All Things Iceland

Icelandic names can be difficult to pronounce, spell and understand when being spoken, especially for someone that doesn’t know the language. Even though, Icelandic people are pretty laid back about many things, mainly because they live in a world where flexibility of plans is a crucial part of their survival, they take their names seriously. I will first start out with explaining the structure of Icelandic names, and then I will delve a bit deeper into the fascinating rules and unique cultural aspects of this system.

In Iceland, a native person’s last name is usually a combination of their father’s first name and if they are his daughter or son. I say usually because this system is mostly patronymic. However, there are people whose last name is a combination of their mother’s first name and if they are her daughter or son.

For example, let’s say there is a woman named Guðrún who has a father with the first name Jón. Her name will be Guðrún Jónsdóttir, or literally Guðrún the daughter of Jón. If there is a man named Guðmundur and his father´s first name is Helgi, his name will be Guðmundur Helgason.  Literally, his name is  Guðmundur the son of Helgi. You might have noticed that the names Jón and Helgi changed a little bit when they became last names (Jónsdóttir and Helgason). This has to do with the structure of the Icelandic language and how words are declined depending on the grammatical case they are in.

Additionally, someone’s last name can be a combination of their parent’s middle name and their gender.  Some Icelandic people prefer to be called by their middle name rather than their first name. In fact, an Icelander might decide that their middle fits the child’s name better when made into a last name.

While this system might confusing at first, the good news is that the learning curve for understanding this system is fairly easy. If you know an Icelandic person’s full name, you will know right away if they are male or female. This can be helpful, especially since some Icelandic first names are quite unique. For instance, it might be hard for a foreigner to know if someone named Guðbjörg is male or female. Just for the record, it is a female name.  Random side note, I am curious to see how Iceland’s system adapts to individuals that do not conform to a gender, but I won’t be diving into that topic today.

Because an Icelandic person’s last name is dependent on one of their parent’s first names and their gender, there are mostly no family names. For example, a family of four that has two parents and two kids, one male and the other female, will all have different last names. In the following example, I will do my best to explain this. However, if it gets confusing, please check out the list of names for the family below.

Gunnar Guðmundsson is married to Katrín Einarsdóttir. They have two kids, a daughter named Guðný and a son named Björgvin. The parents have decided to take the traditional route and the kids last names will have the father’s first name. The full names of the kids are Guðný Gunnarsdóttir and Björgvin Gunnarsson. When you look at all of the names spelled out in a row, they are all different.

Of course, same sex siblings, such as brothers, will have the same last name in a family as long as they share the same father or mother whose first or middle name is being used for their last name.

Icelandic people do not see this system as strange. However,  the majority of people from other countries are shocked to hear this fact. Finding this out made Iceland even more intriguing to me, and it might even do the same for you.

While the surname system that I mentioned to you is the most common in Iceland, there are some people that have family names. There are very few family names here. Most of them were created by Icelanders that lived abroad in Denmark and adapted to the family name system before returning to Iceland. Some famous Icelandic people have inherited family names, such as Halldór Laxness, Iceland’s only Nobel laureate. There is a reason that there are few Icelandic people with inherited surnames That reason is that a law was put in place after 1925 that prohibited Icelandic people from having a family name unless that person has a legal right to do so through inheritance.

The one downside to this system is that it can sometimes cause issues for families that are traveling abroad, especially with young children, because the members of the family have different last names. If an immigration officer is not familiar with this naming system, it can lead to lots of questions and potentially a delay in travel.

Another result from this naming system is that some expatriate Icelandic people that have adopted the family name system of the country they are living in, such as places like Canada and the U.S., end up having family names that are incompatible with the original system. For instance, if Steinar Magnússon moved to Canada permanently and decided to take up the family name system, all of his offspring would have the last name Magnússon.

It is incompatible because none of his offspring would be the son of Magnús. It is especially fascinating to see a woman with the last name that ends in son because she is clearly not the son of that person. Even though this is strange for Icelandic people to see, it is quite normal for non Icelandic people, mainly because they are familiar with the inherited family name system.

When I first moved here, one thing I found to be quite confusing was that many people can appear to have the same last name but they don’t share the same parents. This has to do with the popularity of certain first names. One would assume that this system would make it confusing for Icelandic people to know who is who when they are talking about someone. However, that doesn’t seem to be the case. Iceland is a small enough place that context, nicknames and a simple system allows for Icelandic people to talk about two Arnar Olafssons without getting them confused. It might be that one of the Arnar’s has the middle name Már. If so, they might then refer to one as Arnar and the other as Arnar Már.

If the person doesn’t have a middle name, then they might be called by their first name and the beginning of their last name. An example of this is that two men named Jón Stefánsson and the other Jón Þorláksson, one could address Jón Stefánsson as “Jón Stefáns” and Jón Þorláksson as “Jón Þorláks”.

Nicknames are also used and they can vary according to the name. Additionally, one name can have many different nicknames associated with it. For instance, a man named Halldór might have the nickname Dóri, dóddi or Halli. This nickname is chosen early on in life and usually sticks with the person throughout their life.

I find it kind of funny that this country has so few people that the phone book in Iceland is alphabetized by first name. Check out ja.is to search for Icelandic names.

If you have ever wondered why there are so many people in Iceland with the same first name, you might be surprised to know that it is not just because Icelandic people like those particular names. In fact, the Icelandic National Registry or Þjóðskrá, has a list of approved Icelandic names that people have to choose from in the country. Whether an Icelander wants to change their name or pick out a name for their baby, they must choose a name from the list.

While it would be great for the naming system to be self-governed, it seems that Icelandic people don’t want to take any chances. They have a committee of people that keeps track of and updates the naming list. If you want a name for yourself or your child that is not on the list, you have to submit it to the naming committee and wait for their approval.

While this probably sounds overly strict and impinging on Icelandic people’s freedom to choose whatever name they want, there are some valid reasons for these rules.

One of the most important is that the structure of the Icelandic language doesn’t work for every name, and that is because there are set of rules on how a name is declined in Icelandic, given a certain grammatical case. You got a taste of that when I talked about Icelanders having different last names. This list of names helps Icelandic people to preserve their archaic language, which is a national treasure. If you would like to learn more about the history of the Icelandic language, check out episode 2 of this podcast, which is gives you a brief history of the language, if you haven’t already. I will have a link to it in the show notes on my website.

Another reason, is that in the 1880s Icelandic nationalists were afraid that they would become like Denmark, so politicians in the country proposed laws that standardized Icelandic names.

The last but certainly not the least reason, is that many of the same names in Iceland  is centered on sentimental value. Many Icelandic people are named after someone in their family or a person that has sentimental value to the parent or parents that named the kid. These names can date back to settlement times. It is a cool way of preserving the country’s history and honoring someone that is close to your heart. However, it doesn’t mean that names that are not traditionally Icelandic are not included in the mix of names to choose from on the list.

