In his new novel, The Travelers, author Chris Pavone takes readers on a thrilling journey across Europe, from Bordeaux to Paris, Dublin to the Mediterranean, and even to an isolated cabin perched on the rugged cliffs of Iceland. That final locale is one of the many amazing places Pavone has traveled with his family, and he loved it so much that he offered to share his favorite experiences from his trip.
Including breathtaking hikes, picturesque vistas, New Nordic cuisine, and a one-of-a-kind museum that won't soon be forgotten, here are 10 things you can't skip in Iceland.
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Take in the stunning scenery.
Wherever you look there are snow-capped volcanoes, or stark cliffs towering above the churning sea, or lush valleys or thunderous waterfalls or vast expanses of lava, often no sign whatsoever of civilization. It’s a sometimes bleak place, Iceland, but it’s pristine and unpolluted and constantly beautiful, like a greatest-hits album of nature’s power ballads.
Plan Your Trip: Visit Fodor's Iceland Guide
Visit the Golden Circle.
This set of well-merited tourist destinations is perfect for a guided day trip from Reykjavik: the geysers at Geysir, hard to beat for excitement; the breathtaking Gullfoss waterfall; Thingvellir, where you can descend into the ever-widening rift between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates (Iceland grows about 2 centimeters per year), then visit the site of the world’s first parliament, Althing, more than a thousand years old. A perfect jet-lagged first day.
Plan Your Trip: Visit Fodor's Iceland Guide
Go whale watching out of Húsavik.
You clamber aboard a battered boat, and buckle a life vest atop your bright orange jumpsuit (all the better to see you with if you tumble overboard). The boat launches from this small hardscrabble port on the north coast into Skjálfandi Bay, just 50 miles shy of the Arctic Circle—the nearest landfall is the polar ice cap—and chugs out into the cold sea until, sooner or later, you see something breaching out of the water that takes your breath away. A once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Plan Your Trip: Visit Fodor's Iceland Guide
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