Hotel Islanda

There's a corner of Iceland that is forever lunar - at least for the Apollo 11 astronauts who trained for their momentous moon flight on the desolate expanses of the island's lava fields. A nifty anecdote but one that does Iceland no favours in the promotional department. This land has been settled by Vikings and ravaged by violent volcanic explosions; sulphurous lakes have bubbled to its surface and colossal glaciers have carved their way through mountains and plains. Under its fragile crust the continents continuously shift and vie; it is a fiery place of legend with a fertile written history recounted in bold sagas full of courage, action, optimism and humour. According to local hearsay it's also the starting point for Jules Verne's 'Journey to the Centre of the Earth' and features the entrance to Hell. Why go to the moon when this planet has so much to offer?

The majority of the 272,000 Icelanders live in and around the capital Reykjavik on the South West coast where the gentle buffeting of the Gulf Stream keeps temperatures relatively mild despite the proximity to the Arctic Circle. Reykjavik means 'Smoky Bay' and refers to the geothermic steam that rises from the hot springs beneath the city which have been harnessed to provide warmth and electricity. Once a tourist desert, Reykjavik has taken the lead in Iceland's new tourist boom, with Europeans heading over for seven-day tours or even just weekend breaks based in the capital. As a destination its expensive - beer can cost around 580 IKr ($8/#5).