Iceland
A small island nation in the North Atlantic that is rightly famous for its outstanding natural beauty – especially if you like often barren and stark scenery. --- jump forward to the photo gallery ---
However, Iceland's nature is also volatile, namely volcanic. The island owes its very existence to volcanism and it remains one of the most active volcanic areas in the world. This is due to its location right on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, where the European and American tectonic plates slowly drift apart.
Volcanism has also given Iceland a number of special dark-tourism-related sites. In fact most of the country’s dark attractions are in some way or other related to volcanism.
Remnants of volcanic events can be seen all over the active rift zone which runs roughly from the south-west to the north-east. In the north, the lava fields of the Krafla eruptions from the 1980s are worth a look. The area is also rich in geothermal activity. And then there’s the impressive black tuff explosion crater of Hverfjall which NASA apparently used for the training of Apollo astronauts as it so resembles the surface of the moon. At Lake Myvatn you can see various further craters and an atmospheric lava field called Dimmuborgir, where the lava formed various evocative shapes. On my first trip to Iceland in 2004 I went on a scenic flight in a small plane that took me not only over all these places but also further afield over the main glacier icecap Vatnajökull and the otherwise difficult to reach geothermal area of Kverkfjöll.
Speaking of flights, in 2010 Iceland made negative headlines when huge ash clouds from the eruption of the subglacial volcano Eyjafjallajökull brought unprecedented disruptions to air traffic across much of Europe and the Atlantic. There are now a couple of smaller memorials/exhibitions about these events nearby.
Volcanic activity also attracts a special kind of tourist clientele. Watching volcanic eruptions, however, is not something that can be planned ahead – instead it's something that has to be done spontaneously … requiring flexibility and money and you have to be prepared for disappointment if the activity suddenly ceases by the time you get there (itz happened to me). There are companies specializing in that sort of travel whenever there's an eruption to be witnessed somewhere in the world. And the local Icelandic tourism industry also quickly adapts when an eruption is going on, with helicopter flights and guided hiking tours. The latest eruptions that attracted lots of visitors started on the Reykjanes Peninsula south of Reykjavik in 2021, with more eruptions following in 2022 and 2023 and yet more are to be expected in the area.
The best visible physical (i.e. more permanent) evidence of volcanism's destructive forces that can be seen by regular tourists are to be found on Heimaey, the main island and town of the Westman Islands archipelago just off the south coast of "mainland" Iceland, where in 1973 a sudden surprise eruption of a new volcano destroyed part of the town – you can still see plenty of evidence of this. Also part of that archipelago is the new island of Surtsey that was formed by undersea eruptions in the 1960s. It provided scientists with a perfect test bed for observing how nature takes hold on such new land. It is hence off limits to tourists, but you may spot it from the air when flying into Iceland from the south-east.
The best visible physical (i.e. more permanent) evidence of volcanism's destructive forces that can be seen by regular tourists are to be found on Heimaey, the main island and town of the Westman Islands archipelago just off the south coast of "mainland" Iceland, where in 1973 a sudden surprise eruption of a new volcano destroyed part of the town – you can still see plenty of evidence of this. Also part of that archipelago is the new island of Surtsey that was formed by undersea eruptions in the 1960s. It provided scientists with a perfect test bed for observing how nature takes hold on such new land. It is hence off limits to tourists, but you may spot it from the air when flying into Iceland from the south-east.
Iceland has seen massive volcanic catastrophes in its older history too – especially the Laki eruptions of 1783 which led to the death of about a quarter of the island's population at that time, and the poisonous cloud of gases and ash released by the eruption also brought the disaster to far-away Europe, and had a serious effect on the whole northern hemisphere's climate! The period after the eruption became known as the “year without a summer”, causing large-scale crop failures. It is sometimes said that this was also a contributing factor in bringing about the French Revolution.The remains of the crater chain that formed in the Laki eruptions can be seen in the Landmannalaugar area in southern Iceland, which is also a prime hiking destination.
