A great way to day trip in Iceland is to rent a car and tour the country with a pre-planned trip, an option that�s great for families and honeymoon couples. Tours range from 6 to 15 days and start at $959 per person. (For details on all tours: Icelandair Holidays, 800 779 2899; www.icelandair.com)

Driving Holidays

Those who prefer horsepower of a different kind should try an independent self-drive. These tours include air transportation from an Icelandair gateway, car rental, someone to meet you at the airport, pre-booked accommodations with breakfast, and a driving map (so while you may become lost in the beauty of Iceland, you'll always know where you�re going). All the hard work is done for you, and you just concentrate on planning what you'll see each day. This is a very popular option with families (child discounts available) and honeymoon travelers. It�s priced from $959* per person for 6 to 15 days. (For more information: Icelandair Holidays, 800 779 2899, www.icelandair.com)

* Note - Airport taxes and official charges (including Sep. 11 Security Fee)from $75 per person are not included in the price quote.

News You Can Use

Shopping Expands in Keflavik � Shopping becomes more enjoyable and convenient in the new south terminal of the Keflavik airport. This spring look for more shops closer to where you board. And don�t miss one of the world�s few arrival duty free stores when you land. It offers discounts of up to 50 percent off Reykjavik city prices. (www.fle.airport.is)

Iceland�s Largest Convention Hotel Planned � Construction is currently underway on expansion of the popular Hotel Esja. The new hotel rooms, ballrooms and meeting areas, will make this the country�s largest hotel by April 2003. (www.icehotel.is)

Watch for 101 Hotel � One of the newest hotels planned for Reykjavik is actually one of the oldest. 101 Hotel, built in 1935, is undergoing renovation and opens this year with 40 rooms, including five suites � a bar lounge, state-of-the-art meeting rooms, and a restaurant featuring a fusion of modern Icelandic and international cuisine. It will be worth a stay just for the room amenities: CD players and CD�s, disposable cameras, umbrellas, bathrobes, and t-shirts, among other goodies. (www.101hotel.is).

NATO Leaders Discover Iceland - Be sure to watch media coverage surrounding the meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Reykjavik this May. You just might see some of your favorite landmarks and restaurants in the news. Hundreds of media are expected, placing Iceland firmly in the limelight this spring.

Taking Home the Bacon

We�ve been writing about all those great restaurants in Iceland for years, but behind every great eating establishment is a great chef � and Iceland�s chefs have been winning awards left and right � not bad for a little country founded by tough, hairy men who ate with their hands. Congratulations to:

(For more information on the country�s award-winning chefs, see www.veitingavefurinn.is/english).

On the Horizon

There are lots of memorable events where visitors and residents can come together and revel in all that the country has to offer. Check out these special activities:

You Don�t Say?

Iceland is on the tip of everyone's tongues these days, with leading media touting the glory of this healthy country smack dab in the middle of the North Atlantic.

Islands magazine says in their May/June issue: �Iceland may sound cold, but it�s really one of Europe�s hottest destinations, with hot springs, volcanoes, and geysers to prove it � along with mountains, glaciers, and one of the greatest wilderness areas in Europe.�

The Sophisticated Traveler, a special section of the New York Times Magazine, headed for a week on the Laxa/Adaldal River, said to have some of the biggest salmon in Iceland.

Blue Magazine escapes to Iceland because of its simplicity of life, peaceful environment and its proximity to the U.S. The country was featured prominently in Blue�s February/March 2002 cover story entitled, �The Top 6 Terror-free Travel Destinations.�

The Boston Globe, on Apr. 14, explains what to expect during a night out in Reykjavik. According to Christopher Muther, Globe correspondent, �If you can survive a few days with a minimum of sleep, you can easily conquer Iceland's club scene, plus see a fair amount of the countryside. � Although mid-June through mid-August is the most temperate time of year in Reykjavik, the off-season is far less expensive and generally not much colder than Boston or Montreal.�

According to the Globe, favorite places to visit during a night out on the town are: Astro, Apotek, Cafe Victor, Dubliner, Gaukur a Strong, Kaffibarinn, NASA, Spotlight, and Vegamot.

The Baltimore Sun, in their Apr. 28 issue, tells of a visit to a local pool, �At the public bath I visit, Laugardalur, on the outskirts of Reykjavik, there were, in addition to a sumptuously warm Olympic-sized pool, five circular hot tubs - called �hot pots� or �gossip pots�- lined up like a soup buffet. All were of different temperatures, ranging from warm to scalding. I never made it past the third, as the waters (and, who knows, maybe the gossip) in numbers four and five were too steamy for me.�

Little Known Facts

Things get a little slow at Dateline: Iceland between issues. So to amuse ourselves, we play an Icelandic version of �Trivial Pursuit.� Although Iceland is a small country with a small population, it is a fountain of interesting firsts, statistics, and accomplished individuals. For instance:

Watch the next issue of Dateline for more surprising facts about the closest European country to the U.S. and Canada.