Top 10 Iceland Hidden Gems (Highlands, Hot Springs, and Hidden Canyons) + Building a New Life Abroad with Jewells Chambers from All Things Iceland

Zero To Travel Podcast

Jason Moore

Entrepreneurship, Places & Travel, Business, Society & Culture

4.5 • 828 Ratings

🗓️ 10 June 2025

⏱️ 84 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

What’s it like to trade the hustle of NYC for a slower life in Iceland? And how do you explore its volcanic landscapes without getting stuck in the tourist crowds? Jewells Chambers is the creator and voice behind All Things Iceland, a podcast and YouTube channel that helps people experience Iceland beyond the tourist trail. Originally from New York City, Jewells moved to Iceland in 2016 after falling in love with an Icelander and has since carved out a meaningful life abroad, blending creativity, digital marketing, travel planning, and a deep respect for Icelandic culture. In this episode, we talk about what it’s really like to move to Iceland, how Jewells found her way into content creation, and her top recommendations for discovering Iceland's lesser-known destinations and experiences. If you’ve ever considered moving abroad, reinventing your career, or exploring Iceland beyond the usual tourist stops, Jewells’ story offers both inspiration and practical insights. We chat about embracing discomfort, building a new identity in a foreign land, and how creativity and authenticity have shaped her journey. She also shares a curated list of hidden gems in Iceland—from geothermal wonders to ghost towns—and offers practical advice on navigating Iceland's wild weather and unpredictable terrain. Whether you're planning your first trip or your fifth, you'll leave this episode with a fresh perspective and a bunch of new places to add to your Iceland itinerary. If you could slow down and live like a local somewhere (even for a little while), where would you go? I'd love to hear about it, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message. Premium Passport: Get ad-free episodes, exclusive content, and access to all episodes for only $3/month. Subscribe now! Tune In To Learn: Why Jewells moved to Iceland and how love and logistics played equal roles What it was like adjusting from NYC hustle culture to Iceland’s work-life mindset How moving to Iceland changed how she views her home country How she carved out a creative niche in a foreign country without a plan What most travelers miss when visiting Iceland and why the highlands are so underrated How the Icelandic mindset of “þetta reddast” (it will all work out) reshaped her life How a rainy, rough hike turned her into an outdoor enthusiast Advice for dealing with Iceland’s intense weather and road conditions Where to find hidden hot springs, ghost towns, and fjords with almost no crowds Pro tips for driving in Iceland’s highlands (and why your car insurance matters!) And so much more Resources: Join Zero To Travel Premium Passport Sign up for our FREE newsletter Check out Jewell’s website and podcast, All Things Iceland Jewell’s ultimate packing checklist Schedule a trip-planning call Iceland map and travel resources Subscribe on YouTube Follow on Instagram Get Jewell’s Top 10 Iceland Hidden Gems list Want More? Top 10 Hidden Gems: East Africa (Beyond the Safari) and Transitioning to Travel With Sasha and Megnote Lezhnev The Hidden Gems of Andalusia: Discover the Spain Most Travelers Miss with Lucas Peters Hidden Norway: 7 Off The Beaten Path Gems You’ll Love, Popular Norwegian Concepts Worth Stealing, Trekking In Bhutan, & Living At The Crossroads of Magic & Science w/ Torunn Tronsvang from Up Norway Thanks To Our Sponsors Visit Baltimore - Start planning your visit to Charm City today! Booking.com - Book your next stay and find exactly what you’re looking for on booking.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	To be fair, summer is the most popular time, but it's the most popular still in certain areas.
0:09.1	So there's a lot of places you can come in the summertime and still see hardly anybody.
0:12.6	And I think that gets missed.
0:14.0	Like I remember there was an article about Iceland being, there's like over tourism or something.
0:19.0	And it was like, no, they're just going to the south coast mostly.
0:21.4	That's why it seems like that.
0:22.8	But there's literally every other region of the country,
0:25.9	including the highlands where I can go, like, when it's available to travel there
0:30.3	and maybe see two people.
0:32.5	That is today's wonderful guest, Jules Chambers.
0:35.9	You can check out her amazing resources for travel in Iceland
0:39.5	at all things Iceland.com. She also has a podcast called All Things Iceland, and I love,
0:45.1	love getting travel recommendations from knowledgeable expats who know a country as a local,
0:52.9	but are also able to see it from the travel perspective.
0:56.1	Jules moved to Iceland in 2016. The population of Iceland at the time of recording is just
1:02.1	under 400,000 people. And last year, Iceland ranked first in Northern Europe for tourists per capita
1:10.2	with 1.8 tourists per resident, according to
1:13.0	world data. info, which means, of course, that it can be crowded anytime a year if you go
1:20.0	where everyone else goes. But Jules is here to help you zig when everyone else is zagging.
1:25.7	In this episode, you'll discover 10 hidden gems
1:28.5	across Iceland that
1:29.7	most travelers miss
	...

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