One fascinating fact is that up until 1991 foreigners that moved to the country had to choose an Icelandic name if they wanted to be granted citizenship. The law was relaxed a bit but up until 1995, a foreigner that wanted citizenship had to take an Icelandic name in addition to their given name.

Another cultural phenomenon is that Icelandic people have up to six months after birth to pick a name for their child. I think it is nice that the parent or parents have a decent amount of time to choose a name for their kid. You essentially get a chance to try out different names. Icelandic parents will refer to their kid as boy (drengur) or girl (stúlka), or the ubiquitous ástin mín before they have settled on a name.  To celebrate, most Icelanders gather friends and family for a naming party.

If you are from a Nordic country, or if you are familiar with names from those countries, you probably noticed that some of the names sound similar. As mentioned in previous episodes of these podcast, Iceland was settled by mostly Norwegian people. It is not a coincidence that they have some similarities with those Nordic countries. It is also worth noting that Iceland is the only country in Western Europe that still using patronymics.

Now that you have learned a bit about Iceland’s unique naming system, I am going to next segment of the show, which is a random fact about Iceland.

About 80% percent of the population share the 200 most popular names in the country. The most popular male names are Jón, Sigurður, and Guðmundur.  The most popular female names are Guðrún, Anna and Kristín.

– Nafn = name

I hope you enjoyed this episode that is chock full of information about the evolution of Icelandic food culture. I release a new podcast episode every week. Make sure you are subscribed to the All Things Iceland podcast so you don’t miss new episodes. If the platform you are listening to this podcast on allows you to leave a review, please do so.

Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega

Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

This is the 3rd and final part of my interview with Jón Gnarr, Iceland’s funniest and most famous Mayor. If you haven’t listened to part 1 and part 2 of this interview, I recommend that you do because Jón dives deep into why he ran for political office, Taosim, his experience as the Mayor and other fascinating things about his life.

During this episode, Jón shares his feelings about the current political landscape in Iceland, why he feels it is important to teach people about empathy, what he has been up to since running for office and his favorite Icelandic word or phrase. We also dipped into talking about education, creativity, religion, philosophy and empathy. In part 2, I taught you how to say the Mayor of Reykjavík, which is Borgarstjóri Reykjavíkur. This time around, Jón will share a pretty funny Icelandic word before the end of the episode.

I hope you enjoyed listening to my interview with Jón Gnarr. I release a new podcast episode every week. Make sure you are subscribed to the All Things Iceland podcast so you don’t miss new episodes. If the platform you are listening to this podcast on allows you to leave a review, please do so, if you haven’t already.

Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega

Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. I recommend these companies because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make, if you decide to buy something through my links. Please do not spend any money on these products unless you feel you need them or that they will help you achieve your goals.

If you are planning a trip to Iceland at any time in the future, this episode of the All Things Iceland podcast will arm you with useful facts and tips that will make your preparation much smoother.

I’m going to start off with one of the most important things to keep in mind when you travel to Iceland – the weather! Regardless of the season, the weather in Iceland can vary wildly. In one minute, it can be raining and windy and in the next, the sun can be shining and it is a lot less windy. We’ve even had snow and hail during the summer. While snow and hail are rare in the summer, it is best to know that rain and strong winds are likely to show up during your trip.  Vedur.is is the weather website that most Icelandic people look at when they want to know what to expect weather wise.

Regardless of the season in Iceland, you will need to pack layers. The average temperature in Reykjavík during winter is freezing (32 degrees F or 0 degrees celsius), but it can be much colder in other parts of the country, especially north. During the summer, the temperature can range from 10 – 13 degrees Celsius or 50 – 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Check out my podcast episodes about summer and winter for more information. As I mentioned in the weather portion of this episode, one thing that is best to be prepared for is the varying weather conditions.

The list I am about to share is in no way all you should pack. These are items I feel that you should for sure pack. Clothes like underwear and toiletries are not mentioned because I assume you will have some. If you don’t, no judgement on my end.

The international airport is in Keflavík, which is about 45 minutes from downtown Reykjavík by car. Most people assume that the airport is closer, but unfortunately it is not. It is helpful to plan your transportation ahead of time. Taxis are ridiculously expensive. It could cost you $200 one way if you took a taxi into town. Uber does not exist here and the ride sharing culture hasn’t expanded enough yet in the country for you to rely on it. Hopefully, that changes in the future. Also, there are no trains in Iceland, but I have heard plans of building one in the future.

The most popular option that is decently priced is taking the FlyBus from the airport. On their website you can choose where you want to be dropped off, and you can book your ticket in advance. In the summer,  the bus runs every 30 minutes from the airport and probably around every hour in the winter. They have WiFi on the bus, the seats are comfy and you don’t have to worry about driving.

If you are bold and want to avoid paying anything, you can hitchhike. Iceland is a very hitchhiker friendly place. However, you run of the risk of not being picked up and of being caught out in terrible weather.

On a side note, according to Google Maps, walking to downtown Reykjavík from the airport would take you almost 19 hours, just in case you were wondering. Also, there are no sidewalks on that road and walking on the moss could damage it forever.

Many people rent a car, which is not a cheap option, but it gives you the flexibility to see Iceland at your own pace. One obstacle is that you will have to find parking downtown when you arrive. Certain times of day in specific areas are better than others for parking spots.

I have seen many people cycle along the side of the road. If you are that type person, go for it, but please be careful. Please wear reflective gear and have your waterproof clothing easily accessible

Reykjavík is a very walkable city and you do not need a car to get from one place to the next. When you want to go outside of the city, you can rent a car or take a bus. The bus can be with a guided tour or a bus run by a private operator like, Reykjavík Excursions.

Also, there are plenty of city bus stops in Reykjavík and the Reykjavík area, which are the surrounding neighborhoods. You can use the strætó app to pay for rides on your phone. One way is 450 ISK. The bus drivers will accept cash but it must be exact change and in Icelandic money.

As mentioned earlier, you can take a tour to places or buy a ticket for the buses that go out of town.

There is a domestic airport that has flights to different regions of the country.

Additionally, there are boats, such as ferries, but it is less common for many tourists to take a boat, unless they are on a tour.

Below, I have listed the driving distances one way to popular places and the time it takes to get there, which will come in handy if you plan to drive. All of these distances are according to Google Maps and the starting point is from Reykjavík. During the winter, you should allow for more time if the road conditions are not the best.

For instance:

If you plan to drive in Iceland, it is worth it to learn some of the rules of the road. There are little to no traffic lights once you get out of the city, but there are a lot of roundabouts.

Most, if not all, places in Iceland will accept cash, if it is in Icelandic Krona. You can exchange money at the airport or get ISK from an ATM. However, credit and debit cards are the preferred payment methods. It is fast, easy and you don’t have to worry about carry around too much paper. I recommend using a credit card because you can more easily dispute charges that you don’t recognize. I don’t think it is common for unwanted charges to show up. However, it is better to be safe than sorry.

The krona fluctuates wildly. As I am typing this, 1 USD is about  122 ISK. While that is a favorable exchange rate for people with the dollar, things will still be expensive.

