How was Iceland?
This is the classic question asked when you are back from a trip and, in this case, from Iceland.
However, describing Iceland is not easy, actually it is difficult to find the right words to describe this land.
Iceland is a surreal place, the mid-land between dream and reality. Its lunar landscapes, desertic and barren, project you away from any human reference.
When we decided to start our road trip in the land of fire and ice, we opted for a summer season.
Il primo motivo era quello di trovare una temperatura che ci permettesse di campeggiare; il secondo, quello di avere molte ore di luce a disposizione per poter visitare i parchi e i posti iconici. Certo, questo avrebbe significato rinunciare a vedere L’ Aurora Borealebut in exchange, we witnessed the midnight sun, a natural phenomenon that leaves you speechless.
The crepuscular light that illuminates the landscape is beautiful, it seems to be in a long twilight sleep.
Visiting Iceland by self-drive allowed us to see a lot and look at diverse scenery.
Deserted fields were alternated by landscapes overflown with vegetation and wild animals.
In spite of the climate being more or less the same, the richness of diverse elements makes this place a micro world: volcanoes, glaciers, and geysers rule the roost and man here seems to be only an irrelevant detail. The vastness and majesty of the landscape make you feel really small.
During our trip, in spite of being in July (a month busy with tourists), there were moments of total solitude, whene finding someone was rare. Many times we joked about the fact that in case of a road emergency, we couldn't rely on the help of a passer-by. However, this sense of loneliness gave us moments of peace and contemplation. There, life seems to pass by slowly, time is marked by the rhythm of nature.
Those who decide to visit Iceland, need to be aware of the place: Iceland is a nature destination, do not expect nightlife, clubs, discos or malls. Iceland is far from those things.
What do you do in Iceland?
Iceland, as we said, is a natural destination and its biodiversity offers a lot in terms of outdoor activities.
In 2 weeks we visited many sites and we saw beautiful places. Impossible to miss waterfalls ( which are numerous), the most popular are Gullfoss, Godafoss and Skógafoss and the peculiar Seljalandsfoss, a waterfall where you can walk behind. Also beautiful are the cliffs and the volcanic beaches, the most famous is the black beach of Vik.
As nature lovers, we hiked on canyons and walked in centennial woods, we visited ice caves and walked with ramps on a thousand-year- old glacial, the Vatnajökull. We navigate on a glacial lake and stroll on black beaches and we let ourselves amaze by the power of geysers. Climbing a volcano, we touched by hand a new layer of lava (obviously following the rules and safety instructions).
We have seen puffins, whales and seals, we tried to imitate the locals dabbling Sprangan, the local sport of the Westman isles, without success!
Then, after a busy day, we relaxed in geothermal baths. We chose to alternate to the modern wellness spa also basic baths, lost on fields in the middle of nowhere and managed by the landowners.
We did not miss museums or sites of archaeological relevance.
Of course, there are many more activities that can be done such as horse riding, kayaking, rafting, quad driving, etc. Hence, there is something to suit every taste.
Visiting towns, that here are more like small villages, made us understand how local people live. Highly recommended is staying in a fishermen's village, where, far from the modern capital Reykjavik, you can breathe the authentic Icelandic life. We did it in the beautiful Snaefellsnes peninsula.
Iceland is an unusual destination for a holiday but I believe that is worth to visit it at least once in a lifetime. Its isolation from the other continents and its biodiversity make this island unique from all points of view.
A trip to Iceland it's an unforgettable experience.
