Iceland has hit the headlines this week as one of its volcano’s has been erupting and caused volcanic ash to drift of the UK and many parts of Europe. Iceland has been in the headlines quite a bit recently – eruptions in the financial world have given the country a bad reputation due to its banking crisis.
The volcanic ash that is spewing out of the volcano in Iceland has been causing chaos with flights in the UK and northern Europe being cancelled. However, this volcanic eruption is nowhere near as bad as one that happened in the same volcanic area in Iceland back in 1873. The Laki eruption was the second largest volcanic eruption in the last 1,000 years and it caused 10,000 deaths in
Iceland out of a total population of only 50,000 people.
As the sulphur cloud drifted over northern Europe including the UK it caused an estimated 20,000 more deaths in Britain alone. The volcanic eruption at Laki lasted over 8 months and as well as the volcanic ash the volcano spewed out over 600 square kilometres of boiling lava into the countryside causing widespread destruction of the area.
Iceland as a Tourist Destination
Although many people have been flocking to Iceland to see the volcano many tourists do visit Iceland to see its dramatic scenery and volcanic landscape. It may surprise you that despite its name Iceland does not get too cold, even in winter. In fact, the winter temperature in Iceland is warmer than that of New York.The capital city of Iceland is Reykjavik and it is the world’s most northern capital city. Reykjavik means “smokey bay” because it is named after misty geo-thermal steam that rises from the ground and this steam now heats the homes and swimming pools of Reykjavik.
There is plenty to see and do in Reykjavik and the city is criss-crossed with paths and cycle lanes. The city also has art galleries and museums and a lively night life.The main reason for visiting Iceland though is the scenery and if you like the outdoors you will love Iceland. Glaciers cover one-ninth of Iceland”s land surface. Vatnajokull, at 3,300 square miles, is the largest glacier in Europe.Reykjavik is only a 15-minute cab ride between downtown and wild nature, where you’ll feel you’re the only person on earth. When you’re in nature, you can explore geysers, waterfalls, geothermal hot springs, bird sanctuaries and more!Iceland is the ideal place for taking a break and setting foot on a European outpost with an exciting, lively, ancient and thriving culture all of its own.
CALL GLOBAL HOLIDAYS ON 0845 299 4450 FOR FLIGHTS AND HOLIDAYS TO ICELAND
Leave a Reply