Atlantica - 01.12.2006, Page 63

AT L A N T I CA 61
In summer, Iceland’s roads are quiet. In winter, they are silent. You can
drive all day without meeting another car. The network of unpaved
interior mountain roads is closed, and only Iceland’s inhabited areas are
accessible.
But there is lot to see out there in the whitescape. Frozen waterfalls,
deserted black lava stretching endlessly, and sleeping farms leaning up
against their mountains for protection from the wind.
When you catch a day of clear weather, grab a good Iceland road atlas,
a thermos of coffee, and hit the road with some good winter tires. Places
in the north of the country – like Melrakkaslétta, Húsavík, and Akureyri
– are all worth visiting off season, while spots closer to Reykjavík like the
Grótta lighthouse and Krýsuvík are also beautiful escapes.
And after a long, introspective trip into the big empty, it’s always great
to check out the nightlife in Reykjavík, where the geothermal heat is on,
and a beer is always waiting.
The Big Chill
ICELAND a
Photos and text by Páll Stefánsson
YOU’LL FIND ONE OF ICELAND’S MOST INTERESTING
BEACHES ON REYKJARNESTÁ, VERY CLOSE
TO KEFLAVÍK AIRPORT.
050-94ICELANDAtl606.indd 61 20.10.2006 10:24:46