I visited Iceland in July 1990. It really is a fantastic place. Although Reykjavik is a very good starting point, I would strongly recommend that you try to visit other parts of Iceland, partincularly Lake Myvatn in the north and Isafjord in the north-west.
If you go in the summer, the long light evenings are a bonus but be sure to take a stout pair of walking shoes (or preferably boots) and a waterproof as the weather can be very changeable!
If you arrive by air, you will get your first sight of the rugged scenery on the 25 mile (40km) drive from Keflavik airport into the capital city, Reykjavik. It is an easy city to get around either on foot or by bus but I would advise staying somewhere near the centre as most buses leave from there.
The Visitors' Centre is a good starting point as the they have lots of information about coach trips, museums, current events etc. They also have videos of Iceland which may help you decide where to go. All the staff are very helpful and speak excellent English.
From the top of the modern Hallgrim church you get an excellent view over
Reykjavik and all its coloured roofs.
I think it is also worth going on the full day "Golden Circle" tour which includes time at Gullfoss waterfall, Thingvellir National Park and Geysir (where you may see the Great geyser erupting if you are lucky).
The name - Lake of Midges - might put you off but most of them do not bite! You can fly there from Reykjavik via Akureyri but, for a day to remember, I would recommend getting up early and travelling across the middle of Iceland by the daily bus. It makes stops at various points so you can stretch your legs and admire the scenery - but take some snacks with you as there are only a couple of places where you can get food. It is also advisable to pre-book accommodation as you do not arrive until mid-evening.
I stayed in a private house that had been adapted to provide bed and breakfast accomodation for visitors. The bedrooms were fairly small but there was a large sitting room area and facilities for making hot drinks and snacks. One memory is of waking up and seeing a marvellous rainbow at about 3.30 in the morning.
Normally I do not like coach trips but I think that they are the best way of seeing the area; you spend more time out of the coach than it and have the benefit of a local guides - very helpful when you may need to walk for anything upto 45 minutes or so to get to a viewpoint such as this one of Dettifoss in Jokulsa National Park (the most powerful waterfall in Europe)...
...or when visiting the Leirhnjukur geothermal area to see the mudpots and the lava from the 1984 eruptions.
If the weather is kind, there are splendid views of mountains and glaciers if you travel from Akureyri to Isafjord by plane - the most practical way from northern Iceland.
A highlight for me was an afternoon boat trip arranged through the local tourist office. There were only about eight of us on the boat and the two-man crew did not speak very much English but it was very pleasant watching the antics of the numerous puffins and admiring the scenery. After delivering mail to various islands in the fjord, we arrived at one small island where we were greeted by the farmer and shown around his farm which was mainly used for raising geese. Then to my surprise we were all lead into the farmhouse and invited to sit down to tea around a table laden with cakes and local specialities baked by his wife who had evidently been warned by radio of the numbers to expect. Certainly an afternoon to remember.
From Isafjord it is a day's journey by coach and ferry to Reykjavik with stops at waterfalls and a museum on the way.
If I have whetted your appetite and you would like to find out more about Iceland, you may like to visit the site operated by the Iceland Tourist Board.
If you would like to see some excellent photos of Iceland, don't miss Ed Jackson's collection.
If you have any comments, queries (or corrections), please contact me at:
keg@greenhse.netkonect.co.uk
Where next? On to the next island or back to my home page or somewhere new?