The first miracle of Iceland - nature
Undoubtedly, the main miracle of Iceland is itsnature. All of us, visiting this or that country, we try to see the cities. In the situation with Iceland everything is different: its main asset is outside the metropolitan bustle. All the beauty and wealth of the country can be seen by leaving the borders of large cities. Be sure to come to Iceland, you need to see the geysers and glaciers, the Torsmerc Valley, the Hecla volcano, the Landmannaleigar valley, the Westman Islands. It is possible to begin acquaintance with the city of Akureyri - this is the second largest city in the country. And from there you can go to Husavik, to the Godafoss waterfall and to the island of Grimsay - all these places are not far from Akureyri. You can book a tour of the Golden Ring - it includes a visit to three attractions at once: the Gullfoss waterfall (Gudlfoss), the Strokkur geyser and the Tingvellir national park, but we'll talk about each of them in more detail below. In the south-east of Iceland is Landmannalaugar - a mountainous area in which hot springs are hot. There you can see scattered natural "artifacts": canyons, snowy slopes, fields of frozen lava, thawed patches, smelling of hydrogen sulfide smell, and simply amazingly blue lakes. All this beauty will not leave anyone indifferent!
Popular excursions: Valley of Geysers and Tingvellir Park
In Iceland, there are three national parks: Tingvellir, Vatnaieciudl and Snejfeldsjekjudl. But the most popular in terms of tours is exactly Tingvellir. However, the other two parks are no less interesting. For example, Vatnayekudl is the largest park in Europe (its area is more than 1 million hectares). Previously, Iceland had two more parks: Yekulsaurgluvur and Scaftafetl, which in 2008 were united in Vatnaieciudl. In addition, in this park there is the Ascia volcano, but about it later. Park Snayfeldsyekudl is a huge glacier. An interesting story is connected with it: the events in Jules Verne's whole famous book Journey to the Center of the Earth unfold here. In this park is located the famous volcano Snaifelds. The Tingvellir National Park is a valley dotted with paths. These paths can wander at least the whole day, and it will not get bored, because here it is very, very beautiful. In addition, there are interesting places: for example, a whirlpool of witches, where in times of the Vikings they heated unfaithful wives; the largest Icelandic lake Tingvalavaten and the Tinga field, where the first Viking parliament, Althing, was sitting. All this is exciting and informative. Tingvellir is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as the park is a proof of the era of Icelandic democracy. Next door is the Valley of Geysers. It is in honor of the very same Geyser that is here, now called all the hot fountains of the world. There are other fountains here too: to Gullfoss, a thirty-meter waterfall, it's not easy to get around: tourists are always crowded around it. It is called the "golden waterfall". It is believed that the true beauty of it can be seen and appreciated only in sunny weather. And the Strokkur waterfall gushes as if on a schedule, beats every 5-10 minutes. All three fountains amaze with their entertainment and power. But in fact in Iceland there are several dozen famous waterfalls and even more - nameless. 
Fjords are a rare sight of the planet
Iceland is rich in fjords, which in all ourthe planet is not so much: there are very few places where there is a miracle of nature. Fjords are winding narrow sea bays, which on both sides surround steep rocky coast. The main location of the fjords is the west of Iceland, it is here that the largest fjords are located. The most famous of them is Hvalfjordur, or the Whaling Fjord. Previously, there were a lot of whales and even a whaling company - hence the name of the fjord. The territory of the fjords is not inhabited by people, therefore wildlife reigns here. In addition to outlandish plants, there are many rare birds. One of them - a dead end - is a symbol of Iceland. By right, this is considered one of the most beautiful areas of the island, although there tourists, surprisingly, very little.
"The Gateway to the Underworld"
To be afraid of this place it is not necessary, as at the veryIt is about volcanoes, which Iceland also suffices: there are 25 of them in the country. Moreover, the country itself arose as a result of the eruption of liquid basalt. As we already know, in the park Vatnayekudl is the most famous volcano of Askiya. After its eruption in 1875 two wonderful lakes were formed: Viti and Eskevatn. The most active Icelandic volcano is Hekla. It was in the Middle Ages that people called it "gates to hell". Another famous volcano is Curling. It is located in the north of Iceland and is considered the highest mountain of the coast: its height is 1538 meters. As we said above, another volcano is in the park Sneifeldsjöküdl. He received the sinister title of "gateway to the underworld", but now thanks to the imagination of Jules Verne, not folk art. The volcano erupted for the last time in the 18th century, but still it is not considered extinct. 
