Before Iceland became the newest hot spot to travel, it was my dream destination. Six years ago I saw an advertisement on the Boston T (the subway) for the Blue Lagoon, with the message that romance was alive in Iceland and you could watch the famous Northern Lights from the comfort of a heated geothermal pool. I used to tell people that it would be the location of my someday honeymoon and my future hubby would just have to ditch the idea of the standard tropical destination and embrace the cold. But, when I won Viva Lifestyle and Travel’s three night stay in Iceland’s only Five-Star hotel contest, I realized that Iceland just couldn’t wait; especially not with the $100 flight deal from Boston to Iceland which WOW Airlines sponsors regularly! So, I enlisted my boyfriend to take on the adventure with me, (the same one who I once told when we were just friends in college that he couldn’t go to Iceland with me because it was my honeymoon spot) and dragged him on his first plane ride across the Atlantic to the world’s hottest country of ice.
Iceland’s 5- Star Hotel
The incredible 5-star hotel we stayed in was simply amazing, an experience unlike any I have ever had before, and one I probably won’t experience again for a few years coming as “budget” travel is currently my best friend. We stayed right in Keflavik (where the main international airport is located about 45 minutes outside of Reykjavik) at the Diamond Suites, a boutique hotel operated by Hotel Keflavik. Because we were outside Iceland’s capital, we didn’t get to explore as much of Reykjavik as we wanted, but the little town of Keflavik on the Reykjanesbaer Peninsula had plenty of restaurants and tourist shops for us to explore when we weren’t soaking it up in our suite’s own private outdoor hot tub! We stayed in the Sapphire Suite, with its Versace marble tile floors, a whirlpool jacuzzi with an oversized rain showerhead, an amazing luxury king-sized bed, and a flat screen TV on which we watched the Patriots’ incredible comeback in Super Bowl 51 #FiveForBrady!
Why Winter?
Why would we decide to go to Iceland in winter? Isn’t it FREEZING? Yeah, it was a bit nippy, but nothing like I thought it would be. Temperatures stayed close to 35°F and the perk of going when daylight hours are shorter is the chance to see the famous Northern Lights. The one downside of winter in Iceland is the unpredictable weather, and being a New England girl I thought I was used to the minute-by-minute forecast changes, but boy was I in for a surprise! So, while it was a bit too cloudy and drizzly to see the Aurora from the ground, it was surreal being eye-to-eye with the vibrant green lights as they danced right outside our red-eye plane window!
Navigation
We arrived at 4:30 in the morning, jet-lagged but so ready to take on the challenge of driving Iceland’s whimsical roads. We rented a car, as it is the cheapest option for transportation around the island, and got an amazing deal from the company Sad Cars. Be wary, though, gas prices in Iceland are incredibly high (nearly $7 a gallon!) and diesel is actually a bit cheaper, so try finding a diesel (automatic transmission) car if you can to save a little mullah! We went with gas, and only had to fill-up twice in the three days, spending around $150. Sad Cars also offers you to rent a GPS for $10 a day, and we decided to pass on this to try and save a bit more, but we were incredibly happy when we discovered that the Suzuki we were given came equipped with a navigation system which totally SAVED OUR BUTTS a few times with closed roads and wrong turns, so check the car first for a navigation system, but unless you’re super comfortable with a map, get the GPS.*Tips for Travel: If you download your route through Google Maps, you can follow it while offline and save money on the GPS!
Day 1: The Golden Circle
After a much-needed power nap in the hotel room (a bit longer than we’d anticipated, whoops!) we were on the road travelling to Iceland’s most famous route, the Golden Circle. Without stopping, the route is about a 3.5 hour drive, but we were able to stop and see all the major spots in a comfortable 5 hours with plenty of time to head back to the hotel for an evening of relaxation. You can check out our Golden Circle route here.
