Iceland is a volcanic island located on the Atlantic Ocean, filled with geysers, glaciers and hot springs and the capital of Reykjavik.
Fishing is the main economic activity of Iceland and throughout the years it has ruled the landscape of exports to the world. Products derived from fish come a close second place to fishing as they produce things like fish flour, fish oils and even fertilizers. In order to visit Iceland, the main requirement you must meet is to have enough time to spend there and see everything that it has to offer like it’s beautiful forests, impossibly blue thermal springs, interesting people and amazing landscapes.
Why should you visit Iceland?
- Iceland is one of the safest places to visit and to enjoy your vacation time. The crime rate is extremely low and the amount of money spend by government in military defense is extremely low, something that makes room to invest in better infrastructure and providing great facilities for its citizens as well as visitors.
- Nature and landscapes of Iceland cannot be compared to anything else nowhere in the world. The environment is clean and pure filled with water in many different forms like glaciers, waterfalls, rivers and ice covered volcanoes located just a few meters away from each other. Another beautiful sight of Iceland is the possibility to see the whales as they pass by seasonally and the hot springs that have made Iceland famous all over the world for their natural spas.
- Food in Iceland is also one of the reasons why people keep coming back every year as well as their vibrant and inclusive nightlife.
Where should you go in Iceland?
- One of the main spots you have to visit is the capital city of Reykjavik, that with only 18.000 inhabitants, open its doors every year to welcome all visitors to its beautiful streets filled with museums, galleries, shops, bars, nightclubs and top notch restaurants. Some of the best places to visit are the Perlan, the Hallgrímskirkja church, the thermal beach of Nauhólsvík, the National Museum, the Kjarvalsstadir Gallery and the Reykjavík boardwalk amongst others.
- After seeing the capital, another strong recommendation is to visit the Blue Lagoon, another thermal spa that is very popular and specially fitted to relax in an amazing pool of blue water perfectly acclimatized for your enjoyment.
- The Golden Circle tour is another great trip in Iceland that you can take on horseback visiting many places of interest. Before you undertake the journey, you are fitted with the right gear to withstand the cold and asked about your prior experience on horseback so you can be paired with the right companion. After a long road of snow and rocks, you can reach the Thingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where you can witness the spot where the two continents are divided and also to see the beautiful ice mountains and tour around the ice caps. The second stop is the Geysir and Strokkur hot springs and lastly the Gullfoss Waterfall, a 32-meter drop and one of Iceland’s most famous bodies of water.
- Before ending your trip on Iceland, you must take the time to visit the southern coast and enjoy one of the world’s most beautiful beaches located just a few meters away from the Skogafoss Falls. Both of these places are great locations to bring your family and loved ones.
Courtesy of Moyan Brenn at flickr.com
Traditional Icelandic Food
Food in Iceland is mainly extracted from the ocean and some examples of this are trout, cod, salmon and in some cases even whale. However, lamb is also quite popular and ubiquitous through the region. Due to Iceland’s weather and being remotely located from many other countries, people through history have implemented many ways to prepare their food through smoking, drying and pickling some of its dishes. There are plates here that are not recommended to the squeamish or weak of stomach, like the hakarl for example; a delicacy made of shark meat that has been buried for over a month in a process of fermentation and then dried and served straight to your plate. Another example of a strong-flavored dish is the hrútspungur, a type of meatball made with the nether regions of a ram.
During the months of January and February, people in Iceland celebrate a festival that allows you to get a real taste of what the country has to offer in terms of culinary choices. The festival of Porramatur is the perfect place to find a large combination of traditional Icelandic food like Svio, which is the head of lamb cut in half, singed and boiled: another popular choice is the traditional dried fish, different cuts of meat, radish puree, hardfiskur, sheep liver sausages, breads, marinated fish and more. The traditional alcoholic beverage of Iceland is the brennivin, a result of the fermentation of potatoes. Another popular product of Iceland is the skyr, a dairy product similar to cheese that is used in the preparation of many dishes or simply eaten straight up.
If you want to explore more cold islands in your next holiday, make sure you check out of blog at Royal Holiday Cruises for ideas and the best information when choosing your next destination.