Reykjavik is Europe’s most northern capital and a delight to visit during summer’s long days of sunlight. Docked in Hafnarfjörður, a charming trading port with history dating to the 15th century, the town is home to the country’s annual summer solstice Viking Festival and conveniently located only 15 minutes from Reykavik’s city center. In Reykjavik proper, enjoy the capital’s mix of modern public buildings with the preserved colorful wooden houses of the old quarter. It is outside of Reykjavik that the rugged beauty of the country best reveals itself, however. The Blue Lagoon is a geothermal spa where the mineral-rich water is believed to have therapeutic benefits. Driving the Golden Circle route, you may visit Thingvellir National Park, the site of Iceland’s first parliament dating back to 930 AD, and the only place to view the deep fissures created by tectonic plates slowly splitting apart. Geysers and waterfalls dot perforate the landscape in this region of stark contrast.
