Iceland- land of Fire and Ice

Iceland was on the top of my bucket list forever and finally it was time! Only for a week but it was better than nothing.

Unbeknownst to us when we planned it, May turned out to be a great time to travel, as, due to the long daylight hours, we had almost 20 hours each day in which to to explore -in fact we never saw nighttime at all!!

Great weather and long days meant all our tours went ahead as planned and we had no disappointing bad weather cancellations, which apparently happens a lot.

We had considered driving which is the ideal way to explore any country, but reading about the fickle weather and how dangerous the roads can get, decided against it.

I had a list of must see places and explored many combinations of tours which would cover the most of these- not an easy task at all, especially keeping budget in mind- yes Iceland IS expensive! Some places had to be left out, mainly due to time constraints but hopefully this means another visit in the future!

Following is a day by day chronicle of our travels with our base in Reykjavík.

Day 1

We flew in from London on Icelandair and arrived the Center Hotels Plaza by evening.

I'd chosen this hotel primarily due to its very central location and its proximity to the stops where all our tours were to begin.

Reykjavík is a great city to walk around in and most attractions are not too far, but for the early tour pickups being close to the pick up points is most convenient.

Once we were checked in it was time for a quick explore and dinner.

Dinner was spread over two locations -Icelandic hot dog from a popular stand followed by the famous tomato soup in a bread bowl for me and the lamb stew version for my husband, both from Icelandic Street Food.

The soup was delicious and totally worth it as you get free refills plus you get to eat the bowl too!!

It was then back to the hotel to get some sleep before an early start the next morning.

Day 2

Today was a full day small group bus tour of the Golden Circle, and what started as a miserable, cold and misty morning, dramatically turned into a gorgeous warm and sunny day the minute we left the city center! Things were looking up!

Our first stop was at Thingvellir National Park which is a historic UNESO World heritage site.

This is both a geographic wonder for being a rift valley created over millions of years by shifting Eurasian and North American tectonic plates, and it has great historic value as the site of Iceland's first National Parliament.

After an hour or so walking around, it was back on the bus and off to the Geysir geothermal field -home to one of the world’s most famous geysers—the one that gave all geysers their name!

Although the main "Geysir" is now dormant, its little brother, Strokkur, is very much active and currently Iceland' s most active geyser.

We spent most of out time near Strokkur just mesmerized by the eruptions but also managed to marvel at the smaller bubbling pools and vents along the way. The whole landscape was new to us and we were awestruck!

From hot water to cold water, it was onto Gullfoss, known as the "Golden Waterfall," next. Being a HUGE fan of waterfalls I was really looking forward to this stop!

Gullfoss is a breathtaking two tiered waterfall which showcases the immense power of nature. Definitely no bathing in this one although if you walk to the viewpoint, getting wet is totally guaranteed!

All the excitement of the morning, (plus an advance booking!) made for a hungry tour group and lunch at the famous Fridheimar was next.

Fridheimar is Iceland's premier family run tomato farm growing the most delicious tomatoes all year round. With Iceland's harsh weather, these tomatoes are grown under artificial lighting in huge greenhouses and keep fresh fruit on the table during the harsh winters.

After a quick but fascinating tour of the greenhouse, we were led to our table for lunch. Eating within a greenhouse with the fruit growing next to us was a unique experience and the famous tomato soup and homemade breads of all kinds were delicious- well worth the money as its an all you can eat option. If you prefer, they do also have a tomato based a la carte menu and alcohol is available for purchase too.

A short halt to visit an Icelandic horse farm next. It was interesting to learn that Iceland's iconic horses live almost twice as long as regular horses! The country has actually banned the import of horses from outside Iceland, and if an Icelandic horse leaves the country, they're never allowed to return, to protect the country's purebred herd from potential diseases!

Having admired and fed the horses, it was off to our final stop of the day- The Kerið Crater.

This is a stunning volcanic crater formed over 6,500 years ago after a volcanic eruption. The eruption caused the volcano to collapse, leaving behind a beautiful blue lake inside. From the rim, you can enjoy amazing views of the landscape and distant mountains or you can take a 20-minute hike around the rim for a bit of adventure. If you are very adventurous and fit, you can climb the stairs to go down closer to the water too.

