An otherworldly island
Surreal scenery, a trendy music scene and discounts have warmed travellers to the idea of visiting Iceland
Chances are you know someone who has recently been to Iceland. They probably returned from their trip gushing over geysers, glaciers and geothermal spas, or sporting a chic wool sweater and a newfound taste in music. What seemed like a once faraway and unknown place is now familiar territory at the office and popular among globetrotting friends.
Iceland has long been known for its stunning scenery and dramatic landscape. It’s an island with more than 200 volcanoes, countless natural hot springs and hundreds of waterfalls. With no mosquitoes or dangerous, native predatory animals (you’ll see plenty of majestic horses, sheep and puffins though), you can enjoy the outdoors and take long hikes.
Aside from its undeniable natural beauty, Iceland is becoming more of an arts and culture destination. Airwaves is an annual music festival held in Reykjavik, the country’s capital and only city, and draws international attention, crowds of music-lovers and big-name artists each year.
Here, record stores line the colourful city streets and it’s not uncommon for small coffee shops to flip into bars at night, with baristas-turned-DJs spinning tunes until the wee hours.
Jennifer Frees and Darren McLennan, who were recently married in Toronto, felt initially drawn to Iceland because of Airwaves. On one of their first dates eight years ago, they each listed the top five cities on their bucket list to visit, which turned out to be identical — Hong Kong, Tokyo, Istanbul, Berlin, and Reykjavik.
“We decided on Iceland for our honeymoon because it feels remote, unusual, and sexy, plus it offers the perfect mix of relaxation and adventure,” says Frees.
The newlyweds are staying in Iceland for five nights and have plans to visit the Blue Lagoon, one of the country’s top attractions and most well-known geothermal spas, as well as the black sandy beach of Vík, a small village in southern Iceland with less than 300 inhabitants. “I think everyone has seen some of Iceland’s inspiring imagery in music videos, films, and fashion magazines,” says Frees.
Regardless of the season, Iceland is a photographer’s playground and an Instagrammer’s dream destination — and it’s becoming increasingly easier and more financially accessible to experience. Reykjavik is only a fivehour direct flight away — roughly the same time it takes to get to Las Vegas or Mexico from Toronto. For several years now, Icelandair has offered passengers travelling to more than 20 European destinations the opportunity to stop over (for up to seven nights) in Iceland at no additional cost, and Iceland’s discount airline, WOW Air, recently announced plans to offer direct flights to Reykjavik from Toronto beginning in May 2016 and priced as low as $99.
According to the Icelandic Tourism Board, 997,556 tourists visited Iceland in 2014, compared with 488,622 in 2010 — a whopping 104-per-cent increase in four years. There was also a 142-per-cent increase in visitors during off-season months (October to May), presumably from eager tourists in hopes of catching a stunning glimpse of the Northern Lights.
Ulrica Jobe and Dan Antonios ven- tured to Iceland for two weeks last year with their 3-year-old daughter, Caia, in tow. “We love travelling by campervan and Iceland was the perfect country to do that,” says Jobe. “It provided the versatility to plan an adventurous yet flexible family vacation with a toddler.”
Jobe and Antonios travelled along Iceland’s Ring Road, sightseeing and stopping at hot springs along the way. They didn’t see the Northern Lights but witnessed the night sky lit up by the magnificent eruption of the Baroarbunga volcanic system in the distance.