Wacky Happenings You'll Only Witness In Iceland

Most travelers to Iceland are coming with some idea of the curiosities involved in the island’s unique cultural heritage and habits. While you have probably heard of the notorious folkloric belief in elves and the 13 Yule lads of Christmas, there are other unique phenomena that you may experience firsthand during your visit.

Speaking while inhaling

Icelandic is one of the only languages in which it is common to speak while inhaling. Associated with older ladies gossiping who can’t stop sharing their thrilling gossip to even take time for a breath, this phenomenon is also associated with just being excited to share a lot of information at once. Try it for yourself next time you don´t feel like taking the time to breathe while telling a story and see the added dramatic effect in your listener’s eyes!

Crowded swimming pool during blizzards

Ice cream in any weather

After your visit to the swimming pool, head to an ice cream shop, where, especially during inclement weather, you are bound to find people waiting in line for an ice cream. This national treat is most favorited with heaping additions of licorice and caramel sauce.

Babies sleeping outside

Parked outside cafés and shops in Reykjavik and in the smaller villages and towns in Iceland, it is not uncommon to see babies sleeping in prams unattended. While in other countries this would be cause for much alarm, in Iceland it’s a traditional practice based on the belief that the cold wind and natural elements are good for the baby’s growing lungs. Of course, mothers and fathers are watching closely from a window somewhere.

Extremely zealous New Year’s fireworks

New Year’s Eve in Iceland sounds similar to a war scene. Icelanders are well known for their zealous displays of fireworks erupting from all over the city, in public places as well as private backyards. One reason for this is that Iceland has no military—the closest thing to a military is the volunteer-run search and rescue team which is very often occupied with saving tourists year round. Every year, around the holidays, the search and rescue team sells a huge assortment of fireworks which everyone, of course, supports, by buying as much as they can possibly imagine to set off on the new year.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.