Unusual Things That Can Only Ever be Found in Iceland

Tour the inside of a volcano

Tour the inside of a volcano

Many people want to experience unusual things when traveling, and if you’re all about that – Iceland is undoubtedly the place for you. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can take a tour inside the remains of one of Iceland’s dormant volcanoes.

Thrihnukagigur volcano is the only place in the world where you can descend into the magma chamber, and see what the inside really looks like. In addition to spending some time inside the volcano, you can also explore the surreal terrain that surrounds it. Many people say that this is one of the must-see attractions when you visit Iceland.

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Year-round barbecues

Year-round barbecues

Barbecuing is pretty popular all over the world. There’s something special about the taste of meat cooked to smokey perfection over the open fire on the grill. In most parts of the world, however, people save their barbecues for the warm weather.

They wait for the summer when they can cook outside in their t-shirts and enjoy the nice evening. This isn’t the case in Iceland. When you have access to such delicious meat in the winter time, you have to take advantage of it. There also aren’t too many warm days in the cold climate, so Icelanders are perfectly willing to brave the elements, bundling up and standing over the grill in the cold winter air.

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Ice caves

Ice caves

Iceland’s ice caves come in a variety of shapes, colors, and sizes. Crystal ice caves look like they’re covered by a ceiling of glass while blue ice caves are a deep and vibrant azure color. One of the things that makes Iceland’s ice caves so special is the fact that none of them stay around for very long.

Each summer, the sun melts the glaciers in which the ice caves are located, and sometimes it causes them to become unstable. So, as soon as a new cave is discovered, you have to check it out as fast as possible. Make sure to visit in the winter, because many of the caves are not stable enough to enter in the summer.

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Film sets

Film sets

The incredible natural landscapes that are found in Iceland make it the perfect place to film movies. In addition to having its own impressive film industry, Iceland plays host to a large number of Hollywood productions that travel there to film.

From science fiction hit Star Wars to adventure film The Secret Life of Walter Mitty and more, the beauty of Iceland is frequently seen on the big screen. Most recently, fantasy television series Game of Thrones has used a number of stunning Icelandic locations for their otherworldly scenes. They filmed most of the outdoor scenes that take place at the Wall and beyond the Wall around Iceland, as well as the scenes at the Eyrie.

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Diving between continents

Diving between continents

Dive sites can be beautiful and interesting for a number of reasons. Some are known for stunning coral reefs, some have an incredible array of sea creatures, and some are notable because of shipwrecks. People flock to Iceland to go scuba diving for a completely different reason.

Iceland is split in half by the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, which means that part of the country is on the North American tectonic plate, and part is on the Eurasian plate. There are a number of fissures between theses land masses, and you can dive down between them, touching two different continents at the same time! One of the most popular places to do this is in the Silfra Fissure at Thingvellir Lake.

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Police on social media

Police on social media

We have already mentioned that Iceland is extremely safe, but that doesn’t mean the police don’t have any work to do! In fact, they do their jobs quite well. In addition to keeping the country safe, they also have a very strong social media presence.

They share important information with the public through Twitter and Facebook, and of course, they post fun and hilarious pictures on their Instagram page. It’s one of the best accounts out there and has given the Icelandic police force quite a fan base.

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They’re not lovin’ it

They’re not lovin’ it

If you can’t live without a few McNuggets in your life, you might not want to pack your bags and move to Iceland anytime soon. That’s because Iceland is one of the few countries in the world where the golden arches just don’t exist. Of course, that’s not to say that Ronald hasn’t ever found himself lovin’ it in Iceland.

The first McDonald’s restaurant opened its doors to Icelandic natives back in 1993, but many people weren’t happy to see the Happy Meal on the menu. They instead chose to buy their burgers at the Icelandic burger chain, Hambórgarabúllan, and spare the giant corporation their money. Because of this, it was impossible for the golden arches to survive the financial crash of 2008. The last cheeseburger ever sold can now be found in the Bus Hostel in Reykjavik.

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Beautiful flight attendants

Beautiful flight attendants

In 2016, Iceland was put on the map thanks to hildur María Leifsdóttir. This flight attendant made waves when she won the Miss Universe Iceland crown. This exposure opened up a whole new world of opportunity for the Iceland native and gave the rest of the world the chance to see what life in Iceland was really like.

She has since become a social media superstar, the face for Icelandair, and one of the most famous models in Iceland. While she now spends very little time in her home country, as she prefers to travel the world and document her snaps on Instagram, she is still incredibly proud of her Icelandic roots, and she doesn’t let her followers forget it.

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A whole lot of love

A whole lot of love

Iceland is considered the fourth happiest country in the world, and that’s pretty impressive. With very little crime and some of the most incredible geography known to man, it should come as no surprise to learn that the people who live here are all smiles.

However, it doesn’t stop there. To show how much love the people of Iceland really do have to give, the town of Akureyri has decided to change their stop lights. While the light is still red, there isn’t a heart instead of a circle. It’s all about the love.

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The Blue Lagoon

The Blue Lagoon

Countless people travel to Iceland each year, and many of them do so to take a dip in the Blue Lagoon. This geothermal spa can be found in a large lava field, where the geothermal activity allows visitors to swim and bathe in steaming water that is filled with rich minerals.

Because of this, most visitors don their bathing suits and smear the mud on their faces and body to clear skin conditions and heal ailments. This attraction is now one of the most famous attractions in the country and is one that definitely shouldn’t be missed.

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