Those who have visited the country will speak rapturously of its wild and rugged landscapes with colourful features such as its green valleys, blue geysers, red sulphur and black lava. Fjords, rivers and waterfalls are common as are volcanoes, with Iceland hailed as one of the world’s most volcanically active countries. Scenery is perhaps the country’s greatest attraction as far as tourists are concerned although there are plenty of activities other than just appreciating landscapes with whale-watching and river-rafting to name but a few. Excellent shopping and dining opportunities can be found in the big cities, as can some quality nightlife. Elsewhere, visitor-friendly destinations include the area immediately south of the capital where famous hot springs such as the Blue Lagoon, can be found. The Western Fjords with their quaint little fishing villages; the Central Highland areas with their camping possibilities; the city of Akureyri with its museums and natural attractions and the southeast around the village of Hofn also make excellent trips. The country has opened up significantly to tourists and now offers a pretty solid visitor infrastructure with Reykjavik in particular providing some excellent accommodation options as well as fine dining and thriving social venues. | 
