Iceland

Where Fire Meets Ice

Volcanoes, geysers, glaciers, and the aurora borealis — nature at its most raw and magnificent.

Iceland is unlike anywhere else on Earth. A young volcanic island where the Mid-Atlantic Ridge tears the planet apart in slow motion, creating a landscape of lava fields, geothermal hot springs, towering waterfalls, and vast glacier tongues. The Ring Road (Route 1) circles the entire island and is one of the world's great road trips — passing through the Golden Circle, the South Coast, the Westfjords, and the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. In winter, the Northern Lights shimmer above while hot springs steam in the darkness. In summer, the midnight sun allows for round-the-clock exploration. Iceland has no military and one of the world's highest quality-of-life indices — visiting feels like encountering a better-imagined future.