I dedicated the next episode to useful Icelandic words and phrase for visitors to Iceland. I recommend checking that out next week. As mentioned in that episode, English is widely spoken in Iceland, so it won’t be a problem if you don’t understand or speak Icelandic. However, Icelandic people seem to enjoy it when people try to speak to them in their native tongue. I encourage you to give it a try and so how it goes.

Iceland is by no means a cheap place to visit. Food, alcohol, gas, clothing and pretty much everything, except for water from a natural source or tap and electricity, are very expensive. Check out this website that gives you an idea of how much things cost here.

It is not necessary or expected that you will tip in Iceland. However, if you enjoyed the service that you received, you can certainly leave a tip.

The alcohol stores in Iceland are government run. As I mentioned, alcohol is heavily taxed here. One way to save a little bit, if you plan to drink, is to buy your alcohol in the duty free area in Keflavík airport. If you want to save a bit while drinking out at bars, you can use the app called Appy Hour to see what happy hour specials are happening downtown.

If you will have a kitchen available to you during your trip, you can save money by buying food in the grocery store and cooking on your own. However, I do suggest going out to eat some things, specifically, the top 10 Icelandic foods to try that I listed in last week’s episode.

Honestly, every time of the year in Iceland is wonderful. Summer has long, bright days, winter is perfect for seeing the Northern Lights, during  Fall the changing colors are magnificent and Spring, while interesting, is not your typical idea of spring in most places. The return of more sun is spring for Iceland. It is still chilly, icy and will probably snow quite a bit, but the long days are returning and that is what gets everyone excited. When you should come just depends on what you want to do.

If long hikes in  the highlands appeals to you and to be able to have daylight at any time of the day, then summer is your best bet. If you are keen on seeing the alluring Northern Lights, a snowy wonderland and getting that cozy feeling that many Icelandic houses have, then you should consider coming in the winter. It is worth noting that you can avoid a lot of crowds if you come during the shoulder season months, like September, October, November, March, April & May. The amount of tourists in Iceland skyrockets in the summer and for the New Years celebrations, which are amazing.

No matter when you come, there are certain things that stay constant –  you can bathe in natural hot springs or hot tubs in the very nice public pools; Icelandic people love to party, so if you want to do that in downtown Reykjavík just know that most people are not out until midnight.  The ice cream shops are open all year long. Some of them are open until 11pm on certain days. It is worth trying while you are here. You can always find delicious food. If you have the right clothing and an open mind, you won’t regret your choice to visit. It wouldn’t surprise me one bit if you end up falling in love with this country like I did.

Next up to consider when preparing for your trip, is your accommodations. There are many different types of accommodations in Iceland and the range can go from being affordable to ridiculously expensive. Hotels, on average, are around $200 or more a night, Airbnb’s are a cheaper option but you need to book far in advance or you risk missing out on reasonable prices. Also, there has been some push back against Airbnb’s as of late, so I am not sure how long they will continue to be an inexpensive option.

Hostels are for sure much cheaper than a hotel and I would just shop around if you are interested in that option. Camping can be quite nice in the summer and is for sure not very expensive. A well anchored and sturdy tent is necessary because the wind can easily blow your tent over or away.  There are many campgrounds with facilities in Iceland.

Summer houses or cottages out in the countryside can be rented in summer or winter. I don’t know why Icelandic people call them summer houses when they are used all year long, but such is life.

Guesthouses can also be an option that you can book at a reasonable price.

If you are going to the highlands of Iceland, you can book a space in a mountain hut. These are very basic accommodations but they are quite nice after a long hike or drive to get there.

Internet and wifi are readily available downtown in hotels, cafes, restaurants and so on. However, many remote places might not have wifi, so be aware of that. Downloading directions  from Google Maps or having a GPS that doesn’t require internet can be helpful if you plan to travel around the country. The good news is that there is only one road that goes around the whole country, so it is not terribly hard to get back on track if you get lost.

If you are coming from a part of the world that does not use the standard European plug, like the US, UK, Asia and so on, you will need to have a converter to charge your gadgets. Also, European appliances run on 220 volts, so that is something to keep in mind if you have a hair dryer or flat iron that runs on different volts, such as 120 in the US.

Iceland has been named the most peaceful country for many years in a row. It is a very safe place. However, crime, like theft, can happen anywhere in the world. Just make sure to keep an eye on your belongings, especially downtown where it is more crowded.

This country is also a very kid friendly place, so bring along the kiddos if you want. There are lots of playgrounds and interesting things for them to explore.

As I mentioned earlier, it is also very hitchhiker friendly. If you are on a super strict budget and your travel plans are quite flexible, you use this as an option. I suggest only doing it in summer because more people are traveling on the roads and you have sunlight all day, which makes it easier to get picked up.

The length of your stay is entirely up to your budget and ability to be away. If you are able to stay for a week, you can see a lot of awesome sights. However, I know that everyone’s schedule is different, so choose what works for you now. If you enjoy your stay, hopefully you can come back for a little while longer to see more of this amazing place.

Now that you have been armed with some tips on how to prepare for your trip to Iceland, I am going to move on to the next portion of the show, which is the random fact of the episode.

60% of the Icelandic population lives in Reykjavík. With a 2018 population estimate of over 350,000 people living in Iceland, the capital area is densely packed with people in comparison to other parts of the country.

Að undirbúa – to prepare

I hope you enjoyed this episode that is chock full of information about preparing for your trip to Iceland. I release a new podcast episode every week. Make sure you are subscribed to the All Things Iceland podcast so you don’t miss new episodes. If the platform you are listening to this podcast on allows you to leave a review, please do so, if you haven’t already.

Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega

Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

In anticipation of the season 8 premiere for Game of Thrones on April 14th, I have decided to dedicate this episode to sharing the location of where the scenes for the show were filmed in Iceland. I am also including film locations that have been confirmed for the upcoming season. Even if you are not a fan of the show, the places on the list of where the scenes were shot are beautiful and worth checking out if you plan to visit.

Iceland has not appeared in every season of the show, but the first time the country made its appearance is during season 2. The filming takes place in Skaftafell along the south coast.

I have been fortunate to visit the Skaftafell area numerous times since moving to Iceland. It is part of the Vatnajökull National Park, and it is home to gigantic glaciers and awesome hiking trails. To depict the harsh, cold and stunning world beyond the wall in Game of Thrones, the show filmed on Svínafellsjökull glacier. A decent amount of well known movies have been shot on that glacier. In fact, it is called the “Hollywood glacier” by some.

The unfortunate part is that the glacier is no longer accessible because there is danger of a nearby mountain crumbling and breaking up the ice on the glacier. Authorities don’t know if the rock fall will happen soon or in the next ten years. However, they are taking precautions by making Svínafellsjökull off limits. Well, at least for now.  

Even though you can’t go on that particular glacier right now, you can imagine that you are beyond the wall if you walk on one of the other glaciers in the area. Falljökull and Skaftafellsjökull are awesome alternatives that tourism companies are using these days. Regardless of the glacier you choose, make sure you go with certified glacier guides to ensure that you have a safe and fun experience.

