ICELAND WINTER TRAVEL GUIDE
I can't believe I'm actually saying this but.. I went to ICELAND!!! I've had my heart set on this location for so long and it's honestly a huge check off my bucket list. I'm going to tell you all about my adventure from car rental, sites to see, coffee shops (major must) places to eat and yes...where to see the fuzzy Icelandic Horses (my favorite). I'm also linking the coat and boots that saved my life when I was over there, so keep an eye out for that!
Buckle up, let's go!
So why Iceland? Iceland is one of the most interesting places that I've been to primarily due to it's unique landscapes and natural wonders. I kind of felt like I was on another planet to be honest with you. I didn't realize that there are SO many places to see in Iceland. Most of the major sites are at least a 2-4 hour drive from the major city of Reykjavik. I thought a 5 day trip would be a good amount of time but guuuuurl was I wrong. You can honestly spend weeks here and still have more places to see. We didn't get to see everything which is why another trip is currently in the works so that we can finish what we started :)
Car Rental:
I can't stress this enough. Renting a car was THE BEST DECISION!!! Danny and I hate to waste time and we like to get S*** done! Waiting for buses and dozens of other tourists for a tour simply isn't my style. I like the comfort of having a car and not being on a schedule. For most, yes tours are nice and they have one for everything but to be quite honest, you can do most of the sites on your own. For me the most important thing about having a car was being able to stop along the roads. There are waterfalls, rivers, and mountains everywhere and I would have been so upset not being able to stop and explore. Not to mention the horses, they are everywhere along the roads and you can walk right up to them to take photos and pet them. But I'll talk more about them further down because I can write a book about how much I love them.
However, Iceland is the 3rd most windy place in the world. This makes some dangerous driving conditions if the weather is bad. There are no street lights once you're in the country and hardly any barriers. Not going to lie, I was pretty freaked out at first especially when there was a little snow. In the end, it was totally worth it.
Hotel:
I am so thankful for The Swan House! This hotel was absolutely fabulous for many reasons. The staff was super friendly and they gave us the best recommendations for food and things to see. They had an answer for everything and we truly valued their advice. It's location in Reykjavik is extremely convenient considering its only a 4 minute walk from the main bus stop that transports travelers to and from the airports, tours and basically anywhere else. It's also about a 3 minute walk from the main streets in town! We were able to walk everywhere without a problem since the shops, restaurants and bars were all around us. We stayed in a cozy 1-bedroom studio apartment that had the most relaxing, modern and cozy vibe. The studio also included a cute little kitchenette with supplies if we chose to cook which I thought was fantastic. This place is amazing and I definitely plan to stay here again!
Must See:
Blue Lagoon:
I'll make a bet that most of you are familiar with the Blue Lagoon or have at least heard of it or seen pictures of it online. It's probably the most popular destination within Iceland and it's no surprise given how amazingly beautiful it is. The Blue Lagoon is one of the 25 Wonders of the World. To give you a quick break down, it's a geothermal spa that's located in a field of lava (hence the black rocks) and is filled with water rich in minerals such as silica and sulfur. Swimming here is said to have healing and therapeutic effects on the body as well. The waters are usually 99–102 °F. So yes, it's steamy in all the best ways.
Most would jump to the conclusion that it's a major tourist trap here, and I had worried about that before arriving. I must say that it really wasn't terrible. The Blue Lagoon is absolutely humungous! There was tons of space to move around and we even found a quiet little area at the end of the lagoon with barely any other people. When we felt like mingling and getting some action we walked over to the lagoon bar where most of the people were congregated. I would say that coming to the Blue Lagoon should be one of the hightlights of the Iceland experience, and the thought of it being a tourist trap shouldn't prevent anyone from enjoying it.
From Reykjavik, The lagoon is about a 50 minute drive. We scheduled a bus to pick us up near our hotel and it brought us right there. I loved that we chose an early time slot because we were able to soak in the amazing sunrise over the lagoon. As you can imagine it was beyond beautiful. I would definitely recommend to spend the extra money and buy the premium package, or the retreat package if you really want to do it up! The premium package that we got included a robe, slippers, a free drink at the bar, and a mask of our choice. It's not everyday we get to swim in the freakin' Blue Lagoon, so we made it a point to treat ourselves. Also, there is no time limit! We were able to stay as long as we wanted which I thought was amazing and totally worth the money. There is a fantastic cafe when it's time for breakfast, lunch, a quick snack or a break from the water.
Golden Circle:
The Golden Circle is essentialy a 190 mile scenic road that is full of waterfalls and major sites to see. Some sites include Gullfoss Waterfall, the famous geysers located in the geothermal area known as Haukadalur along with the volcanic crater Kerió. We drove the Golden Circle and were able to see the waterfall and the Strokkur geyser. This site was full of tourists but was a really cool experience. Strokkur erupts one every 5-10 minutes reaching a height of approximately (49–66 ft).
Gullfoss Waterfall
Hallgrímskirkja Cathedral:
This cathedral is definitely one of the most unusual architectural structures I've seen. As you can tell, it has a very modern style and really stands out! It's located right in town and was only a 5 minute walk from our hotel. We came to see the church the same day we arrived in Iceland since we had time to kill before our room was ready for us. Here's a link if you want more history and info on the church!
Jökusárlón:
Jökursárlón aka the Glacier Lagoon is 100% a must see. I unfortunately didn't get to come here due to the weather conditions but when I come back in July this is my priority! It's located on the south side of Iceland and is about a 4 hour trip from the city. Just google images this place and you will be blown away! Go go g0! I'll wait...
Tours are of course offered to come here but as I've mentioned, it's possible to travel there yourself as well.
