Our experiences in Iceland were filled with excitement and surprises. While we only witnessed a small southwestern portion of the country, known as the Golden Circle, it was certainly packed full of destinations that can't be missed. We were in an adventurer's dream surrounded by waterfalls, volcanoes, hot springs, midnight sun, rolling green landscapes, and glaciers. The secret is out, because the island has become increasingly popular for tourism, largely due to social media and growing flight accessibility.
Iceland will always hold a special place in our hearts, since it is where Nick and I were engaged. The most surprising part? He proposed inside a dormant volcano with a ring he twined with the local tundra root. It was unimaginably wonderful.
This trip would not have been nearly as special without our dear friends we met abroad the year prior. We stayed with them, and they were gracious enough to take the week off of work just to show us around - we will always be incredibly grateful for them - Takk!
What We Did
The Golden Circle
Þingvellir (Thingvellir) National Park: This region encompasses a portion of the contact between the North American and European continental plates. You can walk along this contact and snorkel/scuba in it, as well (the fissure is called "Silfra"). We walked the ridge to see Öxarárfoss where men were once beheaded, and women drowned at the base for various heinous crimes. The highlight was definitely snorkeling Silfra. It was chilly, even with dry suits, but it was the most crystal-clear water we've ever seen. Expect to pay around 11400 Icelandic Króna (isk; ~$90 USD). We highly recommend doing this!!
Gullfoss: The iconic, stair-step Golden Waterfall is the highest volume waterfall in all of Europe and a mighty force to behold. Expect to get misted if you walk the path alongside it. It's free and absolutely worth a visit. If visiting in the winter, much of the falls freeze and volume greatly diminished from water being frozen upstream.
Seljalandsfoss: Another picturesque waterfall with a cave behind it that you can walk through. So cool.
Geysir: An area with several hydrothermal features. Unfortunately, the main geyser is nearly dormant (the addition of soap in the '80s didn't help), but Strokkur is still very active every few minutes!
Snæfellsjökull National Park: Situated on the peninsula north of Reykjavik, this area has incredible views of the coast, ocean, and Snæfellsjökull (volcano). We originally intended to hike around the volcano, but the park ranger advised against it due to potential hidden crevasses on the ice sheet that are prevalent in the summer. But just walking the coast was certainly worth it for us
Vestmannaeyjar (Westman Islands): We took a ~30-minute ferry to the main island for about 1600 isk (~$13 USD). Our friend's parents still lived there at the time, so his mom made us lamb soup. Y'all, it was heavenly. And, she gave us some bread dough to cook in the side of the active main volcano (Eldfell). Basically, you find a hot spot (we managed to find a vent) to bury your dough tin. You know if it's hot enough if newspaper is able to combust from the heat. After cooking for an hour, it was ready to eat! This is still one of the most unique things we've ever done. Fun fact: when Eldfell erupted in 1973, the island had to be evacuated as the lava engulfed parts of the town. You can visit some of the structures that were partially buried by the advancing lava. The flow threatened to close the port, and fishing is the main industry for the area. So, to stop the lava from closing the port, nearly two billion gallons of water were used to cool and divert the flow.
Downtown Reykjavik: We walked the streets and stopped at the Lebowski Bar for some White Russians. We also stopped to climb Hallgrímskirkja church. It was 1000 isk (~$8 USD) to go to the top of the church spire to get the best panoramic views of the city. People were in the square protesting the killing of whales for food. Our friend informed us that it's usually foreigners who don't understand that it's deeply rooted in the culture and is highly regulated so that the whale population stays thriving.
Harpa Concert Hall: We just stopped in to marvel at the fantastic modern architecture. You should check it out, too.
Blue Lagoon: A bit tourist-rich, but worth a visit at least once. And, spoiler alert, it's not a natural hot spring. It's a by-product of the nearby geothermal power plant. But it was fun to swim the milky-blue waters and play with the silica mud for €80 - 100 (~$90 - 115 USD).
Inside the Volcano: You walk about a mile to get to the actual volcano. Once you get there, you are lowered 300 feet down via a scaffolding-style elevator into the dormant volcano's magma chamber. Queue Nick and me geeking out the whole time. The chamber itself is quite cool, and the walls are a mosaic of black, red, orange, and yellow. It was here Nick said, "Hey, stand on this rock so I can take your picture." With my messy helmet hair, I turned around and was surprised by his proposal. I don't think he could have picked a more memorable place. Once we got back to the top, the staff had a bottle of champagne waiting. Apparently, this happened there once before, so they know to be prepared. Aside from that, the experience was really spectacular. It was about 44000 kr (~350 USD), but there was no way we weren't going to visit the inside of a volcano!
Cabin lodging: Popular even amongst locals, our friends rented a cabin for an evening of grilling and lounging in the hot tub surrounded by nature.
Camping: Not sure how much it cost to camp for the evening, but this small park was a great place to stop between Reykjavik and Snæfellsjökull to grill, drink, and relax. This was when we got the full midnight sun experience Who needs sleep anyway?
Landbrotalaug hot spring: Our friends took us to this tiny hot spring on the way back to Reykjavik from Snæfellsjökull. The four of us just barely all fit, but it was such a cool experience to enjoy a hot spring in what felt like the middle of nowhere. We had a hard time just finding it!
Vik*: Aside from the black stone beaches, the main attraction here is the abandoned airplane. It is about a one-mile walk to get to the wreckage, but there is a shuttle for a price that can make it more easily accessible for those who need it.
Food
Friðheimar (Tomato Greenhouse): We loved this place for the food and the atmosphere. The tomatoes in the greenhouse are watered by glacial runoff, and the soups and breads are made on-site (and are incredible). It's a must visit.
Fiskfélagið (Fish Company): Amazing food with a great setting. We had the opportunity to try some whale, and it actually tasted really good.
Hot dogs: I don't know why, but the hot dogs in Iceland are delicious. There are hot dog trucks around Reykjavik, so be sure to stop for a bite.
Íslenski barinn (Iceland Bar)*: The perfect place to try fermented shark and Brennivin ("Black Death") liquor. Ya, apparently only the "old guys" like this, but it's considered a delicacy. The smell is bad, like ammonium, but when chased with Brennivin it is tolerable.
Smoked fish: It usually comes in a small packet, and Nick basically ate it throughout the trip.
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