If you are looking for a beach vacation you are probably in the wrong place, but if an adventure is your idea of a good time you have arrived! This island is about as close to Africa as it is to Europe and is full of places to explore with a quaint town offering tasty treats and a hot meal just around the corner.
Carnaval in Madeira is a colorful combination of dance, humor, and fun, usually with an edge of the taboo. You never know if around the next corner you will run into women in feathered costumes or men in drag dancing with a pig. The festivities were spread out across a couple weeks with a live dance show every night and most of the events were free to the public.
We took an 11 day scenic lap around the country, starting in the lush green south, zigzagging through the fjords of the east, passing through the otherworldly volcanic areas in the north, and topped it off with rounding the Snæfellsnes Peninsula in the west. On this late May trip we generally had pleasant weather, but we encountered rain, fog, snow, wind, and sunshine. We saw tons of wildlife, waterfalls, geothermal hot spots, lava fields, and glaciers. It was an incredible experience! Options included for 4 Day - 11+ Day Trips.
I keep getting asked What is the best? and What if you have to pick just one? While there are hard questions to answer, here is my best shot at it. If I was going to do this trip again and only go to the very best places these would be my picks.
Stuff you should know about drinking water, the airport, staying connected, money, the bathrooms and more.
Things to know about camping in Iceland and reviews of the 10 campgrounds we stayed at.
Snaefellsnes Peninsula is often called mini Iceland for its mix of sights from all around the country. While it does condense a lot of Iceland into on spot, it also has many sights of its own that we you won’t find anywhere else.
When I think of going north I tend to visualize snowcapped mountains. While I’m sure there are many in the north, the Ring Road takes you through the center of the north which presents fewer snowcapped mountains than the fjords, but plenty of volcanic activity.
It is hard to imagine anything on Route 1 being off the beaten path, but much of the East Fjords has that feel. This is an area with something new around every corner and plenty of surprises.
The lush greenery of the southern coast provided more stunning vistas at every turn with dozens of waterfalls cascading from the cliffs above. While this part of the country is known for hordes of tourists, and we did deal with some, we also found a few magical places to enjoy in peace.