Thingvellir National Park
Þingvellir (Thingvellir) National Park: You can’t miss this amazing park when traveling the the Golden Circle. Its beautiful landscape engulfs you as you enter, the mountainous lush landscape dotted with black lava rocks from centuries of eruptions. The most famous of these rock formations actually gave this national park its title of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Icelandic Horses
Icelandic Horses: This wasn’t so much a destination as a constant desire to stop at every horse farm dotted around the Golden Circle and pet the uber-friendly native Icelandic Horses. They are incredibly curious creatures. Make sure you get that horse selfie with the #IcelandHorses when posting to Insta!
Strokkur Geysir
Geysir: Sulfuric smoke rises up from the ground in patches across the Haukadalur Valley. There is one large geyser called Strokkur, meaning the Churn, which blasts up into the sky at intervals of every 5-10 minutes. We saw it blast up three times in the 15 minutes we were there!
Gullfoss Waterfall
Gullfoss Waterfall: Beautiful icy crystals of snow decorated the impressive Gullfoss Waterfall when we arrived. The wide cascade reminded me of Niagara Falls the way it disappeared into a plume of fog as the water crashes into the Hvita river below.
Kerid Crater Lake
Kerid Crater: Kerid is the crater of an inactive volcano which has sat dormant for years upon years, and has since filled with water to create a lake. You can actually walk all around and down into the crater lake, a surreal concept when you realize that you are actually standing inside a dormant volcano!
Day 2: The South Coast (Route 1)
This was my favorite day of the entire trip. Although I wish that the weather had been a bit more friendly for sightseeing, we made the most of the incredibly fierce wind and the drizzle after having had an on and off sun-filled day around the Golden Circle. Because we drove from Keflavik, we were able to drive down the coast along route 427, passing through the eerily beautiful volcanic landscape of Reykjanesfolkvangur Nature Reserve. The drive was a little over two hours to our first stop because of the wind, but the ocean waves and snow-capped mountains amongst the black lava fields were a breathtaking sight as we explored.
Seljalandsfoss
Seljalandsfoss: This waterfall may just be the most iconic of Iceland (this or Kirkjufellsfoss on the Snaefellsness Peninsula in the north of Iceland which I swear I will get to one day!). But, what makes Seljalandsfoss so incredible is the cave behind the cascading spray which you can walk into and actually stand behind the waterfall!
Gljúfrabúi
Gljúfrabúi: Just a quick distance up the dirt path to the left of Seljalandsfoss is another waterfall only seen by the brave willing to get to it. This waterfall is located in a cave. Gljúfrabúi cascades down the cave’s rock face, spraying those adventurous souls who dared to enter with its chilly water in a refreshing moment of “oh my god, this is amazing”!
Vik
Vik: This quaint coastal town is a great spot to stop for lunch, and we ended up at a little spot called Halldorskaffi, hidden beside a hostel down the road toward the sea. They were relatively inexpensive for the tourist town, had a warm atmosphere, and an extensive menu with Icelandic classics like fish soup, as well as delicious homemade pizzas!
Reynisfjara Beach
Reynisfjara Beach: Black sand ground by ocean waves from millenniums of volcanic eruptions are just one of the many highlights of this stunning Icelandic beach.
Dyrhólaey Arch
Dyrhólaey Arch: Another beautiful structure formed from centuries of erosion and weathering, this arch rises up from the surf beyond a cliff on which a beautiful lighthouse sits. A colony of Puffins actually lives beyond the cliff, and on clear days you can see them flying about and diving down into the waves.
Other Places to Stop:
Skogafoss: This is the other famous waterfall along the south coast of Iceland’s ring road, route 1. It features an observation deck above the waterfall which you can stand and look down as the water cascades and crashes below. It is one of the tallest in Iceland, and quite often on sunny days you can see rainbows dancing in the spray.Sólheimasandur Plane Wreck: An eerily beautiful site, this plane wreck occurred back in the 1970’s when a U.S. Naval Plane ran out of fuel and crashed along the black sand beach. Fortunately everyone survived, and the plane remains decaying on the ocean shores still today, another sight which makes you feel as if you have travelled to another planet entirely while in Iceland.
