Incredible and fun facts about Iceland - The "land of fire and ice" is more than meets the eye
Fun Facts about Iceland
The first IcelandAir flight from Raleigh-Durham International Airport leaves Thursday, May 12. With this new direct flight available, visiting Iceland is now more of a possibility. But before you hop online to book that flight, let’s get to know the area with a few fun facts about Iceland.
Iceland is a location often used in popular movies and television shows
Parts of movies from Star Wars, Star Trek and Transformers franchises have been filmed here as well as scenes in the HBO series Game of Thrones. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. IMDB has a long list of movies and shows recorded in Iceland.
The capital of Iceland is Reykjavik
You probably knew that already though, right? In Old Norse, Reykjavík means “Bay of Smokes or Smokey Bay.” The suffix -vik means bay and is used often in the nomenclature for places throughout the region. More than 60 percent of the population lives in Reykjavík, while over 80 percent of the country is uninhabited.
Iceland is known as the “Land of Fire and Ice.”
The landscape in Iceland is full of natural wonders. They include volcanoes, geysers, lagoons, glaciers and more notably Aurora Borealis a.k.a. the Northern Lights. While there is never a guarantee of seeing the Northern Lights, your chances are greater from September through March. Dozens of the volcanoes in Iceland are still active, and glaciers cover almost 10 percent of the island. While the Blue Lagoon is the top attraction, there are hundreds of thermal pools in Iceland.
There are no mosquitos in Iceland
Yes, you read that right. Thanks to the cold climate, multiple freezes throughout the year and lack of lakes for them to breed in, mosquitoes will not be bugging you in Iceland. When you pack for your trip, you can leave the mosquito repellant at home.
No Starbucks. No McDonald’s
The popular coffee chain doesn’t have a single location in Iceland. Not to worry, coffee lovers there are plenty of other coffee options as Iceland has a robust coffee culture. McDonald’s used to have stores in Iceland up until 2009 when the fast-food giant pulled them during the financial crisis. Another fun fact: the last cheeseburger sold is kept on display and was previously available to watch decay via live stream.
Try “Black Death.”
Among the interesting food & drink in Iceland, Brennivín or “Black Death” is their signature drink made with fermented grain mash and caraway. The word Brennivín means “burning wine.” The drink is referred to as “Black Death” in part because of its high alcohol content causing people to pass out from drinking too much of it.
Hot dogs and shark are on the menu
The famous Icelandic hot dog “pyslur” is not the American hot dog you get at the ballpark. It’s made mostly with Icelandic lamb and a little pork and beef. It’s topped with onions, ketchup, a brown mustard and remoulade made with mayo, capers, mustard and herbs. Hákarl is fermented shark. It’s Iceland’s most notable dish even though most locals don’t eat it.
