Tourists plan Iceland trips around total solar eclipse

Tourists travelling to Iceland to watch the total solar eclipse are not being deterred by the weather forecast, mbl.is reported. Many have planned stays lasting several days beyond the eclipse.

At Leifur Eiríksson Airport, mbl.is spoke to several visitors who had arrived for both the eclipse and the chance to see Iceland.

Patrick Castello from Cleveland, Ohio, and his girlfriend, Braidee Brown, said they had travelled to Iceland for the eclipse as well as to explore the country. They had previously seen a partial eclipse from their hometown.

The couple planned to watch the eclipse at Arnarstapi on the Snæfellsnes peninsula, beneath the volcano. They expected large crowds and intended to stay in Iceland for eight days after the eclipse.

Another traveller, Joe, arrived from Pennsylvania with his friends Alec and Mark. They had not previously travelled to see an eclipse, although they had seen a partial eclipse from their hometown several years ago.

Joe said they had learned about a year and a half ago that Iceland would experience a total eclipse. Iceland had been his dream destination for a decade, he said.

The group said they wanted to combine the eclipse with a longer trip around Iceland. They were particularly looking forward to seeing the country’s waterfalls, glaciers and natural scenery before driving around the island.