Iceland is a unique destination that offers exotic experiences in pristine nature featuring geothermal pools, stunning geysers, waterfalls, and breathtaking volcanic landscapes. There you can see stunning examples of extremes - Europe's biggest glaciers coexisting with some of the continent's hottest volcanic springs.
There are multiple ways to explore Iceland and experience amazing entertainment in the most incredible surroundings.
One of the ways to explore Iceland is on your own with a rental car, spending several days or a week, driving along the Ring Road that runs in a complete circle around the country. Another way is to experience adventure with professional tours organizes that can take you to the best spots to see the Northern Lights, ATV trekking over lava fields, to enjoy some of Iceland's most stunning natural beauty, like the Blue Lagoon, volcanoes and waterfalls. Whatever way to tour Iceland, you choose, do not forget to experience the following unique entertainments.
Lake Mývatn is surrounded by craters and boiling mud pools. The lake's thermal springs are too hot for summer bathing, but in winter the water temperature drops to just within human tolerance and offers the best experience after driving in a blizzard, bitter wind and swirling snow. Undress in the cold and find yourself in warm, pale-blue water with the falling snow, your damp hair nearly frozen, but your body flooded with heat. After you climb out, you feeling so hot you're surprised to see ice sheets and snow around you.
The Skogafoss waterfall is one of Iceland's most beautiful waterfalls, and it is also one the easiest to get to. Located between Reykjavik and Vik in South Iceland, this stunning cascade is a must-see attraction. Skógafoss waterfall can be a great day trip from Reykjavik, or you can spend more time there admiring amazing views. You can walk right up to the water, make sure you have your rain jacket and waterproof hiking boots on.
For nature lovers, Skógafoss is an ideal destination for camping when you can feel the smell of fresh, green grass and the sound of a gushing waterfall sounds upon waking up. It looks like paradise, indeed.
Hallgrímskirkja church is the main landmark of Reykjavík. You can see its tower from almost everywhere in the city.
The church was designed by Guðjón Samúelsson in 1937, who was inspired by the fascinating shapes and forms of lava cooling into basalt rock.
The church is noted for its huge pipe organ constructed by the German organ builder Johannes Klais. It is 15 m tall and weighs a remarkable 25 tons. The mechanical action organ is driven by four manuals and a pedal, all designed to reproduce powerful sounds capable of filling the huge and holy space. Its construction was completed in December 1992 and has since been used for a variety of recordings, including some by Christopher Herrick.
Dettifoss waterfall, found in North Iceland, is believed to be the most powerful in Europe and should not be missed when visiting the region.
Dettifoss is fed by the mighty glacier river flowing from the largest glacier in Europe, Vatnajökull.
In Iceland, you will see little houses with grass roofs all around the country.
A turf (peat) house is a house build from earth, bound together by grass and plant roots, with a roof that consists of turf and grass.
Icelanders lived in turf houses, both rich and poor, from the settlement of Iceland, around 870, until the mid-20th century. The last inhabitants left their turf-houses around 1966.
A few old and original turf houses are still standing today. Most of these houses belong to the National Museum of Iceland. There are also replicas of turf houses, open to visitors who want to feel Iceland's history.
There's a place in Iceland where you can touch two continents. It is one of the top dive sites in the world - the Silfra fissure in Thingvellir National Park. There you can swim directly between the North American and European continents in a crack between two tectonic plates.
The crack is filled with the most transparent water in the world, which makes it the perfect place to snorkel. However, the water is cold — about 35 to 39 degrees Fahrenheit year-round. If you're brave enough to dive in, you'll be submerged in beautiful glacial water from the nearby Langjökull glacier.
In Southeast Iceland, you'll find a glacier lagoon filled with icebergs. This iceberg lagoon has become one of Iceland's most visited attractions due to its unearthly beauty. The lagoon is called Jökulsárlón, which means Glacier' s-River-Lagoon.
The Northern Lights are among the most sought attractions in Iceland. The Northern Lights is the visible result of solar particles entering the Earth's magnetic field, and ionizing. The Lights appear as dancing colors high in the sky. Usually, they are green, but occasionally also purple, red, pink, orange, and blue. Their colors depend on the elements being ionized.
To be able to witness the Northern Lights in their full glory requires patience, luck, and a few conditions to be met.
If you're staying in Iceland just a couple of days, then you're limiting your chances of a clear sky and an active aurora. To have the best chance to catch the Northern Lights is to travel to the Westfjords or north of Iceland. These areas experience longer hours of darkness, and thus offer more opportunities to see the phenomenon. North Iceland tends to have clearer weather than the south-east.
Seljalandsfoss is one of the best-known waterfalls in Iceland. It is 65 meters tall and is amazingly beautiful. It is a must to stop at Seljalandsfoss when visiting the south coast; you will not regret it.
There you will find a path leading you behind the waterfall. It is a fantastic feeling walking behind Seljalandsfoss, especially on a sunny day when there is a good chance to see a rainbow.
Iceland is spectacular and entertaining in so many ways as Icelandic nature is quite unique with its vast landscapes, volcanic and geothermal activity, glacier lagoons, and black sand beaches, to name just a few wonders. Take your time and do not limit yourself to just a few most popular attractions. Make your trip to Iceland memorable.