Iceland

Iceland rewards the traveller who keeps driving. The south coast is spectacular and busy, the east is empty, and the north feels like a different country altogether.

Ten days is enough for the ring road if you are willing to have a few long days behind the wheel.

Where to stay

• Guesthouses and farm stays, which are the backbone of Icelandic travel outside Reykjavik.
• One or two nights in a hotel with a hot tub, ideally in the east fjords.
• Reykjavik at the start or the end, not both.

The atmosphere

Wind, steam, low light and a landscape that keeps rearranging itself. Very few trees, a lot of sky.

Who it suits

Drivers, photographers, travellers who do not mind rain in the middle of the plan.

Why we picked it

• Ring road logistics are simple and well signposted
• Hot pools in almost every village, not just the famous lagoon
• Summer light means you can drive at ten in the evening