The recent volcanic eruption in Iceland has brought the world’s attention back to the land of fire and ice. This is the fourth eruption on the Reykjanes Peninsula in three years.
The Sundhnukagigar eruption near the evacuated town of Grindavik and the world-famous Blue Lagoon geothermal spa only lasted a few days, but experts remain cautious of declaring the event “over” because of the risk magma may be accumulating elsewhere.
Nevertheless, Iceland remains open for tourism, as it did throughout the event, except for a few hours on the morning when the eruption began. If you were hoping to visit the famous landmarks of Iceland in 2024, your travel plans should be unaffected.
Although popular sites, including the Blue Lagoon, are closed, the vast majority of travel-related businesses remain open. In addition, Iceland has several new and improved offers for tourists in 2024.
The recent eruption is sure to boost interest in volcano-related travel experiences, of which Iceland has no shortage. Visitors can see for themselves the impact caused by this and previous eruptions on a helicopter tour from Reykjavik.
Other features to learn more about Icelandic geology are visiting some of the remarkable lava tubes left behind after past eruptions.
For a less active but no less enthralling experience, the Lava Show is an innovative attraction that recreates a volcanic eruption using real lava in the heart of Reykjavik. The attraction has won a TripAdvisor ‘Travelers’ Choice’ award in each of the past four years.
The vast majority of foreign air passengers will have to arrive in Iceland at Keflavík Airport, Reykjavik’s main foreign airport. This poses a challenge for those who want to make a stopover in the rest of the country, requiring connecting flights or an expensive road trip.
The long-awaited expansion of Akureyri Airport will provide a major boost to tourism in the north of Iceland. Akureyri’s new passenger terminal will accommodate more international flights, opening up the natural attractions of Northern Iceland to many more travelers.
EasyJet offers twice-weekly flights from London and has more routes in the pipeline.
One of the uses of the new airport will be to accommodate visitors hoping to see the Northern Lights during their stay in Iceland.
As elsewhere in the northern component of the Nordic region, northern lights tourism in Iceland is expected to increase as solar activity approaches its peak, which is expected to happen in 2024 or 2025.
The northern lights are a delight in northern Iceland.
Although aurora sightings in and around Reykjavik are not unusual, northern Iceland and the Westfjords region have ideal situations with a huge balance of northern latitude and a lack of synthetic light.
Exploring the stunning scenery of the Icelandic Highlands is normally only imaginable in summer. But from 2024, the Highland Base in Kerlingarfjöll will offer year-round accommodation and catering in the Highlands for the first time.
The alpine area, more than 2250 feet above sea level, will be kept open thanks to a fleet of snowplows and super jeeps. Winter reports presented to visitors will include cross-country skiing, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, and winter hiking.
A word of caution, though. The mountainous region is remote and isolated, with no department stores or gas stations. Here in summer you have to make plans, and even more so in winter. So fill up the tank and do thorough studies if you’re making plans like this.
The Eddas are the most valuable thing in Icelandic literature. Written on animal skins and preserved through the Árni Magnússon Institute, the celebrated chronicles of Norse mythology will have a new purpose-built home in 2024.
The University of Iceland will inaugurate the new building, called the Edda, opposite the National Museum. A guest centre will be in charge of the Árni Magnússon Institute.
Few tourists visit Seyðisfjörður on the east coast of Iceland unless they arrive by ferry from Denmark and the Faroe Islands. However, the city will soon get a glorious new charm in the form of a panoramic platform.
Located atop the city’s avalanche barriers, the platform will offer a fabulous view that will put the city in context with the surrounding fjords and mountains. Work is ongoing.