Some of Iceland's most active volcanoes happen to be located under glacial icecaps. When there are subglacial eruptions they cause ice melt on a massive scale which in turn can lead to discharges of meltwater of catastrophic forces. In fact the Icelandic word for this, jökulhlaup, has been adopted as the scientific technical term for this phenomenon. The Grimsvötn volcano under Iceland's (and Europe's) largest icecap, Vatnajökull, is particularly infamous for this. In 1996, a large-scale jökulhaup washed away the stretch of the Ring Road south of the Vatnajökull icecap and transported blocks of ice the size of houses miles down the slope towards the sea. As the impending outburst after the eruption had been carefully monitored the road had been closed and nobody got hurt. There’s a monument right by the Ring Road south of Svartifoss consisting of two twisted steel girders from a bridge that was destroyed by the jökulhlaup.
The latest (and largest) Grimsvötn eruption of 2011 did not cause a jökulhlaup but again affected European airspace, though not on the same scale that Eyjafjallajökull had the year before. More eruptions are expected, also from the dangerous Katla, which also sits under an icecap and is historically known for much more violent eruptions than Eyjafjallajökull. Iceland’s most regularly active volcano is Hekla, but that’s a fairly safe distance from any larger settlements and as it does not have an icecap it can’t create jökulhlaups.
Despite all their destructive potential, Iceland owes its very existence to these volcanoes that sit on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between two continental tectonic plates, the Eurasian and the North American plates. The rift goes straight through contemporary Iceland's land and at Thingvellir you can actually stand on it, one foot in Europe, the other in America, as it were. In fact you see many tourists having a photo taken of themselves doing just that. At the southern end of the canyon formed by the rift it is a mass tourism site – but just a bit further north you can escape the throngs. Thingvellir is not only of geological interest; it was also the birthplace of Icelandic democracy, as it was a meeting point where the island’s affairs were discussed and decided on. Moreover, it was also an execution site, as a couple of text-and-image panels along the trails of Thingvellir explain.
Dark bits from the modern era that are not related to volcanism are of a minor scale in Iceland, such as the shipwreck on the shore near Grindavik on the south Reykjanes Peninsula coast. I also spotted a monument to perished German fisherman near Vik, just before you get to its black sand beach. In Vik there was also a surprise plane wreck. A more legendary one is that of a US Navy DC-3 that for five decades has been sitting on a remote stretch of black sand on Sólheimasandur. It’s a long hike from the Ring Road but there are also high-clearance shuttle buses taking visitors there. There were numerous other plane crashes on Iceland especially during WWII. A monument by the road near Keflavik with a model B-24 on top recounts some of these, mostly US military aircraft.
More regular tourist highlights tend to be situated along the so-called Golden Circle east of the capital Reykjavik. This comprises of Thingvellir (see above), Gullfoss waterfall, regarded as Iceland's visually most spectacular waterfall, and the field of geysers nearby. In fact, this is the mother of them all inasmuch as the Great geyser of Geysir gave the name to all other geysers around the world. The original here in Iceland, however, has in recent years only very occasionally shown any sign of activity. I was very lucky to witness one such rare eruption when I was there in 2004. The smaller Strokkur geyser next to it, however, continues to reliably spout every 5 to 10 minutes. The eruptions always begin with the spectacular build-up of a big blue bubble that then bursts into spouts between 5 and 20 metres in height, occasionally even more. All these sights on the Golden Circle are top tourist attractions and hence it gets crowded at peak times. To avoid the masses it is worth going very early in the morning or in the evening before/after all the tour groups visit.
Other watery attractions include yet more waterfalls, of which Dettifoss in the northern interior is the largest, but the more easily reachable Skógafoss in the south near the Ring Road isn’t far behind at ca. 60m in height. A less dramatic but peculiar waterfall is Hraunfossar, where the water comes out from under an old lava layer.
And then there are the glaciers. You can go on some of these, even by snowmobile. A particular glacial tourist attraction is the iceberg lagoon of Jökulsarlon that formed between one of Vatnajölull’s glacier tongues and the coast. Amphibious vehicles take visitors around the lagoon and closer to the icebergs. The edge of the lagoon features warning signs forbidding swimming, because the waters are so close to freezing. Yet my wife, who is an ardent cold-water swimmer did go in at a nearby lesser well-known iceberg lagoon called Fjallsarlon.
