Iceland, the ‘land of fire and ice’, has seen its tourism market developing rapidly in recent years, with an emerging and unique culinary scene. With a population of just 360.000 (spread across a country more than twice the size of Denmark), Iceland’s natural wonders are unspoilt and the tourism industry seeks sustainable tourists, who stay for longer. Thanks to the contrast between its jagged glaciers and hulking volcanoes, most people see Iceland as a destination for nature but it is also a fantastic culinary destination, with very fresh produce and restaurants all around the country. Unsurprisingly, the country is renowned for its fish cuisine: in a restaurant, the person who is serving you can almost point to a ship and say ‘the fish came from there’. Two restaurants now hold Michelin stars in Reykjavik: Iceland’s best known restaurant ‘Dill‘ was the first in the country to gain a star, with dishes inspired by the local landscape. Óx seats just 11 diners, and joined the Michelin ranks this year, gaining one star for its multi-course menu that features traditional Icelandic ingredients. Iceland is facing the huge challenge of trying to align its tourism policies with its climate goals: the country is focusing on a type of tourist respectful of Iceland’s wild and untamed environment, who want to travel the whole year round, because seasonality is also a big focus. ‘Visit Iceland’ has an ongoing campaign called the ‘Icelandic Pledge’ in which visitors are encouraged to travel responsibly around Iceland: eight guidelines remind them that nature in Iceland is very fragile. The pledge includes a commitment to leaving places as you found them, and to take care when taking selfies. There is lots more to learn about travelling sustainably: the Visit Iceland website also has a carbon calculator so that visitors can calculate the carbon footprint of their trips, and then offset it if they choose to. The most visited sites all around Iceland have counters, so one can see what days during the week the most visitors are there: this means one can choose to visit popular destinations on quieter days, thus reducing the impact on local ecosystems. In order to truly appreciate the splendour of Iceland, the tourist office wants to encourage visitors to stay for longer, and explore as many of the regions as possible. Iceland is a ‘complete destination’ whether you come in the summertime, with the 24 hour daylight, or in the winter time, with more darkness, but also with the northern lights. Whatever time of year one visits, there are some must-see activities for your itinerary, including visiting one of the country’s natural geothermal baths, hiking in the mountains, or enjoying a horseback ride on one of Iceland’s small, pony-sized Icelandic horses. Iceland’s ring road is a great way to explore the country as a whole, and for travellers who want to drive in a more sustainable way, hiring an EV is recommended: a map of all of the charging stations around Iceland is available, so that one can prepare its trip and be comfortable in travelling around in an electric car. Read more on Visiticeland