What's special about Iceland?

[RishiRich]

DH went a few years ago and wants to go back. I've never been and don't really fancy it. I'm sure it's beautiful, but also very expensive and cold. I don't see what it's got that other lovely, cheaper, mountainous places haven't, except the Northern Lights, and they're not guaranteed.

Does anyone really love Iceland and rate it over Slovenia, Switzerland, Austria, the Balkans etc.?

Is it possible to see all the amazing landscapes without spending large amounts of time travelling? I’d love to go to Iceland and the scenery sounds amazing but I get travel sick in minibuses etc.

It's beautiful
There are hot tubs everywhere georhermically heated everything
Nice jumpers
Interesting culture
Spas
Geezers
Blue lagoon
Horses
Nice people
Northern lights

Oh & amazing sea food

The horses are amazing, totally pure bred with extra gaits. Beautiful colours, you can see wild herds if you travel across the centre and even beginners can go for a ride.

@Hiphopfrogger, would you consider renting a car and driving? We did this in Iceland (our first and only time renting a car) as travel options were limited. It’s mostly a single lane carriageway right around the county, so it’s very easy to drive. And it allowed us to have a couple of bases (Reykjavik and Vik), which meant less travel and more control over stops. We plan on returning without kids some day, and we will rent a car and drive round again.
@Lovemylittlebear, we went with two kids and found enough to do to amuse them in our Reykjavik and Vik stays. The local public pools and the lava museum were probably the biggest hits for them. As a pp said, there wasn’t any Santa stuff (though we weren’t there at Xmas so maybe different then?). Eating out will be expensive with four children so you’d be maybe best to rent an apartment so you can buy food in. Our apartment in Vik was just across the road from a big supermarket, so we could buy supplies in.

@Hiphopfrogger
Hiring a car and driving is east but some mountain roads are restricted to 4x4. Even those that are not restricted can be quite challenging to drive, even in a 4x4. Worth it though.

So take around 2 weeks or more and don’t plan to drive too far each day. Stay and explore a bit. The Westfjord Region is fantastic. Often people who rush around don’t visit here.

(Geezers not seen but Geyser is a must). As is whale viewing, sea bird nesting sites and a superjeep tour).

@RishiRich

We are on our last day today and I can say it's been fantastic - as good as I imagined.

I am already thinking I will come back in a couple of years without my kids and do some sort of tour round the areas we haven't seen.

Kids really enjoyed it too.

We have done whale watching, golden circle, glacier tour, walking tour about Icelandic folklore. Today will be a puffins trip and a couple of museums.

I didn’t think I’d like Iceland, my eldest had always wanted to go so I paid for his 21st. It was amazing, just breathing in the fresh air was amazing. The trips we went on were breathtaking. We saw the northern lights. I want to go back in summer and witness the midnight sun. It’s a fab place

We hired a car, easy driving .
We ate amazing food.
The scenery and wildlife was incredible.
I probably wouldn't take my young kids due to cost.

The only joke i know is this, "if you're lost in the forest in Iceland, stand up". Iceland is fab, it's funny, interesting, beautiful, easy. I can't remember how many different kinds of faires/elves/etc., they have but its like over 30, they have diagrams about this, and it was so much a part of their folklore that you still see little houses dotted about for them. We did a house exchange including car and it made it very affordable. We only ate out once our twice. I love iceland.

Definitely agree it’s an amazing place to visit. There’s an iceberg lagoon round the south of the island where icebergs break off and float out to sea. It’s really cool. We took young kids on a trip to a little island off it to see puffins. It was great, a tractor pulled us over a black sand beach after a little boat trip out to the island.
The black sand beaches are gorgeous. There’s a crashed plane on one beach that that is a really cool sight to go see, you’d have to google the directions, there’s no signs but we did manage to drive to it.
loads of little ‘hot pots’ as they call them to swim in. Reykjavik is also a nice little capital.
so many waterfalls - one you can walk behind.
All in all I’d love to go back. It’s just so different.

For one thing, Iceland has the best waterfalls in Europe. Most waterfalls that are considered impressive in other European countries wouldn't even have a name in Iceland.

Geysers, boiling mud pools, black beaches, midnight sun, amazing birdlife, northern lights, whales, basalt columns, lava fields with incredible rock formations, glaciers, steam literally coming out of the ground, hot rivers/pools, volcanic craters. The landscape is not similar to Scotland at all in my opinion and it's really completely different to other mountainous countries (though it has some great mountains). If you have any interest in geology or volcanology you will be in heaven and even if you're not interested in the science of it, the results of all those processes are incredible to see.

Iceland is absolutely unique. I've heard that it has some similarities to New Zealand due to both being volcanic islands, though I've never been to New Zealand, but still very different. And much more accessible than NZ for those living in Europe!

I loved it so much after I first visited as a teenager that I moved here as soon as I could! Best place in the world.

The horses are great, yes! None of them are wild, though. They are very hardy so they live outdoors year round but they are not wild.

@Puffinshop
We saw a horse “market” outside Stykkisholmur. Loads of horses being ridden and tried out. Quite a large gathering.It was very interesting.