As many of you know, I love to travel and lots of you ask me where I go when I visit these incredible places. Well, my big sister got married in Iceland last November and we had a whirlwind of weekend there so here is my round-up for the best things to do in Iceland:
Blue Lagoon Believe it or not, you will have to take a bikini/swimsuit to Iceland if you want to venture to the Blue Lagoon - a geo-thermally heated lagoon known for its hot temperatures and mineral water with reportedly healing and relaxing qualities. Unfortunately, when we went there were gale force winds blowing so we had to find a protected area to shelter from the chill! Without this it felt like, what I imagine the Southern Ocean might... which rather defeated the object of feeling relaxed, but definitely worth a visit! |
The Golden Circle Tour
Taking in the 'Golden Circle' is a must in Iceland as it will demonstrate to you how truly beautiful and unique this small country is. The location and volcanic activity make Iceland unlike any other place on earth. The first place we visited was Pingvellir National Park where you can see the tectonic plates boundary. This is literally where North America and Europe join each other. The outstanding views took my breath away - especially the pool Drekkingarhylur.
The second stop was at Gullfoss Waterfall which is the most famous waterfall in Iceland with a dramatic 32m drop. With some of it frozen solid it looked like a dramatic winter wonderland or scene from Frozen! On a sunny day a rainbow will often form across the waterfall... sadly we didn't have the benefit of sunshine on our particularly cold and misty visit so thi treat escaped us.
We carried on our adventure to the famous geysers of Iceland where a geyser erupts roughly every 5 mins. Top tip:- if you arrive and see no–one standing in a certain spot, this is not an opportunity to get a great view, it’s the area to avoid as you will get wet!!
Taking in the 'Golden Circle' is a must in Iceland as it will demonstrate to you how truly beautiful and unique this small country is. The location and volcanic activity make Iceland unlike any other place on earth. The first place we visited was Pingvellir National Park where you can see the tectonic plates boundary. This is literally where North America and Europe join each other. The outstanding views took my breath away - especially the pool Drekkingarhylur.
The second stop was at Gullfoss Waterfall which is the most famous waterfall in Iceland with a dramatic 32m drop. With some of it frozen solid it looked like a dramatic winter wonderland or scene from Frozen! On a sunny day a rainbow will often form across the waterfall... sadly we didn't have the benefit of sunshine on our particularly cold and misty visit so thi treat escaped us.
We carried on our adventure to the famous geysers of Iceland where a geyser erupts roughly every 5 mins. Top tip:- if you arrive and see no–one standing in a certain spot, this is not an opportunity to get a great view, it’s the area to avoid as you will get wet!!
My Favourite Restaurant We were delighted (and a little surprised) to find that Icelandic restaurants are very good! My favourite is called Sjavagrillid in Rejakvik; it has a great Icelandic tasting menu where you try puffin and fresh salmon!! https://www.sjavargrillid.is | My Favourite Hotel If you have the time to leave Reykjavik it is worth making the two hour drive to Hotel Budir. This is where my sister got married and the tranquility of the countryside is magical. http://www.hotelbudir.is |
Top Tips for Iceland
- Iceland can be very expensive as most of the food has to be imported.
- If you are going in winter make sure you check out what temperature feels like rather than the actual temperature the wind can make a massive difference.
- Wrap up warm: taking hand warmers will make a difference