Iceland: land of wind, fire and… Snow!

We all know Iceland, at least in our collective imagination, as a land where colors, lights and wind blend together to create a unique and undeniable charm… A land where climatic factors like wind and rain can make even the most peaceful vacation project challenging.

And what about that myriad of fjords through which the Greenland Sea seems to penetrate deep into these desolate lands?

Or the endless waterfalls, often of enormous size, that plunge from basalt cliffs populated by the famous Atlantic puffin?

And then we all imagine it very far away, lost up there at the northern limits of the Atlantic Ocean, even though in reality it’s not that far: Iceland is in fact located just north of the 63rd parallel and is quite easily reachable from Italy, with a flight of about four hours.

So for several years now I’ve been heading north again to return to Iceland and spend a few days carving on its beautiful late winter snow: known to enthusiasts for its “firn”, it actually always offers the possibility of skiing on powder snow on north-facing slopes and beautifully transformed snow as soon as the slopes face the sun.

The journey from Reykjavik to Akureyri alone is worth being up there: the only road open all year round (or at least almost always, depending on snowfall) is Route 1, which circles the entire island.

Traveling along the western coast and then the northern one, you cross some mountainous areas with passes that exceed 600 m in altitude (quite a significant elevation for a road at these latitudes): the sporadic dwellings surrounded by herds of sturdy Icelandic horses testify to the isolation in which most of the population lives.

The environment crossed is very reminiscent of the Patagonian lands: as the journey continues it becomes increasingly alpine until the road descends with wide switchbacks to the Akureyri fjord and you find yourself surrounded by an infinity of beautiful mountains.

The charming town offers all comforts, from well-stocked supermarkets to typical small houses for tourist accommodation: warm (with volcanic fumaroles behind the house, district heating is a must!) and comfortable; in the center, numerous gathering places allow you to delve deeper into the rhythms of Icelandic life.

Ski touring here is a must and in fact Iceland has been famous for this activity since ancient times, certainly before Norway became famous for this sport: you can often start with skins directly from home to make excursions that prove to be incredibly scenic.

Moving just a little, you reach the charming fishing village of Dalvik in about thirty kilometers: here you really get the impression of being in lands where the essential is the order of the day: a small church, the fishing port, a small supermarket open for a few hours a day and lots of ski touring all around!

The welcome from our friend Björn in his pub converted from the town’s old theater offers a pleasant refreshment opportunity with good beer, typical local fish soups and even fermented shark – not recommended for Western palates – washed down by locals with a gulp of liquor…

The trips almost always start from the sea or nearby and it’s often possible to make interesting traverse routes, descending for example to Siglufjordur, another picturesque village overlooking the northern coast of the island that offers a nice variety of itineraries.

Average elevation gains around 1,000 m, ample possibilities for traverses and reskinning, always exciting turns overlooking a sea that couldn’t be bluer…. this is in summary the type of experience you can have in this magical Nordic land.

Northern lights, whale watching and spa with beer bath make a (beautiful) complement!