This is part 2 of a 2 part blog about our Iceland stopover. October 2018 on our way back from a trip to Europe we stopped for 3 nights in Iceland, you can plan a stopover of up to 7 days without additional airfare with Iceland Airlines.
Reykjavik
Reykjavik can easily be reached by rental car, taxi or bus. Keflavik International Airport is 31 miles away and is where International flights from North America and Europe arrive. We stayed three nights in a Airbnb in the downtown area. It had a parking garage which was nice because parking in downtown is challenging to find and it was nice to be able to walk to the sights, restaurants, and shops.
The iconic Hallgrimskirkja Church visible from almost everywhere in Reykjavik. This was our first stop. At the top of the 244 foot church is a viewing platform that we were unfortunately unable to visit. The tower is open except on Sundays, and may be closed at times as this is an operating church. The Leifur Eiríksson (Leif Eriksson) statue stands in front of the Hallgrimskirkja Church.
I recommend taking a stroll along the Sculpture and Shore Walk starting at the beautiful glass Harpa building. We were there mid day and did not check out any concert opportunities, but there is a nice gift shop in the lobby we visited. Walking east along the shore you will also find the The Sun Voyager sculpture that overlooks Kollafjörður fjord for a nice photo opportunity. Laugavegur street is the main shopping street with loads of shops, restaurants, and cafes. From the harbor you can catch whale watching tours and in the winter northern lights cruises. There are many museums in Reykjavik however we didn’t have time to visit any this trip. The one nearest our Airbnb was the The Phallological Museum, I mean how did we pass up going to a penis museum?!
Take a peaceful stroll around Lake Tjornin in downtown Reykjavik.
There are many shops around downtown Reykjavik, Icelandic wool is found in many stores. I love to find useful household items to bring home from my trips and I really wanted a wool blanket. I didn’t want to haul it back and my suitcase was full, luckily I was able to have it mailed to my home in Alaska.
Since 1937 Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur has been near the Reykjavik harbor and is popular with locals and tourists alike. It’s in the guidebooks so of course we had to try it out. We followed the advice and got einu með öllu (one with everything). The hot dog is served with fried onions, ketchup and, sweet brown mustard, regular mustard plus remoulade. It was good, and affordable by Iceland standards, but maybe not worth all the hype. When we were eating a “social media influencer” was there to video theirself trying the hotdog. They literally ordered a PLAIN HOTDOG. Of course if you eliminate everything that makes it special, all you have is a plain hotdog on a bun. Don’t be like them, order one with everything. Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur is open from 10am to 2am on weekdays and from 10am to 4.30am on weekends, but check before you go.
Grindavik
After we did our walking tour of Reykjavik we decided we really wanted to see the ocean. The fishing town of Grindavik on the Reykjanes Peninsula is about 15 minutes from the Blue Lagoon. The Reyjkanes peninsula has some shipwrecks so whats not to love? We stopped by the Hrafn Sveinbjarnarson III shipwreck. With google maps it wasn’t hard to find. The road is not paved, but if not muddy and you drive carefully most vehicles could make the trip. Wear sturdy shoes, the walk out is rocky and I scuffed up my leather boots. There is also the Hopsnes Lighthouse nearby that I for some reason do not have a picture of it.
Blue Lagoon
The first time I saw a picture of the blue Lagoon I knew just had to visit Iceland. The Blue Lagoon is a geothermal spa just a 15 minute drive from Keflavik International Airport, or a 30 minute drive from Reykjavik. The Blue Lagoon supposedly has healing qualities due to the high silica and sulfur content especially for skin, however I cannot speak to this being true. The lagoon is man-made. The water is a byproduct from the Svartsengi geothermal power plant. After going through the turbines to generate electricity it then goes through a heat exchanger to heat the municipal water heating system and then into the lagoon. The bright blue color comes from the high silica content.
We chose the cheapest option the Comfort package which was $89 each and included entrance to the Blue Lagoon, a silica mud mask, the use of towel and a drink of your choice. You need to book your date and time in advance and during the busiest season I would say months in advance to be sure. When you arrive you get a wrist band and anything else you want to purchase can be charged to it so you do not need to carry money. I didn’t want to carry my phone either, so I do not have any pictures in or of the pool.
First we got our cup of silica mud mask, my husband was not really interested in this. After that we stopped by the swim up bar for a drink there is the choice of alcoholic or non-alcoholic drink including smoothies and you can walk around in the lagoon while drinking it. It was a little crowded so we wandered to a far corner and sat and watched the sun go down. Just as we were getting ready to leave, the northern lights made an appearance!
In addition to the actual Lagoon day packages, there is a spa, skin care products, the Lava, Moss, and Spa restaurant and a cafe, and accommodations at the Silica and Spa hotels. All of the products looked lovely, but definitely come with a higher price tag. As I did not use any other services I cannot offer any recommendations.
Would I go to the Blue Lagoon again? It was nice, well organized, clean and and an iconic tourist attraction. It is just that though, a man made tourist attraction. As a bucket list item I’m glad I went, and I probably would go again. I would especially love a spa day there. However there are other geothermal pools that are more natural, less touristy and more affordable that I would love to try out. There are also many public pools in Iceland that look lovely also.
We made the 30 minute drive back to our Airbnb in Reykjavik with the northern lights in the sky, had a late dinner, and packed up for our flight home the next afternoon. On the way to the airport we stopped for a nice lunch a the Library in Keflavik near the airport and a nice last meal of our Iceland trip. We found Iceland to be a friendly, unique and beautiful country to visit and would love to return in the summer and take a trip around the whole ring road. There was no volcanic lava flow when we traveled, but it if happens again, I’m definitely going to make that trip! What are you waiting for? Plan your own unforgettable trip to Iceland!
I think I will do one more blog post about places I wish I had visited and maybe some tips about travel.
