Ice and Fire

I am back from another incredible weekend gateway.

This time Iceland was on my November travel destinations. The reason why I chose to visit this country this time of the year it’s because the days are getting shorter (sunrise is at 9.30am and sunset is at 4pm) and therefore there are more chances to experience the unique phenomenon of the aurora borealis (aka Norther Lights).

I should just start saying that the weather has been pretty much miserable the entire time I was there and therefore, despite a feeble attempt to see the northern light the second night of my stay, there hasn’t been any chance to do it in the next few days. This is the only thing I regret not seeing in Iceland.

Other than that I can definitely say that Iceland is one of my favourite countries in the world. Here is why.

Waterfalls. Skógafoss is a 62m-high waterfall overlooking a rocky cliff on the western side of Skógar (little town with a population of just 20 people). You can climb the staircase next to the waterfall for great views of the valley or just walk toward the waterfall but try not to get too close if you don’t want to get drenched. It’s a 45min ride with the bus from Reykjavik.

Another popular stop on the Ring Road is Seljalandsfoss. This tumbling high fall ends its miles long journey into a deep green pool, originating from the lower escarpments of Eyjafjallajökull volcano. There is a slippery path that runs around the back of the waterfall. Carefull wen walking around it as it gets quite slippery.

Last but not least on this list is the breathtaking Gullfoss. Definitely the most iconic waterfall in the entire country, Gullfoss drops 32 meters, kicking up tiered walls of spray before thundering away down a narrow ravine. The history of this waterfall is actually quite interesting. It goes back to 1920, when a team of foreign investors wanted to build a dam on the Hvítá river. The landowner, Tomas Tomasson, refused to sell it to them, but the builders stepped over him and got permission directly from the government. Tomas’s daughter, in order to stop the works walked barefoot all the way to Reykiavik to protest and threatening to throw herself into the waterfall if the work went ahead. The investors failed to pay the lease and the agreement was nullified.

2. Beaches. Reynisfjara is a black-sand beach 5km from Vík, Iceland’s southernmost town. This long beach is backed up by a formation of stacked basalt columns (like the ones in Ireland, called the Giant Causeway) that look like church organ. On the western side of the beach you will notice cliffs and caves that are all part of a rocky plateau with a huge stone sea arch called Dyrhólaey.

Another beach with an iconic cluster of sea stack can be found at the western end of Vik black-sand beach. It is called Reynisdrangur, which rises from the sea like black thin towers. The legend says they are masts of a ship that trolls were trying to steal when they got caught in the sun.

3. Glaciers. Sólheimajökull is one of the easiest glaciers to reach from the Ring Road. It’s located 10 minutes walk (800 meters) inland from the parking lot. This little ice tongues comes from the much bigger Myrdalsjökull ice cap and it’s possible to hike on it with a guide.

4. Geysir. The most iconic touristic attraction in Iceland are the Geysers. The Great Geysir has been found in the Haukadalur geothermal region and it’s been active for at least the past 800 years. But as it happens for volcanoes, even geysers go through periods of lessened activities. Earthquakes may be the main cause of this unstable activity. The wait for the hot spring to shoot 15m-30m of steam it’s never beyond 10 minutes. The bubbling pool of hot water gives you a sort of signal when the geyser is about to plume.

5. Þingvellir National Park. This is Iceland’s most important historical site. Here is where the Vikings established the world’s first democratic parliament, around 930 AD. The meetings were held outdoors but today only the stone foundations of the ancient encampment can be seen. If you follow the path on the left hand side of the view terrace you’ll end up on the Lögberg, the only standing structure in the great rift. The Þingvellir plain is situated on a tectonic plate boundary where the North American plate meets the European one. These two tectonic plates are slowly tearing away from each other at a rate on 1mm-18mm per year, forming fissures and rifts like the Almannagjá.

6. Blue Lagoon. Surrounded by black lava rocks, the Blue Lagoon spa gets the hot water directly from 2000mt below the surface, thanks to the futuristic Svartsengi geothermal Plant. The water temperature stays roughly around 38c. It’s composed by 70% sea water, 30% fresh water. It is rich of minerals and algae and silica mud, which is very good to exfoliate the skin. A bar serving cold beers and fresh juice is located near one of the entrances to the lagoon, directly from inside the water. A spa station can also be found opposite the bar. Here you can try few different face mud mask: Lava, silica, etc. The facility has a restaurant, a spa, showers and a hotel. It may sound quite touristy to some, but I strongly believe that not visiting it while in Iceland is a real shame.

7. And last, the coffee. Reykjavik and Icelanders in general take coffee quite seriously. That is why you can find little coffee places scattered around the city. Colorful buildings and graffiti give Reykjavik a really cosmopolitan look. There are quite few interesting museums (e.g. Islandic Phallological Museum) and art studios. Restaurants and bakeries are definitely one of the main attractions of the city. Also, don’t forget to visit the old town, the old harbor and the majestic Hallgrímskirkja. This church can be seen as far as 20km from the city. It’s made of white concrete and its facade resembles the stacked basalt columns seen near Vik.

I am pretty sure that if I had spend another week or so in this country I could have found another 50-100 reasons why I loved it.

One thing I learnt from this trip is making sure to spend enough time here to give yourself and the weather a chance to hunt for the Northern lights. If you are thinking of visiting Iceland, do it now. Tourism is increasing exponentially every year. I am pretty confident that this island will soon become a hot destinations for both europeans and americans (given its unique location, almost half way between the two countries). Also, if you have enough budget with you, consider to fly out for an extra couple of days to Greenland or to the Faroe Islands.