A holiday is always a good day to market travel deals. But what about a holiday that comes not ‘but once a year’ like Christmas, but just once every four years?
12.02.2024 - 10:33 / forbes.com
The recent volcanic eruptions have brought the world’s attention back to Iceland. With new land being created by frequent lava flows, Iceland is renowned for its sensational geology, landscapes, and natural phenomena.
Yet, while tourists love to discover the vast open spaces, the majority of Iceland’s small population lives in a handful of towns and cities.
Even if you plan to explore the best of Iceland’s natural landmarks, basing yourself in a city when visiting Iceland is a good idea to have access to quality services including hotels, restaurants, stores, and other attractions.
Reykjavik has the widest selection and is close to many of the country’s great natural sites, but it isn’t the only option to consider.
The capital city Reykjavik is the starting point for most travelers. Impressive landmarks include the towering church Hallgrimskirkja, the statue of explorer Leif Erikson, and the eye-catching waterfront concert hall, Harpa.
Visitors can get a great introduction to the cultural heritage and natural story of Iceland at the National Museum, where exhibits span from the Viking Age to modern times. It provides context to the natural wonders elsewhere in the country.
Speaking of which, many organized tours of the famous Golden Circle route are available from the city, as is car rental to do your own version of the tour.
Home to approximately one-third of Iceland’s 376,000 population, Reykjavik is by far the country’s biggest city.
As an urban area, Reykjavik is even more dominant. Of Iceland’s ten biggest cities, five of them make up the Reykjavik ‘capital region’, home to almost two-thirds of the country’s residents, living on less than 2% of Iceland’s land. Reykjavik is a compact city.
A major stop on Iceland’s route 1 ring road, Selfoss is home to nearly 10,000 people and is growing fast as a calmer alternative to Reykjavik.
For travelers, Selfoss is an ideal base for exploring the Golden Circle or as a stop for driving on to the volcanic landscapes and black sand beaches of Southern Iceland.
There’s a lot more of interest to Selfoss besides its handy location. The town center recently underwent a facelift and is now home to more than thirty distinctive buildings from around Iceland that had fallen into disrepair. They were reconstructed and renovated to create an attractive new cultural hub in the heart of Selfoss.
Selfoss is also the place to dive into the Icelandic superfood, skyr. Located in the new town center, Skyrland reveals the story of the traditional dairy product that dates back to the Viking Age, and allows you to try it for yourself.
Although Reykjavik is often marketed as a northern lights destination, travelers with a desire to see an aurora display should head to the north to
A holiday is always a good day to market travel deals. But what about a holiday that comes not ‘but once a year’ like Christmas, but just once every four years?
Iceland blows away concerns. Its small population isn't worried about isolation or continuous winter darkness, instead focusing on its glowing passion for music and all things cultural.
Unless you win the lottery or some sort of travel sweepstakes, travel plans often center around work, and for families, school schedules. This means when and where we travel can be limited to busier periods, which can lead to higher prices and less availability (especially if you are looking to redeem loyalty program points). Traveling during shoulder season, however, is a savvy alternative for those that want to enjoy a destination with fewer crowds and better deals. These are seven top places worth considering for a visit during shoulder season.
Many long-haul flights make pit stops in another city or country before reaching the final destination—so why not turn your layover into a mini vacation? Through offerings known as “stopover” programs, some international airlines allow passengers to add a free stop to their flight itinerary in order to do just that.
Many of you have tuned in and enjoyed our AvGeek adventures all around the world in our latest season of "Airplane Mode."
We’re in the golden age of expedition cruises. Travelers can board relatively small luxury ships or yachts to explore remote places like the frigid Article Circle, or cruise to Antarctica to hike, kayak, and photograph penguin colonies. According to the Expedition Cruise Network, these types of excursions are the “fastest growing” market in the cruising world.
Cunard Line has rolled out the new itineraries, including two simultaneous world cruises to depart in January 2026.
Whether it's crowd-free sandy bays, dramatic cliffscapes or marine life havens, travelers love a day out at the beach. Each year, travel review and advice site Tripadvisor releases a list of the world’s best beaches as part of its Travellers’ Choice Awards. The site analyses the tens of millions of reviews submitted by global travelers over the past 12 months and looks at the quality and quantity of ratings for beach experiences.
Home to epic landscapes, natural wonders, and Māori culture, New Zealand is a magnetic destination just begging for a solo adventure.
Our family of five travels fairly frequently. We've been to Iceland, Amsterdam, Portugal, Hawaii, London, and more with our kids as they’ve grown. One of the best ways we’ve managed to make the trips enjoyable for all of us and to stay connected to our kids while on vacation is to schedule “home days.”
The nail-biting action of True Detective: Night Country takes place in the fictional town of Ennis, Alaska—a.k.a., “The End of the World.” Although the filmmakers, led by creator and showrunner Issa López, did go on a research trip to Alaska, the HBO series really came to life in Iceland, where most of the episodes were shot on location, at night, in the dead of winter. It was a massive undertaking for series producer Mari-Jo Winkler and production designer Daniel Taylor, who spent 14 months in Iceland to prep and shoot.
Many destinations around the world have become more expensive to visit in recent years as governments increasingly levy tourist taxes.