After a fantastic day of adventure it was a long drive back to Reykjavík for a well deserved night of rest.

Day 3

This day had intentionally been kept light so we had time to explore the city a bit. It started with a morning Whale Watching tour. How excited we were for this as we'd never seen whales before and this was the season for them but, alas, the big ones, they didn't oblige. The guide spotted a few Minke whales and tried to point them out but they were too far and we missed them. We did, however, see several playful dolphins and the boat ride was nice so it was better than nothing. In hindsight I should have booked a rib boat tour for better chances of spotting the whales.

Back on land, after consoling ourselves with some hot chocolate, we walked around town a bit taking in some sights, before a fantastic lunch at The Fish Company. Here I discovered my love for Icelandic butter as well as the local fish Arctic Char, both of which I ate consistently throughout our trip!!

The Sun Voyager

The Famous Rainbow Road and the Hallgrimskirkja

Got back to the hotel to pack our bags as we were off on a two day tour the next day to explore the south coast!

Day 4

Our South Coast, Glacier Hike and Glacier Lagoon tour was going to cover most of my fav places and I was super excited. We met some lovely people on our tour and this made it even better.

We started on day 1 at the majestic Seljalandsfoss Waterfall. Now this was my type of falls- up close and personal! And although we couldn't bathe in it, I was more than drenched to the bone experiencing it! Not expecting to get wet, I had left my raincoat on the bus and was dearly punished for it!!

Seljalandsfoss is a 60m waterfall featured in many many movies and you can actually walk behind the curtain of cascading water. I cant explain how amazing the experience was- even the freezing water that drenched me was so worth it!! Hopefully the pictures captured some of it beauty!

Our visit to the "hidden falls" very close to Seljalandsfoss, had to be rescheduled for the next day as we had to be on time for our glacier walk and were running late, with Skogafoss still to visit.

Skogafoss Waterfall is one of Iceland's most famous waterfalls and is also featured in many movies and shows. You can't really get too close to the falls due to the adjacent cliff but you could climb the cliff for views from above- we didn't have the time to do so but I doubt the top view would be any better than what we had at the base.

There is a small restaurant near the falls where we had a quick lunch ( only Arctic Char for me again!!) to be ready for the glacier walk coming up next.

Sólheimajökull Glacier Hike was one of the many highlights of this tour and one I was a bit wary of. I doubted my fitness and the use of crampons for the first time but the guides were very encouraging and I was convinced. So glad I went as it was really an amazing experience to actually walk on a glacier.

Exhilarated from the hike, it was back to the bus and after a quick stop to view a huge lava field, it was straight to our hotel for the night.

Day 5

After an early breakfast our group packed up and headed out for the adventures of the day. First stop, the much anticipated Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon.

This lagoon was nothing short of a fairytale come to life for me. The everchanging glacial landscape of massive icebergs floating in the crystal clear waters of the lagoon, was spectacular. The lagoon boat tour we'd booked brought us up close and personal not only with the icebergs but also with the otters of the area and was amazing- I'm truly at a loss of words to describe this place!

A short walk from the lagoon is the "Diamond Beach".

Another black sand beach, its nickname comes from the icebergs that wash ashore after breaking away from the lagoon. Resembling diamonds of all shapes and sizes, these gems against the black sand are a breathtaking sight making it a popular destination for photographers and nature lovers. The size and abundance of diamonds at any given time is unpredictable but that's nature!

Our group spent a good amount of time here just experiencing the beauty surrounding us before moving on to our next destination- Reynisfjara.

Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach is known as one of the most beautiful beaches in Iceland but also one of the most dangerous.

Again not a traditional beach, Reynisfjara is a beach of dark volcanic sands as is expected in Iceland. The sheer cliffs, basalt columns and rough waters combine together to create a haunting montage which has been the location of, yup, multiple movie shoots!

The danger of this beach comes from truly unpredictable "sneaker" waves which catch people out, often to a grievous end. Despite glaring warnings posted by the entrance, people still blatantly ignore them and far too often pay a very heavy price.

