Lonely Planet Iceland, Greenland & the Faroe Islands [Paperback]

Graeme Cornwallis (Author), Deanna Swaney (Author)

Book Description

Series: Lonely Planet Iceland | Publication Date: May 2001

Travel guides explore countries, regions and cities in depth and for every budget, with reliable, easy-to-use maps, first-hand recommendations, well-researched background information and thorough, up-to-date coverage of all the sights -- on and off the beaten track. There are more than 230 titles in this classic series covering nearly every country in the world.
-- the full spectrum of accommodation, from wild camping and mountain huts to farmhouses
-- magnificent and varied hiking routes beside craggy headlands and wild surf, around moorlands and cascading waterfalls and over carpets of wildflowers
-- earth-shattering revelations on the region's spectacular rumbling, shaking and spouting geological phenomena
-- approachable Icelandic, Greenlandic and Faroese language sections

Product Details

• Paperback: 640 pages
• Publisher: Lonely Planet Publications; 4th edition (May 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0864426860
• ISBN-13: 978-0864426864
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #368,293 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #2 in Books > Travel > Europe > Greenland
  • #29 in Books > Travel > Europe > Iceland

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It's a lonely planet indeed!, December 6, 2002

By 

Beeblebrox (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lonely Planet Iceland, Greenland & the Faroe Islands (Paperback)

I used this book heavily during two trips around Iceland in 2000 and 2002, albeit the third edition.

The authors know where the "odd" things are to be found. Thanks to them, I located strange stuff which isn't on the average tourist's agenda: geothermal areas, bubbling sulfurous mud pots, Asian restaurants (in Iceland!), cemeteries. I experienced some lovely, desolate terrain where no one was to be found for miles and miles.

But, then again, that's why this is the "Lonely Planet" guide!

This guide, like other ones published by Lonely Planet, is clearly oriented toward the type of tourist who backpacks and/or hitch-hikes. Nonetheless, it still has much use for the independent tourist who prefers hotels to huts and cars to cabins. Just pick a place and start exploring. Their detailed maps and descriptions won't lead you astray.

A special bonus provided with of Lonely Planet books is the company's "eKno" service, which allows one to call nearly anywhere in the world from anywhere in the world, with tolls automatically debuted from a prepaid account. eKno also allows one to listen to one's email messages. Toll-free access numbers are available in most countries. eKno cards come with Lonely Planet books, ready to be activated. I've found this service extremely valuable when calling from Europe to the US.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars As solid as can be expected for unusual destinations, November 27, 2001

By 

ransome22 "ransome22" (Washington DC area) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lonely Planet Iceland, Greenland & the Faroe Islands (Paperback)

Despite the availability of internet resources, I think a printed guidebook is particularly helpful for unusual destinations such as these because it puts the hard-to-find information in one place under your fingertips. I used the previous edition of this book to take a week long trip to Greenland in January 2001. Even though a winter excursion to the Arctic is not a common vacation plan, this book told me how much sunlight to expect at what latitudes, estimated prices for air travel between towns, what sort of unpredictability to expect in the Arctic, whether or not it was feasible to do coastal travel by boat in the winter, the best times to see the aurora borealis, and the extent to which dog sleds are used as a 'normal' form of transportation, just to name a few. Of course it also provided detailed descriptions of towns which helped me choose my final destination. While providing the standard Lonely Planet maps, listings of places to stay, currency exchange options, restaurants, and whatnot, this particular guide also provides a healthy dose of reality. It makes clear that some places are quite difficult to visit unless you are well financed, and yet it also provides starting points for the extremely determined. Contrary to previous criticism, the previous edition (published in 1997) does in fact acknowledge the existence of the internet, providing email addresses and websites for further information. I can only imagine that this updated version is more complete. To quickly address the negative feedback that the guide is "outdated", please note the publication date of May 2001. That is quite current for any guide book. I do not think this book or say, "Lonely Planet : Antarctica" should be compared to the other Lonely Planet guides for the simple reason that the locales are some of the most remote on our planet with limited accessibility and unpredictable weather patterns. It's not nearly as easy for a writer or photographer to hop a jet to the Arctic as it is to Europe or Latin America. And once the person is there, he or she does not always have the luxury of roads or regular plane service to travel to the next destination. A person could end up waiting a week in northern Canada (as I did) to hop a plane to the next town on the itinerary. Furthermore, these are "niche" guidebooks which appeal to a very limited percentage of travelers. For economic reasons, they are not as likely to be frequently updated because the readership is not as substantial. My only criticism is as follows: because Iceland, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands are fairly remote destinations, I think there should be a deeper emphasis on what activities are available upon arrival, other than hiking, sightseeing, or organized tours. While the natural wonder of the area is amazing, the local cultures have just as much to offer. Furthermore, the Arctic can be a lonely place, even when you have traveling companions. Someone spending a few weeks in these northern wonderlands could benefit from more advice on how to best interact with the locals who spend their lives there.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Top-notch guide for adventurous travelers, January 18, 2003

By 

Richard A. Lovett (West Coast, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lonely Planet Iceland, Greenland & the Faroe Islands (Paperback)

Since 1999, I have been to Iceland twice and Greenland twice, for a total of seven weeks--extremely unusual for an American. Those trips included extended excursions by bicyle, backpack, and cross-country ski, with some bus excursions as well. Throughout, this book was my primary guide. I found it reliable and an extremely good source of inspiration, particularly for hikes.

I cite my own experience because I clearly fall into the target readership for this book. Car travelers aren't the intended audience, and may be disappointed. This book presumes (as do I, even at age 49) that the best way to see Iceland is afoot, a-pedal, or on one of that nation's wonderful backcountry bus routes. If you're not prepared to carry a backpack onto or off of the buses, you'll probably prefer another guidebook.

My main quibble is with the maps, which were hard to locate when I wanted them, and not very detailed. But you can get great maps in Reykjavik, so that's only a minor problem.