Iceland is a huge, mountainous island found in the North Atlantic Ocean.

Although Iceland is considered to be part of Europe, the country is halfway between Europe and North America, with Greenland not far behind. The main international airport of Keflavik is located in the southwest of the country, about 40 kilometers from Reykjavík, the capital of Iceland. Reykjavík is located in the southwest of Iceland. Keep in mind that if you go to Iceland in the summer, things slow down as most of the locals head outdoors.

Car hire in Iceland is the most flexible way to see as much as possible and you may want to think about renting a 4×4 like a Nissan Pathfinder to get off the beaten track. Areas of interest include the Westfjords and the interior of Iceland. You can also visit Vestmannaeyjar which is a volcanic area of ​​islands in the west of Iceland and Akureyri which is the capital of the north. Tour companies will be happy to take you on excursions to these places and many more.

Places worth visiting include Vatnajokull National Park which was created last year (2008) and is the largest national park in Europe covering about 12% of the entire country.

Pingvellir National Park has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is where the North American and European continental plates ominously shift. It was also where Iceland’s parliament, the longest-running parliament in the world, was originally held. Then there is the setting of the book Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne. Snaefellsjokull National Park is located at the tip of the Snæfellsnes peninsula in southern Iceland.

It’s important to make your Iceland car rental reservation well in advance if you want to be sure you get the right make and model of car for your holiday or business trip. There are a range of optional extras available with cars that can be very useful, such as sat navs and snow tires or winter chains.

In Iceland you drive on the right hand side of the road and you must use your headlights at all times, while the use of seat belts is also mandatory. If you want to see for yourself why people in Iceland are fun-loving, then you could do worse than try out the Hafnarfjordur Viking festival and the enchanting town of Elves.

Knowing what the road signs mean in Iceland is important as it will help you deal with difficult conditions. For example, “malbik endar” means that the road changes from a paved road to a gravel road, so you need to slow down to maintain control of the car.

Be especially careful if you plan to cross rivers or drive on mountain roads, as there could be severe falls if you stray off the road. Most of the mountain roads are closed until the end of June, or even longer, due to wet and muddy conditions that make them completely impassable. Take a credit card with you, as it is the fastest way to pay to refuel the car and keep in mind that there can be long distances between gas stations, so you must keep stocked up. Gasoline rates are approximately ISK170 per litre.

Similarly, it is very important to plan your route in advance in case of bad weather and snow storms. This means that it is advisable to carry food and water and know where the nearest accommodation is at all times in case you need to stop. The Icelandic weather office is a good place to check the weather conditions before you set out on your journey. That being said, most of the time Iceland’s weather is quite pleasant.

The Route One Ring Road is the only motorway in Iceland and covers the entire country. Although Iceland has suffered from the global financial crisis, it’s not a bad time to visit as the currency crash has made things 40% cheaper for visiting tourists. Previously, Iceland was considered one of the most expensive countries in the world.