What kind of landscape is Iceland?
Icelandic landscapes are shaped by the forces of nature and vary from deep fjords to vast volcanic deserts. Through to black sand beaches, snow-capped mountains, and staggering waterfalls. Iceland’s nature remains mostly unspoiled as the island is scarcely populated.
Is Iceland surrounded by water?
Iceland is a small island nation that is Europe’s westernmost country and home to the world’s northernmost capital, Reykjavik. Eleven percent of the country is covered in glacial ice and is surrounded by water. Iceland is located between the Greenland Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean.
What do houses look like in Iceland?
The architecture of Iceland is mainly low-rise, with many low tower blocks and two- or three-storey buildings with pitched roofs predominating. Houses and smaller municipal buildings were traditionally wooden-framed, and clad in wooden planks or corrugated metal. Often they were painted in traditional bright colours.
Why are houses in Iceland colorful?
The colour is necessary because most buildings look more like garages. This is mainly due to the island’s lack of natural raw building materials such as wood and stone, so most buildings are made from concrete and corrugated steel.
What are traditional foods in Iceland?
Eat like a Viking with these 7 traditional Icelandic foods
- Skyr. Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons / Icelandic Provisions.
- Reykjavik’s hot dog (pylsur) Image Credit: Flickr / momo.
- Lamb. Lamb is the quintessential ingredient of Icelandic foods.
- Ice cream.
- Harðfiskur (dried fish)
- Rye bread from a hot spring.
- Seafood.
Do homes in Iceland have basements?
The two-story house (a rarity in Iceland— most homes are single-story) has a basement with a tiled laundry room. Steps up from the living room is an open kitchen and dining area. With the exception of the entrance hall, which is tiled, there are parquet floors throughout the first floor.
Why are there no old buildings in Iceland?
The dearth of ancient structures stems from our building heritage. So over the centuries from settlement until the 1700s, most of the buildings that Icelanders built decomposed because they’re made of the earth itself. It’s sort of cool, and they’ve been romanticised quite a bit.