Finally had a chance to go through photos from our magical adventure in Iceland. It was a stunning country with beauty and surprises around every corner. The landscape is diverse and unique with endless places to explore.
Several of my favorite places we visited would have been hard to find without planning and directions so I was glad I did research before the trip.
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Reykjavik
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We rented a car and started in Reykjavik, the capitol and by far the largest city, where were explored the city, shops, and found a great view at the top of the Hallgrímskirkja Church. There was plenty to eat in the area but the food, especially in Reykjavik, was very expensive. Think $40 a person for a casual sit-down lunch. I was glad we packed tons of granola bars and after a trip to the grocery store we made most of our own food for the week.
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Bruarfoss
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We headed up to Akranes, a small fishing town, where we climbed the top of a lighthouse and drove through several miles of underground tunnels below the sea. Our first night was spent in Hafnarfjörður where we rested up before an 8.5 mile trail run through the mountains. We were treated with hot homemade soup and bread following the race and given free access to the local geothermal pool.
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The Golden Circle
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We embarked on the Golden Circle which is a 3-4 hours loop that includes some of the most popular geological landmarks. We stopped at Þingvellir National Park, Geysir, Gulfoss and the hidden ice blue Bruarfoss waterfall which we found just before giving up.
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Þingvellir
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Þingvellir
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The Golden Circle
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We spent our first night at an airbnb in Selfoss. The place was owned by an older couple who gave us access to their large garden and greenhouse for coffee in the morning.
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Hveragerði
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Since we weren't far from Hveragerði we decided to backtrack to a short hike with a hot spring at the end. It turned out to be several miles straight uphill through the most beautiful place I've been. Sometimes it's good to be wrong. We passed waterfalls, views of mountain ranges, craters and geysers. The temperature shifted from sweating in short sleeves to rain then snow.
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Hveragerði
When we reached the river, the boiling water flowed from the top of the mountain and mixed with fresh spring water leaving the flowing river hot tub temperature. The further up the stream the hotter the water. It was hard to leave.
Hveragerði
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Arabær Horse Farm, Selfoss
After a satisfying dinner at Fjöruborðið known for its langoustine (small lobster from the North Sea) in Stokkseyri we spent the night at a horse farm in Selfoss and pet a lot of horse noses. They had pretty great hairstyles. |
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Gljúfrabúi
Heading east, we visited several popular waterfalls including Skógafoss, Seljalandsfoss and its less visited neighbor Gljúfrabúi. We were able to walk inside the powerful Gljúfrabúi. On a whim, we decided to drive an extra four hours to visit the other worldly glacial lagoon Jökulsárlón where large chunks of glacial ice bottleneck and float in the lagoon. |
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Fjallsárlón glacial lagoon
Hoping to find a rest stop we pulled over first at Fjallsárlón glacial lagoon. It was quiet and peaceful and we used our time there to reflect on the day. Since the sun doesn't truly set in the summer we didn't have to worry about driving back in the dark.
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Reynisfjara
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Vik
We spent the night in the beautiful coastal town of Vik known for its black sand beaches and handmade wool. We walked the beach and got use of our 4x4 car driving up a cliff for a good vantage point of Dyrhólaey. I think it's somehow featured in Game of Thrones. |
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Reynisfjara
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Dyrhólaey
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Dyrhólaey
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Dyrhólaey
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Vik
Heading back west we stopped to see Seljavallalaug geothermal swimming pool. It was a short 10 min walk from a parking lot a few miles of the main road. You can never have too much pool in Iceland. We stayed in a cozy cabin in Reykjanesbær with a geothermal hot tub. We relaxed, drank tea and played cards. |
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Seljavallalaug swimming pool
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Reykjanesbær airbnb
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Our last stop was Iceland's most popular tourist attraction the Blue Lagoon. You will hear mixed reviews about the Blue Lagoon. It's the only pool we had to pay for. Yes it was crowded, yes the mud masks were a little cheesy but it was awesome. I would recommend going. Screw the haters.
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The Blue Lagoon
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You really can't go wrong in Iceland. Everywhere is unique and beautiful. Some people will drive the whole ring road. We opted to limit our driving to the south coast and leave time for fluctuations in plans and exploring off the beaten path. I wouldn't have changed anything.
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| Us pretending to be Icelandic with our new wool. |
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