Another scene from Game of Thrones that shows up in season 2 is when the show depicts Mýrdalsjökull glacier as the Fist of the First Men. The First Men are one of the three main ethnic groups that evolved into the people that make up Westeros. Well, the fictional people on the show. The Fist is a defense location that offers commanding views.

In the fifth episode of season 2, you see the Knights Watch arrive at the Fist of the First Men. They are using the Höfðabrekka hiking area near the glacier. Below is a video of the scene when the men arrive in the area.

During season 3, the Mývatn area in the north of the country was used a decent amount to depict different places in Game of Thrones. The Dimmuborgir lava field is where Mance Rayder, the leader of the Free Folk, aka the king beyond the wall, had his Wildling army set up camp.

At Hverir geothermal area, part of the Diamond Circle, in the north, you see Samwell Tarly walking through what looks like a blizzard. There is snow on the ground but what is making the air look so gray and hard to navigate is actually the steam coming up from the natural bubbling hot springs in the area. It stinks of sulphur but at least he was warm.

I visited Hverir this past December and I highly recommend going there. Yes, it smells pretty intense but you do kind of get used to it. What makes it worth a visit is the colors in this area and the sight of steam escaping the ground as if it were coming out of a hissing chimney. The whole area looks like an alien planet and it is absolutely fascinating. I have some videos of it on my Instagram account, if you want to check it out.

Jon and Ygritte’s steamy love making session in the Grjótagjá cave in the Mývatn area is sweet but not entirely realistic if you want to reenact that scene. You can visit the natural hot spring but you are advised not to swim in it. People used to bath there, but geological activity in the area has increased the temperature of the hot spring to a degree where it is not safe for you to go for a dip. I know it is tempting because it is a beautiful hot spring in a cave, but I think it is wise to not risk burning yourself.

The historical and famous Þingvellir (Thingvellir) National Park became even more famous after it was featured in season 4 of Game of Thrones. This is where the epic battle between Brienne of Tarth and The Hound over Arya takes place. Every time I see that scene, I still tense up with anticipation. It’s a brutal fight and if you want to check it out, watch the video below.

The narrow passage along the Öxarárfoss trail in this area is where the scenes to the entrance to Bloody Gate were filmed. Once you are beyond the Bloody Gate, you have entered the Eyrie

Þingvellir is a major historical site because it was where Iceland’s first and the world’s oldest Parliament or Alþingi met. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is part of the Golden Circle, which also includes Geysir hot spring and Gullfoss waterfall.

Even though you saw the arrow shaped mountain Kirkjufell on Snæfellsnes Peninsula make an appearance during season 6 of the show, it wasn’t until season 7 that it had a more active role in the background.  You see it when Jon Snow and his men head north to fight the army of the dead. It also appears in a vision that the Hound has. In that vision, the dead are marching by the mountain. I have hiked up Kirkjufell and it is a fun challenge.

The day we went was a bit cloudy and the rain was on its way, so we didn’t go the way to the top, but I plan to go back to do that in the future.  The views from the mountain are amazing. I only recommend hiking it if you are in good physical condition and are ok with physically having to climb up some parts. It does get a bit steep in some areas and the pathways can be narrow.

If hiking up steep mountain doesn’t exciting to you, no worries. You can perfectly enjoy Kirkjufell on the ground. Directly across from it is a beautiful waterfall called Kirkjufellsfoss. A decent amount of people go there to take photos of the waterfall with the mountain in the background.

On the south coast of Iceland are beautiful cliffs called Dyrhólaey. In episode 5 of season 7 in Game of Thrones, they were used to represent the location of the East-Watch by the Sea. Jon Snow, Gendry, Jorah Mormont, and Tormund Giantsbane arrive on one of the iconic black sand beaches you see in the south. They are there to meet the Brotherhood without Banners, who are in a jail cell.

One of my favorite places in Iceland is Þórsmörk. On the way to Þórsmörk is a truly magnificent canyon called Stakkholtsgjá. I have only been there once but that was enough to cement it in my mind as a place that I must visit again. That canyon is where Jon Snow and the rest of the men attempt to capture a wight in order to prove to people that the walking dead are real

If you are in Iceland during the summer, I recommend considering visiting Þórsmörk and this canyon. The only caveat is that you have to cross rivers to get to these places. I do not recommend or encourage you to do that with a rental car. You can ruin the car and that damage is not covered by the rental car insurance. You can take a bus tour or have an experienced driver guide take you.

While Jon Snow and his fighting squad venture out to find a wight, they walk past Gigjökull, an outlet glacier from the infamous Eyjafjallajökull. This rapidly receding glacier is in the south of the country. The funny part is that within the same scene, the Hound points to Kirkjufell, which is in the west of the country. The men are on foot. While the timeline of how long they have been walking in the snow and cold is not clear, I just think it is worth pointing out that these locations are not that close together.

As mentioned in the beginning of this episode, season 8 drops on April 14th! The black sand beaches in the south coast of Iceland signify the homeland of the Targaryens. They will make an appearance in the new season. Additionally, Kirkjufell mountain will show up again.

The Mountain, who is a soldier and the Hound’s brother, is an Icelandic actor.  His name is Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson and he is just as huge, maybe more than, in person as on the show. He stands at 6 foot 9 and weighs more than 400 pounds. Hafþór is a strong man competitor and it quite good at it. He is the first person to win the Arnold Strongman Classic, the World’s Strongest Man, and Europe’s Strongest Man in the same calendar year. Hafþór currently holds the title of the world’s strongest man.

I feel like this is such a fascinating fact because normally film studios have to use CGI to make people this big. It’s amazing to me that a person can be this huge!

Þáttaröð – row of episodes or a series

Þáttur – episode

Röð – row

I hope you enjoyed this episode. I release a new podcast episode every week. Make sure you are subscribed to the All Things Iceland podcast so you don’t miss new episodes. Also, don’t forget to enter to win the All Things Iceland podcast giveaway. The link is below.

Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta og sjáumst fljótlega

While Iceland is not known for getting involved in wars, the country found itself in a territorial battle with Britain. The disputes are called the Cod Wars and they lasted for almost 20 years.

The seas surrounding Iceland are rich with marine life, especially fish. British fishermen had been capturing cod in Icelandic waters since the 15th century. In the early 16th century, it became common to see many of their boats off the coast of the island. While Icelandic people did capture fish back then, fishing was not a major industry in the country until the 20th century.

Before there was a dispute between Iceland and Britain, there was conflict between Denmark and the British. The Danish were worried about how close British boats were fishing near Icelandic shores in the late 1800s. As I have mentioned in previous episodes, Iceland was ruled by Denmark until 1945. Denmark also governs the Faroe Islands. The invention of steam powered boats allowed for fishermen to travel to much farther distances. This meant that the amount of British vessels around the Icelandic shore started to rapidly increase.

