Iceland Travel
Uniquely situated on the rift between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates at the junction of the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, the island nation of Iceland is aptly dubbed as the ‘Land of Fire and Ice,’ due to the presence of some of Europe’s largest glaciers and most active volcanoes. Iceland is a country with dramatic diversity in climate and geography ranging from volcanoes, lava fields, mountains, glaciers, ice caves, waterfalls, rivers, lakes, hot springs, and black beaches. And due to its vicinity to the North Pole, it’s also an iconic destination to chase the Northern Lights. All of these together, create an enchanting otherworldly ambiance that cannot be expressed in words but has to be experienced in person. And probably that’s the reason why Iceland has been the backdrop of several Hollywood and Bollywood movies and TV Series like Starwars, Tomb Raider, Die Another Day, Batman Begins, Thor: The Dark World, Interstellar, Fast and Furious, Game of Thrones, Vikings, and Katla to name a few!
Shedding some light on Iceland’s history and culture, Iceland was established by a population comprising both Norse and Celtic people during the Viking era of exploration, more than a millennium ago. The early community, which was mainly made up of Norwegian explorers and seamen, made further excursions to Greenland and the North American coast (which the Norse called Vinland). Iceland's closest European neighbor, Scotland, is 800 km (500 miles) away, but despite its physical remoteness, Iceland has always remained deeply ingrained in European culture. Regarded as one of the best literary works of the European Middle Ages, the Icelandic sagas narrate heroic stories honoring the customs and history of the great families who lived in Iceland far from European centers of commerce and culture between 930 AD and 1030 AD.
Through this series of articles, I intend to share our stories and experiences of traveling across Iceland with our fellow photography and travel enthusiasts. I hope they help you plan your travels across this beautiful country!
Situated near Faxaflói Bay in southwest Iceland, Reykjavík is the capital of Iceland and the northernmost capital of any sovereign state globally. Glaciers, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions have sculpted the landscape of the city over the millennia, as the area is geothermal; after all the name translates to "Smoky Bay." Though it only has 120,000 residents, it's a thriving city that welcomes a growing number of tourists each year. It is the political, cultural, and economic hub of Iceland and is regarded as one of the world's safest and cleanest cities.