This spring break I went to Iceland! The first part of this travel diary I talked about seeing the northern lights if you have not read that yet I would suggest clicking there first. I wanted to spend an entire article talking about the best things to do in Iceland. The country is vast, and I only got to explore a tiny portion of it. I would go back in a heartbeat, and hopefully, these activities will give you some travel inspiration.
Borgarnes
This was one of the most beautiful towns I have ever been to. Borgarnes is tucked between two sides of a fjord and snow-covered mountains. We ate Icelandic waffles in a cozy cafe and sipped hot chocolate while gazing out at the breathtaking view. There is not much to do in Borgarnes like Reykjavik, but the town is full of unique Icelandic culture. The quiet, snow-covered streets at night were worth the long drive up.
Solheimajokull (Glacier Walk)
At first, this looked like an ordinary mountain, but the closer we got we saw how impressive this ice monster was. We walked on a tiny portion of the glacier, but even that was colossal. Being on the glacier gave me such a greater appreciation and understanding of their immense presence in nature. They are melting about three football field lengths a year due to global warming.
Lava Tube
This cave was so unique. I felt like I was walking through a set of a movie that takes place on an alien planet. The tube was formed by a volcanic eruption an extremely long time ago. We trekked through the cavernous tunnel. When we got to the deepest part of our tour our guide cut the lights. We were in complete darkness. This was my favorite adventurous activity.
Secret Lagoon
This was the very first day of the trip. I am a very modest person and was a bit concerned about this excursion. There is one huge dressing room at the Secret Lagoon, and people are not shy like I am. Besides from that the actual water was so wild. The outdoor hot spring was an experience like no other. The lagoon is heated by the volcanic energy below. Becuase Iceland is on a spreading center they have many otherworldy natural occurrences like this one.
Geothermal Park Hverageoi
This was a farm powered by geothermal energy. I could sit here and try to explain this scientifically, but it would not go well. We ate bread baked by the earth and saw bananas being grown indoors! I highly recommend this activity.
I hope this list either helped with planning a visit or inspired some wanderlust in you! I am so incredibly grateful for this trip and the memories I made. I include below some photos of journal entries from an Icelandic cafe in Borgarnes. The journals suggested writing something that you either admire about yourself or something you were grateful for — reading through these inspired so many positive feelings. I felt very connected to these people. Also, if you’re ever there try and find my note. I am Katie from Washington D.C.