themanyfacesoficelandThe land of fire and ice isn’t just a veritable feast of natural wonders. From its timeless fishing trade to vibrant leftfield festivals, it displays an unquenchable Nordic spirit. Photographs by Paul Sullivan >>

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meet the locals

As vibrant as they are varied, Icelanders are larger-than-life. Take Sigurjón

Samúelsson (top right), for example. The 74-year-old, from the Westfjords, is

thought to be the oldest DJ in Iceland. The country’s fishermen, meanwhile,

having returned to land with their daily catch, will gladly regale passersby

with nautical tales. And it’s not just Iceland’s human residents who will

capture your attention: Icelanders remain fiercely proud and protective of

their small, yet hardy, pure-breed horses, with their spirited temperament

and big personalities.

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WeiRd & Wild

By a cruel irony, Iceland is a country endangered by

its natural wonders: it sits astride two tectonic plate

boundaries — the North Atlantic and the Eurasian — hence

its many volcanoes and striking landscape. Experience its

otherworldliness, whether fishing in Westfjord lakes, whale

watching off the northern coast or venturing into the

geothermal area of Lake Mývatn, whose mountains were

formed by sub-glacial eruptions thousands of years ago.

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RaW neW mUsic

Leftfield and lively, Iceland’s music scene is quickly picking

up pace. Reykjavik’s Airwaves Festival, every October, is a

major draw for visitors, featuring talent as diverse as the

Iceland Symphony Orchestra and Fatboy Slim. Elsewhere,

April’s avant-garde festival Aldrei Fór Ég Suður (Never Went

South) brings together local bands in the remote town of

Ísafjörður, nestled among precipitous mountain slopes and

beyond the craggy coastline of the Westfjords.

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