Iceland Is Small But Here’s Why That’s Misleading
About this episode
The episode discusses the misconceptions about Iceland's size and the challenges travelers face when planning their itineraries.
If you’ve ever looked at a map of Iceland and thought, “Oh wow, it’s tiny — we can totally see everything,” you are not alone. I hear this all the time . And honestly? It makes sense. Iceland looks small on a map, but traveling through it is a very different experience. I’m going to explain why Iceland being ‘small’ is actually misleading , and how that misunderstanding causes a lot of travelers to overpack their itineraries, underestimate drive times, and end up more stressed than they expected. https://youtu.be/H9-PBrpRFjA How Map Illusion Makes Iceland’s Size Confusing Yes, Iceland is about the size of Kentucky. But unlike many places, almost all travel happens on a single main road , and that road isn’t a straight highway from point A to point B. Driving in Iceland involves: Winding roads One-lane bridges Changing weather Sudden stops because… well… waterfalls, sheep, and stunning landscapes For example, Reykjavík to Vík doesn’t look far, but that drive alone can take 2.5 to 3 hours , and that’s without stopping. And no one ever drives Iceland without stopping. Now add: Limited daylight in winter Weather delays Gravel roads Fatigue from constant visual stimulation…
More episodes of All Things Iceland
- Why Thousands Are Visiting Iceland for the Rare 2026 Solar Eclipse
- Iceland’s Most Delicious Holiday – Cream Bun Day (Bolludagur)
- Bríet Ísis Elfar – Interview with Iceland’s Fearless Pop Visionary
- 5 Iceland Travel Myths – Winter Edition
- Christmas Gift Ideas for Your Iceland Obsessed Friend
- A Pioneering Icelandic Actress – Aldís Amah Hamilton
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the All Things Iceland podcast page.