For many of us, Iceland must be nothing but a land of unending white sheets of ice and frosty cold weather. However, this is not the case. Portraying it just as a land of ice would be an unfair representation of the territory.
Iceland is a country of sharp contrasts, defined with dramatic landscapes. It is a place where summer’s midnight sun offsets the dark winters. Or should we describe it as an off-worldly place where fire and ice coexist? Whenever it comes to describing the magical aura of this enchanting country, we fall short of words. Yet we have tried our best!
Scroll down to find out the top things that make Iceland a hauntingly beautiful place on earth.
Nature displays miraculous performances
Fabricate a thought of having dinner and going to bed while the sun still shines bright right outside your window. Yes, it can happen!
Being located in the Northern Hemisphere, just below the Arctic Circle, nature demonstrates some surprisingly wonderful activities in Iceland and of those activities one is midnight Sun. During summers, i.e. from mid-May to late July, sun refuses to set and when it sets in midnight, it spreads multicoloured dancing lights – ‘The Northern Lights’.
Landscapes change at the blink of an eye
From ice to greens, from waterfalls to volcanoes and from highlands to nature baths this surreal place offers a range of diversified landscapes.
Travel freaks find this place as a destination with the most exclusive landforms of the world. Isn’t it surprising how the land of snow and ice has a number of hot springs like Blue Lagoon and Steam Valley? And the scenic beauties of the state, while riding a jeep ride through the Lava Fields of Brennisteinsfjoll are capable of mesmerizing anyone.
Waterfalls plan your trip to fairyland
No, you can’t dare to question the charm of mesmerizing waterfalls of Iceland! The sight of each waterfall of the country is jaw-dropping.
The waterfalls here are not less than paradise on earth. Surrounded by a number of natural landforms like glaciers, basalt caves, rift valleys, lava rocks etc, each and every waterfall in Iceland, ranging from small to powerful, is unique in itself. The Svartifoss Waterfall is a major highlight amongst all other waterfalls of this area.
Mountains resemble an artist’s colour palette
All things on this planet are beautiful but, some of them are divine and of those divine things one that captivates every heart is ‘the mountains and cliffs of Iceland’.
Enjoying snow-clad peaks, walking through lush green hills or trekking in rocky mountains, whatever may be your choice, Iceland has for you. One of those hills which is the most popular tourist destination is multicoloured hills ‘Landmannalaugar’. Pink, green, yellow, purple, black, brown and white, it has nearly every colour; just add the colour of love for it!
Volcanoes make you walk through the core of Earth
This land of fire and ice has countless active volcanoes. Scared? Well, don’t! The chances of an eruption on your trip are next to zero.
For several thousands of years, volcanoes have been creating a number of artistic landforms especially Þríhnúkagígur volcano which offers an excursion under the volcano. It provides a thrilling tour by allowing visitors to descend 128 meters deep into a cold heart of the dormant volcano in order to discover the natural artwork on its stained walls.
Crystal ice caves take you to another planet
Ever dreamt of wandering on the surface of an icy planet like that of Uranus or Neptune, but seems next to impossible? Well, you can go to Iceland to make your dream come true!
Glaciers, igloos and mesmerizing ice caves do real justice to the name of Iceland. We can bet, you will fall in love with the breathtaking ice caves at first sight. Thought the land has many, yet the prominent one which attracts a number of visitors is at Solheimajokull glacier on the south coast of Iceland.
Volcanic rivers paint modern art
Even if you are an admirer of artworks rather than a travel freak, Iceland is for you too. It’s a place where you can explore the natural artworks.
Iceland has been formed a number of volcanic activities and thus own countless rifts and beds of volcanic ash. When rivers flow through the glacial ice, greenscapes, and beds of volcanic ash. It gives birth to abstract painting or modern artworks. It’s phenomenal, beautiful and worth seeing!
Coastal areas are something more than extraordinary
Referring the beaches and the coastal areas of Iceland as splendid, stunning or ravishing would be so understatement.
The place has a unique kind of beaches; some are dotted with oddly shaped rocks, some have black coloured sand, some have basalt caves and others are spread with glass-like icebergs. A few beaches that can leave anyone drooling all over are Reynisfjara Beach (basalt caves) and the lesser-known Jokulsarlon beach or Diamond Beach (icebergs and black sand).
Wildlife demonstrates exotic species of birds and animals
As they say ”Look deep into the forests and wildlife to understand the beauty of nature ”, the wildlife of Iceland simply adds to the charm of beauteous land.
Icelandic whale, puffins (bird), Golden-tufted Slavonian grebes (bird), hairy Icelandic horses are a few of the beautiful birds and animals of Iceland that will never allow you to leave the place. In fact, it’s a lesser known fact that animal lovers visit this country only to chase wildlife. The country also owns beautiful Þingvellir National Park to preserve flora and fauna.
This is mere a gist about the beauty of Iceland. It’s even more beautiful when encountered in person. Pack your bags and get ready to discover the magic of Iceland.
About the author:
Sharvi Sharma is a travel enthusiast/freelance writer for Untravel who has a passion for traveling solo. Her appetite for travel doesn’t limit to seeing the places, she loves to hear the stories behind the making of the country and go deep into its cultural milieu. She is fond of ruins and is eager to run through its history.
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