Iceland, an island in the Atlantic Ocean, is similar in geographic size to the state of Ohio and is considered part of Europe even though its territory extends over the continental plates of both Europe and North America and is geographically closer to the latter. Iceland has a much more mild climate than its name would suggest despite its close proximity to the Arctic Circle.

Its position near the Arctic Circle does have a significant impact on hours of daylight. In summer, days are long; in June full dark does not occur. In winter, however, days will pass with nearly twenty hours of darkness. If you’re looking for sunshine and warm weather trekking, go in summer. If you prefer snow, warm blankets, and hearty dinners with a splash of Brennivin (an Icelandic beverage whose name translates to Black Death), then book your ticket for winter.

It is said that the first inhabitants of Iceland were Vikings and the Icelandic language today is essentially a Viking language as it is quite similar to the Norse language circa the thirteenth century. Most Icelanders also speak English and/or Danish.

You can see, walk along, and SCUBA dive through the rift between continental plates of Europe and North America in Thingvellir National Park, just 30 miles from Reykjavik. The plates of the continental shelves are slowly drifting apart and while they shift so slowly that you can’t see their movement, you can experience the progress they’ve already made in their move away from one another.

Whether you are staying Reykjavik or venturing into rural Iceland, there are many opportunities for travelers to go horseback riding. The Icelandic horse is a small breed of horse (almost a pony) bred in Iceland. In Iceland, the horses are used for work, recreation, racing, and shows. In addition to its short stature, the Icelandic horse is known for achieving two unique gait styles: tölt and flugskeið. The former is a natural gait for the horse similar to a trot, but much smoother. The latter is a gait reserved for the most skilled horses and those that achieve it can perform flugskeið (translation: flying pace) at nearly thirty miles per hour.

Geo-thermal swimming pools and natural hot springs are popular with tourists and locals alike. For Icelanders, these pools are an essential part of the social scene. People meet here to chat, relax, and spend time with friends. Nautholsvik Thermal Beach is an unusual spot open only in summer when hot water is piped into the Atlantic Ocean to make it warm enough for bathing.

Iceland lives up to its name as ten percent of the country is covered in ice, which makes glacier-hiking fun for locals and tourists alike.

Perhaps the long hours of darkness in the winter influenced and encouraged the birth of the legendary nightlife in Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland. Most bars are open until one am on weekdays and until seven am on weekends. As alcohol is quite expensive, most locals drink at home and then go out to the bars late at night and bars often don’t get busy until well after midnight on weekends.

The biggest night out in Reykjavik is for Culture Night every August. The whole day is dedicated to entertainment throughout Reykjavik from an early morning through a fireworks display once it gets dark (which will be quite late).

Additionally, there are many concert halls and theaters offering a variety of entertainment throughout the year.

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