At every turn, Iceland lives up to its nickname as the “Land of Fire and Ice.” On our recent visit, giant geysers spouted within feet of us, rainbow-glinted waterfalls sparkled in the sun and the northern lights swayed overhead. In the distance, glaciers shimmered and a volcano had come to life. It could not have been more magical.

While this remarkable little country is a place where one can test the bounds of nature — say by scuba diving between tectonic plates or descending into a dormant volcano — it’s also one where sightseeing has been made incredibly accessible, with convenient parking and walking paths to some of the country’s most iconic attractions. For these reasons, Iceland summons travelers of all generations, whether they are adventure seekers or more risk-averse.

Many of the assumptions people make about Iceland are wrong. Due to the Gulf Stream, it rarely dips below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, even in winter. Thankfully, fermented shark is not on every menu — nary a one of ours, in fact — and we ate quite well. And while more than 2 million people a year have been known to visit this island nation of just 376,000, we did not find it overrun with tourists.