Iceland is a magical place, and an easy stop over if you’re entering Europe from the US, or a cheap flight from Heathrow in London. Sporting some of the most dramatic natural wonders the world has to offer, it is an island certainly worth a visit. There are a few caveats that should be taken into consideration before visiting. First of all, it is an extremely expensive country. We found the cost of everything from a beer at a pub, groceries, and gas, to be at least double the US price. It’s a shame, because Iceland has some good beers, and some really fun bars and restaurants, but you can expect to spend 10+ US dollars on a single pint. Second of all, the weather is usually bad, so pack appropriately. I’ve only been to Iceland twice, and both times were during the summer. Despite the sky never really getting dark, it seems to rain almost every day. This made planning for a several month backpacking trip that included much, much hotter places difficult. Because the sky never gets dark during the summer, I would also recommend bringing a sleep mask. I’ll never forget laying awake at 2:30 AM with a shadeless window in front of me with the sun directly on me like it was noon. So now that I’ve covered a few of the downsides, I should explain what is so great about Iceland. The capital city, Reykjavikis is a very modern, fun little place. The bars are packed all night, there is often a soccer game being projected on screens in the squares, and it is spotlessly clean and safe. But I wouldn’t plan more than a few days in town if I were you. The second time we were there, we rented a camper van and drove the whole circumference of the island over the course of 10 days. If you’ve only got a day or two, you can rent a car and do the Golden Circle, but if you can afford the time, I would highly recommend going deeper. Up north, there is a beautiful little town named Akureyri, dubbed the capital of the north. Near there is a circuit of incredible sights to see named the Diamond Circle. Everything on this little road trip is 100% worth the visit, and you wont need an F road capable vehicle (vehicles equipped to off road and drive in the highlands) for any of it. I’d also recommend looking up a map of “hot pots” and seeking Iceland’s natural hot pools out along your journey.