Iceland - May 2024
With direct flights operated daily from Minneapolis, Iceland is one of the most convenient European travel destinations for Minnesotans. Yana and I decided to take advantage of this and booked tickets for a 4-day get away over memorial weekend. With powerful waterfalls, dramatic coastline, and alien like scenery, Iceland is a photographer’s paradise. We knew that we wouldn’t be able to hit all of the recommended sights on our short trip, so we stayed near Reykjavik and took a few day trips across the southern part of the country.
The flight from Minneapolis to Reykjavik lasted a manageable 5 hours. We landed mid-morning and decided to make the most of the day by seeing some sites around the city. Our first stop was to the lovely Sky Lagoon just outside of downtown. Sky Lagoon is an alternative option to the popular Blue Lagoon - it’s a bit quieter and has expansive views of the Atlantic Ocean. We spent a few hours soaking in the thermal baths and decompressing after our flight. From there, we drove into Reykjavik and made our way to Kaffi O-Le for breakfast. Here we had some great pastries and really enjoyed the ambience of the place. Next, we walked to Hallgrimskirkja - the main church in the city center. Hallgrimskirkja is an incredible church. It stands tall over the city and has statues of Lief Erikson and other Viking-esque figures surrounding it. We then walked around the rest of the city and took in the mix of both nordic and modern style architecture. Our last stop for the day was to Baejarins Beztu Pylsur - a Hot Dog cart! Icelandic hot dogs are made from lamb with crispy onions, remoulade, and a spicy brown mustard. It was a fresh take on a familiar food; I really enjoyed it!
The following day we drove the popular Golden Circle loop. I loved this day trip; it took us about 12 hours from leaving the AirBnb to returning at the end of the day. Some of the highlights of this loop include Thingvellir National Park, Strokkur Geysir, Kerio Crater, and Gulfoss. The impressive topography made the driving just as enjoyable as the sites. Yana and I pulled over multiple times to take pictures of landscapes and waterfalls that weren’t even identified as sites on Golden Circle itineraries. We stopped for lunch at Fridheimar, a tomato farm and restaurant located on the loop. Here we enjoyed a delicious tomato soup with a lovely homemade bread. Fridheimar also offers tours of the farm, but we didn’t allocate enough time to take advantage. Gullfoss was by far my favorite stop on the Golden Circle loop - it’s an immense series of waterfalls and the scale is hard to put into words. The Golden Circle lived up to the lofty expectations and is a must for those staying near Reykjavik.
Our last full day we decided to take a drive down the coast to Vik and stop at some of the waterfalls along the way. The first waterfall we stopped at was Seljalandsfoss, a picturesque waterfall that you can walk behind, and we had it all to ourselves! We left Reykjavik early in the morning to beat the tour busses and it paid off. Next, we stopped at Skogafoss, which for me was the highlight of the trip. This waterfall is breathtaking and is more beautiful than any picture of it online. We spent a lot of time at Skogafoss taking pictures and hiking to the top, which gave a different perspective that was great for pictures. Then, we made our way to Vik and stopped at Vikurfjara Black Sand Beach. This beach has some incredible rock formations making it really photogenic - it was gorgeous. Finally, we stopped at Crepes.IS, an adorable crepe stand for a treat and made our way back to Reykjavik.
Although we only scratched the surface, I was amazed by the natural beauty of Iceland. The views are brilliant - there seemed to be incredible scenery in every direction. In addition to the views, the locals were warm and friendly. I can’t wait to return one day soon and visit more of this stunning country.
-DB
