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I C E L A N D
The land full of large glaciers, active and dormant volcanoes, black lava stones, superheated hot springs, erupting geysers and elves watching every your move. Iceland might be the most beautiful country I’ve visited so far and its peaceful nature truly amazed me. European exotic, adventurous and safe destination at the same time.
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5 Best Things To Do
T H E G O L D E N C I R C L E
Iceland is the perfect destination after COVID-19 because it has many jaw-dropping natural attractions and the best way to explore them is a self drive tour. We rented a 4x4 SUV car from Blue Car Rental company which accepts debit card. Two very handy extras from the car rental were GPS and portable wifi. We visited in the end of November when the roads were frozen but overall, driving in Iceland is very easy. Just go straight and stop by the attractions along.
Most popular sightseeing route is The Golden Circle where you can find following attractions.
Þingvellir National Park, the only place in the world where tectonic plates emerge from the earth, you can walk between two continents the North America and Eurasia.
Second attraction is Haukadalur Geothermal Valley which is home to hot springs, boiling mud pots and two geysers. Geysir, the oldest geyser on the planet which originated the English word for this phenomena and smaller geyser Strokkur erupting every ten minutes.
Continue to majestic Gullfoss Waterfall and to less crowded Faxi waterfall with salmon ladder on the side, that has been built to help salmon travel upstream. No surprise that it is a popular spot for salmon fishing. The Icelandic fishing grounds belongs to the the purest in the world and healthy fish is a mainstay in Icelandic cuisine. Forget about chips. Very popular snack and the best source of vitamin D during the lack of sun in the winter months is dried fish - Hardfiskur.
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G L A C I E R , L A V A & T H E M O O N
As Iceland’s name suggests, it is a land full of ice. Even bottles with mineral water have the shape of glacier. The glacier hiking is the ultimate experience. Slip on a pair of crampons and go explore. Occasionally, you will even find an ice cave, I went to Sólheimajökull glacier on the South Coast. Sadly, like all the glaciers in Iceland, it is shrinking rapidly due to global warming. Go before it is gone.
While discovering South Cost of Iceland make sure to stop at Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss Waterfalls. End your day by watching sunset and moon on Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach.
It is is one of the world’s most interesting beaches due to basalt column formations caused by ancient lava flow. This masterpiece of nature is surrounded by stunning black smooth lava stones lying on the black sand. No wonder that Game of Thrones and Star Wars were filmed here. Have a lunch in near by village Vík which could disappear under a mass of glacier water after any volcano eruption. Remember, Iceland has over 30 active volcanoes. On the other side of island, opposite Vík is Húsavík which is very similar to Moon’s lunar landscape. Nasa sent astronauts including Neil Armstrong to train in this crater-filled terrain before he became the first person to step foot on the Moon. If you want cool hand holding moon photos visit volcanic crater Kerið right after sunset.
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E L V E S U N D E R T H E N O R T H E R N L I G H T S
In my opinion Iceland is perfect for winter getaway. Even though during polar night the daylight isn't long, the darkness contrasting with the white snow gives Iceland very mysterious vibe. At the top of that between October and March there is a chance to spot natural phenomena Northern Lights. I recommend you to always check forecast on My Aurora Forecast & Alerts app before you go Aurora hunting. It requires dark and clear skies. We didn't saw the lights but we were lucky to see a shooting star. I made a wish and it came true on the next day. There is definitely something magical about this country. Surveys suggest that majority of Icelanders think that elves possibly exist. Elves also called Hidden People live in rocks or hills. Respecting their homes is a part of Icelandic culture. For example, construction work on a new highway had to be stopped because of elves living in the rock on the planned new road.
The problem with disturbing their habitat was resolved when a local lady who claims to talk to elves, mediated and elves agreed to the road as long as their 70 tonnes rock was carefully moved somewhere else.
As you drive through this fairy land you will see the most beautiful views of herds of horses grazing in front of stunning scenery. The Icelandic horse is pony-sized unique breed with extensive hair in the winter developed for extra cold temperatures. It is instantly recognizable for being super cute, its short legs and fifth gait which is a way of riding where three of the horses legs touch the ground at the same time to cross rough terrain. Icelandic law prevents other horses from being imported into the country to maintain its special genetics. Horses are friendly, one even smiled when I was taking a photo. The best things in life are free and Icelandic nature is definitely this case. As a bonus you won't find a single mosquito in whole Iceland.
E X P L O R E R E Y K J A V I K
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Expect lower prices on accommodation during winter. We stayed in Saga Studios by ylma, modern apartment with coded-entry system. It means that you don't have to meet with any staff for checking in neither checking out. I believe that more hotels and apartments worldwide will add this facility after coronavirus. The apartment was just few steps away from Hallgrímskirkja Lutheran Church. This architectural gem in the heart of Reykjavik was inspired by the basalt lava flows of Iceland's landscape. Buy a souvenir at nearby Laugavegur Main Street and admire simple Scandinavian style buildings. Wander through the streets till you come to the seafront sculpture The Sun Voyager. In the evening, you can drive to Grótta Island Lighthouse. Not only it is a good spot near the city centre for seeing the Northern Lights, you can also see illuminated Imagine Peace Tower from there. It's an outdoor clear pillar beam of light reaching up to 4,000 meters into the sky.
Yoko Ono dedicated it in memory of John Lennon to symbolizes their campaign for world peace.
Did you know that several years in a row Iceland has been the most peaceful and safest country in the world?
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B L U E L A G O O N S P A
Finally, you can change many layers of warm clothes (which I highly recommend for every other activity) for swimsuit. The Blue Lagoon is Iceland’s most famous spa because of its healing silica mud and geothermal seawater. The water which seems to be light blue is surrounded by lava fields and the average temperature is 39°C (102°F) all year round. You have to make a reservation ahead on their website. Book it at the end of your trip before you fly out because it is very close to the Keflavík International Airport and a small relax after couple days of exploring always feels good. I appreciated their strict hygiene rules, guests are required to shower not just rinse before entering the water. There is a Mask Bar in the pool where you can apply white silica mud. It is included in every ticket and it really made my skin soft right away. They claim the anti-bacterial effects of silica improve psoriasis and eczema and that the mineral water prevents premature aging. Iceland is known for using its great quantity of highly unique natural resources for beneficial purposes while maintaining respect for its own environment and The Blue Lagoon is no exception.
Go! Travel! Discover!
P H O T O G A L L E R Y
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