Day 3: The Blue Lagoon
Our flight was set to take off at 3:40 in the afternoon on our third day in Iceland, so what better way to spend our final day than relaxing in the natural healing waters of the Blue Lagoon, arguably Iceland’s most popular tourist attraction. It is only a 20 minute drive from the airport, but if you don’t have a car, the Blue Lagoon will set you up with a shuttle service from either the airport or Reykjavik when you go to purchase your tickets. I searched for a cheaper shuttle service, but they are all relatively the same cost.
Travel Tip:
You must pre-book a reservation on the Blue Lagoon website in order to guarantee yourself a spot on the day you choose to go. The reservations start as early as 8:00 am, but you can stay at the lagoon as long as you wish no matter what time you arrive. We were part of the 8:00 am group (not by choice, but because many of the times were already booked, despite us having booked our spot a week in advance!) but arriving there while it was still dark outside (the sun didn’t rise until 10:00 while we were there) was actually an amazing experience. It was as cold as could be with knots of wind whipping at the warm waters of the lagoon, but the weather only added to the mystified wonder of this massive silica lake. As the sun rose and our eyes adjusted, it was amazing to discover just how blue the water actually is. It is almost icy in color, and contrasts sharply against the looming black lava rocks which have been artfully stacked and arranged to keep the natural-look of the lagoon despite the amazing alterations they have made to make the wonderful healing waters accessible to travelers. The lagoon is massive! It was so much fun exploring all the different nooks and crannies throughout the layout, searching for spots which were warmer than others. Surprisingly, it didn’t smell as sulfuric as I had expected it to, only while we were driving up the road to the lagoon.
We chose the cheapest package which only included entrance and unlimited access to the Silica Mud Masks which is a natural white mud that is a result of the silica rubbing against the lava rocks. We were glad we had brought our own towels for the lagoon, but they could be rented along with robes and waterproof phone cases to take pictures while in the relaxing water. These are also included in other packages you can get through the Blue Lagoon website. You are given a wristband, which is color-coded depending on the package you purchased, and these act as your payment for other in-water treatments and bar purchases while in the lagoon which you pay for upon leaving.
Fun Facts:
- The lagoon is actually man made, harnessing the geothermal water which originates from 2,000 meters below the ground, where fresh and saltwater mix in extreme heat. The lagoon was found by accident when the power plant, Svartsengi, was drilling in the area, and the water is now used to create electricity and hot water for neighboring towns, as well as for the Blue Lagoon itself.The water temperature varies from 98 to 104 degrees F.
- The water is blue because of the way the silica reflects off the light from the sun, even behind the clouds. But, if you were to pour the water into a cup, you’d be surprised to find that it is actually white! The other active ingredients in the water are algae (also used in a healing mud mask to reduce aging in skin), and various other minerals.
- The lagoon holds 9 million liters of water.
- The lagoon water is self-cleansing and renews itself every 40 hours.
Beauty and Health Tips:
You must shower before you enter the waters, and when you do, make sure you douse your hair in the conditioner they provide and leave it in while you navigate through the lagoon as it will protect your hair from the drying affect the water has on your beautiful locks. No makeup necessary ladies. It will just run down your face and make you look like a raccoon. Don’t wear jewelry in the water, the silica could stain anything not made entirely of gold.Drink lots of water! The lagoon’s salt will definitely make you thirsty. And, Icelandic spring water is supposed to be some of the best tasting water in the world (it was delicious!)
On that Note:
We had just 72 hours to explore this breathtaking country of moving lights and cascading waterfalls. Iceland may not be the biggest of islands, but with so much natural beauty, there is a lot of ground to cover, and three days was just barely enough to explore the west and south coast of this amazing place. I already can’t wait to go back and travel to the north of Iceland, a place popular for its filming of The Game of Thrones series!
