I landed in Reykjavik on a damp and overcast Friday morning last September. The small airport was filled with friendly staff to direct visitors, and I easily found my way to luggage claim and out to the parking lot. I joined a group of fellow travellers in the rain, and we wearily awaited the complimentary shuttle that would take us to the rental car offices.
Aside from forgetting my bag on the bus, every step from departing the plane to sitting in my lovely bright red rental car was smooth sailing. It was only 7am, and I found myself with nearly eight hours free before Orla’s flight from London was due to land. I didn’t know what adventure awaited me, but I was excited for it.
My first stop that morning was the Blue Lagoon Geothermal Spa. A major tourist hot spot, it’s a short 20 minute drive from the airport. I quickly adapted to the new vehicle and narrow roads, and found myself pulling into the car park in no time at all. The property was well signed, offered ample parking, and a beautiful entrance way.
A side note for anyone who is simply planning a layover in Reykjavik and not intending to stay- If you are able to arrange a 6-10 hour layover, take the opportunity to visit Blue Lagoon. There are frequent buses going to and from the airport to the spa, and they offer complimentary luggage storage.
The entrance fee felt a little steep to a budget traveller like myself (about $90 CAD), but I’d heard such wonderful things that I knew it was a must-see. And, really, how often does one find themselves in Iceland and able to visit a geothermal hot spring? Plus, the entry fee gives the guest access to the spa for the entire day, meaning I could spend the morning there, go and pick up Orla from the airport, and then return on the same ticket.
I spent about three hours solo at Blue Lagoon in the morning. I enjoyed floating in the near-empty pool, a refreshing silica mud mask, a sit in both the sauna and steam bath, a stand under the waterfall, and then a chill out in one of their relaxation areas (where I taught a lovely gentleman from Chicago how to use his cell phone abroad).
By late morning I decided that I’d had enough spa time and decided to spend a couple of hours exploring. I hopped in my rental car and drove about 100km east along the southern coast towards Sulfoss. The landscape was wonderfully dramatic, and I found myself pulling to the side of the road every few minutes to get photos.
After a couple of hours I headed back towards the airport and awaited Orla’s arrival. We hadn’t seen one another in about two years, so after a short reunion hug at the Arrivals gate we headed to the car and made our way back to Blue Lagoon. We spent hours and hours sitting in the pool, catching up, and people watching. By the time we emerged it was getting dark and our legs felt like they weighed 500 lbs!
From Blue Lagoon it was a one hour drive up to Reykjavik, where we’d booked a room at the Flying Viking Guesthouse for the three nights we were in town. It was a wonderful property located right in the city centre. The proprietors, Hans and Elsa, had been incredibly helpful during the planning stages of the trip, providing me with ample information about area parking, sights, and much more.
On our second day we awoke early and headed out to drive the famed Golden Circle route. Our first stop was Þingvellir National Park, followed by Geysir and Strokkur geysers, and Gullfoss waterfall.
On the road to Þingvellir
Strokkur, which erupts every 10-15 minutes
Just outside of Gullfoss
Gullfoss waterfall
With making frequent stops, the Golden Circle drive took us about 6 hours. We returned to Reykjavik in late afternoon and spent some time exploring the city centre and grabbing a delicious (though very expensive!) dinner before retiring for the evening.
To be continued…
Sloane Square 