Legends and Landscapes in Iceland, Land of Fire and Ice

Just south of the Arctic Circle sits Iceland, an island that seems every bit as primitive today as the day it was born from volcanoes. Pure, unspoiled, and – despite its name – 90% ice-free. It is home to some of the planet’s most spectacular landscapes, and the setting for timeless legends and myths. Join PONANT and Smithsonian Journeys on a luxury, small ship expedition to the Land of Fire and Ice for a mythological and scientific inquiry amidst an astonishing beauty. 

Poets, travelers, storytellers and songwriters have all tried to capture the majesty and beauty of Iceland. But this island nation is also the setting of legends and myths that predate any modern-day attempts to depict its magnificent, primeval landscapes. With equal parts spectacular scenery and storied lore woven into its fabric, it’s little wonder that the island nation has been described as magnificent, otherworldly, and epic all in one breath. 

Iceland is also a subject of scientific inquiry, thanks to its location on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and its astounding diversity of landscapes. To give you insights into both of these critical aspects of the nation – its legends and its geology – the PONANT and Smithsonian Journeys collaboration brings you a luxury expedition of boundless insight into this storied island. Here’s a sampling.

Witness Living Legends

Iceland has long been the dramatic setting of the mythical Íslendingasögur, medieval Norse sagas chronicling the travels and travails of Icelanders. These legends remain beloved historical treasures and cultural touchstones.

Some scholars believe that Iceland’s enduring sagas and magnificent landscapes go hand in hand; that is, the stories of Icelandic kings and local village heroes cannot be understood without their settings of volcanic peaks, cascading waterfalls, dramatic coasts, and verdant farmlands. In fact, Dr. Elisabeth Ida Ward, one of the Smithsonian Journeys experts joining this voyage, brilliantly called the relationship between legend and landscape “co-constitution,” and she will discuss this relationship and share her vast knowledge and expertise throughout the cruise. 

A sense of story and of history lives and breathes in the earth here, as you’ll witness for yourself. 

Perhaps the most remarkable example of Dr. Ward’s idea of co-constitution lies at Thingvellir, one of the prominent stops during our tour of the Golden Circle. Thingvellir was founded in 930 on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates live. This volatile spot was proclaimed the site of the nation’s first parliament. For two weeks every summer, the congress convened here. Members resided in crude turf shelters and orated from the dominant Law Speaker’s Rock, remains of which we still see today. One can imagine the heated debates that took place in Iceland’s earliest days – all of them unfolding at one of the earth’s most pronounced points of friction. Dr. Ward would appreciate the symbolism and might even call the Ridge a character in the human drama of Iceland’s founding!

Marvel at Primeval Natural Splendors

Our other Smithsonian Journeys expert, geologist and oceanographer Katryn Wiese, helps us see the continental and human meeting point of Thingvellir through her scientific lens. Today, the vast lava field at Thingvellir is blanketed with green moss and wildflowers and is protected as a National Park and a UNESCO World Heritage site. But despite its tranquil appearance, it (and the rest of Iceland) was formed during violent tectonic and volcanic forces whose source lies right here. 

Our Golden Circle experience continues to the nation’s most powerful and torrential waterfall – Gullfoss, or the Golden Waterfall. The falls are part of the Hvítá River, which flows out of a glacial lake 25 miles away. The unique three-step “staircase” of cascades plunges about 100 feet before continuing its course to the Atlantic Ocean.

Another impressive water feature along the Golden Circle is one that bursts from underground. The Geysir area near the Hvítá River provides ample opportunity to witness the untamed geothermal activity that bubbles under the green Haukadalur Valley. Gurgling mud pools and steaming fumarole vents lend an otherworldly atmosphere to the region. The Great Geysir here was the first one seen by modern Europeans and has been known to gush water as high as 230 feet. But it erupts less frequently than Iceland’s version of Old Faithful, the adjacent Strokkur Geysir. It sends water up to 130 feet every 6-10 minutes.

We invite you join PONANT and Smithsonian Journeys on a small ship expedition into a pristine, primeval paradise to discover The Land of Fire and Ice for yourself.