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Iceland’s Golden Circle

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Traveling Iceland's Golden Circle

The Golden Circle just might be Iceland’s most famous tourist route. Breathtaking landscapes make you feel as if you have traveled to another world rather than just across the ocean. Without stopping, the route is about a 3.5 hour drive from Reykjavik and all the way around the loop, but we were able to stop and see all the major spots in a comfortable 5 hours. We went in winter, when the Northern Lights are vibrant and the snow turns the lava rock landscape into a whimsical wonderland. I had enlisted my boyfriend to venture on this excursion through Iceland with me (his first time ever on a plane!) and we had just 72 hours to see what we could of this amazing country. The Golden Circle was our first adventure on our first day in Iceland, and I couldn’t wait to see all the beauty that this little island of…

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72 Hours in Iceland

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72 Hours in Iceland

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…

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Iceland’s South Coast

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Exploring Iceland's South Coast and all its waterfalls and more.

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. Check out the route we drove here. Seljalandsfoss Seljalandsfoss: This waterfall may just be the most iconic of Iceland (this one or the amazing Kirkjufellsfoss on the Snaefellsness Peninsula in the north of the island which I hope to get to one…

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Which Aran Island to Visit

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Which Aran Island to visit | A day trip from Galway, Ireland

Off the coast of Western Ireland, in the heart of Galway Bay, is a place virtually untouched by tourism. This place consists of three islands known for their wool sweaters and ancient landmarks. The people living on these islands live simple lives, farming, fishing and writing, and all those quintessential “Irish” things. They are some of the friendliest people I have ever met, and I have never had a better meal of fish n’ chips in my life. These three islands are called the Aran Islands and are known as Inis Mór, Inis Meáin, and Inis Oírr – the great, the middle, and the back. In English, they are spelled Inishmore, Inishmaan, and Inisheer, but the Gaelic is just so much prettier. Most people visit Inishmore, the big island, because naturally they believe that this island offers the most to do. While this is the best island to explore for…

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Finding Camelot Atop Arthur’s Seat

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Finding Camelot | Climing to the top of Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh, Scotland

Tiny pebbles slid out beneath my feet as my sneakers hammered into the rough terrain of the steep dirt path. My pulse pounded in my stinging ears as I roughly breathed in and out, puffs of air mingling with the chilling breeze of the morning air. It had taken an hour of wandering the streets of Edinburgh at 5:00 a.m. just to find the damn park; we were four college girls without a smart phone or a GPS—we were completely out of our element. Now, the 4:15 alarm and the mile extra we had walked getting here was all going to be for nothing if I didn’t make it up to the top of this damn hill before the sun rose. I couldn’t hear the steps of the others around me; all I could hear was the sound of my own panting and the thoughts running through my head, what…

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48 Hours in London

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How to spend just 48 hours in London

I had just one weekend to explore the land of Shakespeare and fish n chips, of Will and Kate and Big Ben, and there is no way I could have done it without one handy little pass. The London Pass is the best decision I made during my two days in the UK version of the Big Apple, and I saw things in London I would never have seen without it. For just £80 I was able to see eight London greats in my two days which in admission prices alone would have cost me over £200—in time it would have cost me much more than the 48 hours I had just in standing in line to wait and buy tickets. First of all, get the mobile app. You don’t even need wifi or data to access your pass once you have bought it and added it to the mobile…

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Edinburgh’s “Other” Castle – Craigmillar

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Craigmillar Castle | Edinburgh's Other Castle | Edinburgh, Scotland

If you are in Edinburgh it is impossible to miss the beautiful castle perched atop the hill of the Royal Mile. The Edinburgh Castle is immaculate and perfectly restored with exhibits showcasing centuries of Scottish history. But, if you take the road less travelled and do a little bit of digging, you will find that Edinburgh Castle is not the only royal fortress of Scotland’s imperial city. Tucked away behind the Palace of Holyrood and Arthur’s Seat sits a castle in the Edinburgh village of Craigmillar. From the city center, take buses 2, 14, or 30 toward Craigmillar or the Royal Infirmary and stumble upon the most well preserved medieval fortress in Scotland. Fields of grass surround the story book fortress and you will be amazed to see this hidden wonder seem to appear in the midst of the Scottish meadows.The castle is described as a ‘league distant from Edinburgh’…

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Leaf Peeping on New Hampshire’s Kancamagus Highway

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Leaf peeping along the Kancamagus Highway in the White Mountains of New Hampshire

Leaf peeping is a favorite autumn activity in New England, and there is no better place to see the array than the colorful mountains surrounding the Kancamagus Highway in New Hampshire. From Boston, you can cruise up route 93 all the way to the adorable little town of Lincoln, where route 112 begins in the White Mountains. Originally meant to connect Lincoln with the Eastern New Hampshire hub of Conway, the Kancamagus highway has become one of the USA’s most popular autumnal scenic byways. When asking for directions, make sure you ask for the Kank-ah-MAH-gus, or simply the “Kanc.” Opened in 1959, the Kanc is named after a noted Native American of the southern New Hampshire region named Kancamagus, meaning “the fearless one.” Twenty-six miles of the highway have been designated a National Scenic Byway, and driving through the White Mountains during the peak of leaf peeping season, it is…

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St. Andrews – More than Just a Golfer’s Paradise

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A day trip to St. Andrews from Edinburgh

I escaped Edinburgh on Sunday and decided to explore a famous old fishing village in the Kingdom of Fife. This town is famous for exactly three things: it is known as the home of golf, it has the oldest university in Scotland, and it was where a famous Prince fell in love with a commoner. If you guessed St. Andrews, then you’re right! Which of the clues gave it away for you, the sport, the education, or the love story? Well no matter what your answer, or even if you didn’t have a clue about any of them, St. Andrews is a bustling town of fairytale stone buildings and cobblestoned streets and no matter what your interests may be, it has a little taste of Scotland for everyone. The bus from Edinburgh to St. Andrews was easy—once we found the stop. It was hidden back on George Street which runs…

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Dunkeld and Stirling

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The William Wallace bridge in Stirling | Exploring Dunkeld and Stirling, the gateway to the Higlands

One of my favorite scenes from the movie “Made of Honor” is when Hannah and her Scottish fiancé, Colin, are sitting at the dinner table discussing baby names with Colin’s Aunt and Uncle. “Little Atholl,” suggests the aunt in her thick Scottish accent, mimicking stroking a baby in her arms. Now to Hannah, as to you or I, Atholl (which sounds exactly like that certain swear used used to reference a jerk) would not be a name we would name a child. But in Scotland, it was the Duke of Atholl who rebuilt the little village of Dunkeld after a 16- hour battle with the Jacobites and piped a water supply for the villagers. Today, a beautiful gothic fountain sits in the oldest part of Dunkeld called the Cross, where the mercat (or market) once stood. This fountain was built in 1866 to commemorate the 6th Duke of Atholl who…

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