The blue lagoon is another miracle of nature
The blue lagoon is not easya landmark country. This is a completely unique, amazingly beautiful place. The world-famous geothermal basin is located on the Reykjanes peninsula, in the south-west of Iceland. His fame was brought, first of all, by the sky-blue color of water, in which not a single bacterium survives. In addition, water has medicinal properties: for example, you can cure psoriasis. The color of the water is really heavenly: water almost merges with the sky. The water temperature varies from +37 to +40 ° C year round. This place is so loved in Iceland (and not only) that the Lagoon became a symbol of the "ice country" and a favorite Icelandic resort. However, judging by how many people come here, not only Icelandic. Be sure to swim not only during the day, but at night, watching the Northern Lights; smear your face with white clay, like savages, and take photos for memory - everyone does it here. You can stroll through volcanic lava and always buy a line of cosmetics Blue Lagoon Skin Care - this cosmetics is considered simply a miracle. 
"The smoking bay"
Under such an intricate name is hiddenReykjavik, the capital of Iceland. This is the largest city in the country, and the name "The smoking bay" was given to it by the first settlers, who were impressed by the pillars of steam that came from hot springs. It is best to visit the capital of Iceland in winter. Do not be afraid of cold weather: the climate here is quite mild, and the temperature in winter usually keeps around zero. Here you can see a lot of interesting historical places, because Reykjavik is considered a city of literature and culture. Indeed, connoisseurs and lovers of art and historical heritage have a place to turn around in Reykjavik. A lot of places of interest are concentrated here: museums, churches, architectural compositions for every taste (someone can visit the Museum of the phallus, and someone - the Museum and gallery of Iceland). You can visit the church of Hallgrimskirkia, which houses a very famous organ in the Art Nouveau style; visit the Arnie Magnusson Institute: old books and a lot of historical works are stored here. The House of Parliament, the City Art Museum, the Arber National Museum - Reykjavik is famous for its sights. You can also look into the center of Vulcan, where you can watch fascinating historical films about the most famous Icelandic volcanoes. The most popular is the film about the Surtsey volcano: in 1963 he spewed lava in the sea - this is a miracle that saved the island and the capital from imminent death. Another attraction of the capital is the "Pearl". This building is in the form of a pearl. It was built in 1988 as a hot water storage facility. In the world such a complex exists in a single copy. Around "Pearl" planted more than 180 thousand trees. There is also an active geyser on the territory of the complex, which is controlled by electronics. The six cisterns house a museum of sagas that tell of the history of the Vikings. Lovers of plants simply have to visit the Botanical Garden of Reykjavik. The garden is small, but in it there was a place to the most diverse and outlandish plants and flowers. For the convenience of visitors near each "exhibit" you can see a sign on which the name is written in Latin. The garden is really just marvelous. In addition to cultural places, in the capital of Iceland, you can observe the wonders of nature: since the city is very close to the Arctic Circle, for local residents to observe the Northern Lights is not a curiosity, but for tourists - a whole event. Here, by the way, you can also swim in the ocean - the water is heated in it!
Icelandic cuisine is another attraction
Indeed, the right kitchen of Iceland can beconsider a tourist attraction. Just do not need to look at it - try it better, admiring the taste. The local cuisine is original, but you have to be prepared for the fact that it is unusual for most stomachs. This is not surprising, because a large number of recipes have a centuries-old tradition. The basis of Icelandic cuisine is fish and lamb. Be sure to try fish sandwiches, boiled sheep's head, fish "with smell," smoked lamb or pickled salmon. Also, do not ignore the volcanic bread and coffee, which the Icelanders at a premium. Well, if you want something hot, drink "brewery" - an Icelandic strong drink. And to get from the dishes only pleasure, do not overeat. 
When to visit Iceland
Iceland can be visited at any time of the year,However, it is necessary to take into account some climatic features of the country. So, in winter the temperature rarely drops to -1 ° C, but the light day lasts no longer than 5 hours, which can not be easily tolerated. In summer, the temperature is +10 ° C, but summer is a period of "white nights", which can also be a difficult test for many people. On the other hand, this can also be very exciting. In addition, the time of visiting the country depends on what kind of sights you want to see: winter is best for a visit to Reykjavik, and summer - to explore the local flora and fauna, waterfalls and volcanoes. The most optimal option is a trip from June to the end of August. Although Iceland is gorgeous at any time of the year!
