Without  a  doubt,  I  would  say  Iceland  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  countries  in  the  world.  Whether  you  are searching  for  a  glimpse  of  the  Aurora  Borealis,  or  viewing  countless  waterfalls,  or  black  sand  beaches,  the country is home to endless varieties of magnificent natural sights.

Our recent travel to Iceland was in the middle of the cold winter in January- the right time when you want to try to catch the northern lights. I highly recommend that you hire a guide for this. We were a group of seven people who wanted to stay in Iceland for four days and try see as many sites as possible. We were very lucky to have Mr Alfred Moller as our private guide. Not only is he a professional  guide and knows his country very well, he is also a photographer and knows, for example, how to perfectly catch the northern lights on camera.

Since  most  of  the  sights  we  wanted  to  see  were  outside  Reykjavik,  our  four-day  schedule  was  planned carefully to allow us efficient travel time on the road and get back to our hotel in Reykjavik for dinner and a bit of a rest, while leaving again afterwards to hunt for the Aurora Borealis.

Iceland is a Nordic country situated at the juncture of the North Atlantic Ocean and Arctic oceans. It is situated between  the  European  and  the  American  continents.  Geologically,  the  main  island  includes  parts  of  both continental plates but since it is closer to continental Europe, Iceland is considered part of Europe.  

With  an  area  of 103,000km2  and  a  population  of  almost  350,000  people,  it  is  the  most  sparsely  populated country in Europe. Iceland is the second largest island in Europe after Great Britain, and has 30 minor islands surrounding  the  main  one.  The  country  is  also  highly  geologically  active  with  volcanoes.  The  recent  one, Eyjafjallajokull, famously erupted in 2010 and 2011.  

The country is also home to many waterfalls and geysers. Since geothermal power is widely available, as well as  the  harnessing  of  many  rivers  and  waterfalls  for  hydroelectricity,  residents  of  the  country  have  access  to inexpensive hot water, heating and electricity.

Iceland is not part of the European Union, but is a member of the Schengen states. Its currency is the Icelandic Krona. The official language is Icelandic.

The capital of Iceland is Reykjavik and is the largest city in Iceland, located in the southwestern part of the main island. It has a population of around 200,000 people in the capital region. The city is believed to be the area where the first permanent settlement arrived in 874.

Established  in  1786,  Reykjavik  is  now  the  centre  of  commerce  and  governmental  activities.  It  is  among  the safest, greenest, and cleanest cities in the world.  It is also famous for its architecture- colourful rooftops, and its weekend nightlife where the streets in the centre are bustling with bars and restaurants.

Airport:

Keflavik International Airport and Reykjavik Airport.

Recommended Airlines:

From Europe: British Airways, Easyjet, Wow and Air Berlin.Outside Europe: Icelandair, JetBlue, Norwegian Air Shuttle, Finnair, and Qatar.

Public Transportation:

Public buses and taxis. 

Recommended Hotels/Service apartments:

Ice Apartments, Reykjavik Residence Hotel, and A room with a View. Hilton Reykjavik Nordica, Radisson Blu Saga Hotel, and City Center Hotel.

Recommended Tour:

Exclusive Travel, Mr Alfred Moller: Tel. +354 894 1477, email:  alli@exclusivetravel.is.

Recommended Restaurants:

Messinn, Bergsson Mathus, Hofnin, Sjavargrillio, Grillmarkaourinn. (Note: fish and seafood in the country is one of the best and freshest in the world!) 

As  I  mentioned  in  the  beginning,  I  think  Iceland  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  countries  in  the  world, with  many  of  its  untouched  natural  beauty.  I  do  recommend  that  you  visit  this  country  as  soon  as possible,  especially  those who  are  interested  in catching a glimpse  of  the  northern lights.  More  and more  tourists  are  flocking  into  this  beautiful  Nordic  country.  For  example:  the  number  of  tourists coming in has almost tripled in the past two years.

I highly recommend that you carefully plan your itinerary as the size of the country is quite large, and many  of  the  attractions  are  located  outside  Reykjavik.  And  finally:  choose  your  travel  guide  or  tour wisely.  We  did,  and  we  had  a  fantastic  time.  But  we  were  also  very  lucky  to be  able  to  see  the northern lights. Three evenings in a row!

A special thanks to my travelling companions: Shinta, Bonita, Nana, Anggia, Metta, and Feby, as well as to our guide Alli.

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