Iceland

Iceland is a country overflowing with incredible natural beauty. Despite its small size, Iceland’s nature is incredibly diverse. You can drive from a trek on a volcano to a hike on Sólheimajökull glacier, hence its name as the land of Ice and Fire. You could experience 24 hours of daylight or hardly any at all. The landscape you visit in the summer will be drastically different in the winter. No visit to Iceland will be the same, making it a country that deserves a spot at the top of your bucket list.

For my first visit, I stayed in Reykjavik. I was booked onto a tour with G Adventures so would be leaving town for a few days shortly after my arrival. My tour would take me exploring the Golden Circle. I had also arranged for a few days in Reykjavik so I could explore the city at my own pace. For me this was the perfect balance, I know a lot of people who came to Iceland for a long weekend, but they never really left the city. I would arrive in the early hours of Monday morning, and join my group in the afternoon. With my tour finishing Thursday night, I then had Friday and Saturday to explore the city before flying home Sunday morning.

The trip to Iceland had already gotten off to a rocky start. My car had been almost limping to the airport because of an electrical problem. But I made it to the city to be and signed in at the hotel. Only to be put in what has to be one of the oddest rooms I stayed in. It was a tiny room, supposedly a twin but just had a double bed. The room had a window with a print of Seljalandsfoss on it. This confused me because our room was in the middle of the hotel. I opened it up only to poke my head out into the hallway. Bizarre, but certainly memorable, at this point, it was 2 am and I was happy for anything.

Getting to explore Reykjavik, it’s certainly a city I could see myself living in. Although small, exploring all the coffee shops, the amazing museums, and the quality of the food was the experience of a lifetime. Reykjavik has a strip of bars each with their own niches and themes. From Punk rock to Latin, or even just one of the best cocktail experiences I have ever come across. If you want to learn about the first Icelandic explorers then the FlyOver Iceland is a must with an incredible virtual flight. Or having lunch after exploring the exhibits and planetarium at the Perlan Museum is an experience you will be telling everyone about on your return.

Whether you decide to stay in the city of Reykjavik or venture out onto the Golden Circle. I have written about every activity and experience I had in Iceland. If you want to book any of them yourself, then check out the included Get Your Guide experience links. This will allow you to book your tickets for popular tours in advance preventing disappointment.