Iceland Travel

Iceland is the ultimate “instagramable” destination. Unfortunately, I traveled here before I bought my Nikon – but my iPhone got some worthy photos! If you have the chance to travel to Iceland, GO! It’s incredible – truly a different world. Be prepared for wind, rain, freezing temps, and expensive food. Trust me though, it’s worth every second.

We booked our tickets through google flights. I always suggest using this – make sure to be in ‘incognito’ mode so the cookies won’t up your flight prices. They were just over $600, which is just below average for the usual ticket out of a large, US airport to Keflavik. Keflavik is in southwest Iceland, and is near the capital and largest city, Reykjavik.

We rented a car at the airport to travel around the country. It was about $200 a day for a very small car, split between four of us. The gas is also very expensive, but as I said – worth it!

As a traveler, I would suggest not spending too much time in Reykjavik. While in the town, though, check out the opera museum called Harpa. The windows are absolutely memorizing. Shows were playing in the opera house, but we settled with just taking in the view of the coast out of the unique windows to save some money.

Another easy/cheap place to visit is the Hallgrimskirkja. This is a Lutheran parish church, and is the largest church in Iceland. My last suggestion to check out in Reykjavik is the Reykjavik Art Museum. We stumbled upon this and were greatly surprised. The art was beautiful. Simple, but very sensory. Most of the art was for all senses, not just sight. The museum is located near the coast, so head to the ocean to see crazy Icelandic people swim in the freezing water! We went downtown Reykjavik and had fun at a dance club in the center of town. Making a drunk pit-stop at a famous hotdog stand made our fun night even better!

Everyone has heard of the ever-so-popular Blue Lagoon. I had previously read blogs saying to stay clear, but I stand strongly on the opposing side. The Blue Lagoon is a must! We absolutely loved our spa time here. Days can be stressful in Iceland, especially when four people are packed in a tiny car for days at a time! The Blue Lagoon was the relaxing paradise we needed. Not to mention, our bodies were absolutely glowing for weeks after we lathered ourselves in the free clay masks!

Now, onto the natural wonders of Iceland. We were able to drive the western side of the Golden Circle. We went North of Reykjavik to Kirkjufellsfoss. This drive was absolutely incredible. The mountains spread all over Iceland, making the drive beautiful, always. This waterfall is stunning, but look north to see Kirkjufell Mountain and the Atlantic Ocean.

We headed South and East for a majority of our trip. Covering the main waterfalls; Gulfoss, Seljalandsfoss, Skogafoss, and a few others. These waterfalls are breathtaking. Gulfoss is the most powerful wonder I have ever felt. Our makeup streamed down our face as the 60 mph winds blew its water to our faces. Regardless, the beauty overtakes you- making it impossible not to smile! Skogafoss is a famous Instagram waterfall that I happened to get engaged under! 10/10 recommend bringing your boyfriend with you, because our engagement picture is one for the books!

Gulfoss

We stayed in a town called Selfoss for a few nights. The Hostel we stayed in was an old school. I can remember, vividly, the gym we were able to play in, the side rooms with maps and computers we used, and the giant locker room bathrooms we had to ourself. Make sure to stop at the hotdog stand in Selfoss, as well! My now, husband would say, “best hotdogs I’ve ever had.”

The last place I recommend seeing is the south beach called near Vik. This is a black sand beach, with black earth-towers sticking up in the ocean. Here, we saw adorable puffins and the most beautiful views around.

There are hundreds of other locations around Iceland, but we only had 8 days here. Traveling in a car takes time. Some of our road trips took hours to arrive at the destination, so plan accordingly!

Happy exploring!

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