Seydisfjordur: The Colorful Gateway To Eastern Iceland

Benjamin Parent has worked at Tesla, on ships, and as a part-time tennis coach.

I've spent years writing about women traveling solo around the world, but I'd never taken a trip abroad on my own until this summer, when I spent five days in Iceland.

Early on a Sunday morning in July, two brothers from Boston sat on Reykjavik’s rocky coast, with their faces turned toward the chilly waters of the bay and their feet soaking in what felt like a warm bath. Ben and Lucas Zheng had landed around 4:30 a.m. at Iceland’s international airport, and didn’t have too many early-morning options for how to spend the start of their eight-hour layover before flying on to Venice. So, taking advantage of the season’s round-the-clock daylight, they walked 40 minutes from the city center toward the northwestern tip of the Seltjarnarnes peninsula. There on the stony beach, they rolled up their pants and sat for a couple of hours, their legs submerged in the naturally warm Kvika pool, which, at 12 inches deep, is more foot bath than hot tub.

Iceland is known for its otherworldly landscapes and incredible phenomena like the midnight sun and northern lights. Ahead of my visit there this summer, I wanted to know how to capture the best photos with just my iPhone 13 Mini's camera.

While many travelers to Iceland opt to rent a vehicle and travel the Ring Road or the New Westfjords Way, if you’re lacking the time or the motivation for a road trip, it’s perfectly acceptable to stick around Reykjavík. There is plenty to do in the Icelandic capital to keep you busy: museums to visit, local cuisine to try out, and even nearby hikes if you want to spend time in nature. Book yourself into one of the best hotels in Reykjavík’s city center and you’ll be able walk from one attraction to the next without breaking a sweat.

Huddled in the North Atlantic between Iceland, Scotland and Norway, the Faroes — an 18-island archipelago and self-governing nation within the Kingdom of Denmark — captivates visitors the instant they land at the airport on the island of Vágar. Silence saturates the emerald green slopes and basalt cliffs. Sheep roam the grassy expanses that are sliced vertically by dark rocky threads caused by the erosion of streams. It’s hard to keep your eyes focused on the road as you behold a gauzy mist swirling around the mountains, veiling deep gorges, wide fjords, occasional turf-roofed dwellings and waterfalls.

The world is a big place, but it becomes happily smaller when you experience true connection with other people, places and ways of life. 

In 2022, 1.7 million tourists visited Iceland, according to the Icelandic Tourist Board.

The ‘Arctic Circle Crossing’ inspired by 10th Century explorers includes four maiden calls in Greenland, a trip to the North Cape and extensive scenic cruising 

Holland America Line’s 2025 European season is open for booking, offering diverse, destination-focused itineraries. With extended cruises, more Iceland sailings, and 62 overnight calls or late departures in leading European cities, travelers are encouraged to immerse in culture and landscapes. Rotterdam reemerges as a homeport, including voyages to Northern Europe and the Baltic.

The latest Sustainable Travel Index for 2023, released by Euromonitor International, highlights Sweden as the epitome of sustainable travel within Europe. Notably, a staggering 19 out of the top 20 positions on this index are firmly held by nations belonging to the European Union and the Schengen Area, as reported by SchengenVisaInfo.com, citing Euromonitor—an independent provider of strategic market research.

Hagkaup (pronounced HOW-kup), an Icelandic retailer with a wide-ranging selection of food, housewares, clothes, cosmetics, crafts, toys, and other items, is often compared to Walmart because it has a little bit of everything at low prices.