Reykjavik, Iceland

Where: Reykjavik

Time of Year Visited: April 2017

Weather: Very cold, dry and windy but random snow blizzards. These stopped us being able to go out as the snow was falling so thick and fast.

Flights:  Wow Air London Gatwick to Keflavik Airport. Flights cost £99.00 each

Currency: Icelandic Krona (100 ISK= £0.57p/ £1 = 176.60 ISK)

Getting Around: There are no Ubers/ Bolts/ Lyfts in Iceland, so you’ll have to have pre-booked transfers from the airport or rely on the taxis out there. I would not recommend the taxi as the journey from the airport into Reykjavik is far and can be costly. Another option is hiring a car for your trip.

Accommodation: Arctic Comfort Vik- Room only- Superior Twin room (3 nights) £100 each (2people)

Arctic Comfort was located just outside of the Reykjavik in Sidumula 19 and boasts apartment style rooms, a breakfast room, bar and free WIFI. The staff are friendly and very helpful; breakfast is available at an extra cost and consists of cheese, hams, bread and cereals.

Key notes:

There are multiple buildings of this hotel so not all rooms are part of the main building where the reception is. This can be an issue when needing help (may have to go out into a snowstorm to get to reception). There is not a lift in the outbuildings and a lot of stairs so be prepared for a workout lol. There are not a lot of shops close to the hotel so shopping at the local supermarket for snacks is advisable. Lastly, it is safe to drink water directly from Iceland’s taps.

Excursions: In Reykjavik centre we visited Hallgrímskirkja which is a Lutheran parish church. It is 74.5 metres high and is the largest church in Iceland and among the tallest structures in the whole of Iceland. Entry to the church is free; however, the main attraction is the tower which is 1000 ISK (£5-6). The views at the top are beautiful, you can see the whole of Reykjavik in a 360 tower, there is no time limit at the top, but be aware that the ques can get very long and the longer you stay at the top the longer people in the que have to wait. 

74.5 m Tall

outside

inside

view from tower

We were gifted the Golden Circle tour by the airline as they messed up our flights which in turn cost us a full day of our trip. The tour included sightseeing at Pingvellir National Park, Geysir Geothermal Area and Gullfoss waterfalls.

All I can recommend is LAYERS, scarves, gloves and a hat! It is extremely cold on the road especially if you get caught in a snowstorm while at each stop

Snowstorm antics

; however, the views completely compensate for the cold weather. The tour includes pick up and drop off on a bus as well as water onboard, there is also a stop at a café at the Geysir Geothermal Area but there is not the biggest choice so I personally would recommend bringing snacks or a lunch with you. I think the best part of the whole tour is that you are not stuck to the tour guide, there is the option to explore (as long as you’re back on the coach within the allocated times), also the tour guide gives a lot of the information on the coach in the warmth so when you get off you are able to move about to keep warm rather than being stood still in winds/snow trying to listen to someone talk. As this was gifted to us the exact price, I am unsure of, but I have seen these tours online for as little as £38.00 which I personally think is a steal!

No trip to Iceland is complete without a visit to the Blue Lagoon.

 

The Blue Lagoon is a geothermal spa in southwestern Iceland. The spa is located in a lava field near Grindavík on the Reykjanes Peninsula, and is supplied by water used in the nearby Svartsengi geothermal power station. Although, Iceland is home to multiple natural hot springs The Blue Lagoon is not actually one of them, the land is natural, but the water is actually a by-product of the geothermal power plant which is next door, that being said, it is still breathtakingly beautiful. If you can I would recommend getting to the lagoon as early as possible to avoid crowds and ques, however if you are booking with a tour then this may not be possible as you may have to do a few hotel collections before making your way there. Depending your schedule and what kind of pictures you like you could opt to visit later in the evening as during the summer the lagoon is open until midnight.

Iceland Blue Lagoon Hours

1 January-30 May: 8:00 AM-9:00 PM

31 May-27 June: 7:00 AM-11:00 PM

28 June-18 August: 7:00 AM-12:00 AM

19 August-31 December: 8:00 AM-9:00 PM

Tickets are sold in tiers: Comfort, Premium, and Retreat Spa.

Comfort tickets cost 76 EUR to 86 EUR(£66- £75), depending on the time of year. Comfort tickets include entrance, silica mud mask, use of towel, and first free drink of your choice (we opted for this).

Premium tickets cost 98 EUR to 107 (£86- £94), depending on the time of year. Premium tickets include entrance, silica mud mask, use of towel, first free drink of your choice, second mask of your choice, dining reservation (optional), and sparkling wine with your dining reservation.

Retreat Spa tickets  cost 565 EUR (£497.00). Retreat spa tickets include entrance, access to the private Retreat Spa (four hours), access to a private changing room, The Blue Lagoon Ritual, Retreat Lagoon, skin care amenities, access to the Spa Restaurant, and first free drink of your choice.

Food: My absolute favourite place we ate at was Svarta Kaffid, a small, cheap, homey restaurant with no WIFI and great food. It can be found at Laugavegur 54, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland and is notorious for its bread bowls of soup. The menu is small and simple and completely worth the visit. The menu ranges from 1550- 2050 ISK (£8.80- £11.60) excluding drinks and includes various soups. I opted for vegetable soup and was defeated by the bread bowl haha.

Overall: I loved Iceland; it was something completely different to what I was used to travel wise at the time. There are so many things to see; however it does get pricey. I knew it would be cold but honestly it was COLD and when we got snowed in I was done with the weather (I sat on the bed and thought " I really paid for this"). Weather aside I would recommend, I'd say best for couples or groups although I would happily go back solo. 

3 out of 5

★★★✩✩