“A stopover on a longer flight to Europe or a destination unto itself, the Icelandic capital is walkable, has great museums, and is a safe place to travel,” says Ettenberg. “It’s very easy for a solo traveler to feel comfortable in town.” On the way back to the airport, she adds, visitors can stop at the enormous Blue Lagoon geothermal pool for a pre-flight soak.

Beyond Reykjavik, the island becomes ridiculously rugged and scenic. Hikers are lured to thundering waterfalls like Dettifoss and Gulfoss (pictured); backcountry skiers trek to the evocatively named Troll peninsula; and snowmobilers drive to the New York-sized Vatnajökull glacier, which is barbarically beautiful enough to have been used as a recent “Game of Thrones” filming location.