Iceland <div style="float: right; margin: 0 0 1em 1em"> <table cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="border: 1px solid #9866FF; background-color: #f3f3ff" width="330"> <tr><td colspan="2" style="text-align: center; border-bottom: 1px solid #C9AFFF; background-color: #ddddff">Flag</td></tr> <tr><td colspan="2" style="text-align: center; padding: 2px">Image:ic-flag.png</td></tr> <tr><td colspan="2" style="text-align: center; border-bottom: 1px solid #C9AFFF; border-top: 1px solid #C9AFFF; background-color: #ddddff">Quick Facts</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Capital'''</td><td>Reykjavik</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Government'''</td><td>constitutional republic<br/></td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Currency'''</td><td>Icelandic krona (ISK)</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Area'''</td><td>103,000 sq km</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Population'''</td><td>290,570 (end 2003) </td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Language'''</td><td>Icelandic phrasebook|Icelandic; English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Religion'''</td><td>Evangelical Lutheran 87.1%, other Protestant 4.1%, Roman Catholic 1.7%, other 7.1% (2002)</td></tr> <tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Calling Code'''</td><td>354</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Internet TLD'''</td><td>.is</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 2px">'''Time Zone'''</td><td>UTC</td></tr> </table> </div>  '''Iceland''', a country in Nordic Europe|Nordic Europe, is a large volcanic island in the north Atlantic Ocean. It is a well-named territory, over 11 per cent of the country being covered by glaciers. Image:ic-map.png|frame|Map of Iceland ==Cities== * Akureyri * Egilsstadir (Egilsstaðir) * Hafnarfjörður - City of elves and an annual Viking festival * Hofn (Höfn) * Isafjordur (Ísafjörður) * Keflavik - Major [http://www.airport.is airport] and U.S. Naval Air Base * Reykjavik - The largest city and capital * Thorshofn (Þórshöfn) * Vopnafjordur (Vopnafjörður) ==Other destinations== There are many excursions offered by tour companies and are readily available from any of the main centres such as Reykjavik and Akureyri. They will fly you around and take you on to the glaciers and to the big volcanos for a reasonable price. ==Understand== Iceland is a stunningly beautiful place if you enjoy strange and desolate landscapes. Lava fields, lava tubes, plains of fractured rock, ice, fire and steam. ===People=== Iceland was settled by Nordic and Celtic people in the 9th century AD - tradition says that the first permanent settler was Ingólfur Arnarson, a Norwegian Viking who made his home where Reykjavik now stands. The Icelanders still basically speak the language of the Vikings. Iceland maintains another Norse tradition: the custom of using patronymics rather than surnames (an Icelander's given name is followed by his or her parent's first name (usually the father's) and the suffix -son or -dóttir, e.g. Guðrún Pétursdóttir (Guðrún, daughter of Pétur). Members of the same family can therefore have many different "surnames", which can sometimes create confusion for visitors! Because of the patronymic lastnames Icelanders primarily use first names, ex. phone books are alphabetised by first name rather than lastname. This also applies when addressing an individual. Icelanders would never expect to be addressed as Mr. or Ms. Jónsson/-dóttir no matter how important they might be. ===Bits of Info=== *Exchange rate: £1 = 128 ISK (2004) *Emergency Phone No: 112 ==Get in== ===By plane=== Iceland is easily reached via air. Direct flights from New York, Boston and most major European airports are available, especially since Icelandair uses Keflavik as a hub. Keflavik, the island's primary airport, is about 40km from Reykjavik. The airport itself is quite barren; if you have a lengthy layover you should make sure to bring books or other entertainment. There's a transfer bus for about 1,100Kr which takes about 45 minutes for the journey between Keflavik International and Reykjavik Internal airports. The bus does stop at various hotels on the way - just ask the driver. Another great option is to take the bus which stops at the Blue Lagoon either to or from the airport, then continues every half hour or so to Reykjavik. Be warned, a metered taxi costs about 9500 krona (roughly US$140). Another option is the low cost airline Iceland Express which flies from Copenhagen and London Stansed to Keflavik. ===By car=== Only possible if you somehow have access to James Bond's Car/Submarine