For those interested in seeing amazing sights and enjoying the sense of adventure that comes with traveling to exotic locations, Iceland should be first on the bucket list.
While it’s not for everyone, for those who don’t mind the cold and want to experience something totally out of the ordinary, visiting this winter wonderland is definitely a good plan, as it’s home to some of the most spectacular sights in the world.
Explore with us some of the most amazing aspects of Iceland, as well as strange and unusual peculiarities that you definitely won’t find anywhere else.
Cold by day, cold by night
The first thing you should know about Iceland, and we’re sure you already do, is that it gets very cold.
Not all year round it stays the same frigid temperature, but for the most part it is known that the weather is not the warmest….
This is perhaps why Icelanders have developed a tolerance that many others from sunnier countries would not be able to withstand.
Some girls when out partying are especially resistant to low temperatures – better dead than simple!
Sports fans
Sports are an important part of Icelandic culture and, as you can imagine, when there’s not much to do in such a sparsely populated area, it’s important to find pleasure in entertainment.
While most countries around the world are used to showing support for their favorite sports teams, Icelanders are known to go crazy for sports and their respective national teams or athletes.
It is not uncommon to see people showing their support on the streets during sports seasons or events.
Mind-blowing caves
One of the best things about all the cold weather in Iceland is that it creates a number of truly amazing and spectacular natural phenomena to behold.
This is just one more of the many ice caves throughout the country.
These are essentially rocky ridges that have frozen into an icy ceiling that creates these incredibly luminescent natural structures.
However, you often have to walk to reach them, so be prepared for an adventure!
Snow jams
Extreme climates such as Iceland bring with them a number of problems or curiosities that have to be taken into account when driving in such an environment.
Snow jams are one of those things to watch out for, as no one wants to be left adrift in sub-0 temperatures.
It’s important to leave with an appropriate vehicle, so you don’t have to push the car later like these girls do… in mini-skirts… in the snow. So cold!
The Ultimate Cheeseburger
If you’re traveling to Iceland hoping to enjoy a traditional Western-style fast food meal, you’re not going to have much luck!
While we can all enjoy a fast food snack from time to time, Iceland’s small population and traditional culture doesn’t eat a lot of fast food.
In fact, there are no McDonalds restaurants in operation in the entire country and the last one closed in 2009.
So get used to eating the local food or bring your own snacks!
Some very special cats
Despite the harsh cold climate, Iceland experienced a significant increase in the brown rat population during the 19th and 20th centuries, as ships brought them in by accident.
Fishing ports had the highest concentration of this species and, as a result, locals had to import cats to help control the mouse population.
Today, having cats as “professional” mouse hunters is still a tradition in Iceland and will hopefully continue for a while. A city for cat lovers.
Love is in the air
As you can imagine, the intense cold, which they are already used to and know how to combat, and little daylight can negatively affect the mood and sensitivity of the locals.
To show people that they care (and have a great sense of creativity), the Icelandic government replaced all the red traffic lights with little hearts to help brighten the day of those in traffic who are frustrated at having to stop in their tracks.
Man Mountain
Game Of Thrones fans, you may recognize the man below. His name is Julius Bjornsson and last year he won the World’s Strongest Man Contest, proving that he is as strong as a mountain!
The Icelander has spent most of his life working out and focusing on bodybuilding. Although he grew up as a normal kid, his immense height and girth are a result of his intensive training and effort to sculpt the body.
Blue Lagoon
One of the most surreal experiences in Iceland are the warm geothermal spas located in the southwest of the country.
These stunning natural phenomena will make you feel like you’re in a science fiction movie.
Seeing the cool environment as you warm yourself with the fresh mineral water from the hot springs is definitely an experience you won’t forget!
s The water is heated solely by geothermal energy and the mud at the base of the spa is fantastic for the skin.
Wait till you get to the bathroom!!!
The fact that someone has to put up a sign like this seems a little disturbing, but…. maybe it’s just as well to be informed about where the land mines are!
As you can imagine, having all that open space to yourself means that being stuck without a toilet can sometimes be a real problem.
It seems there are many who choose to ’empty the tank’ in the Icelandic wilderness, so best to be aware of the signs and wait until you get to the bathroom.
Houses for elves
Elves and other mystical creatures have become a popular topic in mainstream culture and with so many movies placing them as the center of attention, it’s good to see someone taking the issue seriously!
Icelandic culture is based primarily on traditional Nordic values and folklore, and as a result, elves are a prominent part of their culture.
It is not uncommon to see tributes in Iceland, such as these little elf houses, which are bound to bode well.
Puffins everywhere!
Puffins are one of the most spectacular birds in the animal kingdom and their unique beaks and color patterns make them unlike any other species in the world.
Puffins are considered one of Iceland’s national birds and are believed to have originated on the continent.
Puffins are known to migrate to a variety of different locations around the world, including France, New York, Morocco and even Siberia.
They spend their first years at sea to get used to the cold.
An exotic local dish
As we mentioned earlier, Icelanders are not big fans of Western-style fast food, and sometimes even finding snacks that would be familiar to Westerners can be a challenge.
Local DelicacyIn most cases, locals tend to prefer local dishes that they have known for hundreds of years and one of the most popular is known as Hákarl, a large shark that is enjoyed in cured steaks.
There are also plenty of fruits and vegetables to snack on.
Nudity
Due to the fact that most of Iceland is largely unpopulated, people are used to being undressed. This is because there is much more privacy in such a place and the culture is geared to be more open, especially in public places like gym bathrooms, spas or saunas.
Even though the weather is usually below freezing, for some reason, people seem to be more willing to take their clothes off.
Don’t say we didn’t warn you!
No trains
Over the years, Iceland has tried several times to develop a train system for the country as part of its public transportation initiative.
There’s just one big problem: too few people and too many cars!
You’ll probably rent a car if you ever plan to travel the country and should always make sure you have spare fuel on hand, lest you run out of gas in a sub-zero snowstorm.
That wouldn’t be an ideal way to spend your vacation!
