Emanuela Grieco
I am an Italian Travel Designer mostly based in Iceland.
Traveling has been my passion since I was young, being always fascinated by other cultures and people.
In 2005, after living and studying in Norway and Denmark, I got my degree in Scandinavian languages and cultures at the university in Rome and began to travel the world. I never stopped since then.
So far, I have been traveling for 20 years across more than 100 countries and lived in 12 different ones. And counting....
In 2016, after an unforgettable summer spent in Kulusuk, East Greenland, I went back to Italy to get a new degree as a Travel Designer in order to make my love for traveling becoming my job. So now here I am, on this amazing new adventure called Arctic Travel Designer, where I can finally help people making their Arctic dream becoming true.
In 2021 I published my first book: "The tiny book of traveling with an open heart.
A travel checklist, a mindful travel guide and a travel diary, all at one!".
What places and activities do you specialize in?
"I specialise in customised experiential holidays across Iceland and Greenland. Having lived in both countries allows me to have a deeper insight about places and activities not to miss when visiting these stunning countries."
How did you get involved in travel?
"I am a globetrotter at heart, who loves slower paced travels, experiencing and taking my time to get absorbed by new cultures and people.
I mostly travel alone. My first solo trip was in 2003 when I discovered the beauty of exploring and discovering the world and simply never managed to stop since then. Traveling for me is not only a life style but it is my life in general. I simply can´t stay still in one place...and who would, when there is the entire world to be discovered out there?"
Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.
"My most beautiful travel experience has been being part of "Viking Across Africa", the first overland expedition ever to go from Iceland to South Africa.
Back in 2013, together with other 16 adventurers, I traveled for seven months across 23 countries, for 22000 miles, on an old war truck, experiencing some of the most remote places and people in the world. The experience of a lifetime!"
Emanuela's favorite itineraries and travel advice
Top itineraries and travel advice
Two of Iceland's more remote and scenically stunning yet lesser-visited regions—Westfjords and North Iceland—are the focus of this scenic 12-day active self-drive adventure,...
The rugged beauty of Iceland was made for road-tripping, which is precisely what you'll do on this 15-day self-drive excursion. You'll be traveling through the west, which is...
Have only five days to explore Iceland? While it might be tempting to stay in Reykjavík and do day trips from there, we recommend heading out into the countryside using one of...
Family itineraries
Drive Iceland's south coast for a memorable family adventure in just under a week. After getting to know Reykjavik, you'll check off blockbuster natural sites in the Golden...
One week in Iceland is enough time for a family-friendly, adventure-filled road trip that includes popular highlights and natural wonders along the South Coast and Golden...
This self-drive tour takes you along Iceland's south and west coasts for those in search of unique family adventure. After a day exploring the capital city, Reykjavik, you'll...
Road trip itineraries
The rugged beauty of Iceland was made for road-tripping, which is precisely what you'll do on this 15-day self-drive excursion. You'll be traveling through the west, which is...
This itinerary packs a lot into 8 days, but if you have limited time and have your heart set on driving the entire Ring Road, then this guide will be your best friend for the...
With seven days in Iceland, hit the road and explore the incredible wonders farther afield from Reykjavik. Explore a variety of landscapes: volcanoes and lava fields, green...
Recent trip reviews for Emanuela
Emanuela did an amazing job in planning our t...
Iceland
|
Oct 18 - Oct 25, 2026
Emanuela did an amazing job in planning our trip to Iceland. She gave us an initial itinerary, which we tweaked to fit exactly what we wanted. She was easy to work with and very attentive to all our needs. She was in contact with us while we were in Iceland, to make sure everything was going well. We did have to rearrange one event and she took care of that for us! Her responses were always very quick! I would highly recommend Emanuela and her company!
Hi Betty- Ann,
Thank you so much for your lovely review! It was an absolute pleasure helping you plan your Iceland adventure. I'm so happy to hear that you enjoyed the trip and that we were able to tailor the itinerary to match exactly what you had in mind.
I always want my clients to feel supported throughout their journey, so it means a lot to know that you appreciated having me there whenever you needed assistance.
Thank you again for your trust and recommendation. I hope to welcome you back to Iceland or perhaps help you discover Greenland next time!
Warm regards,
Emanuela
Best tour was the ice cave tour with local gu...
Iceland
|
Oct 9 - Oct 15, 2026
Best tour was the ice cave tour with local guides.is. Micheal our guide was excellent and gave us a lot of great info.
All places we stayed at were very nice.
Kimkim app and info provided by Emanuel were awesome and very useful.
Hi Jessica,
Thank you so much for your review! I'm delighted to hear that you and the kids loved the ice cave tour.
