Iceland – the land of permanent snow and volcanoes. One of the northernmost countries on the planet is also one of the most beautiful natural landscapes. However, being in such a geographical extreme means the country has special cultural significance. From its cuisine to the mentality of the populace, to how they spend their days, there is no other country like Iceland. As such, here are 20+ things that visitors to Iceland encounter for the first time and are left amazed by.
1. Rooms With One-of-a-kind views
No matter where you stay in Iceland, chances are your room will have scenic views of icy landscapes that will leave you mesmerized. In some of the warmer areas, you might even encounter lush and vibrant variations of the same landscape. This one is a view from one of the country’s public restrooms.
Read: 20 Unnerving Photos Of Nature That Made Us Want To Stay Inside Forever
2. A Sunset-Snowstorm
Iceland is a country where there is always snow. As a result, inhabitants can come across such beautiful and unique natural colors. Here, a Redditor has captured an incredibly pink sunset while in the midst of a wispy willowy white snowstorm.
3. Puffins
Iceland is home to approximately 60% of the Atlantic puffin population. These adorable birds get extremely friendly with the inhabitants during summer. So much so, that they are one of the favorite creatures of the Icelanders!
4. A Fairytale For Tourists
With the mesmerizing sceneries come quirky architecture for tourists like the one called “The Buubble”. It is part of a pre-paid tour of the country. If the weather permits, the inhabitants can even catch a glimpse of the Aurora Borealis at night! A sight of a lifetime.
5. No Big Mac
McDonald’s did make an attempt to spread out its wings in the comparatively desolate country of Iceland. However, their last and only outlet in Reykjavik closed in 2009 with the country’s economic crash. As a result, even today, the chain never returned. However, other chains, including KFC are present. Moreover, Iceland has a local chain that is so popular among the locals that McD never really stood a chance.
Read: Mystery Of Worlds Loneliest House On Remote Island That Has Been Empty For Over 100 Years
6. Volcanic Wonders
Iceland is a country with extreme tectonic activities, and consequently, multiple volcanic formations. Some of them are even quite active. The Kerið Crater is one of the world’s most wondrous geological formations. The color contrast between the volcanic lake and the earth around it is a part of its specialty.
7. All-Black Church
This is a picture of Iceland’s only “all-black” stave church. It is actually a gift to Iceland from the country of Norway. It is a medieval wooden Christian Church. The term ‘stav’ in Norwegian that refers to the structure’s load-bearing posts.
8. No tolerance for littering
Iceland does not have fountains, but it has tons of natural geysers. As such, even if there is a tradition of throwing coins into fountains for good luck, this country will not stand for it. There is also a concern about safety as the geyser will spout back out the coin.
Read: 20 Unnerving Photos Of Nature That Made Us Want To Stay Inside Forever
9. Tectonic Plates
The country has at least two tectonic plates meeting inside it. As a result, rifts such as this one are created by their shifting. Well, the rift is not exactly accurate, however, it does help in visualizing the presence of tectonic plates.
10. Hand-written Maps
Icelandic houses are so far apart that they don’t really need an address to be identified. As a result, drawing a simple map like this one on the back of a letter works better than giving an address. Then again, this map is pretty nicely done for what is presumable a quick job.
11. Icelandic Drama Shows
Regardless of whether you are a fan of Keeping Up with the Kardashians, you must have heard about it. Iceland TV did one better when they aired “Keeping Up with the Kattarshians”. The show simply had a bunch of cats living out their day inside a tiny house. Many would argue it was the best drama show ever.
12. There used to be a govt-mandated TV-free day
Iceland had only one TV channel between 1966 and 1986, which was run by the government. However, every Thursday, till 1987, it would not be available since the Govt believed that at least once a week, the residents should do something else apart from watching TV. It also had no broadcasts during July 1983 since the whole country was on vacation.
13. Reading is a national sport
At least one out of every 10 Icelanders has written and published at least one book in their lifetimes. As such, they have the highest per capita books published in the world. Literacy is extremely high, and reading is often considered a favorite national pastime.
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14. World’s Oldest Parliament
Modern democracy may be popularly attributed to Central Europe and the USA, but it is Iceland that has the oldest recorded instance of a democratic parliament. It dates back over 1000 years to a body called the “Althingi”. There was also a periodic assembly outside during the summers taking place on Thingvellir plains. Both of these bodies still exist today, albeit ceremonially.
15. There are no surnames in the country
Usually, this is the rule for an Icelandic native. Of course, there are exceptions. However, most of their surnames are just the names of their fathers affixed with either -dottir (daughter) or -son. As such, children will usually not have matching surnames with their parents. Only first names, without any titles, are usually used for everyone, regardless of their station.
16. They Love Their Sauce
Iceland natives usually have a fondness for sauces. They will not hesitate to coat whatever they eat in sauce, usually bearnaise sauce and gravy. Furthermore, Icelandic cuisine has different sauces for everything they eat, be it meat, fish, or high-grade vegetables.
17. They Also Love Grilling
Regardless of the almost year-round winter, Icelanders absolutely adore grilling. They will enjoy skewers of fish, lamb, and any other kind of food items grilled over hot charcoal whenever they get the chance. They also eat ice cream throughout the year!
Read: Mystery Of Worlds Loneliest House On Remote Island That Has Been Empty For Over 100 Years
18. Babies Are Left Outside
Parents will often leave their babies in their prams outside the place where they meet without a second thought. They will also usually do it outside their houses. This practice apparently lets the babies sleep peacefully under the natural air while also strengthening their immune systems. Furthermore, Reykjavik is one of the safest places in the world, so there is virtually nothing to worry about.
19. They Like Their Humor Dark
Icelandic sense of humor is famously dark. Apparently, the darker the humor, the funnier the person is considered to be. So, if you are into jokes like that, you will have a great time talking with the people of Iceland.
20. They Have No Qualms About Nudity
One of Iceland’s popular tourist attractions is its host of geothermal hot springs. As such, like several European countries, most locations expect the bathers to wash themselves before the immersion. Since it’s a communal activity, both the bathing room and the springs themselves have no privacy for changing. Nakedness for such activities is just a matter of course.
Keep Reading: 25 Destinations Being Ruined By Excessive Tourism
Sources
- “The 13 Weirdest Things About Icelandic People and Culture.” Guide to Iceland. Nanna Gunnarsdóttir.
- “10 Things You Should Know About Iceland.” History. Christopher Klein. August 23, 2018.
- “20+ Things That Make It Obvious That Iceland Is Not Easy to Understand for the Rest of the World.” Brightside