As a response, the Danish government claimed a fishing limit of 50 nautical miles (93 km) around Icelandic shore in 1893. The British government did not recognize the claim set by the Danish government because they felt it would damage British fishing industry.  British fishing boats continued to violate the claim by the Danish government. In retaliation, Danish gunboats would fine British trawlers that they found fishing illegally within the off limits area. The Royal Navy was deployed in 1896 and 1897 to make a show of naval force, but that only increased the tension between the nations.

One major incident, sparked the countries to finally come to an agreement. Caspian, a British steam trawler was fishing off the coast of the Faroe islands in April 1899. A Danish gunboat attempted to arrest the boat for fishing within the off limits area. When the gunboat saw that the trawler refused to stop, they first fired blank shells at the boat, but later used live ammunition. The Danish did eventually capture the Caspian but there is a bit more drama to the whole incident.  

Charles Henry Johnson, the Captain of the Caspian, had a little trick up his sleeve. Before he left to board the Danish gunboat, he ordered his mate to make a dash for it after he had safely made it to the other boat. Once Johnson was aboard the gunboat, the Caspian took off at full speed. The Danish fired on the boat but was not able to stop it from getting away. When the Caspian arrived in Grimsby, England, it was heavily damaged. Johnson was tied to the mast on the boat. Later, he was tried in a court on the Faroe Islands. He was convicted of illegal fishing and attempted assault, and was jailed for 30 days.

Due to this incident, the Danish and British formed the Anglo-Danish Territorial Waters agreement in 1901. It set 3 nautical mile (6 km) territorial limits for Iceland for 50 years. While it was narrowly followed, it was an important precedent.  The First World War ended the dispute for a while and decreased the fishing activity around Icelandic shores.

In 1949, Iceland started the process of repealing the Anglo-Danish Territorial Waters agreement set by Denmark & Britain in 1901. Before deciding on how many nautical miles off of their shores are off limits for British ships, they waited to hear the results from the UK-Norway Fisheries case in the International Court of Justice.

It seems that the United Kingdom had disputes with a couple of Nordic countries when it came to fishing near their shores. The ruling from the International Court of Justice was in Norway’s favor. Icelanders felt that increasing their limit from 3 nm to 4nm were justified because they were in line with what Norway was claiming. The extension of their fishing limits were declared by the Icelandic government on May 15, 1952.

Not surprisingly, the United Kingdom was not happy about this. The two countries found themselves in a dispute about this from May of 1952 until November of 1956. During this time, the British trawling industry imposed a landing ban on Icelandic ships in British ports. This was a huge blow to the fishing industry in Iceland because the United Kingdom was the country’s largest export market for fish.

Interestingly, the Cold War ended up helping Iceland after the British imposed their land ban. The Soviet Union was seeking to gain influence in Iceland, so they started buying Icelandic fish. The United States feared that the Soviets would gain too much influence in Iceland, so they starting buy fish as well. Additionally, the United States convinced Italy and Spain to do the same.

The land ban by the British now had less of an impact on the Icelandic fishing industry. The British government eventually ended up agreeing to the 4 nm limit set by Iceland in 1956. Some scholars feel that the 4 year dispute is the first of the Cod Wars between Iceland and the United Kingdom. However, that is not widely agreed upon, so I am not counting it as one of the Cod Wars. I do think it is a victory for Iceland that is an important element when talking about the historic events that come next.

In 1958, several nations at the first  International Conference on the Law of the Sea hosted by the United Nations, wanted to extend their territorial limits to 12 nm or 22 km. However, no conclusions were reached at that conference. After that, the Icelandic government took it upon themselves to create a new limit law. They extended their limit from 4 nm to 12 nm at midnight on September 1st, 1958. All of the members of NATO were in opposition to the extension.

The British made it known that their boats would fish near Iceland under the protection of their warships. They specifically planned to do this near the West fjords, north of Horn and in the south of Iceland. This was an expensive endeavor. It was estimated that the British Naval ships had used nearly a half million pounds of oil in about a month. Surprisingly, 53 British warships had been deployed to protect ships off the coast of Iceland. Being the tiny nation that it is, Iceland could only deploy seven vessels and a flying boat to help it enforce the new limits that it had claimed.

Icelandic people protested in front of the British embassy in the country. As a counter protest, the British Ambassador played bagpipe music and military marches on his gramophone.

Ægir, an Icelandic Coast Guard vessel, tried to take a British fishing trawler off the West fjords on September 4th. However, the HMS Russell, a vessel that is part of the British Navy, intervened. The two boats collided!  The following October, the María Júlía, an Icelandic Coast Guard ship, fired three shots at a British trawler named Kingston Emerald.

The trawler ended up retreating out to the high seas. On November 12, Þór, another Icelandic Coast Guard ship, attempted to stop Hackness, a British fishing boat, for not stowing its nets legally. Hackness didn’t stop until it was fired upon by Þór. This altercation heated up when the HMS Russell showed up to protect Hackness.

The captain of the HMS Russell ordered the Icelandic vessel to leave Hackness alone. He claimed the shipping vessel was not within the 4 nm limit recognized by the British government. The captain of Þór refused to back down and ordered his men to approach Hackness with their gun manned. In response, the captain of the HMS Russell threatened to sink the Icelandic vessel if it shot at Hackness. Eventually, more British ships arrived and Hackness retreated.

Even though, Icelanders didn’t have a lot of military power to fight the British, they did have political leverage. In response to the events I just mentioned, the Icelandic government threatened to withdraw from NATO and expel U.S. forces from Iceland if this dispute was not brought to an end with a satisfactory conclusion. NATO then became engaging in informal and formal mediations to end the dispute. After the United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea between 1960 and 1961, Iceland and Britain came to an agreement.

The Icelandic fishing limits were extended to 12 nm. However, the British would have rights to fish just outside of 6 nm  for three years in certain seasons and zones. The Icelandic parliament, Alþingi, approved the agreement on March 11th, 1961. The agreement also stated that any future disputes between these two countries regarding fishery zones would be sent to the International Court of Justice in the Hague. You would think that this would be the end of the Cod Wars. Unfortunately, that is not the case.

After a little more than a decade since the first Cod War, which was from 1958 – 1961, Iceland and Britain continued their dispute in 1972. This time it was due to Iceland extending its fishing limits to 50 nm (93 km). The Icelandic government’s reasons for extending the limits were to conserve fish stocks and to increase their share of the total catches. Originally, they had considered increasing the limit to 200 nm but it would have been more difficult for them to patrol.

The British were not a fan of this and opposed it for two reasons. First, they wanted to be able to have the best possible catch quota for British fishermen in contested waters. Second, recognition of this extension would set a precedent for other extensions.

All of the other Western European states and the Warsaw Pact opposed the extension. After meeting with African states in 1971, they supported Iceland’s decision because the Prime Minister of Iceland argued that they were fighting against colonialism and imperialism. On September 1st, 1972, Iceland started to enforce the new 50 nm limit. Many British and West German fishing trawlers violated the limit. You might recall that the agreement from the 1st Cod War stipulated that any future disputes between Iceland and the United Kingdom should go to the International Court of Justice. Well, the new leftist coalition government in Iceland said that they should not be bound to an agreement made by the previous center right government.