It was lovely to stay in touch while you were traveling, and I was happy to help when Jennifer's flight was delayed at the beginning of your trip. Luckily, we managed to sort everything out, and you all arrived smoothly in the end!
I hope you had a wonderful time in Iceland and brought home some unforgettable memories!
Warmest wishes,
Emanuela
Taking our time best decision!
Iceland
|
Oct 5 - Oct 13, 2026
My son and I had a terrific time simply driving in this amazing country. We especially enjoyed walking on beaches and seeing ice. Sky Lagoon was very welcome before heading to the airport
Dear Louis,
Thank you so much for your review and your kind words!
I'm so happy to hear that you and Ian had an unforgettable father-and-son trip to Iceland, with everything you had dreamed of and carefully planned together.
It was wonderful to stay in touch while you were traveling and to follow your adventures along the way. I'm truly delighted that I could help you create such special memories together!
My best regards to you both!
Emanuela
Emanuela was wonderful in helping us plan an outer world trip to Greenland and Iceland
Iceland
|
Sep 11 - Sep 23, 2026
Hi Nancy,
Thank you so much for your review and your kind words!
Yours was my 100th five-star review, which makes it especially meaningful to me! ❤️ And what a wonderful trip to celebrate this milestone, exploring my two favorite countries in the world: Greenland and Iceland.
I'm so happy to hear that you had such a fabulous time, and it was lovely to see the photos you shared. Thank you again for trusting me to help create this special journey with you. It truly means a lot!
Warmest wishes,
Emanuela
Book your trip with Emanuela right now. Iceland is amazing!
Iceland
|
Sep 25 - Sep 29, 2026
My dear Catherine,
I am so glad to read your heartwarming review about how much you, your sister and your mum enjoyed Iceland. So happy to ehar that your mum made it to Iceland and had a wonderful time, that you found great guides along the way and enjoyed your daily adventures.
Thank you again for your trust and booking your trip with me!
My best regards,
Emanuela
EPIC Iceland Adventure
Iceland
|
Sep 6 - Sep 12, 2026
It was so lovely to read your kind words and to see the beautiful pictures of you and your son! ❤️
I also really enjoyed staying in touch with you while you were travelling and hearing that you were having such a wonderful time up here in Iceland. It was especially sweet to hear that your son was chosen as the little helper during the Geothermal Bakery tour! And I’m so happy he enjoyed the horseback riding experience and the visit to the stable too. Thank you so much,... Read more
We had an excellent trip planned by Emanuela....
Iceland
|
Jul 4 - Jul 15, 2026
We had an excellent trip planned by Emanuela. She was very accessible and responsive and took into account our needs and our young children’s ages in her planning. We had a great time in Iceland!
Thank you so much for your lovely review! It was a real pleasure helping you plan your Iceland adventure. ❤️
I’m especially happy to hear that the itinerary worked well for your family. Traveling with young children always requires a little extra thought, and I really enjoyed taking their ages, needs, and interests into consideration when putting your trip together.
Thank you also for your kind words about my responsiveness and accessibility. I truly believe that good communication... Read more
Emanuela provided us with an amazing trip iti...
Iceland
|
Aug 17 - Aug 24, 2026
Emanuela provided us with an amazing trip itinerary. I was not the easiest client to work with and asked lots of questions and did a lot of revisions and she was patient and did a great job accommodating our wants. I cannot recommend her services enough
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! It was truly a pleasure working with you and helping bring your Iceland trip together. 😊 I know we went through quite a few questions and revisions, but that’s exactly what tailor-made travel is all about — making sure the itinerary feels right for you and reflects what you really want to experience. I’m so happy we were able to create a trip you were excited about, and I really appreciate your trust and patience throughout the planning... Read more
Amazing 5 day trip to Iceland
Iceland
|
Aug 10 - Aug 15, 2026
Emanuela created an excellent itinerary for our 6 days in Iceland. We had an amazing private guide who drove us to all of the sights in Iceland. We felt that we had a great deal of flexibility with our schedule. I would highly recommend Emanuela!
Hi Patricia,
it is great to hear that you and Ian had a lovely time in Iceland and you were one of the lucky ones who managed to see the eclipse in the westfjrods. Glad we found the best private driver in iceland for that!
Thank yyouo for yuor lovely words. I am so happy to read you had a great time with yuor son!
All the best,
Emanuela
Kim Kim did an excellent job!
Iceland
|
Aug 3 - Aug 14, 2026
Dear Susan,
I am so glad to ehar that yo had a wonderful time in Iceland.
It was easy and pleasant to stay in touch with you while you were traveling and to know you were busy enjoying Iceland.
Thank you for your heartwarming review.
I hope to have you back here again one day, there is still so much more to see!
Emanuela