Filled, unsurprisingly, with ice (the country is an estimated 10% glaciers), Iceland has midnight suns in the summer and near total darkness in the winter, while the popularity of its thermal springs, volcanoes, geysers and lagoons never wanes. See folk museums and pretty, colorful houses in Iceland's economic and cultural capital of Reykjavik. Come to see the Northern Lights, plan a road-trip, and don't forget car excess insurance direct- a necessity in this surface-of-the-moon type terrain. (Photo "Scartifoss 1" by criscris1)The Blue Lagoon
This attraction doesn't come cheap (around £50 per person for entrance and use of the facilities) - but it's far from your average spa experience. Step out into the -3 degree atmosphere in just your swimsuit before sinking into the silky, hot geothermal waters as snow lands on and around you. Cover yourself with the natural silica and mud deposits and admire the black lava field and turquoise waters all around as the mineral deposits rejuvenate your skin.
Open-Air Folk Museum - Arbaejarsafn
Close to Reykjavik - really just in the suburbs- this fascinating little museum showcases "old Iceland" with turf houses, a church where it's still possible to marry, a restaurant and gift shop with traditional products. Be sure to catch a guided tour- they're included with the price of admission if you visit in the winter.
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Starring as a backdrop to films including Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Batman Begins and Die Another Day, this glacial lagoon looks positively otherworldly with its low-lying clouds, natural ice sculptures and black sand beaches. It's nature untamed- don't forget to check out the seals who live here, and definitely don't forget your camera.
The Northern Lights
Famously unpredictable, if you want to have a go at experiencing this beautiful (and spiritually uplifting) natural phenomenon for yourself, it's probably better to avoid the coach tours from Reykjavik bus station due to the torches, crowds, and flash photography. Instead, grab your hire car and drive out into the countryside yourself, and stay somewhere such as the Hotel ION - it's about an hour from the capital near Thingvellir National Park. Its isolated location makes it a great place to see the Aurora Borealis, and you don't even have to get cold- the hotel's Northern Lights Bar has floor-to-ceiling windows which work as an effective viewing platform.
Geysers
Iceland is a country filled with fantastic natural phenomena, and the geysers aren't to be overlooked. Strokkur in the south of the country erupts almost constantly, with the droplets turning to an ice spray on contact with the freezing winter air. The onsite museum is most definitely worth a visit too.
