It’s hard to think of Reykjavik as a city given its small size and the odd collection of small building. As a city it lacks much of the visible history that you would typically associate with most European cities. However what makes Reykjavik special and sets it apart from other capital cities is its wonderful location. Iceland is beyond a doubt one of the most beautiful and breathtaking countries I’ve ever visited.
The highlight of my trip in March 2007 was seeing the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis). The best viewing (and safest driving) was with Iceland Excursions. Tours were cancelled on two of the four evenings due to bad weather. My first night’s viewing was very uneventful and I basically spent several hours standing in the cold. However on my last night’s viewing (with Iceland Excursions) was completely different – a nice warm coach and some good views of the Aurora Borealis.
Iceland’s Golden Circle tours offered views of excellent vistas, all of which were made even more interesting due to the late snow. Geysers and Waterfalls aplenty can be found in Iceland with some of the most well known being easily accessible via a day trip from Reykjavik. At Gulifloss you can walk down a very slippery snow covered path to get a closer look at this famous waterfall. This would be a nice easy walk in the summer but during the winter months. Iceland Excursions offer an excellent Golden Circle tour and they have some of the best tour guides.
Iceland’s reputation for being expensive is well founded. There are lots of nice cafes and restaurants that serve good food in pleasant surroundings including “Bistro”, “Reykjavik Pizza Company” and the sometimes smokey “Pinkid”.
Anyone with an interest in horses should take book a horse riding trip, these range from 90 minutes to a whole day. The Icelandic horses are truly magnificent animals with a wonderful temperament. If you need to relax after riding then a visit to the Blue Lagoon. Blue Lagoon’s geothermal heated pool also makes for a nice relaxing visit enroute to the airport before a flight back home.
A selection of photos from my visit to Iceland, including the Northern Lights are in the Iceland Photo Album.