| | Overview (Source: Frommers) |
On each trip to Iceland, we are always struck by how often other travelers are -- or intend to be -- repeat visitors. Many come year after year, never exhausting Iceland's endless variations of magnificent scenery and adventure. Returning travelers immediately recognize the crisp, invigorating polar air, and what W. H. Auden called "the most magical light of anywhere on earth." Iceland's astonishing beauty often has an austere, primitive, or surreal cast that arouses reverence, wonderment, mystery, and awe. Lasting impressions could include a lone tuft of wildflowers amid a bleak desert moonscape or a fantastical promenade of icebergs calved into a lake from a magisterial glacier. The Icelandic people -- freedom-loving, egalitarian, self-reliant, and worldly -- are equally exceptional. They established a parliamentary democracy over a millennium ago, and today write, publish, purchase, and read more books per capita than any people on earth. Reykjavík, their capital, has become one of the world's most fashionable urban hot spots. In November 2007, the U.N. named Iceland the world's best country to live in, based on life expectancy, education levels, medical care, income, and other criteria. Back to Top Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the com
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| When To Go (Source: Fodors) | Top | Don't let its name fool you—Iceland is a year-round destination with a temperate ocean climate: cool summers and relatively mild winters. The warmest months—June, July, and August—are the most popular with visitors, but a growing number have been coming in winter for the promise of snowmobiling, snow-trekking vehicle tours, and a spectacular fireworks display on New Year's Eve. Although swimming in the perpetually frigid ocean isn't a possibility, inviting hot springs and naturally heated pools dimple the landscape. Icelanders from all walks of life—cabinet ministers on down—congregate for a soak or a swim any time of year. In general, Iceland's weather is more unpredictable than most: in June, July, and August, sunny days alternate with spells of rain showers, crisp breezes, and occasional driving winds. From June through July, the sun barely sets. Unruly fall is beyond prediction: it can be a crisp time of berry picking and beautiful colors on the heaths, or of challenging gales, when lingering over coffee in a café may be the most appealing activity. In December the sun shines for only three hours a day. Winter temperatures can be as high as 50°F (10°C) or as low as -14°F (-10°C)—and, ironically, winter cloudiness is usually warmer than winter sun. The spellbinding northern lights are seen most often on cold, clear nights from September to March.
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