Iceland is known as the land of fire and ice, but it’s quickly becoming known as one of the most unique travel destinations on the planet. Iceland has been gaining popularity for their cheap flight stopovers, beautiful scenery, and lovely people, but I finally got to experience it for myself. It’s a wonderful and quaint oasis that I highly recommend visiting.
Reykjavik is the nation’s capital city and houses over a third of Iceland’s residents. It’s a beautiful city of just over 122,000 residents and offers a ton to do, see, buy, and eat. A great first step when planning your trip is the tourism department, Visit Reykjavik. They offer city cards that give you entry onto the buses and into many museums and pools for one flat rate. One museum separate from the city card but worth a visit is Aurora Reykjavik. You learn about the science and history behind the enchanting aurora borealis, as well as see videos of the northern lights in their 4k theater. You can also walk around and see amazing views of the harbour, the Harpa concert hall, the sun voyager statue, and the Hallgrimskirkja church featuring a monument to Leif Erikson in front.
There is truly phenomenal local food in Iceland, a hidden gem you should try is Matarkjallarinn, translated into Food Cellar. It’s located right in the heart of the city center in the secluded cellar of a 160-year-old building. The atmosphere is incredible, it feels both private and lively as the same time. The service makes you feel like an honored guest. The food, both in preparation and in taste, is remarkable. For an appetizer, try the tiger prawns served in an artistic skull bowl, and for your entrée you can’t go wrong with any of the fresh meat. Multiple types of fish are offered as well as remarkably tender cuts of steak and lamb. The Food Cellar offered an excellent combination of ambience and delectable dining.
You have plenty of options of things to do during your days in Iceland. Many companies offer day-long excursions, but the optimum experience is with the company Into the Glacier. We were picked up from Reykjavik with a busload of fellow tourists and driven about 2 hours to Langjökull, the second largest glacier in Iceland. There, we took a truck specially-designed truck up the ice cap and explored the largest man-made ice cave in the world. We put crampons on our boots and walked carefully on the ice to see the majestic scenery, including the ice chapel that has hosted actual weddings. Following the ice cave, those of us who signed up for the add-on got to drive a snowmobile on the top of a glacier. It was truly breathtaking. On the trip back to Reykjavik, the bus stopped off at Hraunfossar, a series of waterfalls streaming from a lava field formed by the explosion of a volcano under the Langjökull glacier centuries ago. This truly is the land of fire and ice. The bus dropped us back off in Reykjavik in time for dinner, where we could reflect on an awe-inspiring day.
At night, many visitors in Iceland have one mission: see the northern lights. There are many different avenues one could go to increase their chances, but there were two amazing adventures we experienced. Superjeep is a company that picks guests up in Reykjavik and takes them to remote areas far away from the light pollution of the city for the best chance at seeing the aurora borealis. We had a hysterical guide named Gosi who cracked jokes as he drove us through creeks and rough terrain to find the best spots. How visible the northern lights are varies greatly, our night happened to be cloudy so we weren’t sure if we would catch a glimpse. But Superjeep does everything in their power to get you a sighting. In fact if they bring you out and they can’t find the northern lights, they’ll invite you back for free. Superjeep didn’t just find the northern lights on a tough night, but they also made it exciting to hunt for the aurora borealis, teach us how to get the best photos, and celebrate with hot chocolate and optional vodka. Another enjoyable way to find the northern lights is on a boat, specifically with Harpa Yachts. They take you from the Reykjavik harbour away from the bright lights of the city for a chance to view a clear sky. We again had a cloudy night, but got to see glimpses of the aurora borealis, all while relaxing for around 2 hours in the cool ocean breeze of an Icelandic night at sea.
After all the thrilling activities in Iceland, there is one stop you should absolutely make before departing. Blue Lagoon is the most popular attraction in Iceland, a nation known for their geothermal spas. There’s no better way to relax after a busy trip than to wade in the warm waters of Blue Lagoon. The view of steam coming off the water with volcanic rocks surrounding are magnificent. Included in your ticket package is a silica mud mask you can apply and wash off in the lagoon as well as a drink you can enjoy from their swim-up bar. They have busses that take you from Reykjavik to Blue Lagoon and then from Blue Lagoon to the airport, so you don’t have to worry about transportation. Give yourself at least a few hours here to enjoy a full rest and relaxation experience.
Visiting Iceland feels restorative in a way. You can enjoy time in the quaint yet lively city of Reykjavik while also escaping into nature to view truly majestic sights. There aren’t too many travel destinations that offer both, as well as extremely welcoming locals. If you have a chance to visit Iceland, even as a stopover from a European trip, make sure you take the opportunity. You’ll see things no other corner of the world can offer.