Insight Compact Guide Iceland (Insight Compact Guides Iceland) (Paperback)

by Hans Kluche (Author) "As he approached Iceland for the first time, Ingolfur Amarson, the country's first permanent settler, tossed his high-seat pillars overboard, so that the gods could..." (more)
Key Phrases: space for sleeping bags, explosion crater, glacial rivers, Lake Myvatn, Middle Ages, North Atlantic (more...)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Langenscheidt Publishers; 2000 edition (June 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1585730459
• ISBN-13: 978-1585730452
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 4.4 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #385,286 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Introduction To Iceland, December 2, 2004

By	Robert I. Hedges - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I have been to Iceland several times and find it to be the most unique country imaginable. This book is very thin, but is packed with generally very accurate and always extremely useful information as well as great color photography. This book is wonderful to use as a starting point for planning a trip to Iceland, and it is small enough to carry with you everywhere when you are there.

The book provides an overview, geographic information, hotel, restaurant, and nightlife recommendations, and multiple road trips of varying lengths that see all the common sights and many that are substantially off the beaten path. These road trips are from one to four days endurance, and are very well designed from my experience, although I can't personally attest to the attributes of the ring road between Hvammstangi and Neskaupatadur. I can say that the southern routes, and the routes to Pingvellir and the Snaefellsnes peninsula are very well designed. My favorites of the tours are numbers three and four. The coverage of the Skaftafell National Park, Jokulsarlon glacial lake (a must see: take the boat ride), Hvannadalsshnukur, Kirkjubaejarklaustur (one of my favorite little towns), Porsmork, and Stykkisholmur is particularly good. I was also amused by the coverage of the Vesturfarasafnid a Hofsofi, the only museum in the world that focuses exclusively on herring. (Iceland is known for many similar oddities, and that is one reason I love it so much.)

My only minor critiques of the book would be that the index is rather sparse, and some of the hotel and restaurant information (and a few prices) are out of date (which is to be expected.) One thing the book entirely failed to mention in the money section is that most businesses will take Icelandic kronurs and also US dollars.

This is a great little introductory tour guide to Iceland, with the emphasis on brevity and utility. I recommend it highly.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Little Book, February 8, 2008

By	Nancy (VT) - See all my reviews

There are not many books available on travel to Iceland.
This book gives short descriptions of the different areas of the country plus beautiful pictures.
I would also purchase another guide , such as the Lonely Planet to fill in details,but for the price of the book, it is well worth it.