From Great Geysir to the Northern Lights – Iceland’s striking landscapes and quirky capital Reykjavík have it all
WITHIN 24 hours I’d experienced an earthquake, seen a celeb from Game Of Thrones and eaten the best hot dog of my life.
Iceland does not do things by halves — and the Land of Fire and Ice delivered such an incredible break.
I was checking out Icelandair’s latest holiday packages.
These include hotels, flights and day tours so you can make the most of a quick break.
A must-do trip for Iceland first-timers is the Golden Circle tour, taking in some astonishing natural highlights.
Looping 300km from the capital Reykjavik into the southern uplands, this road trip takes you in the Geysir geothermal area, Gullfoss waterfall and Thingvellir National Park.
Geysir, the original hot-water spout after which all other geysers are named, is not so active these days but the nearby Strokkur hot spring reliably shoots water 40 metres into the air every five to ten minutes.
For more water thrills, the spectacular double cascade of the Gullfoss waterfall is hard to beat.
Most read in The Sun
Keep your wits about you while admiring the rainbow created as water thunders into a rocky ravine — I was nearly blown off the side!
Rounding off the tour’s trio of sights is Thingvellir National Park, a Unesco World Heritage site and the only place in the world where you can stand between two tectonic plates, in this case the North American and Eurasian.
Don’t worry about packing lunch.
The trip offers a visit to Fridheimar, a greenhouse complex using geothermal energy to grow all kinds of tomatoes.
I was tempted by “the best Bloody Mary in the world” and the tomato beer but opted for a warming soup and fresh bread, finished off with a sweet-tasting tomato ice cream.
No visit to Iceland is complete without a stop at the Blue Lagoon, where I opted for an evening visit when it is quieter.
Feeling more zen by the minute, I slathered on the thick clay face mask, provided free at the lagoon, to restore my skin then sipped wine as I floated through the steaming pools of geothermal seawater.
If you can’t make it to the Blue Lagoon, 45 minutes from the city, there is a new alternative in Reykjavik — the Sky Lagoon.
A few miles south of the city, the man-made retreat is an oceanside geothermal lagoon with an infinity pool overlooking the harbour, freezing plunge pools, a steam room and sauna. Entry starts at £40.
Sadly, my Northern Lights tour later that night was less successful.
Being cloudy — and a bit early in the year — it was always unlikely I would see the lights.
Go: Iceland
GETTING / STAYING THERE: Icelandair Holidays has package trips including Golden Circle and Northern Lights tours from £489pp.
The price includes three nights’ B&B at 4H Center Hotels plus Icelandair flights from Heathrow with 23kg hold and 10kg hand luggage.
To book visit
COVID: You’ll need to show a negative lateral flow or PCR test taken within 72 hours of arrival. Quarantine-free travel for those fully vaccinated or who have previously recovered from Covid.
But if you do the tour early enough on your trip, you can rebook it for free to have a second go at the unpredictable natural light show.
I was cheered up by eating “Iceland’s best hot dog’” at the tiny Bæjarins Beztu food stall, one of the cheapest eats in Reykjavik.
For just £2.55 you get a generous lamb, beef and pork sausage that sits atop crispy onions in a warm, soft bun, slathered with ketchup, sweet brown mustard and a remoulade sauce made of mayo, capers, mustard and herbs.
Iceland is notoriously expensive when it comes to food and drink but the Appy Hour app I downloaded on my phone was great for searching out the best pubs and bars for an affordable pint.
Refreshed, I return to the new Grandi by Center Hotels — a stylish pad with trendy mid-century interiors in the centre of the city’s booming creative quarter.
There, in the lobby, I spot Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, who played the Mountain in Game Of Thrones.
It is testament to my room’s super-comfy bed that I manage to sleep through a 4.2-magnitude earthquake while taking a power nap.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
I may have missed out on the Northern Lights and the earthquake but Iceland’s striking landscapes and quirky capital left their mark.
Days later, I am still riding on a Blue Lagoon high.
