Iceland

Bobbing alone at a crossroads of the North Atlantic and Arctic oceans, Iceland offers stunning natural wonders, kind and chatty people, and unique scenery. Even a short visit is worthwhile, as it's an easy hop from the capital of Reykjavík to unforgettable day-trip excursions like the famous Golden Circle route, studded with geysers and thundering waterfalls; the South Coast with its glaciers, black beaches, and jagged volcanic landscape; and of course the famous Blue Lagoon thermal baths. Those with more time thrill to the 800-mile Ring Road that circles the entire island.Travel by boat to along dramatic coastlines for a different perspective and a great chance to catch the northern lights shining overhead. Iceland's otherworldly magic comes not so much from its abundance of natural splendors but from its people's strong connection to their landscape, where it seems every rock has a thousand-year-old name and a legend to go along with it.