You have heard more and more in the past years about this small and almost perfect looking country called Iceland. Iceland is an island located in the northern Europe in the North Atlantic Ocean. The weather is much surprising due the name of country self; expecting the country to be cold, you must know that is not entirely true. The summers can get pretty warm up to 26° C (80° F) and that is warm for a country whose name is ICE. Iceland is the least populated country from Europe.
Table of Contents
In Iceland there are no mosquitos
One of the only areas on Earth where mosquitoes don’t live is Iceland. For biologists, it’s really very perplexing, since in neighboring Greenland, these troublesome pests are abundant. Granted, in Iceland, there are midges and black flies, but no threatening mosquitoes.
You can see the Aurora Borealis in Iceland
Iceland is one of the best places in the world to witness the Northern Lights. The intricate patterns of this amazing natural phenomenon paint the night sky in iridescent patterns. It is an incredibly mystical sight to behold. Because there is not a best time of year to see the Aurora Borealis, there are no guarantees the show will happen on any given night, but Iceland happens to be one of the best places on the planet to experience it.
Iceland has plenty waterfalls
Iceland has so many enchanting waterfalls, not all of which have names. Along the popular Ring Road, there are countless cascades, but many more in more remote areas.
Read also: Why Romania is worth visiting
Iceland has lots of hot springs to steam you up
Iceland is a powerhouse of geothermal power. You are never far from a pool of water heated naturally by the mantle of the Earth. There are currently more hot springs in Iceland than any other nation on the globe. With 800 hot springs having an average water temperature of about 75 ° C / 167 ° F, there are around 250 geothermal areas. Some of them even have spouting geysers. 85 percent of Iceland’s homes are now heated by geothermal energy, and piped hot water supplied to homes is cheaper than cold.
BOOK A DAY AT BLUE LAGOON IN ICELAND
In Iceland are over 130 active and inactive volcanos
With geothermal activity typically, volcanoes are part of the mix. Iceland has over 130 active and dormant volcanoes and is located on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. You may remember Eyjafjallajökull volcano that exploded back in 2010 and triggered air-traffic havoc worth $7 billion. One of the main tourism attractions in Iceland, including hikes and flight tours through the streaming lava fields, is the healthy exploration of the volcanoes.
Recommended article: Best things you can do for yourself while waiting for travel to resume
The only Icelandic native animal is the arctic fox
The Arctic Fox is a large predator with a large body size and a short, stocky tail. At the size of a medium-sized hare, it is nearly two feet long (including tail). Fur is thick and strong and brownish gray with darkish brown markings that are unique to the Arctic Fox. The Arctic Fox lives in mountainous areas and coastal waters in Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Norway, and the Russian Federation but the animal comes from Iceland.
BOOK A HOTEL IN ICELAND
Booking.com
You cannot find any Mc Donald’s and Starbucks in Iceland
This may not be a plus, depending on your personal preferences and addictions, but living in a country that doesn’t have the same old mass chains seen almost anywhere else in the world is refreshing. A few years ago, Iceland had a McDonald’s, but it closed down and it has no plans to reopen in this market. Instead, in Icelandic cafes, you get to savor some local flavors and drink coffee, which makes for a great travel experience.
24 hours of daylight in the summers
Iceland faces long, dark winters and almost endless summers, like other Nordic nations across the Arctic Circle. It takes a little getting used to and can mess with circadian cycles, but these lands of the midnight sun are kind of fascinating. About the summer solstice of June 21, almost all day long, it’s light. What most of us equate with twilight is the dimmest that it gets.
Penis museum, anyone?
In Reykjavik you will find Penis museum. We can’t say its unique because you can find a similar one in Amsterdam called Sex Museum, but still its something not very often found in the world. In the museum are listed hundreds of penises from many species and also a human penis.
Iceland is one of the happiest countries on earth
Iceland regularly ranks high in such “quality of life” surveys. According to the United Nations Global Happiness Survey, it’s in the top ten, and on the World Database of Happiness it falls in the top five. There is no army and the lowest ratio of people in prison in this peaceful country. With a comfortable living standard, a strong social safety net, good health and a beautiful climate, it’s no wonder that Icelanders seem happy and worry-free. Icelanders have one of the the longest life expectancies in the world and no wonder.
Iceland is the only place with a diamond beach
There are no words to describe this beach. You must see it with your own eyes; a beach full of diamonds. Real diamonds made of ice. This must go on your bucket list.
