Iceland

 

Gullfoss Falls

One of the deciding factors in going to Iceland was the fact that there are direct flights from Denver to Keflavik. Through Icelandair you can do a stopover for a couple days then move on to another destination. This was the perfect way to see a bit of Iceland and see if we liked it. We traveled at the beginning of May, and as you can see it was still pretty chilly. Our first stop was Gullfoss Falls. This is an hour and forty minutes outside of Reykjavik. It is part of a scenic called the Golden Circle. There are tons of places to stop and admire nature along the way.

This is one place that I really wish we would have more time to explore. You can take hikes along different paths that will get you up close and personal with the falls. Make sure you bring water-proof clothing. The wind was really whipping while we were there. The views were just stunning. I would recommend you hit the falls early in the day. We got there late in the afternoon and the lookout points were really crowded from all the tour groups. I’d give yourself at least 2-3 hours to fully enjoy Gullfoss. 

 

 

     

 

 

Reykjavik City

 

 

The following morning we spent several hours exploring the city of Reykjavik. We left our rental car parked and explored by foot. Our first stop was Hallgrímskirkja. This is the largest church in Iceland and one of the tallest structures. Climb the stairs to the top and you’ll get beautiful views of the city. From there we took a stroll through downtown, enjoying all the shops along the way. We eventually made our way to Harpa, which is a modern, glass honeycomb concert hall. We finished off the day with dinner at one of the local joints. There are tons of restaurants to chose from, with lots and lots of fresh seafood.

 

          

 

 

The Blue Lagoon

 

 

 

Okay, so hands down, our visit to The Blue Lagoon was the highlight of our trip to Iceland. It was just such a cool and unusual experience. The Blue Lagoon is a turquoise geothermal spa that lies in a dormant volcano. The waters there are wonderfully warm and full of natural silica and algae. Might sound kind of gross but I love a good facial and this was the ultimate experience. It is a forty five minute drive from Reykjavik, or about half-way between the Keflavik Airport and Reykjavik. If need be, you could hit up The Blue Lagoon in the morning then go catch an afternoon flight.

Back to our experience, we purchased the luxury package, which yes, it is expensive. We looked at this type of outing as a one time thing, something we might not ever do again. The upgrade was so worth it. Having your own private dressing room and shower was perfect. We also had access to a beautiful lounge with a fireplace, lots of food and drinks and our own private entrance into the lagoon. If you’re going all the way there, I suggest you splurge a little.

Walking out into pretty frigid temperatures but being surrounded by warm springs was just such a fun experience. While you soak it all in you can experience two different facials, silica and algae. I would recommend doing them both. There is a walk up bar out in the lagoon as well. I suggest buying a water-proof phone holder before you come. You can get them a lot cheaper on-line than on the spot. I promise you that you’ll want to take a lot of photos and it sucks worrying about dropping your phone or getting it wet.

After our four hours of relaxation we enjoyed a multi course dinner at Lava Restaurant. It was superb, and every dish was delicious. I would highly recommend a nice meal before you head back to Reykjavik or on wards somewhere else. There was a lot of construction going on when we visited, specifically with the hotels. I would have loved to spend the night there, it would have been really special. All in all, one of the most memorable days we’ve had while on vacation.