thingamajig. ===By boat=== It is possible to get to Iceland via boat but it takes a long time. The sea can be rough, making the trip unpleasant. Sea travel is likely not the best way to reach Iceland unless you have a vehicle that you absolutely must take with you. ====From Denmark, Faroe Islands and Shetland Islands==== *[http://www.smyril-line.fo/ Smyril Line] run a ferry from Hanstholm in Northern Jutland (Denmark) via Tórshavn (Faroe Islands), Lerwick (Shetland Islands) and Bergen (Norway) to Seyðisfjörður (Iceland). ====From England==== The trip from England takes three days; there is a stop over on the Faroe Islands. ==Get around== ===By plane=== Aircraft in Iceland are like buses or trains elsewhere - they're the main form of internal travel other than the roads. Be warned though, that the ride can be a bit bumpy if you're coming into one of the fjords like Akureyri. Scheduled service to domestic destinations, including Greenland and Faroe Islands, is provided by [http://www.airiceland.is Air Iceland]. ===By car=== Driving in Iceland is on the right-side of the road. There are car hire booths for Hertz and Avis in the airport, as well as a local company, [http://www.alp.is/ Alp]. Hiring a car can be extremely expensive, especially for four-wheel-drives. Renting cars on-location is reportedly cheaper than doing so in advance. Be aware that car rentals - also at the airports - are not open around the clock. Icelandic roads are adequate or at least tolerable if you are driving in populated areas (see this [http://www.vegag.is/vefur2.nsf/Files/bundidslitlag2003/$file/busl_2003.jpg map] of paved roads marked red). The interior of the country is a different matter and a good four-wheel drive vehicle is essential even if you stay to the "roads", you might have to cross many rivers and fords, some of which can be over 4 feet (1.2m) deep - especially if it has been raining. If you are travelling by road a great site to check is the [http://www.vedur.is/english/ Iceland Meteorological Office] who have an excellent set of pages including the [http://www.vegag.is/vefur2.nsf/pages/fu_fv_faerdogvedur_eng.html weather and driving conditions] on all of the main roads. The DUI limit in Iceland is 0.5%. ===By Bus=== [http://www.bsi.is BSI Travel] ===Hitchhiking Around=== Hitchhiking is a cheap way of getting around in Iceland. The country is among the safest in the world and people are quite friendly. Along the main road (road # 1 that more or less follows the coastline) it is not a problem to get a lift. Remote areas can be difficult to reach though; take enough time, enough to eat and drink, and it's still possible. The weather can be awful and sometimes spoils the fun of this way of traveling. ==Talk== Most Icelanders appear to speak English at least a little but, as is the same everywhere, it doesn't hurt to be aware of your 'please and thank yous' to make things go a little more smoothly. Many people have basic knowlegde in German, Danish and/or Swedish, and some in Spanish and French. Consult the Icelandic phrasebook for more information. ==Buy== Iceland has a huge number of great little craft shops that sell everything from musical baskets and wonderful weird porcelain sculpture to paintings, glasswork, and jewelry. An interesting note is the National Galleries tend to carry the same artists work in the gift shops rather than the usual mass marketed product carried at so many other museums. There is also a plethora of interesting local music cd's (beyond just Björk) worth hunting for. Obscurities worth picking up include Hera, Worm is Green, Mum, and Bellatrix. ===Prices=== Beware of the fact that almost everything is very expensive in Iceland. ==Eat== Food is no problem for Westerners in the cities; there is the usual compliment of eateries and restaurants for your delectation. Some of the hotel restaurants are very good indeed but if you're looking for a bite to eat on the move you can't really beat a 'Subway' or a very long bag of chips (fries) from the drive-through cafe near the airport in Akureyri. They are fabulous! (NB. Icelanders usually don't use ketchup as a condiment with chips, but rather use an unholy cocktail of ketchup and mayonnais that they call ''kokkteilsósa''. Make sure you try this) Any Icelanders' first choice of fast food is usually the ''pylsa'' or hot dog. It is usually served with a choice of fried onions, fresh onions, ketchup, mustard and remoulade. It is cheap compared with other fast food staples at around 170 kr, and is sold in every one of the small convenience stores/eateries/video rentals/sweet shops that litter Icelandic towns. Avoid eating at your hotel and experience