5 Days in Iceland, Reykjavik

Iceland has been on my bucket list for what seems like forever and I am so over the moon to say I've been and saw the Northern Lights and swam in the unwinding hot springs. Reykjavik is such a beautiful, scenic city, especially with the snow that it almost doesn't feel real. I can imagine Iceland is stunning all year round, but for me the snow made it feel that little bit more magical and special.

I and three of my good friends travelled up to Reykjavik for four nights in the middle of February, potentially when Iceland was at its thickest with snow, although it felt anyways. We stayed in a lovely, cosy Air BnB in the centre of Reykjavik, where everything was pretty much walking distance from us.

We were lucky enough to go on all of the Icelandic tours we had booked despite the snowy conditions, we did however not get to see any whales when out in the sea. But that is what Iceland is all about, it's a hit and miss, you can't always predict it.

Hallgrimskirkju

All the streets in Reykjavik were so picturesque with the colourful houses against the clean white snow, especially on top of the Hallgrimskirkju Church at the top of this little city. I'd definitely recommend making a trip up on top of this church to get an amazing panoramic view of Iceland from all angles. Although it is absolutely freezing on top of this 74.5-metre high church, it is such an illusory view to take in.

Tips/advice:

1.) Maybe book in advance if you can to avoid the long ques

2.) Wrap up extra warm it can get chilly on the top

3.) Go visit the church at night time and take a photo of it lit up

Reykjavik Old Harbour

Now, this is the perfect place to come if you want that view of the mountains in the distance. This area again was quite chilly, but you tend not to care when you are taking in the beauty of the snowy mountains. We took a little stroll along to the Harpa Concert Hall, which is a stunning building with amazing architecture. This building in the evening is even more magical when lit up.

The Golden Circle Tour

Probably my favourite tour of them all was The Golden Circle, a popular tourist route in the southern part of Iceland. The three primary stops on the route are the National park, the Gullfoss waterfall and the geothermal which contains geysers. This tour for me was the key to what Iceland is all about, which is why I enjoyed it so much. The geysers were incredible to see, especially when they erupted. I loved the Gullfoss waterfall despite the busy crowds of people trying to take photos. I would definitely recommend doing this tour if you want to see what Iceland has to offer away from the centre.

Tips/advice:

1.) Try and go as early as possible to avoid all the tourists

2.) Be patient when trying to view the sites, I had no patience when I was stuck in a crowd of people trying to escape.

3.) Try the lamb soup in the cafe next to the Gullfoss waterfall

The Northern Lights

Unfortunately, my camera wasn't equipped to take decent photographs of the Northern Lights, therefore, I saved the ones that were taken on the evening we went off Super Jeeps page. I didn't have high hopes for the Northern Lights if I'm honest, our first night was cancelled due to bad weather which just set the mood for me. However, my mood sharp changed when I was in the back of an off the road jeep bumping around in the middle of nowhere looking out for stars in the clear sky. The Northern Lights weren't anything like I imagined, but it was such an incredible, out of this world moment being able to see the green light in the sky whilst drinking a hot chocolate. I would 100% recommend this, I mean you can't-not see the lights if you are in Iceland!

Tips/advice:

1.) Wrap up warm, my feet were absolutely freezing standing outside in the middle of nowhere.

2.) Book with an off the road tour, you get more of a chance to see the lights if you go with a private company that takes you to great areas to see them.

3.) Be mindful that there's always a chance you don't see them

The Blue Lagoon

Our last stop before heading back to the airport home was, of course, the Blue Lagoon hot springs. Another experience you just cannot skip out of your itinerary here in Iceland, what better way to end your trip than to soak up all the hot air and relax in the Blue Lagoon with a snowy view of the mountains. I and my friends spent pretty much our entire time here taking photographs of the beautiful view. This was definitely the best way to end our stay in Iceland and something I'd love to be able to do again!

Tips/advice:

1.) Go early to avoid ques and crowds

2.) Go either on your way or from the airport as it's not that far away

3.) Invest in a waterproof phone case if you are wanting to take photos, I got mine off Amazon.

I absolutely loved my time in Iceland, Reykjavik, especially with the snow it made it feel more realistic and in some ways festive with all the fairy lights sprinkled outside peoples homes. I would love to go back and be able to see the whales and discover secret hot springs in the future, but for now, I am happy to say I've seen The Northern Lights and swam in the Blue Lagoon.

Have you been to Iceland??