Iceland

This land of saga’s and skaldic poetry is also home to trolls, elves, gnomes and other hidden people, who the Icelandic folk take very seriously, building their roads around their suspected dwellings. Norse mythology runs strong in this old Viking outpost, and it is easy to see why. There is something magical about this island, its stunning and stark landscapes, the long winter nights with the northern lights dancing around the skies like colourful phantoms, the intense loneliness only interspersed by tiny fishing communities, the grumbling of the earth as it tears itself open and spews molten hot lava into a cold misty morning, the crashing sea onto the craggy shoreline, and the myriad of waterfalls that come gushing out of rocky outcrops.

Iceland is primordial beauty, a place to dream and sit by a fireside and tell tall tales about trolls, or for long hikes at the end of which you wonder if you really did see that elf dance in the misty swirls of a waterfall. But it is also a modern nation, with exciting new literature and music which has an appeal far beyond its northern shores, with some stunning architecture and with a sophisticated population who all share a love for nature and their beautiful country.

During the summer Iceland never reaches full darkness giving you plenty of time to visit the sights. And in winter the night never quite leaves its shores, a perfect period in which to witness Aurora Borealis. And if you feel cold, just hop into one of the geothermal springs outside Reykjavik it is sure to warm you up.