When I first suggested a spa holiday to a city which is surrounded by breath-taking natural landscapes, I don’t think my friend was thinking of Iceland and its freezing temperatures. But, with a little persuasion and the promise of relaxation followed by a few glasses of the local “Moonshine” we were soon on our way to Iceland’s capital city, Reykjavik.
Top 5 Natural Wonders of Reykjavik
Reykjavik is located in the southwest of Iceland and is home to some of the world’s most stunning natural scenery. Majestic snow-capped mountains tower above geysers spurting steam into the chilly atmosphere, and azure lakes lie within ancient volcanic craters.
Geothermal Delights
Reykjavik Iceland is famously known for its natural hot springs thanks to its volcanic environment. The city’s geothermal wonders include: Nauthólsvík, a beach on the south coast which has an artificial spring and enables swimmers to relax in 20°C waters and hot tubs with water temperatures reaching 35–42°C.
Laugardalslaug swimming pool in Laugardalur valley with its Jacuzzis, thermal baths and an 86-metre water slide; and perhaps the most famous of them all, Blue Lagoon, where visitors can experience the natural benefits of geothermal seawater from the mineral-rich hot springs.
Whale-watching
Reykjavik’s natural landscapes attract an array of wildlife but for me, the most spectacular of them all are the whales. Boat trips depart regularly from Reykjavik harbour and passengers have a high chance of catching sightings of Minke whales, Sperm whales, Blue whales, Humpback whales and Killer (Orca) whales during a tour.
One of the most magical times to see these creatures within their natural environment is at midnight during mid-summer as the colours of the glowing midnight sun bounce off the sparkling ocean waters and surrounding snow-dusted mountains.
Hiking
Hiking is one of the best ways to explore this stunning capital region and there are hundreds of hiking trails and paths which lead to volcanic mountain ranges, nature reserves, cascading waterfalls, gushing rivers and the Golden Circle. Mount Esja is 914-metres high and one of the most popular routes for hiking.
There are several different routes up and around the mountain so hikers of all abilities can enjoy the trip. Those brave (and fit) enough to reach the summit will enjoy panoramic views of the city, fjords, mountains, lava fields and hissing hot springs below.
Videy Island is located just a few minutes from the city by boat and offers numerous trails for walking and cycling. The isolated island is also home to Yoko Ono’s Imagine Peace Tower which is in the form of a wishing well and emits a strong tall beam of light into the sky as a beacon for world peace.
The Northern Lights
One of the main reasons why I wanted to visit Reykjavik was to catch a glimpse of the famous and extraordinary Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis). This natural phenomenon has plenty of scientific explanations but once I saw the curtains of glowing green and purple colours ripple across the dark night sky, the facts soon disappeared and the sheer beauty of this sight overwhelmed me.
This is one tour that should not be missed and the best times of year to witness the breath-taking occurrence is between September and April and on a clear night if you have the choice. Many tour operators offer nightly trips from Reykjavik city centre and there are options to suite every budget, from coach tours to private guided trips with accommodation.
Scuba Diving and Snorkelling
When you think of the average temperature in Iceland you don’t consider it to be a place for scuba diving and snorkelling. However, the crystal clear waters and mild current (and a 5mm wetsuit) enables divers and snorkelers to experience some of the best diving conditions in the world – and the underwater sights aren’t bad either.
Silfa Lake in Thingvellir National Park is a great place to explore the fissure between the Eurasian and American plates and the underwater glaciers. Certified divers can head off to geothermal underwater springs in Lake Kleifarvatn or Silfa or tours around the southern coast of Iceland to explore sunken shipwrecks and diving sites.
Bio
Anna Ridley is a freelance Travel Writer who has a passion for travel, writing and fizzy wine. After living in the French Alps for two years, she now lives back by the beach in Cornwall where she is attempting to work her way through her “bucket list”.
We are headed to Iceland at the end of the month! Looks like we have quite some planning to do to make sure we hit all the best spots.
-Steven
The Imagine Peace Tower isn’t a natural wonder of Reykjavik but it’s still pretty impressive. A short ferry ride away and well worth checking out.
http://www.myhiddengems.co.uk/2012/10/imagine-peace-tower-reykjavik/
Thanks for the heads up, we didn’t make it there unfortunately, but all the more reason to go back!
In case anyone needs more information on seeing the northern lights in Iceland then this site give extra information: http://www.northernlightsiceland.com/
Great post. I was in Iceland for three days and of this list, only had a chance to experience the first, the geothermal delights. The geography is so unlike most other places; I’d love to go back and explore more of it sometime.
As a photographer myself I know that Iceland is one of the go to destinations for photographers.I guess I will have to add that to my bucket list as well!
Ah Yes, the bucket list just keeps growing and growing doesn’t it. We can’t keep up with ours anymore:)
Only 5mm wet suite? I probably will be frozen on 10 minutes 🙂
I was wondering about the 5mm myself. I have dove in very cold water in a 7 mm wet suite. Summers in Canada I have dove in a 5mm so I am sure that it would be fine in Iceland in the summer in a 5mm too.
Actually I did my scuba diving certification in Canada and did my first open water dive with two 5mm wet suites on me 😀 It was in June near Toronto.
Ah, I bet you dove in Lake Simcoe. That normally where people do their open water dives in Ontario. We did ours there too. Murky water and cold. Especially in June! We wore a farmer john with another wetsuit over top. Ah the joys of diving in Canada. However, The St. Lawrence in August is a balmy 70 degrees with no thermocline.
No, it was very small lake West of Toronto, but it was still cold 🙂
Iceland has recently become high on my list of places to visit. I’m hoping to plan a long weekend there this year as long as flights are not outrageously expensive. Thanks for the list of things to see!
What an amazing getaway that would be. I would love to be able to say, “I’m just going to jet off to Iceland this weekend, anyone want to come?”
:-)Let us know how your trip goesI only got to spend 5 days in Iceland, but I loved it. Would really like to go back and do a trip around the whole island, and hopefully see the The Northern Lights somewhere along the way 🙂
We would love to go to Iceland too. It seems like a very popular place to go so it was awesome when this guest post came in. We said, “I need to put this up for a little inspiration. A few years ago we had the chance to go on a very cheap trip when they were doing mega sales here from Canada. I wish we took it. We missed out for sure.