Lonely Planet, the largest travel guide book and digital media publisher in the world, has recently listed the Iceland Westfjords as one of its top 10 regions to travel for 2011.The regions list is featured in the newly released Best in Travel 2011 guide which presents the best places to go and things to do for the coming year. The guide also includes top 10 lists for favourite upcoming cities and countries all compiled by Lonely Planet’s staff, authors and online community.
Lonely Planet describes the Westfjords as “an outdoor adventurer’s dream destination” and explains how the unique landscape ranges from “soaring mountains” to “unfathomably deep and silent fjords” clustered with tiny fishing villages.
The global travel guide in particular recommends the uninhabited wilderness region of Hornstrandir, one of the country’s premier hiking destinations, and also home to Drangajokull, the last surviving icecap in the region.
The travel guide also recommends Isafjordur, the most populated town in the Westfjords. According to Lonely Planet, it is a friendly, welcoming, “mini-metropolis” and also a great place to stock up before driving on to smaller villages that line the coast. Isafjordur is also home to the annual Aldrei For Eg Sudur (Never Been South) music festival, where bands from all over the country come together to entertain the masses in a weekend full of festivities.
For further information on activities and events in Iceland, visit www.inspiredbyiceland.com