Iceland: an extraordinary environment, one that is fuelled by its very own natural resources. This place holds some of the most breathtaking things you’ll ever see, including the spectacular natural phenomenon that is the Northern Lights.
Reykjavik is the capital city and with a population of just 120,000 and very few skyscrapers, it doesn’t necessarily fit what most would consider a ‘capital city’. However, the city is alive; it has a warmth that I’ve never experienced anywhere else, despite the minus ten degree temperature! The tallest building in the city is the church, and, believe it or not, the mountains that align the icy Atlantic Ocean coast become the city’s skyscrapers. If you climb to the top of the church you get a 360 degree view of the city. Small houses are clustered together, all painted various colours, all dusted with the previous night’s snowfall. It’s a charming and beautiful city that really has so much to offer.
Perhaps the most spectacular is, of course, the Northern Lights-also known as Aurora Borealis. Witness with your own eyes this natural wonder dancing across the sky in a fantastic array of colours. Wrapped up in your warmest clothing, you stand on the fresh, crisp snow looking up as the lights, as they slowly climb up the side of the snow-topped mountain and project magnificently into the night sky. Swirling and twirling in greens and blues, the lights come to life and provide a show for you. This was truly the most incredible thing I have ever seen.
But the natural wonders do not stop there. Iceland fosters a variety of exciting excursions to keep you amazed for the duration of your stay! From whale watching to crawling through volcanic veins, you’re bound to experience something extraordinary. Unfortunately, our whale watching tour provided us with no whales, but as our tour guide repeatedly declared, “That’s nature for you, it’s very unpredictable!”
The volcanic veins however didn’t disappoint. Sliding down a hole in the ground just about big enough for the average human, we entered into a lava cave, constructed entirely from a previous volcanic eruption. Icicles decorate the cave, glistening when your (much needed) torchlight catches them. Some parts are easy to walk through, whilst others require you to only use your hands and feet as not even crawling would get you through this tight space! Slightly scary, but 100% worth it.
Be sure to keep a day free for the beautiful adventure of the Golden Circle. Here, you’ll travel out of the city and into the deserted country until you reach the points of primary interest. Our first stop was Thingvellir National Park rift valley, where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet, and the location of the old historic parliament building.
We then moved to the geothermally active valley of Haukadalur, where the hot springs bubble up onto the surface, some at 100 degrees! The geyser Strokkur is still active and erupts every five to ten minutes with a burst of light blue heated water, definitely a crowd pleaser! Next, we ventured to the waterfall Gullfoss, meaning ‘’golden falls’’ to see the deep blue water pouring down the snowy cliff. Finally, after meeting some Icelandic horses, we landed upon Kerio, a volcanic creator.
The last thing on the to-do list whilst in Iceland was the luxurious Blue Lagoon. Located in a lava field, the high mineral water has a temperature of around 37-39 degrees Celsius encouraging you to relax, have a beer, and enjoy such beautiful surroundings. This was the most perfect end to a perfect holiday.
Without a doubt, Iceland is the best place I have been so far in my travels. I’ll definitely be going again, for an extended stay, to see and explore the entire country to further my amazement.
Sources: Images are all author’s own.