Out at sea around Iceland whale watching has become a popular activity. I went on two such boat excursions on my first trip to Iceland in 2004. I was unlucky on the trip from Húsavik, when we didn’t see any whales, but on an earlier boat trip from Ólafsvik on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula we got very close to two majestic humpback whales! Other wildlife that Iceland is known for is its large seabird colonies. The endearing puffin is everybody’s darling here and you encounter fluffy toy puffins en masse in every souvenir shop. The real creatures can be seen in the summer nesting season at various points along the coast and especially on Heimaey – though they are no longer as numerous as they once were (also an effect of climate change).
And then there’s just the glorious scenery almost everywhere you go in Iceland, and it is an absolute joy driving around in it and/or going hiking in it. Since Iceland is blessed with ample geothermal energy, which supplies all the island’s energy needs in a clean and sustainable fashion, the air is also extremely clear, which can make judging distances deceptive.
You can see geothermal power plants both by the famous Blue Lagoon near Keflavik airport or in the north near Krafla, and elsewhere. They certainly blight the scenery less than fossil-fuel-burning power stations. Some impacts on the environment, however, are created by a couple of aluminium smelters that Iceland controversially attracted with the bait of cheap electricity.
Travel to/in Iceland:
The entry point for almost all tourists is the international airport for Reykjavik, Iceland's charming little capital and home to more than half of Iceland's total population. Reykjavik's local airport is mostly for domestic flights only, though, whereas the country's international airport is located further west at Keflavik, which started life as military air force base for the USA in WWII. This is where international flights land, even if their destination is given as Reykjavik. The national carrier Icelandair as well as various other international airlines have plenty of connections both to Europe and to North America.
It is also possible to get to Iceland by ferry (Smyril Line), namely once a week from Hirtshals in northern Denmark to Seyðisfjørður in east Iceland (except between November and March, when there is no ferry service). The crossing takes a couple of days and includes a few hours stopover at the Faroe Islands. It’s not cheap, but comfortable (especially the better cabin classes, of course) – and if you’re going for longer and want to use your own car or camper van and save on costs for accommodation and food & drink by camping and self-catering, then it could be a viable alternative to flying and hiring a vehicle in Iceland. On Heimaey I met a family of four from Germany who did it this way. I spotted the Leipzig registration symbol on their number plate, so I enquired with them how they got there. They told me that the ferry from/to Denmark, with car, cabins and on-board meals cost them in the region of 4000 EUR. But they were going for a full month – car hire for that long a period alone could come to a similar amount in Iceland (I paid ca. 1200 for an entry-level 4x4 for just eight days).
To get around in the country outside Reykjavik, you will indeed need a (hire) car ... unless you're on one of those organized coach tours (which I deem unlikely for the clientele that this website is aimed at). Getting around in a small car may do for the Ring Road and most sights near it, but to tackle the interior routes or Landmannalaugar you will need a tougher 4x4 with high clearance in order to be able to ford rivers. This may cost you dearly, but they are really indispensable. Note, also, that hire car companies do not allow normal 2x4 vehicles to be driven on the highland tracks.
Iceland in general is an expensive travel destination. This applies not only to hire cars but also to accommodation and eating out. Hence many travellers who try to “do” Iceland on a shoestring resort to camping and self-catering.
Accommodation options are most varied and easy to come by in Reykjavik. Outside the capital, pre-booking (often well in advance) is essential. In the countryside you often get boarding schools serving as "summer hotels" in the short peak season, which are school holidays – and when half of the Icelanders appear to be taking up summer jobs in the tourism industry. If you leave booking too late you may have trouble finding any rooms outside Reykjavik and then only at often very inflated prices. So planning well in advance does pay off.
As for food & drink: Icelandic cuisine has a few surprises in store. Not at all surprising is the proportion of fish. Remember that Iceland's fishing industry is one of the largest in Europe! But the fish is sometimes served in unusual ways, e.g. accompanied by blue cheese sauces. I personally found this very convincing, though.
A legendary speciality is one that has an almost impossible to acquire taste: "hákarl", which is putrefied shark! Indeed, its "odour" of ammonia is the main obstacle to overcome when trying it Think of what the most grotty train station loo you ever encountered smelled like and you get an idea. No wonder it is suggested you follow it with a swig of the national liquor Brennivin. I tried exactly one little cube of hákarl as part of an Icelandic starter platter in a Reykjavik restaurant in 2004 … and I do not intend to repeat the experience.
