Earlier this month, I got to spend five days and four nights in and around Reykjavik, Iceland with my lovely sister in law. Iceland is a place I’ve been wanting to go for a while, so last fall when a great flight sale came up on Icelandair, I couldn’t resist. Here are my high five and low five from the trip!
The High Five
(the five biggest HIGHLIGHTS of the trip)
- The amazing, other-worldly landscape and nature, particularly in the Golden Circle – it’s unlike anywhere I’ve been before
- We did this day tour and I would highly recommend it. It feels like there are dozens to choose from with different operators, all with really similar descriptions – I’m sure you can’t go wrong, but my guidance would generally be the smaller the group, the better. This was a minibus with about 12 people, and our guide, David, was great.
- Our meal at Bryggjan Brugghús – we got there in time for happy hour and each enjoyed a delicious malty Belgian double ale, and for my dinner I had the fish of the day (roasted plaice with charred cherry tomatoes, baby potatoes, spinach and a roasted red pepper sauce)
- The view from the top of Hallgrimskirkja – yes, it costs $10 and yes, there can be a bit of a wait (there’s only one elevator and only 6 people can go up at a time), but on a clear day, the view is great…you can see the colorful buildings around Reykjavik as well as the icy mountains and the vast North Atlantic ocean
- The walking tour which reinvigorated us after a long flight and super early arrival, oriented us to the city and gave us a crash course in Icelandic culture and history
- Since Reykjavik is a smaller city, there aren’t quite as many free walking tour options as in other major European cities – but we chose this one and gathered at 10am on a Sunday morning, right across from Parliament. Sarah, our guide, was knowledgeable, funny and friendly – and she gave us a real flavor for the unique (activist, pacifist…but Viking!) culture.
- The experience of the Blue Lagoon – where else in the world can you spend all day soaking in mineral-heavy hot water while also being outside in 25 degree weather?
- While yes, it’s touristy and yes, it’s expensive – I think it’s worth it. A very unique experience and a relaxing way to cap off our trip before getting on the flight home.
Bonus: spending some quality time with my sister in law. This was our first one-on-one trip together and it was great! Lots of good conversations (thank you, hot seat!), laughs and new experiences.
The Low Five
(the five bummers, things I missed, underwhelmers, downsides, etc)
- Not seeing the Northern Lights! Although February is generally a good time of year to see the aurora – AND we had a good forecast – it just wasn’t in the cards. We officially tried once and tours were cancelled the next two nights.
- This is the tour we took, booked at the last minute. This was the one activity we didn’t book before we left the US, since it is so dependent on the forecast – but, unfortunately that left us with few options. Basically you’re paying for the service of getting out of the city and back, so don’t expect a real “guide” (ours was super weird) or anything other than transport. If you can combine Northern Lights along with one of your other tours, that might be the way to go.
- Snorers and lack of community at Hlemmur Square Hostel (it’s a hostel for two floors and a hotel for two floors, but we stayed in the hostel in a 10-bed room)
- First, let me say that I rated this 4/5 on TripAdvisor – so I don’t want to imply the whole experience was negative. The pros? Comfortable bed, good wifi, inexpensive. The cons? The staff could have been more outgoing/friendly, and the only communal area is the lobby/bar/restaurant which is pretty chaotic since it’s right off the busiest bus stop in Reykjavik…so not very conducive to chatting and getting to know other travelers. Finally, two of the four nights we had a terrible snorer in our room. Again, not the fault of the hostel, sometimes you just get a bad apple.
- Iceland is as expensive as you’ve heard, maybe more. This is definitely a bummer, but obviously just something you have to deal with. Expect to pay ~$15 for a sandwich or soup, $7-$8 for happy hour beers ($12-$14 for non-happy hour), and $30+ for entrees at any bar or restaurant (from a burger on the lower end to fish/chicken/lamb dishes on the higher end).
- We grabbed a cup of delicious skyr (in an array of flavors!) for breakfast most days, visited places like Mathöll for a casual dinner and stopped for small bites at places like Café Babalu to keep our costs manageable. I also brought tea bags and instant coffee (affiliate link) from home so I wouldn’t have to drop $6 on a hot drink every day. Also, download the Appy Hour app to find out where the cheapest drinks and eats are!
- It seems like the weather changes every 20 minutes, so make like a Scout and always be prepared…test out boots and gear before you leave!
- I bought these (affiliate link) on sale a few months before the trip and wore them around Chicago to test them out, figuring our snow, rain and slush would be a good test run
- My friend let me borrow her rain pants (affiliate link), which were a lifesaver – I highly recommend bringing some along
- We didn’t get a chance to check out Laugardaslaug, Reykjavik’s largest pool and spa complex – since we were going to the Blue Lagoon we felt that was enough, but this would be a great alternative or additional place if you have time.
The Rest
What didn’t make the High/Low Five? Horseback riding at Laxnes Farm, Icelandic National Museum, Culture House, Settlement Exhibition, Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur (the famous hot dog stand), Lemon, Sæta Svinið (aka Sweet Pig) happy hour, C is for Cookie, Icelandic Sagas Comedy Show at Harpa…check out my TripAdvisor reviews here if you want to know more.
Kristen says
What an interesting read. 🙂 I know how much traveling you have done so when you say that you haven’t seen a particular landscape (or anything else for that matter) I know that it truly must be unique! SO glad you had the chance to enjoy “sister” time, as well as soaking up another culture. Fun!
Annie says
It was a great experience, and yes – truly unique! 🙂
Michael Pecoraro says
A great summary. I felt like i was on the trip with you.
Annie says
Thanks! That’ll have to tide you over until our next trip actually together, I suppose! 🙂
Joe says
Sounds like a great trip – glad you had fun! Assuming fish is a staple of the icelandic diet?
Annie says
Yup, a big one! Since they’re an island, they eat a lot of seafood…including lobster and langoustine! I got to try some lobster soup, it was great.