Iceland: The Land of Ice and Fire 

A young man once thought he had learned the meaning of love when he found the woman of his dreams, the queen of his heart — until he started to travel the world.

From their final goodbye at the departures hall, the anticipation of coming home to her ruled his heart and his mind, filling up spaces meant to stay open for memories of strange and beautiful far away places.

But city by city and sight after sight, the allure of lands yet to be discovered captivated our previously lovestruck journeyer, his attention shifting away from the delicate features of his lady love’s face onto the intricate details of rugged landscapes.

There are things that can only be learned on long, insightful journeys, those that prompt the soul to open up on its own and willingly receive blessing — blessing in the form of new sights, flavors and friends, all together igniting a burning desire to share what has been learned and what has been seen with the one you love.

These beauty of these sights, while already magnificent and opulent,  is magnified to infinite extents when the one you love is standing right next to you.

The lesson to be learned on journeys like this is not that you can only love one or the other — your lover or the world’s wonders — but that a balance can, in fact, be struck.

And while all places in our world are beautiful in their own right, there are some that exude an otherworldly wisdom more intensely than others. Iceland, the Land of Fire and Ice, is surely one of these places.

So take your lover’s hand in yours, look into their eyes and prepare for a journey of a lifetime with these seven sights to see and visit in Iceland on your next soul searching trip.

Northern lights at Thingvellir

(Northern Lights above Thingvellir, Iceland)

 

Geothermal Spas

Sweden isn’t the only place Vikings are said to have conquered and settled in. Iceland is fabled to be another country of origin for these brave and mighty warriors and for good reason; after weeks and weeks of ruthless battles, this horned helmet-wearing people must have loved the feeling of taking a dip into Iceland’s geothermal pools to soothe and relieve muscle.

Even more wonderfully, the geothermal pools are also a reliable and powerful source of energy used by several parts of the country. Soak in this natural wonder and take all the time you need.

Blue Lagoon, Iceland

(Iceland’s Blue Lagoon)

The Northern Lights

The Aurora Borealis, or the Northern Lights as they’re more popularly called, are one of the world’s most elusive wonders. But when they do decide to reveal themselves, the experience is both a spiritually charged and scientifically important one. Some say its like looking into the face of the ultimate cosmic power, the very soul of the earth itself. Increase your chances of catching this phenomenon with Insight Vacations’ Scenic Iceland and the Northern Lights itinerary. Let the picture give you all the convincing you need.

Reykjavík

Judging Reykjavík purely by its size, it’s easy to dismiss the small city as an uneventful town where time is slow and sticky. But learn to look outward instead of inward and the change of perspective will reveal the magnificent sights enveloping the sleepy town. With imposing mountain scenery serving as the backdrop to quaint to museums, art galleries and restaurants, travelers in recent years adding Reykjavík to their bucket list.

Capital of Iceland, Reykjavik, view from the Hallgrimskirkja Church

(The city of Reykjavik)

Road Trips

The flatlands of North America are usually the first to come to mind when planning a road trip, but Iceland is slowly finding itself on the radar of road trip and motoring enthusiasts. Imagine driving by active volcanoes, icebergs and other geographic wonders by making a big ring around the island. With a trip that starts at Reykjavík, make pit stops at Langaholt and Grundarfjörður in the West, Akureyri in the North, Egilsstaðir and Höfn in the East and Vik in the South. The trip is meant to last for seven days and involves roughly 19 hours of driving. Doesn’t seem like your definition of a relaxing holiday?  Embark on Insight Vacations’ Natural Wonders of Iceland and let their professional team take care of all the hassle while you sit back and relax.

Glaciers

Viewing a giant block of ice may not sound all that interesting, but the slow moving glaciers tend to produce some of the most gorgeous scenery not seen in any part of the world. Over 10 percent of Iceland is covered in glaciers and glacial ice, which means the country offers glimpses of exceptional natural beauty in many places. Some of the most famous icebergs are Vatnajökull (the largest one in Europe), Öræfajökull and Langjökull located in the West of the Icelandic highlands.

iceland glacier

(One of Iceland’s many glaciers)

Ice caves

Think about igloos; but much, much larger and carved out through a natural process over millennia. These caves that lie beneath the immense Vatnajökull glacier are one of nature’s greatest wonders. The naturally carved out ice holes give adventurous travelers access to a dream world of snowy swirls, frosty waves and ice needles – all of which are suspended in the caves, floating freestyle in the chilly breeze that ventilate these passages. The catch is that it’s incredibly seasonal sight; visitors must come in and only in the winter as the snowy season is the only time in the year that has temperatures low enough to sustain these massive structures.

Waterfalls

Open all year round, the star of the Vatnajökull National Park is undoubtedly Svartifoss (Black Falls) — 12 meters of clear, cold, cascading water surrounded by the black basalt formations that give it its name. Equally impressive are the Seljalandsfoss and Thjofafoss waterfalls, while there is also the magnificent Goðafoss waterfall in the northeast, aptly nicknamed “The Waterfall of the Gods.”

For more information, visit www.rajahtravel.com. 

Waterfall Seljalandsfoss in Iceland in winter

(Seljalandsfoss waterfall, Iceland)