Less than five days to explore the fascinating island? Not a problem. Take a look at my day to day guide of what I got up to whilst visiting this incredible country.
Whenever I tell people that my number one ‘to visit’ country is Iceland, I’m often met with puzzled faces before the anticipated question of “why would you want to visit somewhere that is constantly cold?” Whilst sweetly laughing and holding myself back from pointing out the fact that we live in a country that is pretty much “constantly cold”, I begin to explain some facts about Iceland. Iceland’s crime rate is one of the lowest in the world due to their tiny population. This was something that I would never normally consider but since visiting Iceland, I can say that I now judge how safe I feel in various cities and countries against Iceland. I can tell you now, Iceland always comes out on top. This is just one of the many reasons why Iceland has fascinated me. As well as having the most fantastic trips I have ever attended, I have always been captivated by the idea of witnessing Aurora in her full beauty;
So begins my 5 day Icelandic journey.
DAY 1 – Recognising Iceland’s beauty
As soon as I stepped foot on the tiny Island I was mesmerised. Looking around in awe of the deepest and purest snow I, still to this day, have ever seen, I was immediately taken back to my childhood and couldn’t help but launch myself in the snow. Every sneeze and shiver was worth that pure, childish moment.
DAY2 – Visiting a natural Wonder; The Blue Lagoon
The second day’s itinerary included a trip to the incredible beyond words, Blue Lagoon. I really wish that every nature lover, spa enthusiast and all round adventurer are able to visit the Blue Lagoon in their lifetime. Everything about this natural wonder is magical. There is no feeling in the world like bathing in the 38 degree water whilst wearing a natural facemask (made from the lagoon) and sipping on a glass of Icelandic bubbly. Life. Is. Bliss.
After a three hour visit in the lagoon, it was time to explore the beautiful town of Reykjavík. The weather was constantly changing between snow and sunshine which gave the day a magical essence. The town of Reykjavík is full of trails leading to some wonderful parks and a stunning church. There is also lots of lovely cafés and restaurants to visit whilst watching the snow silently fall outside the window. The town of Reykjavík is incredible to explore with everything in walking distance, including a lovely marina which is a short stroll away.
DAY 3 – Whale Watching followed by a beautiful dance by Aurora
Day 3 began with excitement and anticipation at the possibility of catching a glimpse of the northern lights later that evening. This was one of the main reasons why I chose to visit Iceland. With anything nature related, it was impossible to know if we would be able to witness Aurora Borealis in its full glory which had my mind hopeful and willing, whilst we took advantage of our third day by taking a boat trip to see some Icelandic Whales.
Whale watching was incredible beyond words. We were fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of a bottle nose whale as well as being surrounded by porpoises who chased the boat to play in the waves that were trailing behind. Being able to see this type of wildlife in their natural habitat was breathtaking and an experience that will definitely not be forgotten in a hurry.
The evening soon came around and my heart raced as we made our way to one of the rumoured best viewing spots to catch a glimpse of the northern lights. The whole area was full of excitement and anticipation before the most incredible sight joined us. Suddenly the atmosphere changed, the whistles came to a halt, the murmuring was nowhere to be heard and the faces of anticipation soon turned to gasps and expressions of amazement and disbelief. Aurora had arrived. They danced in the sky elegantly before changing colours multiple times and silently disappearing to the sound of wild cheers from the foreseeing crowd. In total, Aurora Borealis showed itself four times with each appearance as mesmerising as the next. I felt like the luckiest girl in the world to be able to witness such beauty from one of Earth’s natural wonders. It’s safe to say that night’s dreams were filled with beautiful reminiscences of a wonderful performance.
DAY 4 – GOLDEN CIRCLE
Still vibrant from the wonder that was witnessed the night before, I knew that the golden circle was going to be a once in a lifetime trip. Nature has always fascinated me and I knew that after witnessing two incredible natural wonders already, this trip was sure to not disappoint. On the way to our first stop, we were able to observe a beautiful Iceland sunrise. The snow glistened as the upcoming sun came out to greet us and that image will always be one of my favourites. Throughout this trip we stopped at some incredible views including astonishing waterfalls, beautiful landscape views and my personal favourite, unbelievable geysers. A full reviews of our Golden Circle tour can be found here. This trip was the perfect end to the most astounding short break.
DAY 5 - Home time
I will never forget the feelings and emotions that I felt during every part of my trip to Iceland. The experience was one that will never be forgotten and will forever be held close to my heart. Iceland, you are incredible beyond words and fully have my heart. I hope that everybody will consider a trip to this magical country.