6 reasons for Iceland: Between the deadly waves and cute horses

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It looks a bit like the moon, nothing but dark rock. Why is Iceland such a dream destination? This is what I ask myself as our bus drives south through the wasteland. As soon as we boarded the airport, our tour guide pointed to a sparse group of trees and warned us: “Look, these are the last ones you can see for now.”

The barren and completely different beauty of the volcanic island consisting of fire and ice needs to be gained. As a welcome, you are indeed fascinated by the elements: you have the wind blowing in your face like an icy hair dryer, the rain falling on you like a horizontal shower. My heart melts for the first time when I stroke the thick fur of an Icelandic horse. And when the clouds clear and a rainbow falls over the huge natural backdrop of dark lava rocks and bright green moss, Iceland’s magic is revealed. Six reasons why a trip to the land of elves and trolls is worthwhile.

Iceland is a hot place: there are 130 volcanoes on the island, of which about 30 are active. Because the island is located right on the crack between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates, which move two centimeters apart each year. Nothing is felt until one of the volcanoes erupts. So Fagradalsfjall, which is currently crossing exactly over the plate boundary. The third explosion in three years near the capital, Reykjavík. After a crater collapses, glowing red lava flows like a tidal wave across a cliff hundreds of feet into the moss-covered land. Authorities urgently warn of hikes and dangers around the lava. If you want to experience up close what the 1100°C hot, glowing red rock feels and looks like, you can do so at the live lava show at Vík, in the south of the island. While the lava flows into the auditorium, you can comfortably drink a beer and warm up.
icelandiclavashow.com

Never turn your back on the sea, otherwise the waves may attack! At 23:00 in the summer on the famous black sand beach on the south coast, it’s still bright, but danger lurks. One warning sign draws attention to sneaker waves (especially big coastal waves), but tourists who get too close to the water are still caught. The Atlantic is descending so steeply here that rescue is not possible. This wild place full of dramatic beauty can still be visited without restriction. The dark beach has served as a movie backdrop several times, including in “Games of Thrones.” As is often the case in Iceland, there is a mystical story behind the creation of the impressive landscape. Riding out of the Atlantic, the Towers of Reynisdrangar were created by the battle of two trolls – they turned to stone in daylight.
Visit Southern Iceland

Its isolated location makes Iceland a land of extremes, which also shapes its eating habits. There is more than enough fish, others need to be imported. Tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce are also now grown in greenhouses that are operated in a climate-neutral manner using geothermal energy. This makes you creative, even bread is baked 24 hours in hot volcanic soil. One of the creative minds of Iceland’s young chef elite, Gísli Matt also relies on slow cooking and local cuisine. It originally comes from Vestmannaeyjar, a small volcanic island in southwest Iceland, and has a population of 4300. He has been running the Slippurinn restaurant there since 2012 with his parents and a sister, which means something like a boat ramp. However, you should not be afraid of big fish – the highlight of the gourmet menu is the caramelized cod head, which means that the hamburgers are especially large.
slippurinn.com

These are small, sturdy power machines and have a smooth gait: Icelandic horses – please never call them ponies! They attract mostly female travelers to Iceland, and some even stay forever. Luka Dreiner from Cologne (Germany), who fell in love not only with horses, but also with an Icelander. Together with Andrés Magnússon he manages the Helluland horse farm in the north. Anyone who has stroked the thick fur of an Icelandic horse will understand why man is drawn to animals. Not only are they cute, some are just as confident as a cat. Even as a beginner, you will feel safe on the wide backs of animals while riding. They don’t show nervousness and will defy even the strongest wind with composure. The special thing about the Icelandic horse: They are able to master up to two walks more than most of their long-legged peers. Tölt is a gentle gait, always with at least two hooves on the ground. This means rider and horse can traverse hills and valleys even on rough terrain.
icelandhorsetours.de

Akureyri, the capital of the north, is only 100 kilometers from the Arctic Circle. It is the starting point for observing humpback whales on the island’s longest fjord. According to the organizers, there is a 90 percent chance of seeing one of the mighty marine mammals. You can get particularly close to whales on a RIB boat. In other words, a rubber dinghy has been modified in such a way that when you buckle up, you can sit and buzz across the water – a bit like you’re on a Chilbi track. The whales, however, arrive long after our trip, but an hour later we see one in a graceful arc over the water’s surface to breathe, until only the tail fin is visible. If you want not only to see whales, but also to see the most beautiful fishing village on the north coast, take another hour to Húsavík, the «Whale Watching Capital of Europe». It’s also worth visiting the whale center, where a large blue whale skeleton is on display.
whale watchingakureyri.is

Icelanders are tough, walking around in sandals when our toes are frozen. However, there are no hot summer evenings when you can sit outside in a light dress – the temperature never rises above 20 degrees. Here, too, the volcanic activity comes to the rescue of the residents, the underground waters warm up and come to the surface as a natural hot spring. Geysers squirt hot water into the air. You can swim anywhere in the thermal pools. This includes the Forest Lagoon, something special about it: The spa is located in the middle of a forest. A rare occurrence in Iceland, where only two percent of the area is forested. The infinity pool has views of Akureyri and the fjord. Unlike our hot springs, there is no meditative silence here. On the contrary, at both ends of the pool there is a bar, tables for drinks and a brass band in the evenings. You can swing in 40 degrees warm water and sing along to the songs.
forest lagoon.is

Edelweiss flies non-stop to Reykjavík/Keflavík and Akureyri in the north three times a week until the end of August. The trip was supported by Visit South Iceland, Visit North Iceland and Edelweiss.

Source : Blick