other countries arrive, as there is an international airport in Reykjavik. And if you are already in this northernmost capital of Europe, then you should stay there for at least a couple of days.
The Sun Wanderer Monument is one of the most famous sights in Iceland. The photo and the name of this sculpture will certainly be found in every guidebook, because the Sun Voyager is rightfully considered a kind of symbol of the city.
This construction 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 rays of the sun and symbolizes faith in a brighter future.
Hadlgrimskirkja
Do not ignore the largest Lutheran church in the capital - Hallgrimskirkyu. The architectural features of the building have turned the temple into a real landmark 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 a picturesque view 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 instrument reaches a height of 15 meters.
Vatnajökull National Park
Among Iceland's natural attractions, Vatnajökull National Park, created in 2008, should be mentioned first of all. Why does it attract tourists so much? The fact is that the territory of this park contains two national parks created earlier.
Skaftaftel Park (founded in 1967) and Jekulsaurgluvur Park (founded in 1973) are located on the territory of 1,200,000 hectares. Such a vast territory allows us to consider the Vatnajökull National Park the largest not only in Iceland, but throughout Europe.
Tourists who come in search of amazing experiences will find here the eponymous glacier, which is larger than all existing glaciers in Europe.
Here is one of the largest glacial lakes - Granalone, its area is about 18 km2.
Dettifoss Waterfall
Tourists will be able to meet face to face with the raging elements, standing on the edge of Europe's largest waterfall Dettifoss. Its width reaches almost 100 meters, and its heightthe fall of the seething stream - 44 meters. Almost 200 cubic meters of water rushes down every second. At the same time, the streams make noise, foam and break into billions of splashes.
This landmark of Iceland is located in the Vatnajökull National Park already mentioned above. Even the most sophisticated traveler will not be able to remain indifferent after everything he has seen.
Many people try to compare this waterfall with Niagara, but the comparison is completely inappropriate here. Dettifoss appears before tourists in its original, untouched form, it has not yet been touched by the hand of civilization. In addition, those who come to admire the natural beauty will be able to do it almost alone - no crowd noise and hustle.
Aurora Borealis
According to the legends, when elves dance and have fun on the ground, bright flashes are visible in the sky. This beautiful fairy tale only enhances the interest of millions of people in such an amazing phenomenon as the northern lights. In fact, everything is much more prosaic, and the bright overflows in the sky are just millions of solar particles that break into the earth's atmosphere.
However, a boring explanation does not detract from the beauty of this Icelandic landmark. Literally every eyewitness strives to leave a photo and description of such an event. You can see such a miracle from the beginning of October, the country even has special routes that allow you to see colorful performances in detail.
City of Husavik
If youIf 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 swim here regularly. Seeing them is a real success, there are even sea excursions that allow tourists to get to know these marine giants better. Is it any wonder that such photos of the sights of Iceland annually attract hundreds of tourists who want to get a truly unusual experience.
Here, in the city, founded a museum entirely dedicated to whales. By visiting it, tourists will be able to get even closer to all the features of the life of these inhabitants of the depths.
Blue Lagoon
The Blue Lagoon is a unique natural phenomenon, which is a natural thermal pool. The waters of several sources with powerful healing properties flow here at once.
People have slightly improved the shores of the reservoir, making them more convenient for tourist recreation. Since then, the Blue Lagoon has been a well-known tourist attraction in Iceland.
Lake in the crater of the volcano - Askja
Those tourists who are not afraid of hiking can see a real geological phenomenon. That's what scientists called the active stratovolcano Askya.
The fact is that thisIceland's natural landmark is located away from paved roads and can only be reached on foot. To do this, you need to walk at least half an hour through the lava fields. However, believe me, the efforts expended will not be in vain. In translation, the word “Askya” means “crater”, and this name is fully true. In the crater of an active volcano there is a lake, the waters of which constantly maintain a high temperature. You should definitely 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 quite impressive in size. Once here, travelers will certainly feel like they are on another planet or in some mysterious world, because the main feature of the Landmannalaugar valley is the unusual color of the mountains.
Hekla and Torfaeküll volcanoes, located very close by, helped create such an amazing landscape. Emissions of lava with impurities of minerals and metals gave the mountains blue-black and bright red hues. Among all this diversity, bright blue spots of reservoirs are visible. The overall impression is truly unusual.
Vik Beach
As many of you probably already guessed, there are a huge number of unusual sights. Vic in Iceland is just one of those. Many tourists simply 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?
Beach"Vik" is completely formed from ash and hardened lava. Black sand is replaced here by bizarre black boulders. Such a landscape immediately conjures up images from the fantasy world. As the legend goes, the black boulders, here and there visible from the water, are huge trolls, who were caught by the first rays of the sun.
Vik beach is usually not crowded with tourists, so it's a great place to enjoy the sound of the waves and be alone with nature. At the same time, it is worth noting that such a gloomy atmosphere will not be to everyone's taste. Only 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 yet it is worth emphasizing: first of all, those who do not expect comfort and civilization in the European sense should go here. Iceland is a country of untouched nature, a riot of colors, the sound of waves and the cry of birds, and it is precisely the connoisseurs of such riches who will be able to impress.