Ægir, an Icelandic Coast Guard vessel, chased 16 foreign fishing trawlers outside of the 50 nm zone the very next day. Instead of relying on shooting at fishing boats, this time around the Icelandic Coast Guard vessels starting cutting fishing nets. From September 5th, 1972 until August 29th, 1973, Icelandic ships cut around 20 fishing nets of British and German fishing boats

Of course the British Royal Navy showed up but that wasn’t until May of 1973. The Icelandic government was so upset about the presence of the Royal Navy that they considered appealing to the United Nations. There was even a demand by Ólafur Johannesson, the Prime Minister of Iceland at the time, for the United States to send jets to bomb the British military vessels. In May, there were big protests in Reykjavík and all of the windows in the British embassy were broken

Besides cutting nets, Icelandic vessels were colliding with British ones. This happened several times during the second cod war. Unfortunately, one fatality on the Icelandic side came from a collision. Halldór Hallfreðsson, an engineer on the Icelandic Coast Guard vessel, was using his welding equipment to make a hull repair after a collision with a British frigate. The compartment filled up with sea water and he died by electrocution

NATO had been no help to Iceland during this conflict and Iceland was on the verge of leaving. On September 16th, 1973, Joseph Luns, Secretary-General of NATO, came to Iceland to talk with Icelandic ministers. After many talks, British warships went back home on October 3rd.

On November 8th, 1973 an agreement was signed. It stated that British fishing activities were restricted to certain areas within the 50 nm limit and their annual catch of fish could not be more than 130,000 tons.

Unfortunately, peace didn’t last long between Iceland and the United Kingdom. Well, not as long as it did between the first and second cod wars. Several nations at the third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea supported a 100 nm limit to territorial waters. Well, the Icelandic government took it a step further by announcing that they planned to extend the limit to 200 nm on July 15, 1975.

This is the last of the Cod Wars and it was quite intense. Many incidents of ramming and cutting fishing nets happened over the seven month dispute. The most serious happened on December 11th, 1975. Þór, an Icelandic Coast Guard vessel, found three British ships within the 200 nm exclusion zone.

They were Lloydsman, a tugboat that was three times the size of Þór, Star Aquarius, an oil rig supply vessel for British ships, and her sister ship, Star Polaris. They were sheltering themselves from gale force winds about 12 nm from Iceland’s shore. When the captain of Þór ordered the boats to leave, it seemed as if they would comply. However, the Star Aquaris allegedly hit Þór as the Icelandic ship tried to overtake her. When Þór tried to increase speed, it was hit by Lloydsman. The Icelandic ship suffered a considerable amount of damage.

When the Star Aquarius came back around, Þór first fired a blank shot. That didn’t stop the British boat from hitting Þór a second time. Þór then shot a live round that hit the bow of the Star Aquarius. After that, the British boats retreated. The British claim that the Icelanders were trying to board one of the boats, so they hit Þór. Niels Sigurdsson, the Icelandic Ambassador in London at the time, claims that Þór had been acting in self defense after being rammed by British boats.

The United Kingdom’s response to this incident was to deploy a large fleet of warships to Iceland. Overall, the British sent a total of 22 frigates, 7 supply ships, 9 tugboats, and 3 support boats to protect it’s fishing trawlers.

The Icelandic government attempted  to increase its ability to defend its territory by trying to get acquire a U.S. Asheville class gunboat but Henry Kissinger said no. Later, they tried to get a Soviet Mirka class warship but that didn’t happen either.

As I had mentioned earlier, there was one fatality on the Icelandic side during the 2nd Cod War.  During the 3rd Cod War in February 1976, the British Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food claimed that a fisherman from Grimsby was hit by a thick rope or hawser while an Icelandic vessel was cutting its nets. The minister said he suffered serious injuries and later died. However, this doesn’t seem to be corroborated by any historical resources. Only one official fatality was confirmed during these disputes. There had been a total of 55 ship ramming incidents during the third cod war.

Serious international intervention happened only after Iceland had threatened to close the NATO base in Keflavík. If that happened, NATO’s ability to deny the Soviet Union access to the Atlantic Ocean would have been severely weakened. In the end, the British government conceded. Its fisherman boats would stay outside of the 200 nm limit for the time being.

The British said they would stay outside of the 200 nm limit. However, on May 6, 1976, there was one last incident between the Icelandic Coast Guard and the British Royal Navy. Týr, an Icelandic ship, was cutting the net of the Carlisle when the HMS Falmouth, a British frigate, rammed Týr. The Icelandic ship almost capsized, but it was able to finish cutting the nets before it was rammed again. Týr was heavily damaged and had less fire power than the British ship, but its crew manned the guns. The dispute didn’t go much further but it was certainly an epic and scary battle.

Finally, an agreement was reached between the U.K. and Iceland in a NATO mediated session on June 1st, 1976. Iceland agreed to allow 24 British fishing ships to be within the 200 nm limit. However, they could only fish a total of 30,000 tons

Iceland’s strategic location, political leverage, and grit enabled this small nation to defend itself against one of the top nations in the world. Even though, the British fishing industry was severely impacted by the results of the cod wars, there doesn’t seem to be an overwhelming sense of negative feelings between the nations today.  However, if there is a football match between the countries, or a more minor fishing dispute, the Cod Wars are inevitably mentioned.

At the end of the 2nd Cod War, British fishing trawlers played Rule Britannia over their radios. They also played the Party’s Over by Willie Nelson when they had to leave the limit that Iceland had imposed.

Þorskastríðin – Cod Wars

I hope you enjoyed learning about the Cod Wars. I release a new podcast episode every week. Make sure you are subscribed to the All Things Iceland podcast so you don’t miss new episodes. Also, don’t forget to enter to win the All Things Iceland podcast giveaway. The link is below.

Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega

Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!

Iceland is popular now but before 2010, hardly anyone came to see this spectacular place. It is fascinating now that you can’t  find a “must-see” destination list without this amazing country being featured. While there are many reasons why this small, island nation located in the Atlantic ocean is so popular, I am sharing my top six. I split this list into two parts to keep the episodes relatively short. Also, the list is in no particular order because I believe that each of the reasons that I share continue to have a major impact on the country’s popularity. Below are three out of six.

Craters from a volcano

I can wax poetic about the diverse and beautiful landscape of Iceland all day.  It really is an enchanting place that will surprise and delight you.  I like to this of this country as a foreign planet because it is so unlike anywhere else on earth.  The dark, long winters are a wonderland of snow and ice. Powerful wind storms during this time of the year show you just how intense mother nature can be in this country; and, if you are lucky, you might even get a delightful Northern Lights show.  During the summer, everything springs to life and you can enjoy 24 hours of day light for a few months. This land of contrasts gives you ample opportunity to enjoy loads of activities in each season.