Northern Lights:
I am SO UPSET that we didn't get to see the Northern Lights! It's also one of the main attractions of Iceland, but to my surprise it pretty much has to be a perfect weather scenario for them to be visible. They are very unpredictable, so it's essentially a hunt to find them.There needs to be clear skies along with solar activity. While we were there it was cloudy and rainy, not a good Northern Lights combo. There are tours to see them, but the sights are not guaranteed. So you can basically save the $100 and just go looking yourself if you have a car.
Icelandic Horses:
Hands down my favorite part of the trip. As an avid horse lover since age 1, you can only imagine my excitement seeing horses sprawled out over the fields of Iceland. The Icelandic horse can't be found anywhere else in the world! They are native to Iceland and were the original horses the vikings rode way back when. So they look as they did hundreds of years ago!
These little babies have SO much personality and are definitely not shy infront of the camera. If you rent a car and drive out of the city, you'll spot horse farms along the road pretty much everywhere. If you find a safe spot to pull over, you can walk right up to them and enjoy their company. Most agencies in Iceland offer tours and horseback riding excursions if you want to spend more time with them :)
Coffee & Breakfast:
You're going to think I'm crazy, but out of all the places we went to in Iceland, Kaffi Brannslan was my treasure and favorite place to be. This fabulous recommendation was made by one of the receptionists at our hotel The Swan House. This gem is a small, cozy house where you can get coffee, dessert, sandwiches, pastries or a nice glass of wine. We went every single morning, sometimes even twice a day. It's possibly one of the best cups of coffee I've had in my life. I ordered a Coconut Milk Latté with a chocolate croissant every morning and it was just magic in my mouth. When I was extra hungry I ordered their Tommi's Style Sammy which was basically the cutest little grilled cheese in a basket. At night, this place is just as amazing, You can get a great slice of cake and have a cozy convo over some candle light.
Another great spot in town for a quick treat in the morning is this incredible bakery known as BRAUD! It was the perfect spot to grab something and go. It was super casual and all of the pastries and breads were made right in front of us. I literally watched the cinnamon rolls being rolled out, baked, put on the cooling racks and into my bag. It's also located down the block from the Hallgrímskirkja Cathedral!
Restaurants:
Most of the restaurants we ate in were recommended to us by one of the staff members at our hotel. She was the cutest and I wish I remembered her name (shout out to you girl)! The places I'm going to mention below are out of this world and I still daydream about some of the food, and the feeling of pure joy I felt when I was there. Food in Iceland is usually on the pricey side, but for the quality of the food I didn't find it to be completely unreasonable. In Iceland, tapas are very popular and can be found at most of the restaurants. It's a great way to taste and sample traditional Icelandic cuisine. Heads up- I'm going to describe all of these places as cozy. They just were and I was in my glory. OK! Here are some of the spots we loved:
ROK:
Rok is an adorable, cozy and modern Icelandic tapas joint steps away from the main cathedral in Iceland. It kind of felt like I was in a cozy cave or ironically under a rock. Here they offer traditional Icelandic Cuisine with a modern twist. The food was incredible and it was the perfect place to unwind with a glass of wine or beer. I must mention that their roasted potatoes are to die for. We lucked out and walked in without a reservation and got seated immediately. However, I'd recommend making a reservation to be save as it gets crowded here!
Messin:
If you're a seafood lover like I am, you would adore Messin. Messin is said to be one of the best seafood restaurants in Reykjavik. Like most of the restaurants we went to, Messin is cozy and sets the perfect mood for a fabulous dinner. The salmon is out of this world, I've never tasted fish so amazing. I loved how they served it in a skillet with a bunch of veggies and potatoes. This was a night we splurged on ourselves and ordered a bunch of stuff! I'd totally recommend their seafood soup and giant prawns..so yummy!
Laekjarbrekka:
So to start off, I have no idea how to pronounce the name of this restaurant for obvious reasons. We kind of stumbled upon this gem while walking the main streets of Reykjavik. It's hard to miss because it's located in the heart of town and is just one of those places you stop to look at because it immediately captures your attention. It's probably the cutest restaurant I've been to and has the coziest vibe imaginable. When you walk in, it truly feels like you're walking into someones home. We lucked out and sat at one of the tables where you can cozy up with some fuzzy pillows and throws. Twinkle lights set the tone for an insanely relaxing and romantic evening.
This spot is also tapas style, so you can order a few things, maybe even be a little adventurous. They offer a separate set menu specifically made for travelers who want to be daring and try the REAL Icelandic food. This includes Minke Whale, fermented shark and horse. (Which you couldn't pay me to eat-no offense Iceland, they're just my bff's and I'd prefer to not chew on them.)
So I clearly steered clear of that menu. I actually ended up having the BEST Fish&Chips of my life!!!
Keep in Mind:
Most major sites to see are at least 2-4 hours (sometimes more) away from the city of Reykjavik. Renting a car is a good option to save time.
Paying in Iceland is super easy and stress free! They are card friendly and essentially accept card for anything which was really wonderful. Most places accept the American Dollar and the Euro as well, you are just likely to receive Icelandic currency as change.
The weather changes quickly! Be prepared for wind, rain, clouds, sun and sometimes snow in the same day!
Food and shopping can be pricey.
Northern Lights are only visible when there is solar activity and clear, dark skies. If you book a tour to see them, you are not guaranteed to see them..aka you lose $. You can see them yourself anywhere it's dark.
Always ask your hotel staff how the weather is looking, specifically the wind. Iceland is the 3rd windiest place in the world, it can be dangerous to travel in windy conditions. Sometimes the roads are closed due to this.
If you rent a car, make sure the headlights and wind shield wipers work appropriately. This is super important and I wish we did this! Our wipers were terrible and made it hard for us to see clearly in the snow and rain.
