A new, thoroughly updated edition of Bradt Travel Guide: Iceland, recipient of the Lowell Thomas Award (the highest travel writing award available in the United States) providing more context for individual places than any other guidebook, plus honest, investigative hotel and restaurant reviews that hide nothing. Based on 20 years of personal and business travel, exploration and adventure all around the country, Bradt's Iceland is in-depth, well-researched and comprehensive, featuring a year-round approach to travelling in Iceland in line with the development of the local tourist industry to offer attractions beyond the normal summer season. This latest edition covers the growing tourist infrastructure: the new, fully-paved road system, better routes through the interior, a wave of new hotels and resorts, more tour companies with more tour options, new adventure activities, plus day tours from port city destinations and tips for those travellers arriving by cruise ship. Natural history and wildlife experiences are featured prominently along with a focus on the outdoors and help in accessing even the most difficult corners of Iceland. Also featured is the most in-depth political and economic analysis offered by any guidebook since the turmoil of 2008. And, even though Iceland is notoriously expensive, there are now a lot more options for travellers, including more hostels, campsites, and budget airlines. This new edition also includes a foreword by the newly elected President of Iceland, Guðni Th. Jóhannesson. Containing information on remote offshore islands, the uninhabited interior and Reykjavik's bustling music and art scene, this remains the definitive guide.
Replete with lava flows, colossal glaciers and thundering waterfalls, Iceland is one of Europe's most unusual destinations. Pure, wild, and still in the midst of its own creation, it stands apart from the rest of Europe. With its moody volcanoes and massive ice caps, Iceland has caught the world's curiosity like never before. Iceland offers visitors a chance to get close and personal with its immense nature and vivid wildlife, to experience the live volcanoes and ancient glaciers, and gape at roaring waterfalls and the drifts of obsidian sand in the country's bleak desert interior.
Andrew Evans has been travelling in Iceland for over 20 years. As a contributor to National Geographic, and a frequent host for tours to Iceland, he explores some of the remotest corners of the country regularly. He has studied the Icelandic language, history, and biology and continues to lecture about the country to high-end tour groups, as well as the National Geographic Society and Smithsonian Institution. His guide is exhaustive, allowing travellers to make informed decisions, to go anywhere and explore anything.
PART 1 GENERAL INFORMATION
Chapter 1 Background Information
At a glance, Geography & geology, Climate, Population, Administration, Government, Politics, International relations, Economy
Chapter 2 The Icelanders
History, People, Language, Beliefs, Culture
Chapter 3 Natural history
Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Flora, Fauna
Chapter 4 Practical Information
When to visit, Highlights, Suggested itineraries, Tour operators, Red tape, Embassies, Getting there and away, Health, Safety, [Women travellers, Gay and lesbian travellers, Travelling with kids, mobility] What to take, Money, Budgeting, Getting around, Accommodation, Eating and drinking, Public holidays and festivals, Shopping, Arts and entertainment, Photography, Media and communications, Business, Buying a property*, Cultural etiquette, Travelling positively, Velkomin
PART 2 THE GUIDE
Chapter 5 Reykjavik
History, Getting there, Getting around, Tourist information, Where to stay, Where to eat and drink, Entertainment & nightlife, Shopping, Sports and activities, Other practicalities, What to see and do, Natural Reykjavik, Greater Reykjavik
Chapter 6 Reykjanes
Getting around, Keflavík International Airport (KEF), Reykjanesbær, Vogar, Garður, Blue Lagoon, Grindavík, Reykjanestá, Eldey, Krýsuvík, Trekking in Reykjanes
Chapter 7 Suðurland (South Iceland)
Getting around, Thingvellir National Park, Hveragerði, Gullfoss, Geysir, Skálholt, Laugarvatn, Selfoss, Vestmannaeyjar (The Westmann Islands), Mt Hekla (1,491m), Thjórsárdalur, Landmannalaugar, Hvolsvöllur, Skógar, Thórsmörk, Vík, Kirkjubæjarklaustur, Lakagígar
Chapter 8 Vesturland (West Iceland)
Getting there and around, Hvalfjörður, Akranes, Borgarfjörður, Borgarnes, The saga circle, Húsafell, Southern shore, Snæfellsnes, Snæfellsjökull National Park, Ólafsvík, Grundarfjörður, Bjarnahöfn, Stykkishólmur, Búðardalur
Chapter 9 Vestfirðir (The West Fjords)
Getting there and away, Getting around, Ísafjörður, Vigur, Æðey, Bolungarvík, Suðureyri, Flateyri, Thingeyri, Arnarfjörður, Bíldudalur, Patreksfjörður, Látrabjarg, Around Látrabjarg, Vatnsfjörður, Breiðafjörður, Flatey, Reykhólar, Strandir
Chapter 10 Norðurland vestra (The Northwest)
Getting there and around, Vatsnes, Húnafjörður, Vatnsdalur, Blönduós, Skagafjörður, Sauðárkrókur, Drangey, Varmahlíð, Hólar, Hófsos, Siglufjörður, Ólafsfjörður, Dalvík, Hrísey
Chapter 11 Norðurland eystra (The Northeast)
Getting around, Eyjafjörður, Akureyri, Glerárdalur, Eyjafjarðarsveit, Í Fjörðum, Grímsey, Kolbeinsey, Thingeyjarsveit, Goðafoss, Laugar, Mývatn, Beyond Mývatn, Húsavík, Tjörnes, Kelduhverfi, Jökulsárgljúfur National Park, Melrakaslétta, Kópasker, Raufarhöfn, Thórshöfn, Sauðanes, Langanes
Chapter 12 Austurland (East Iceland)
Vopnafjörður, Möðrudalur, Egilsstaðir, Fljótsdalur, Hallormsstaður, Vesturöræfi, The East Fjords, Borgarfjörður, Seyðisfjörður, Reyðarfjörður, Eskifjörður, Neskaupstaður, Fáskrúðsfjörður, Stöðvarfjörður, Breiðdalsvík, Djúpivogur, Papey, Vatnajökull, Höfn, Lónsöræfi, Suðursveit, Jökulsárlón, Skaftafell National Park
Chapter 13 Hálendið (The Highland Interior)
Getting around, Kjölur, Hveravellir, Kerlingarfjöll, Sprengisandur, Mt Askja (1,510m), Mt Herðubreið (1,682m), Kverkfjöll
Appendices
Language
Further info
Index
Andrew Evans is a travel writer and TV host who has reported from over 100 countries and all 7 continents. Andrew has made over 20 trips to Iceland, exploring the island nation by foot, bicycle, car, boat, plane, and helicopter. As a contributor to National Geographic, and a frequent host for tours to Iceland, Andrew explores some of the remotest areas of the country regularly and is always on the lookout for undiscovered corners. Andrew has studied the Icelandic language, history, and biology and continues to lecture about the country to tour groups, as well as for the National Geographic Society and Smithsonian Institution.
"Full of fascinating details in writing, graphics and photos, Iceland delves deeply into the country in a format that often resists depth. Evans knows the country, and it shows."
- Judges' Comments – Society of American Travel Writers Foundation 2008 Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Silver Award for Best Guidebook
"[...] highly informative."
- Transworld Surf