Some of the most notable natural wonders in Iceland are bubbling hot springs, numerous glaciers, active volcanoes, stunning lava rock, black sand beaches, colorful  mountains that can be seen in the highlands, vibrant green moss as far as the eye can see, iceberg filled glacier lagoons, countless waterfalls, and remote wilderness. The power of Icelandic nature usually just affects people who live on the island or those that are visiting. However, in 2010, Eyjafjallajökull, an active volcano, erupted. Strong winds pushed the ash from the volcano  into the direction of major flight routes, which interrupted airline travel for people around the world. It is funny that this eruption is why kicked off the tourism boom. Iceland is popular now because people were so curious to know more about this tiny island that could disrupt the whole airline industry.

Sheep in Iceland photo by Topich

On the land and in the sea surrounding the island, live fascinating animals. If you drive on the ring road (the main one that goes around the country) during the summer, you will come across free roaming sheep and lamb. They outnumber the Icelandic population two to one! You are also likely to spot majestic Icelandic horses grazing or galloping in open fields. The cunning arctic fox can be found throughout Iceland, but the largest population of them can be found in the West fjords. If you are wiling to head into very remote regions in the east, you might spot a reindeer.

About 370 bird species can be found in the country but their presence and whereabouts depends on their breeding habits and season.  The adorable Puffin is a popular bird that many people flock to see in Iceland (pun intended ;-)), but it is only possible to seem them between May and August, when they are breeding.   Luckily, you can see these fascinating birds in different parts of the country. I’ve had the privilege of viewing Puffins up close in the West Fjords. So cute!

Puffin in Iceland – photo by pascal-mauerhofer

In the vast sea surrounding the island, various whale species and seals have been spotted. Summer time is your best bet for whale watching, so just keep that in mind when you plan to visit.

The country’s nature and animals have been popular among nature lovers and adventure enthusiasts circles for decades. Over the last few years, the internet, specifically blogs and social media have helped to spread the word about just how amazing nature is in the land of fire and ice.

Icelandic people in 1927

Many people think of Iceland as the land of the Vikings. While invading foreign lands is a part of their history, Icelandic people are much different now. Their family-centered culture mixes modern European living with traditional holidays and celebrations. One of the most notable aspects of the people is their intriguing language. If you think it sounds strange, you are not alone. Icelandic people cherish their mother tongue and are working hard to preserve it.   If you are curious about the history of the Icelandic language, check out episode two of this podcast

There is a rich culture of storytelling through written word and literary text. People the world over have heard about or read the famous sagas. There are many tales of hidden people, trolls and all sorts of mystical creatures that may exist.

It seems as though creativity courses through Icelander’s veins. There is no doubt that Iceland is popular because of the artistic talent of its natives. If you are a fan of music, you might have heard of some famous Icelandic artists, such as Björk, Sigur Ros, Of Monsters & Men and Emiliana Torrini. This is just a handful of Icelandic artists that are sharing their passion with the world.  Below is a great Spotify list of Icelandic singers for you to check out.

Along with producing great literature and music, as well as being the descendants of Vikings, Icelandic people have become popular for having one of the happiest and most peaceful countries in the world.  It’s not hard to see why so many people are interested in exploring this place.

Iceland men’s football team – photo by KSÍ

While the men’s national football team are Icelandic people, I decided to talk about them separately as a reason for Iceland’s popularity boom. They have had a major impact on sparking people’s interest in the country.

With about 3.5 billion fans in the world, football (soccer), is by far the most popular sport in the world. The team first garnered a lot of attention In 2014 when they made it to the qualifying rounds of the FIFA World Cup. That year, they reached the playoffs but ending up losing to Croatia. 

The next time that this team stunned the world was in 2016. They made it to the UEFA European Championship. This was the first time they made it to a major tournament.  In a dazzling show of athleticism, grit and passion for the game, Iceland knocked out the Netherlands and England to make it to the quarter finals! No one expected them to make it that far. In fact, I think the Icelandic team was even stunned that they beat England! You might be familiar with the viking clap that the team does after a victory or just to celebrate. 

They ended up losing to France in the quarter finals but they still walked away winners because the team had proven that they are competitors that must be taken seriously.  

Fast forward to October 2017 and men’s team stunned the world again by qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Finals in Russia. They are the smallest nation ever, by population, to qualify for the world cup finals. Every time the men’s team plays in a major tournament, the interest in Iceland spikes on the internet.  

Even though the men’s team are getting a lot of attention, the women’s team has made a historic win as well.  During a World Cup qualifying match in 2017, they amazed football fans by defeating the Germans. The German women’s team hadn’t lost  a match in the qualifiers since 1998! That historic and shocking win shows that the Icelandic women’s team are serious contenders in the sport.

Making historic wins in football matches has made Iceland a darling of the sport around the world. Win or lose in June, the country wins because people, more than ever, want to learn about and visit this fascinating place. There is not doubt that Iceland is popular because of their football teams determination to show that they can play on the world stage with larger countries.

The Icelandic word of the episode is Eyjafjallajökull, which is the name of the volcano that I wrote about at the beginning of these show notes. Listen to the podcast at 13:18 to hear how it is pronounced. I also shared a random fact about Iceland during this episode at 13:00. Check it out.

If you have enjoyed this episode of All Things Iceland, please subscribe to the podcast, so you don’t miss an update. If you are listening to this on iTunes, Google Play or any other platform that allows reviews, please leave a review.

These three reason gave you a taste of how Iceland is popular. However, there were other factors that helped. Make sure to check out part 2 of this episode, to learn even more about how the popularity of the country is growing.

Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að lesa ( og að hlusta). Sjáumst fljótlega!

Thank you kindly for reading (and listening). See you soon!

As I mentioned in part one of the “6 Reasons Why Iceland is so Popular” episode, this amazing country has many reasons for why people are flocking to it. In this episode, I share my final three out of six reasons. Make sure you check out the first three reasons I shared in the last episode of the All Things Iceland podcast.

If you are traveling from North America to mainland Europe and vice versa, Iceland is in the middle of those places, which makes it a very convenient place for airline companies to stop and refuel, as well as offer connecting flights to many destinations. Iceland, as a hub for connecting to other flights, has made travel to many places more accessible to people. Even though connecting via Iceland’s Keflavík airport has been used by travelers for over 50 years, it is only in the last 20 years that Iceland has experienced many travelers leaving the airport to explore the country. Up until the 1980s, the number of tourists to Iceland did not exceed 80,000 people in a single year. In fact, the travels of Icelandic people usually exceeded the number of tourists back then.

Keflavík Airport by WhatsOn

It wasn’t until the 2000s that the number of tourists began to increase. In the early 2000s, Iceland received around 300,000 visitors, which was more than the number of people living on the island! By 2016, that number had sharply risen to almost 1.8 million foreign visitors.

# of Tourist to Iceland vs Icelandic Population

Iceland is still a great place for planes to stop and refuel, and it is used by many airlines that want to have connecting flights for their customers. However, it is now a must-see destination, and foreigners are more than happy to leave the airport and discover the country’s unique features. Iceland is so popular because it has been made easy for people to visit.