There is no denying the allure of this almost magical place, and as long as we exercise common sense and caution, it's a surreal place to visit.

Back on the road for a quick stop at the Hofskirkja Church which is the last of its kind. Covered in thick layers of turf, the church blends beautifully with the surrounding landscape, and although the church is not open to the public, it's a great spot for photos.

Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon was our next destination- "a winding green gorge about 100 meters deep and nearly two kilometers long. Made famous by a Justin Bieber music video, this natural wonder draws visitors from around the world. The canyon, covered in delicate moss, was formed during a glacial period, leaving behind a snaking river after the ice receded."

We spent a good hour or so climbing up the hillside and appreciating the views but couldn't quite make it to the top due to time restraints.

It was a quick stop next for a photo op at Vik Village which is the southernmost village of Iceland. The hilltop church is ideally located and gives visitors sweeping panoramic views of the seaside village below, but beware the wind that blows at this higher level!

Already a very full and fulfilling day, we had one last stop before heading back home.

Gljufrabui Waterfalls was the falls we had skipped yesterday and were squeezing into the itinerary today.

As mentioned it's very close to Seljalandsfoss, equally beautiful, and yet skipped by most visitors. Known as the hidden falls, it is not really visible from the road and you need to walk into a cave to enjoy its beauty. Guaranteed to get wet if you go inside and slippery from the water, it is still so worth the effort. So beautiful I had to do a mini photoshoot inside!!!

An amazing two days were over far to soon and we headed back to Reykjavík, hearts and cameras full of once in a lifetime memories.

Day 6

Today was puffin day with a puffin rib boat tour scheduled for the morning. Not expecting much after the disappointing whale watching tour, we were more looking forward to the boat ride!

Turned out to be a much more exhilarating experience and we even got to see several puffins which was an unexpected boon!

It was a walk around town next just enjoying the streets of Reykjavík, before lunch at the Loki café for a taste of some local favorites- rye bread with mashed fish, lamb shank, and their famous ryebread ice-cream.

After lunch it was back to the hotel to collect our things for an evening at The Blue Lagoon.

The Blue Lagoon. With so many hot water lagoons to choose from in Iceland at varying prices and distances, it was really hard to choose one. The Blue lagoon was the furthest, most expensive and most expensive to get to but it was the one place in Iceland I'd heard of and seen pictures of ever since I was a young travelling adult. It had been on my wish list for what seems like forever so despite the cost, this was our treat to ourselves!

Despite the palaver of the changing room lockers, shower system etc, which could have a better flow and way better signages, once you get onto the level to enter the lagoon its breathtaking! The vast milky blue waters with steam gently rising against a backdrop of mountains was something no photograph can really capture. The water was soothingly warm and just perfect.

Once we had enjoyed our free masks, we got our drinks and found a quiet area to just soak it all in. We did also try the steam room and sauna which were lovely too and accessible from the lagoon itself.

After a lovely experience at the Blue Lagoon it was again back to the hotel for some well needed sleep!

Day 7

Sadly our last day in Iceland. As we had a very early flight the next morning we choose to spend the day exploring more of Reykjavik before moving to a hotel closer to the airport to spend the night.

The Settlement Exhibition, the Lava Show, eating local pastries and just absorbing as much of this lovely country as we could was the only agenda today and following are some of the photos.

Ps. We also experienced one of the strangest traditions in the country today. At a café we stopped at I was astonished, and frankly concerned, to see a young toddler in his pram left outside totally alone. I was so amazed that I googled it and this is what I found.

"It's a common and culturally ingrained practice for parents to leave their babies outside in strollers to nap, even in cold weather. This tradition is rooted in the belief that fresh air and exposure to the elements are beneficial for a child's health and sleep."

Don't think this practice will be followed anywhere else in the world!!

By the late evening we were exhausted and all that was left to do was move closer to the airport before our flight the day after.

Our whirlwind seven days in Iceland were over and we had truly made the most of our time here. We saw and experienced a lot but there was still so much left - maybe we'll be lucky and have a chance to visit this stunning country again sometime. For now it was farewell Iceland- we loved you and will miss you!