one of the fabulous tiny restaurants in the city. The best bargain in all of Reykjavik is is Vegamot - the fettuccine with tiny lobster tails is to die for. On the expensive end, Humarhusid (The Lobster house) has exquisite food but the prices reflect this. A better bet would be to head to the top of the hill and dine at the revolving restaurant of Perlan (which also has wonderful gelato at the cafe below where you can walk outside the Pearl and see full 360 degree views of Reykjavik below). ==Drink== Alcoholic drinks are very expensive compared to the UK and USA. Liquor can be purchased at licenced bars, restaurants, or [http://www.vinbud.is/ VinBud], the state monopoly. There are three local brands of Iceland beer: [http://www.egils.com Egils], Thule, Viking. Each year on Beer Day Icelanders celebrate the lifting of prohibition on March 1st, 1989. Visitors arriving by air should note that there is a duty free store for ''arriving passengers'' where they can buy cheap alcohol (at least cheap compared to Iceland). To find the duty free store just follow the Icelanders. No Icelander in their right mind will pass the duty free store up on arrival. ==Sleep== ===Hotels=== The hotels are usually fairly basic around the island but you can usually get a room even in August just by phoning them up and reserving it before you get there. They are very clean and well maintained, light and airy with nothing at all that could even remotely considered 'dingy'. They are expensive though. Outside of Reykjavik, one of the best hotels in Iceland is [http://www.budir.is Hotel Budir] on the Snaefell Peninsula. ==Sights== The [http://www.bluelagoon.is Blue Lagoon] is a geothermal spa. For passengers departing on afternoon flights [http://www.re.is Reykjavik Excursions] offers airport transfers which include a visit to the Blue Lagoon. A [http://www.bustravel.is bus] from the Main Bus Station in Reykjavik takes 40 minutes and costs 2750 ISK, including admission to the Blue Lagoon. For an out of the way drive rent a car and travel along the southern part of the ring road to the town of Vik with its magnificent black sand beaches, rock outcroppings, glaciers, and lava fields. South-central Iceland, easily accessible by car or tour from Reykjavik, boasts a number of sights: Gullfoss, the largest-volume waterfall in Europe, is quite spectacular; Geysir, the namesake of all geysers, and its neighbor Stokkur which erupts every five minutes or so; and Thingvellir, a beautiful landscape of water-cut lava fields, which is historically important as the site of Iceland's parliamentary government circa 930 AD. In the colder months, one may frequently get stunning views of the [http://www.south.is/northernlights.html Aurora Borealis, a.k.a. Northern Lights] anywhere away from city lights. ==Active Travel== BSI Travel (Vatnsmýrarvegi 10) rents mountain bikes. Reykjavik has a fairly extensive network of [http://www.rvk.is/upload/files/stigakort_reykjavik.jpg bike paths] ===Tour Companies=== [http://frontpage.simnet.is/bluebiking Blue Biking] (+354 565-2089) offers day tours from Reykjavik and multi-day biking and hiking tours. [http://www.ute.is/index.html Ultima Thule Expeditions] (+354 567-8978) provides sea kayak and ski day trips from Reykjavik and multi-day trips for groups. No scheduled individual tours. [http://www.mountainguide.is/ Icelandic Mountain Guides] (+354 587-9999) offers a variety of hiking, ice climbing, and ski tours. [http://www.ishestar.is Ishestar Riding Tours] (+354 555-7000) has a variety of day tours around Reykjavik or multi-day trips. [http://notendur.centrum.is/~trvhorse/ Icelandic Travel Horses] ===Tour Agencies=== [http://www.dice.is/ Destination Iceland] (+354 591-1020) ==Learn== ==Work== ==Stay safe== Driving around Iceland can be difficult or even dangerous. Inform yourself on local conditions and make sure your vehicle and driving skills are up to the task. Check out the following website for up-to-date road-condition information: http://www.vegag.is/vefur2.nsf/pages/fu_fv_faerdogvedur_eng.html ==Stay healthy== The medical facilities in Iceland are good and available free to European Union citizens with a valid E-111 form. Scandinavian citizens must show valid passport and medical insurance to be treated. Inoculations aren't required except if you are arriving from countries that suffer from infectious diseases like cholera. ==Respect== ==Contact== ==External links== *[http://www.icetourist.is Iceland Tourist Board] - official website for Iceland tourism fr:Islande ro:Islanda WikiPedia:Iceland {{stub}} de:Island First page | Prev | Next | Last page |

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