I love Iceland so much...so very much. I think I would marry it if I could. I am one of those people whose ears perk up with the mere mention of the country by anyone within earshot. Upon hearing the word “Iceland,” I will interject about how amazing it is and if the person hasn’t been, they better go! I will talk anyone’s ears off about what to do and where to eat. And if you are one of those people whose ears I have talked off about it, I’d apologize, but I’m not really sorry because Iceland is f-ing amazing!
So, why do I find this small country near the Arctic Circle so incredible that I just can’t shut the f*@k up about it? Well, here are my Top Ten Reasons, in no particular order:
Landscape - It’s like landing on the moon. Barren land. Black sand. Mountains. Craters. Just completely otherworldly. The landscape is like nowhere else on earth.
The Blue Lagoon - Geothermal activity at its most luxurious. See my previous post about this incredible place here: https://www.worldlyroamer.com/single-post/bluelagoon
Reykjavik - easy to get around. Great food scene, great bar scene, Hallgrimskirkja Church where you can climb to the top for a view of the whole city, great shopping for unique finds, the museums (it’s the only place in the world with a Penis Museum - no joke).
The Harpa - concert hall with water views. Modern architectural structure made of glass and steel. Lit by LEDs at night. Shops. A restaurant with a bar. Conference center. They just need to add a hotel or apartment building and I will move right in.
The people - So many friendly, interesting, intellectual people who take pride in their viking roots and the Icelandic language. Not to mention there is close to 100% literacy rate in the country. (I like intelligent people).
Waterfalls, waterfalls everywhere! - Iceland has approximately 200 waterfalls. See my previous post: https://www.worldlyroamer.com/single-post/2017/01/20/IcelandicWaterfalls
Art Scene - there’s more of an art scene than I ever expected in Reykjavik. There are sculptures along the streets and graffiti art down alleys, on the sides of buildings and some other unexpected places. There are some very talented artists here! You can read my guest blog post on the graffiti art here on Page 42: https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/56813155/total-travel-tag-issue-1
Icelandic Horses - did you know these are the only breed of horses allowed in the country? That is to prevent disease. These horses are smaller, closer to the size of ponies and have two different gaits than other horses, like the Tolt. We were able to go horseback riding as Islenski Hesturinn, located on the outskirts of Reykjavik. The owners are so great! They taught us the Tolt which is quite a smooth ride on the horse. We rode through lava fields making it an even more incredible experience. I recommend anyone to go horseback riding here!
The Great Geysir - this was pretty damn awesome. And yes, it’s pretty touristy and located along the Golden Circle, but a must if you are in Iceland. The original geyser, the one all geysers named after, lays dormant, while it’s buddy, Strokkur (meaning The Churn) erupts every 10 minutes or so. It’s about 100 meters away from the Great Geysir and shoots water up to about 30 meters (98.4 feet) into the air. It’s amazing to see! There is a tourist center with a snack bar and large gift shop where you can buy a life-size puffin stuffed animal if you so choose.
The Northern Lights - when I think of the northern lights, I always think Iceland, even though the aurora borealis can bee seen from several countries in the far north. But there is something quite special about witnessing this natural phenomenon in person. We were walking back to the hotel from dinner one night when we saw them for the first time…green ribbons of light dancing in the sky. It was my first time ever seeing them, and I was mesmerized. We quickly got back to the hotel, loaded up into the car and drove outside the city where there were no lights. We were able to see them a bit better this way. I have read that on nights when the aurora borealis is going strong, Reykjavik will shut down all the city lights so everyone can enjoy watching. I hope to be back there one day when they do this!
As you can see, I have several reasons for loving Iceland and not shutting up about it. There are several more reasons and I dare you to ask me. Just make sure you set aside several hours for the conversation!
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