Despite being known as the Land of Fire and Ice, Iceland and its people have quite a welcoming presence—outfitted in cozy wool sweaters and blanketed in endless summer sunlight. With breathtaking landscapes, folkloric tales, plentiful hot springs, and contemporary Icelandic music, Iceland is primed for the cultural connoisseur looking for adventure. The Golden Circle is a great place to start, a route that passes Þingvellir National Park, Gullfoss waterfall, and the Geysir Geothermal Area—just a taste of the many wonders scattered across the nation. Whether it’s a helicopter ride over glaciers or a stay in a glass-walled villa beneath the northern lights, a trip to Iceland is unforgettable.

In Reykjavík, Nordic design meets a vibrant creative scene in the form of cutting-edge restaurants such as Dill and experimental-music festivals like Airwaves, all beneath the towering silhouette of Hallgrímskirkja, the city’s largest house of worship. This land shaped artists like Björk and Ásmundur Sveinsson, whose avant-garde creations echo the country’s untamed beauty and otherworldly pulse. Out in the countryside, turf-roofed houses and steaming geothermal pools speak to a life lived in harmony with nature.