More palatable specialities include "skyr", a kind of rich, smooth, creamy strained yoghurt, "lava bread" (baked in hot spots near volcanoes, in ash or near geothermal fields) as well as smoked fish and meats. There is also dried fish, not salted (as in Norway) but air-dried without any salt, and it is usually eaten smeared generously with butter. It used to be a substitute for bread in the olden poorer days of Icelandic history (when grain was very scarce). Now it’s just another of those characteristic specialities – and I for one absolutely love it.
Among the meats used are not just those from the usual animals (of which lamb is supposed to be the best) but also reindeer, horse, seabirds such as guillemots and even puffins (see Heimaey), and, most controversially, whale. Much to international scorn, Iceland ,like Japan and Norway, still continues whaling, or rather: it resumed whaling in 2006. Though under the mantle of "scientific purposes" whale meat still lands on Icelandic plates, mostly the still relatively abundant minke whale, though in one speciality restaurant in Reykjavik I found that dishes made from stocks of frozen fin whale meat were still on the menu! I hasten to add: I did NOT eat any of this – though I admit that I did try a couple of seabird dishes out of curiosity, even though I am normally semi-vegetarian.
What is comparatively scarce and therefore only found in small quantities as accompaniments on plates is vegetables. These mostly have to be expensively imported or laboriously grown in greenhouses, due to Iceland's arctic climate. Potatoes can be very good, though, probably thanks to the rich volcanic soil. Similarly, wild berries are a delight. But getting by on an entirely vegetarian or even vegan diet will be rather difficult in this arctic country.
One aspect I found particularly pleasant about eating out in restaurants in Iceland is the fact that a service charge is always already included and that no further tipping is expected – so no worries about too little or too much as a tip, it's just not done at all, period. Such a relief. On the other hand, price levels are high enough without any tips or charges coming on top. But that applies to almost everything in Iceland.
An excessive example of inflated pricing concerns drinks other than soft drinks. They are prohibitively expensive, as is typical for Scandinavia. Here in Iceland (like in Finland or Sweden) alcohol is only sold through specially state-licensed outlets. All wine and most spirits are imported and hence expensive. The craft beer revolution has meanwhile found a solid foothold on Iceland with a wide range of excellent brews made locally now on offer in many places (not just Reykjavik) … but of course it’s also expensive (as all ingredients have to be imported).
Water, on the other hand, is cheap and plentiful – and in the highlands you can fill up your bottles for free. Indeed, my guide on the Askja/Viti tour suggested we all pour away our mineral water and instead fill our bottles up from the highland stream we were passing, because it would be "much, much better". Lucky Iceland.
The climate in Iceland is subarctic, with relatively short summers which rarely are hot but rather pleasant – as long as it doesn’t rain … which it often does. In fact the weather in Iceland is so changeable that they say if you don’t like it wait a few moments and then might be totally different. Winters are naturally long, dark and often harsh. Some businesses like hotels and restaurants may close for the winter season. The tracks through the uninhabited interior are closed altogether and you have to expect loads of snow everywhere. On the other hand, winter is the best time to have a good chance of seeing the fabled Northern Lights … and there will be significantly fewer tourists than in summer.
Linguistically, Iceland is unusual in that it is so conservative about its native language that it even has state commissions employing professional purists to stem the tide of foreign influences. Hence the language remains close to Old Norse, and Icelanders can easily read ancient texts from several centuries ago (such as the legendary “sagas”). On the other hand, practically every Icelander will be proficient in at least two or three foreign languages – and not just those working in the tourism industry. English is now the default language in the tourism sector. So no need for visitors to try and learn the really complicated-looking Icelandic language. When I must have looked a little confused while trying to find a particular shop in Reykjavik, a group of young teenagers (at best 14) asked if they could help me out (and then did) – all in flawless English. I found the Icelanders in general to be an incredibly friendly bunch of people.
The main point, though, making Iceland one of my top-10 landscapes I have ever travelled to, remains its unbeatable scenery. It really is stunning in the most literal sense. Time and time again I found myself gazing at the sheer beauty of the land with my mouth open. It really is breathtakingly amazing.
