When it comes to traveling, many of my friends fall at two different ends of the spectrum. I have some friends who are incessant globe-trotters with passport stamp counts that far exceed mine. On the other hand, I have friends who don’t own passports at all, and have never traveled outside of the U.S.
From the latter camp, several have told me lately that they really want to travel overseas. I know that this can be a rather intimidating prospect when you’re doing it for the first time, especially if you decide to go solo. So for travelers planning a first foreign trip, the choice of destination can be very important.
All of this got me thinking, on my recent trip to Iceland, that this country would be an absolute perfect locale for someone taking their first overseas trip, and hopefully kick off a lifetime of exotic adventures (or at least a few more down the road).
Why is Iceland such a great choice for a first trip outside of the U.S.? Plenty of reasons!
- It’s easy. I’m not one to say that every trip needs to be to an “easy” country…there are loads of fascinating destinations off the beaten track which are hugely rewarding and worth seeing, despite some bumps and discomfort along the way. But that’s not the ideal way to begin with your first overseas trip. It’s fine—even desirable—to go someplace easy and slowly adjust to the rhythm of travel and life outside your usual comfort zone. Iceland fits the bill here. Its capital city, Reykavik, is easy to navigate; the people are friendly and helpful; and everyone (or just about everyone) speaks English (at least in Reykavik and the surrounding area). All this ease can help smooth the way for first-timers, and let them focus less on logistics and making themselves understood and more on enjoying their trip to the fullest.
- Quick flight, minimal jet lag. Flights to Reykavik from Washington, DC are about five hours (slightly longer coming back). There are cheap direct flights on WOW air, and Icelandair also offers reasonable fares, as well as their famous offer of a seven-day stopover on the way to or from another destination. Additionally, the time difference is four hours—not nothing, but roughly comparable to the experience of flying from the East to West coasts in America. For a first trip overseas, this can help minimize the painful aspects of adjusting to a new time zone after a sleepless night on a plane (or maybe that’s just me). Iceland is very doable, even for those who aren’t used to long-haul flights. If you can handle a flight to California, you can manage a trip to Iceland.
- Reykavik. I fell hard for Reykavik (blog post coming on this soon). It’s one of the most enjoyable cities I’ve ever spent time in, and as one who loves cities and has visited plenty, I don’t say that lightly. Reykavik has just about everything a first-time overseas traveler (or anyone, really) could want: ease of navigation, friendly English-speaking locals, lots of great restaurants, good (if expensive) shopping, and even some fantastic sea views to remind you that yes, you are in Iceland. I really loved it and can’t wait to go back. I suspect many newer travelers would be enchanted by Reykavik too.
- The countryside. Of course, Iceland isn’t all about its (medium-sized) city. Once you leave Reykavik behind, whether in a rental car or on a tour bus, you’ll discover an amazingly diverse landscape of geysers, parks, and my favorite, waterfalls. It’s easy to get out of the city to explore these natural wonders, which provide a great counterpoint to Reykavik’s urban delights. And of course, before you head to the airport for your return flight, you can spend a few hours basking in the Blue Lagoon, which may just be my new happy place. So much natural beauty and unique attractions within striking distance of the city limits? It’s just another plus for travelers who want to see as much as possible before heading home. Any first overseas trip should be filled with a multitude of special memories; Iceland makes that incredibly easy.
- A sample of Europe, without going all the way. Iceland—particularly Reykavik—reminded me quite a bit of Europe (which technically, it is, but situated conveniently in the Atlantic halfway between the Old and New world landmasses). But Reykavik often felt like a very Central European city to me: streets lined with fascinating architecture, plenty of unique shops and restaurants, loads of charming cafes, some great museums…pretty much all the things I love and miss about Europe were right here. While I would strongly encourage all travelers to visit Europe at least once in their lives (and hopefully more!), Iceland is a really great place to get a feel for Europe without having to go all the way over there. It’s a great “European sampler” before taking the plunge to explore the continent.
Of course, Iceland has some drawbacks, the main one being that it’s really rather expensive—though cheap flights help balance things out and it CAN be done on a budget. But no country is perfect. And when I think about possible destinations to recommend to my friends who are about to dive into the exciting world of foreign travel, I can think of no better place than Iceland for them to start.
Happy travels!