Alexis Averbuck - Lonely Planet Icelands Ring Road 3 (Road Trips Guide)

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WELCOME TO ICELANDS RING ROAD

Hitting headlines, topping bucket lists, wooing nature lovers and dazzling increasing numbers of visitors: Iceland, an underpopulated island marooned near the top of the globe, is literally a country in the making. Its a vast volcanic laboratory where mighty forces shape the earth: geysers gush, mudpots gloop, ice-covered volcanoes rumble and glaciers cut great pathways through the mountains. Its supercharged splendour seems designed to remind visitors of their utter insignificance in the greater scheme of things.

Bravely forging through the geological magnificence is the Ring Road, Icelands Route 1, which joins nearly all the places you can get to without a serious 4WD in one long circumnavigation of the island. Epic doesnt even begin to describe this road trip, but its not only about jaw-dropping vistas: the counterpoint to so much natural beauty is found in Icelands vibrant cultural life, handicrafts and locavore cuisine, and the warmth of its creative, no-nonsense, welcoming people. Its a drive like no other.

The Ring Road between
NELLA / SHUTTERSTOCK

ICELANDS RING ROAD HIGHLIGHTS

A ghostly procession of luminous blue icebergs drifts serenely through the 25-sq-km Jkulsrln lagoon before floating out to sea. See it on

LEONOV.O/SHUTTERSTOCK

Skaftafell

A gem in the expansive Vatnajkull National Park, Skaftafell encompasses a spellbinding wilderness of glaciers, volcanoes and mountains. See it on

JEAFISH PING/SHUTTERSTOCK

Reykjavk

A vibrant cultural hub, the capital boasts music, museums, shopping, interesting architecture and a staggering number of coffeehouses serving designer microbrews. See it on

DENNIS VAN DE WATER/SHUTTERSTOCK

CITY GUIDE

Reykjavc The view from
BERNHARD RICHTER/SHUTTERSTOCK

Although tiny in size, Reykjavk has a huge cultural presence. Imaginative Reykjavikers embrace their sense of community and bring a joy to life, creating captivating museums, cool music, and offbeat cafes and bars. The city is also a superb base for touring Icelands natural wonders: glacier-topped volcanoes, shimmering falls and black-sand beaches.

You wont really need the car in Reykjavk itself. Walking is the best way to see the compact centre, while theres excellent bus coverage around the town.

Street parking in the city centre is limited and costs 320kr per hour in the Red Zone and 170kr per hour in the Blue, Green and Yellow Zones. You must pay between 9am and 6pm from Monday to Friday and from 10am to 4pm Saturday.

Little Reykjavk has an astonishing assortment of eateries. Loads of seafood and Icelandic or New Nordic restaurants serve tried-and-true variations on local fish and lamb, but the capital is also the main spot for finding international eats.

Reykjavk has loads of accommodation choices, with hostels, midrange guesthouses (often with shared bathrooms and kitchen) and business-class hotels galore, and top-end boutique hotels and apartments seem to be opening daily. June through August accommodation books out entirely; reservations are essential.