What info. would you have on travel in Iceland in the summer of 98? What would be of interest to two retired school teachers who enjoy scenery, museums, interesting neighborhoods, low key travel. What would be a reasonable length of stay ? We like the by-ways and smaller areas...not just a city trip.

Hi, Marion, found a website for you. Its www.artic.is/itn/help.html or use Alta Vista search engine, and type "travel in Iceland". A lot of nice websites came up. I really like Iceland Travel Net-help. Think I will go to iceland now. They mentioned the Viking Pub- the only viking restaurant in the artic and had a night time picture of it that was gorgeous. The lanterns shining on the snow. And they mentioned Reykjavik Botanic Gardens that looked great, and the Blue Lagoon. Have to find out where that is. It looks like a glacial type lake in the middle of a field of ice, but you ride icelandic horses to get there! Everyone was on rafts and bathing suits and having a blast! Wow!
Try these websites! Good luck!

I would strongly suggest trying one of the Tauck Tours trips. They are first class, guided tours that have turned out to be fabulous adventures for us. My husband and I have taken several and have enjoyed each and every one. At least take a look at the brochure and then plan your own trip. The hotels are always excellent and their itinerary includes a bit of everything. There were several women traveling by themselves or in groups on the last trip and thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

Rick Steve's(journalist) rated the different Tour Groups and Tauck Tours came out on top. They stay at wonderful hotels, very organized....didn't know they went to Iceland. Sounds great!

Iceland: My favorite place. First trip: Go in the summer. How long: One month easy, more if like peace and solitude. I am trying to figure out how to get back there and rent a house for a month in 98'. Don't go for the food (though there is good food), go for the spectacular mountains which rise up 2000m from crystal blue seas; go for the people who are warm & friendly. If you are a city person, only go to Iceland as a stop over. Reykjavik is a beautiful city with lots to do, but is small on a world scale. The countryside is magnificant though and the history is facinating (read the sagas before you go!). If you like horse back riding, you'll love Iceland. Hiking and camping is great there. Personally, I would not go on a large tour, but that's me. I might do a short tour here & there, cause you get the inside scoop. We stayed on a farm in the north, & hired one of the family to take us around for a few days... that was a great compromise. Language-wise, it is easy to get around in Iceland, as many people speak english (along with German, Danish, Russian...). Spend sometime in the south, but do not miss going to the north west and the north (Akureryi) where there is more sun. If you play golf, play in the midnight tournament on the solstice. Don't get scared when you fly in to Iceland and it looks like the surface of the moon, but with rain and fog... It gets better (much)! ... but do take good Gortek rain-gear, cuase it can be wet.

Iceland is a beautiful place to visit...while there I would make sure to take a trip to Gullfoss (an enormous and beautiful waterfall) and I would also make sure to get out on the Icelandic horses on some sort of day trip...I would not spend an entire month in Iceland...I have been there several times because my family lives there and one month is still too long. Iceland is a small country and there is only so much to do and see.. I think two weeks is perfect.

My wife and I rented a Toyota Rav and drove around and through Iceland last summer, '96. It was (and I use the word in its true sense) awesome. It was also otherworldly, magical and breathtaking. Volcanos, glaciers, snow fields, lava fields, deserts composed of volcanic sand, thousands of waterfalls dropping from mountainsides in addition to major ones. And you can follow the waterfalls' paths because except for a few areas, there are no trees in iceland. In the moss-covered lava fields, you can almost imagine elves hiding behind the rocks. Almost everyone speaks English. Car rentals are very expensive. Could be $1,000 a week for a 4-wheeler. Contract stipulates no driving in the "interior" of the country with a non-4-wheeler. Except forn the road that rings the country, almost all roads are unpaved, and there are no bridges. When you come to a river in the interior you cross it in your car, although the roads lead to easily forded places. On the other hand, there are regular, day-long bus tours to fabulous sites in the interior, so you can leave your car behind for the day. It is an unforgettable place. And I haven't even talked about the puffins.