Many years ago, I had an Icelandic friend who would entertain me with exotic stories about how Iceland became a huge party country every summer. Enjoy over 20 hours a day with midnight sunny land, the Icelandic people are a little crazy during the summer months, celebrating the warm weather with festivals, street markets, outdoor dining and indulgent drinking. Although I haven’t experienced Iceland in person in the summer, I guess it’s like the story I’ve been told, but there are many natural beauty and healthy outdoor activities like bathing in hot springs, visiting waterfalls and hiking. For the experience of European cities, Reykjavik, Iceland’s international metropolitan capital, is known as one of the best nightlife cities in Europe.
Apparently, in all these days, the weather is clear and active, summer is the peak season, and flying in the summer months is more expensive than other times of the year. What also makes it even more restrictive is that from the United States, Iceland Airlines has a virtual monopoly on this route. That being said, if you are happy to take one or more stops, or plan to visit other destinations in Europe after Iceland, you can get there on many other airlines Iceland Express ((www.icelandexpress.com) (from London, Copenhagen, Berlin, Stockholm, Frankfurt or Alicante), British Airways, SAS, Switzerland International and various smaller regions and boat rentals operating in France, Spain and the Balkans. The round trip fares for sample Express in Iceland include:
- Stockholm to Reykjavik: $268
- Copenhagen to Reykjavik: $268
- London to Reykjavik: $279
- Berlin to Reykjavik: $319
Iceland Airlines (Telephone. 800/223-5500; www.icelandair.com) Currently there are Iceland summer tickets for sale. Tickets are valid for three months and require Saturday night stay. From New York, Boston, Baltimore or Minneapolis Street. The ticket price for Paul is $618 and from Orlando or San Francisco is $668, which is very reasonable for anywhere in Europe during peak summers. The departure time is from June 1 to August 31, 2006. Taxes and fees range from $90 to $150.
If you want to make a quick decision, May 31, 2006 is the last day to take advantage of savings of $200 Iceland Airlines Holidays (Telephone. 800/779-2899; www.icelandairholidays.com) summer packages for travel in June, July and August 2006. For example the four day “Romantic Reykjavik” package offers round-trip airfare from Baltimore, Boston or New York (add $75 from Orlando, Minneapolis/St. Paul or San Francisco), airport transfers, two nights’ accommodations at the Hotel Loftleidir in Reykjavik, Scandinavian buffet breakfast daily, afternoon Whale watch tour, visit to the Blue Lagoon and a three-course dinner at the Xiji Concert Hall restaurant. The package is typically priced at $1,345 and will be booked at $1,145 on May 31, 2006. On September and October 10, 2006, the price of bookings dropped to $915 per person (no additional discount).
Or take $200 of the “Deluxe Spa Spree” package which includes round-trip airfare from Baltimore, Boston or New York (add $75 from Orlando, Minneapolis/St. Paul or San Francisco), three nights in a deluxe double room at the elegant Nordica Hotel, Scandinavian buffet breakfast daily, round-trip airport/hotel transfers, an aromatic Salt Glow treatment, a Fire and Ice Treatment, enter Laugarspa, unlimited access to the spa facilities and fitness center for four days, and visit the Blue Lagoon. This trip is usually priced at $1,675 (less than $200 discount) in June 2006, and the price drops to $1,165 from October 2006.
lack (Telephone. 800/223-7226; www.scantours.com) offers a variety of Iceland land tours – from escort options to autonomous driving packages (in addition, you can book tickets through them). Their four-day “Iceland in short” package includes airport transfers, three nights stay at a grand hotel (or similar) in Reykjavik, daily breakfast, morning city sightseeing tours in Reykjavik, including Hafnarfur, including Hafnar County, fish market, fish market, open air museum, big cities, ports and open houses and houses, and lists one public and certain apartments and certain people. In the majestic waterfalls of Gullfoss, the hot springs of Geysir erupting (yes, it’s original, we’re original, we’re from the National Park of Togevellir (Natural Amphitheater and the world’s first Parlia the Meader of On millennium) and the greenhouse village of Herveragerdi. The price of this trip is from $825 per person based on double occupation. The five-day version of this trip (with four nights stay) starts from $1,125.
The seven-day “Country Odyssey” package includes whale watching tours to the north and southern Iceland. It departs from Reykjavik on Sunday (June 25, July 25, July 9, 16 and 23, and August 6 and 13, 2006). Highlights include visits to the Dettifoss Waterfall, the magnificent Lake Mývatn, through the lava fields of Dimmuborgir, the rock formations of Hljóðaklettar, the canyon of ¿ sbyrgi, the hot spring area of Geysir, the queen of Iceland’s waterfalls Gullfoss, the geothermal area of Landmannalaugar and a four hour whale watching boat tour in Húsavík. On average, I walked 2 hours a day during this trip. The accommodation was three nights at Guest House Mosfell, a hotel in Hell, and another three nights were held at Fosshotel in Laugar. The tour also includes daily breakfast, two picnic lunches, six dinners, private tour coaches’ sightseeing and professional guides, priced at $2,240 per person, based on double residence and a single supplement of $475.
Because Iceland is a compact country with many countries worth seeing, horse riding is a very popular way to travel. Adventure (Telephone. 888/571-3061; www.rannochadventures.com) offers you saddle views of this diverse and beautiful destination with 11 personal adventures. Their nine-day “Iceland on Horseback – Wild Highlands” tour costs $2,130 per person, including airport transfers, one-night stay in Reykjavik, breakfast accommodation in horse riding adventures, farms and mountain houses (stayed in farmhouses and mountain cabins), Icelandic Icelandic horses, helmets and saddlebags Plus Englishbags Plus English Bude severes. The trip will be set off on June 24; July 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29; and August 5-12, 2006. Traveling along the historic Kjölur trail, stop in the famous Geyser Hot Spring area of Gullfoss and see huge glaciers, from glacier fed by glaciers, Langjökoull glacier icebergs, to Langjökull, to Langjökull, to Langjökull, to Langjökull, to Langjökull, to Langjökull, to remote desert-like mountains and vast mountain ranges (Mountled Mounted Mounthore Horses and Mounthore Horses eesse), enjoying the mountains and mountains on the hills. On this spectacular journey, ride through extinct volcanoes, glacial lakes and across wild glacier rivers.
For more information to help you make the most of your Iceland vacation, visit www.fromers.com/destinations/iceland and Iceland’s official government travel website www.visitiseland.com.
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