The amount of movies and shows filmed in Iceland is astonishing.  I might be stretching it here, but I believe that most people that live in the Western world, and who actively go to the movie theater and/or watch television, have watched at least one of the films listed below:

This is not an exhaustive list of all of the films that have been shot in Iceland but it gives you a taste of major motion pictures that have captured footage in Iceland’s diverse and remarkable nature.

The stunning scenery showcased in these films has inspired people to visit. Plus, who wouldn’t want to go to a destination that feels like you have been transported to outer space?

The promotion of Iceland as a destination has been infused with creativity, humor and a lot of strategic planning.  According to the Promote Iceland Act, “the objective of the act is to strengthen Iceland’s image and reputation, enhance the competitive position of the Icelandic undertakings on foreign markets and to attract foreign investment and tourists to the country.” While that is a boring statement, how the country has gone about creating ways of attracting investments and visitors is far from a snore fest.

Photo – Inspired by Iceland

Inspired by Iceland is the official marketing arm for the country as a destination. They developed their building blocks for marketing and that serves as the guiding light for how they present the country to the world. In the PDF of their building blocks, the first line on the list of what they want to keep in mind when they promote the country is, “Iceland is not for everyone!” So many countries want to market to everyone but when they do that, it can be so easy for them to lose focus on what they represent. Because the Inspired by Iceland team accepts that the country is not for everyone, they attract their core target audience. Iceland is so popular because word of mouth about it has spread quickly. These people, like myself and many others, fall in love with the country and become super fans. They spread the word about how amazing the country is and why it is worth it to visit and/or live here.

The content that Inspired by Iceland produces is always fun, educational and features Iceland’s stunning nature. You can check out a funny video that they recently produced called the Hardest Karaoke Song in the World. It has over 2 million views on Youtube. It  attempts to teach visitors the Icelandic language and show the seven spectacular regions of the country.

Another super successful marketing initiative that has appealed to visitors is Icelandair’s stopover option. The airline Icelandair allows for its passengers to stopover in Iceland for up to seven nights at no additional charge. An example of this, is that a person flying from New York to Paris on an Icelandair flight can stopover in Iceland for up to seven nights before continuing on their destination, which is Paris in this situation.  If you have a round trip ticket, you can stopover for up to seven days on your way to Paris and on your way back to New York. Again, for no additional charge. I have included a screenshot of what that example looks like when you are booking on the site below.

Because Icelandair is going to stop in Iceland between many of  its destinations anyway, this is a genius idea. It has attracted the attention of many travelers and has incentivized them to stay in Iceland for a few nights to see what people are raving about.

While Icelandair does have this great deal, they are not an inexpensive airline. In 2011, the Icelandic budget airline WowAir, which was founded by Skúli Mogensen, came onto the scene.  Their low fares have made Iceland even more accessible to travelers. There is no inflight entertainment and you pay for pretty much everything, except for oxygen, on the flight.  But if you are on a budget, you can find an inexpensive flight to and from their many destinations in North America and Europe. They also just recently announced flights to India.

Photo – Wow Air

Marketing from tourist companies, famous photographers and influencers are reaching millions of people on social media, blogs and travel websites. These outlets are playing a significant role in helping to market the country.

*By the way, I am not being sponsored to promote any of the companies mentioned in this podcast episode and show notes. If my content is ever being sponsored, I will be upfront about it.

I would love to hear what your thoughts are on these six reasons and if you think I missed any.

As you can see from Part One and Two of the “6 Reasons Why Iceland Is So Popular”, Iceland is a small country but it has a big personality.

There is no McDonald’s restaurant in Iceland. The franchised locations, 3 in total, closed in 2009 because of the financial crisis in the country. Hear what the former owner had to say about how difficult it was to keep the locations open at 14:20 in the podcast.

The Icelandic word of the episode is bíomynd, which means movie. Listen to the podcast at 16:09 to hear how it is pronounced.

If you have enjoyed this episode of All Things Iceland, please subscribe to the podcast, so you don’t miss an update. If you are listening to this on iTunes, Google Play or any other platform that allows reviews, please leave a review. It provides helpful feedback for me and I’d love to hear what you think of the show.

Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að lesa ( og að hlusta). Sjáumst fljótlega!

Thank you kindly for reading (and listening). See you soon!

I had the opportunity to chat with Dr. Guðmundur A. Guðmundsson, who has a MSc and PhD degree in Ecology, and is a researcher at the Icelandic Institute of Natural History. During the interview you will hear me say Mummi when I speak to Dr. Guðmundsson. It is a nickname commonly used in Iceland for men with the name Guðmundur.

Some of the topics I discussed with Mummi during our interview for the All Things Iceland podcast include the fascinating birds that can be found in Iceland, the connection between birds and Icelandic culture, and the best time to see birds migrating to the country. It was an enlightening conversation and I hope you enjoy listening to it.

Please remember to subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss the new episodes that I upload every week. If you are listening to this podcast on a platform that allows a reviews, please leave a review.

Goða skemmtun og sjáumst fljótlega (Enjoy and see you soon)!

I was fortunate to have the opportunity to chat with Alda Sigmundsdóttir, an Icelandic author and journalist that has her thumb on the pulse of Icelandic society. Even though Alda was born in Iceland, she grew up in Canada and lived in a few different countries. The insight that she shared with me about Iceland and its people was enlightening and sometimes surprising. We had such a great time chatting, that we ended up talking for an hour. In order to keep these episodes relatively short, I have broken this interview up into two parts. During this episode, which is part 1, you will hear about the challenges Alda faced when she moved back to Iceland, how insular Icelandic society is, how she decides what to write about, what the most important thing tourists should keep in mind when they visit Iceland and what Icelandic people really think of visitors to their country.

Alda’s website

Instagram

Facebook

I hope you enjoyed listening to part 1 of this interview. Part 2 will be released next week, so make sure you are subscribed to the All Things Iceland podcast so you don’t miss it. If the platform you are listening to this podcast on allows you to leave a review, please do so, if you haven’t already.

Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta og sjáumst fljótlega (Thank you kindly for listening and see you soon)!

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. I recommend these companies because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something through my links. Please do not spend any money on these products unless you feel you need them or that they will help you achieve your goals.

During part 2 of my interview with Alda Sigmundsdóttir, an Icelandic author and journalist that has her thumb on the pulse of Icelandic society, Alda shares some eye opening information. Alda talks extensively about Iceland’s economic meltdown, scandals that people outside of the country might not be aware of, a place in Iceland that is close to her heart and her favorite Icelandic word or phrase. While the two parts of this interview can stand alone as individual episodes, I very much recommend listening to both parts.

Alda’s website

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I hope you enjoyed listening to part 2 of this interview. Make sure to check out Part 1, if you have not already. I publish a new episode of the  All Things Iceland podcast every week.  Make sure you are subscribed so you don’t miss new updates. If the platform you are listening to this podcast on allows you to leave a review, please do so, if you haven’t already.

Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta og sjáumst fljótlega (Thank you kindly for listening and see you soon)!

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