Browsing: Iceland

Whales are one of the Earth’s largest mammals, the beauty of which is best seen in the open waters of the ocean. There are numerous destinations around the world where you can observe these gentle creatures swim, thrash, and play in the water. All that is needed is a quiet boat or even a motor-less sailboat to venture out to sea to experience whale watching at its best. And, with a little patience and understanding, …

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The Northern Lights are one of Iceland’s top tourist attractions, and for good reason. They’ve fascinated peoples from around the world for thousands of years, from the Inuit of Nunivak Island in the Bering Sea to the Laplanders of northern Scandinavia. In Iceland, Viking lore maintained that the dancing Aurora Borealis were the souls of the dead and even though more scientific explanations have since come to light, the Northern Lights are no less fascinating.…

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Iceland has neither McDonald’s, Starbucks nor, as of this writing, one single 5-star hotel in all of the country, population 320,000. Does Iceland need a 5-star hotel? Perhaps. What is certain is that Iceland, and its largest metropolis, Reykjavik, need more hotels to meet rising tourism levels. Here’s a look at the newest accommodation offerings on the tiny island nation, ideal lodging choices for your next trip:

Opened in 2013 – Ion

Double room

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Those of you who lived through the 1970s or who have rock-n-roll hearts like I do will know the tune. It’s Iceland’s soundtrack, and it kept playing in my head as I explored the island country’s extreme landscape:

“We come from the land of the ice and snow,
From the midnight sun where the hot springs flow.
The hammer of the gods will drive our ships to new lands,
To fight the horde, singing and

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It’s always fun to come back from a trip with incredible stories — not only for the fond memories, but also (of course) to be able to leave your friends and family in awe of all the exciting details. Exaggeration won’t even be necessary if you decide to partake in any of the following excursions that are possible in Iceland, because they are already so unbelievable as they are. You may even need to somehow …

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Hostels sometimes used to be thought of as dingy, crowded, last-resort lodging that was only for hippies, students, random backpackers and possibly criminals — and perhaps that is the impression that some people still have of them. That old stereotype is completely outdated in the many shiny and modern new hostels that have been popping up around Europe lately and competing with one another for a chunk of a highly coveted market. Hostels cater to …

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