Iceland has been on my radar for the longest time. A lot of it harkens back to my time in Sweden and being able to see the northern lights from above the arctic circle. Ever since then, I’ve been itching to get another chance to watch the majestic aurora borealis dance in the sky. But like I discovered in Peru, there’s so much more to Iceland. Here’s my take on what makes Iceland the ultimate travel destination.
Flights An All Time Low
I have to say that the Iceland tourism board has done an incredible job these past few years building up marketing and press for the country. For myself here in Toronto, we’ve been bombarded with ads all over and I’ve found that it’s made a huge difference. Iceland is now top of mind for a lot of us though it’s not like a lot of convincing is needed What’s really pushed Iceland over the top is the ridiculously low fare that keep coming out. Wow Air recently launched a 24-hour sale with one-way fares to Iceland as little as $99. Iceland Air also runs a ton of promotions from major cities all over North America that make it affordable to get there. Standard deals to Iceland can be had for less than $600.
Landscape To Make Your Jaw Drop
With a country defined by thundering waterfalls, dramatic volcanic landscapes, black-sand beaches and behemoth glaciers, everything you see is guaranteed to be epic. For such a small country, everything is larger than life and unbelievably otherworldly. Here are 5 photos that had me hooked right away.
Adrenaline Packed
The adventurous side of you is going to jump for joy in Iceland because there is so much to do. Snowmobiling, ice climbing, glacier hiking, and dogsledding won’t surprise too many people but take a deeper look and you’ll realize that there’s even more than what you’d expect in a nordic country.
As the temperatures become more mild, you can hop on a saddle and do a little horseback riding or if you’re more comfortable in the water, you can snorkel the Silfra fissure, one of Iceland’s best-kept secrets. Adrenaline seekers can also do things like river rafting.
Time to Relax
When you get tired from your action-packed day, there are of course opportunities to sit back in Iceland as well. The island is rife with geothermal activity which means that there are a lot of hot springs. Up until this point we also haven’t even talked about the capital city of Reykjavik which has much to explore. There are museums to browse through and a surprisingly fantastic culinary scene to eat through.
Easy to Plan
The best way to explore Iceland is to rent a 4×4 and hit the road. With a total length of 1,332 kilometres (828 miles), there’s one ring road that takes you all around the island. I bring this up because this makes Iceland incredibly easy to see. Navigation is a cinch as there’s practically no way to get lost. There’s something to see and do along the way so all you have to do is do a little research on a guide to Iceland to figure out what you want to see and do and literally start driving.
Gateway to Europe
Beyond a standalone vacation destination, Iceland is a great pick because it is the perfect layover on your way to Europe. Airlines like Iceland Air and WOW Air offer flight packages that take you from cities like Toronto to Amsterdam with time in Iceland in between. With fares as cheap as they are, it’s a win-win for travellers because for the same price you’d pay for a direct flight to Europe, you get to spend bonus time in Iceland.
I don’t know about you, but I need to get my butt over to Iceland! Here’s to hoping it happens sooner rather than later.
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