Iceland - Summer Playground
This itinerary explores the story of the Mediterranean from two lands – so close together, yet so different in their history & culture. The Maltese islands, with a legacy of the legendary Knights of Malta and a strong influence from the North African coast is a thriving holiday destination for north Europeans. Sicily on the other hand, just an hour away from Malta by ferry, offers the unique opportunity to hike up and watch eruptions of a live volcano Stromboli, while at the same time making for a quintessential European holiday with scenic drives through rolling hills, cobblestone towns, vineyards and orchards.
Trip Highlights
- With 20+ hours of daylight, the cool summers of Iceland are a heaven for those who long to be outdoors – to be one with nature – a host of activities and incredible sites await travellers who prefer raw and rugged beauty
- Start your trip in the charming capital city of Reykjavik and spend a day on the Golden Circle – a quick snapshot of all the Icelandic landscapes in a single tour. Visit a geothermal bakery to watch Rye bread being baked by underground hot springs
- Experience what it is to walk on ice – on the exhilarating glacier walk
- Ride a Quad Bike through streams and on sand, to the isolated plane wreck site
- Take a tour on the Zodiac RIB at the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon and get up close to the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier
- Spend a day on the Snaefellsnes peninsula and take a unique tour of an 8000 year old lava tunnel
- Back in Reykjavik, experience the vibrant night life in a young city that never really sleeps
Which Visa Do I Need
Indian citizens require a Schengen visa to visit Iceland. The Visa is processed through VFS and issued by Embassy of Iceland in New Delhi.Â
Length of Stay
We recommend at least 8 days for this itinerary. Keep at least a day each way for travel, as there are no direct flights to Iceland. You may choose to spend 2-3 additional days in the connecting city (Paris, Frankfurt/Munich, London, Amsterdam)
Best time to visit
The summer months in Iceland are July & August. This is when you have almost 20-22 hours of daylight. However, May-June also have fairly long days and offer the same experiences, with lesser crowds
outdoor activities, glacier walk, lava cave exploration, short hikes, horseback riding, ice-caves, quad bikes, geothermal hotsprings
Did you know
- Alþingi, the Icelandic parliament was founded in 930 and is one of the oldest in the world.
- Nearly all of Iceland’s heating and electricity needs are served by hydroelectric power and geothermal water reserves
- There are no mosquitoes in Iceland. There are in fact very few insects that can do much more to bother a person than simply existing. The Arctic fox is the only mammal native to Iceland.
- Comedian Jón Gnarr was elected the mayor of Reykjavik in 2010 and served 4 years. One of his campaign promises was not to fulfill any of his campaign promises.
- Icelanders don’t have surnames in the traditional sense. The vast majority of Icelandic surnames simply record the fact that you are your father’s (or mother’s) son or daughter. First names are almost always used when addressing someone, no matter how formal the meeting. Even the phone book lists subscribers by their first name.
- Iceland has only waged one war, and it can barely be called war. Its name is ÞorskastrÃðið, The Cod War, it was a dispute between Iceland and the UK over fishing grounds in 1960s and 70s
- There is a penis museum in Reykjavik. It contains a collection of penises from over 200 different mammals, including one from a man!
