Madison at Oviedo
Newsletter

This month we travel to Iceland to discover and appreciate the culture, history and cuisine. Icelanders are proud of their Viking heritage and Icelandic language. The people take great care to preserve their traditions. Modern Icelandic remains close to the Old Norse spoken in the Viking Age. Prior to the Christianization of Iceland, Pagan beliefs were strongly held, remnants of which remain today. The national church is the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland and 80% of the population identify as such. Almost 5% of people practice “ásatrú”, the traditional Norse religion.

Iceland has a variety of music, including folk, pop, classical, and contemporary. Some well-known Icelandic artists include Björk and Of Monsters and Men. A big tradition that still happens today is, Bjordagur, or Beer Day, which is celebrated on March 1st to mark the end of a 74-year beer ban. Reykjavík is a popular destination for Bjordagur.

It’s a common myth that seeing the Northern Lights depends on it being extremely cold. In reality, there are three main factors that make the aurora visible: darkness, clear skies, and strong solar winds. Iceland meets all of the ideal conditions, and its location within the auroral zone makes it perfect for viewing. Iceland is a beautiful country with a venerable and preserved culture, unique traditions and a surprisingly complex language, surely not a place that should be overlooked.