If you haven’t noticed all the hype about Iceland in the past couple of years, you will (quite rightly) be accused of living under a rock. Good news though: from the looks of things, the country’s popularity isn’t slowing down anytime soon, so you’ve got plenty of time to catch up and make 2018 the year you visit. From its dramatic landscape, thundering waterfalls and quirky places, we’ve put together 17 reasons to visit Iceland in 2018.
1. Search for Northern Lights
Iceland is a great place to chase the Northern Lights (or Aurora Borealis), and your best chance of seeing them is between September and March. Keep in mind that it’s not guaranteed as sightings rely heavily on many factors – not only clear, dark skies and low light pollution but also how charged the aurora particles are.
That being said, once you see them, the moment is all the more special. You’ll never forget the bright colours dancing and frolicking in the sky above you.
2. Swim in between continents
The Silfra Fissure in Thingvellir National Park, not too far from Reykjavik, is the meeting point of the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. What’s more, you can actually go snorkelling or scuba diving between them. I can already tell what you might be thinking: Iceland’s freezing, isn’t it? Wouldn’t snorkelling turn me into an icicle?
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Well, it’s not the Caribbean, but the temperature is a cool 2 degrees celsius year-round and you’re given a special dry suit so you can stay as warm as possible. Plus, you’ll be given a hot chocolate and snack afterwards, so let that be your motivation.
3. Soak in the Blue Lagoon
The Blue Lagoon is the perfect activity to end your trip to Iceland on a high note before your flight home due to its vicinity to the airport. This geothermal spa, averaging 37-75 degrees celsius (if you’re going in winter, this is particularly soothing), is located in a lava field, its milky blue waters rich in minerals, such as silica and sulphur. You can order drinks at the swim up bar, use the silica bar for a mud mask to soften your skin, receive a makeshift massage from the powerful waterfall or just people-watch in the relaxation area.
The standard cost per visit is 5400 ISK and its opening times vary per season.
4. Explore an ice cave
One of the most mesmerising parts of Iceland is its ice caves. These are huge, deep tunnels made of ice within glaciers that appear to glow a bright, iridescent blue and are a natural phenomenon. The two main ice caves you can explore are Langjokull, in the south-west, and Vatnajokull in the south-east. Be aware that many of the tours that take you around the ice caves only operate in the winter months, usually November to March (you can pair this with the Northern Lights).
5. Go inside a volcano
Iceland is a nature lover’s dream: there are few other places where you can physically delve into the depths of a volcano. Not to worry, this particular volcano, Thrihnukagigur, is dormant – the thrill is in the hike up the volcano and the cable car down 400 feet to the bottom of the crater. Once you’re in, the view upwards is surreal and will leave you in awe of mother nature.
This visit is only operational in the summer months, May-October.
6. Road trip around the Golden Circle
The Golden Circle is the tourist’s introduction to Iceland, but that doesn’t make it any less fascinating or worth doing. It’s named as such because, not surprisingly, the attractions are located within a circle, and so makes a perfect day trip, on a tour or with a rented car.
Gullfoss, Thingvellir and the geysirs are the three big stops on the Golden Circle. All of them become busy with tourists, so try to make your trip as early as possible to beat the rush. Watch Stokkur (The Churn) geysir shoot up as high as 30 metres every 10 minutes or so. Make sure to bring your camera and wait around for the perfect shot!
Gullfoss is perhaps Iceland’s most famous waterfall, with water plummeting down 32 metres into a canyon with walls that reach up to 70 metres. On sunny days, you can see a rainbow glistening over the falls.
Thingvellir is known, apart from the site of the tectonic plates meeting, as the site of Iceland’s parliament between the 10th and 18th centuries. The landscape is amazing to walk around and gives a great sense of Iceland’s history.
7. Visit Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
About 230 miles east of Reykjavik sits Jokulsarlon lagoon, a beautiful view of huge chunks of ice floating on the water’s surface, which you can also sometimes see washed up on the shore. As popular and awesome as this scene is, it actually only exists because of the climate change: the blocks of ice are breaking off Breidamerkurjokull glacier as temperatures rise in Iceland.
8. Learn about Reykjavik’s culture
Reykjavik is trendy, oozing the kind of cool where the city doesn’t need to shout about it: when you visit and see for yourself, it’s just obvious. There are kooky cafes and walls upon walls of street art, as well as impressive architecture (Hallgrimskirkja church) and delectable restaurants. Buy yourself a traditional Icelandic sweater and enjoy the culture of a country that is constantly considered a leading force in women’s equality.
9. Chase waterfalls
Gullfoss isn’t the only waterfall in Iceland – there are plenty around the country that will show how varied waterfalls can be. Take Seljandsfoss, a waterfall which you can walk behind (when it’s safe to do so – in winter, icicles are not your friend). There’s also Kirkjufellsfoss, which is framed by the distinctive mountain of Kirkjufell. If you haven’t quite caught on yet, ‘foss’ in Icelandic translates to ‘waterfall’ – so if you spot a ‘foss’ on a map, head towards it and more likely than not, you’ll be blown away.
10. Stroll on Reynisfjara Beach’s black sand
Reynisfjara beach is one of Iceland’s black sand beaches in the town of Vik. Out of the jet black sand rise formidable basalt columns, not dissimilar to an alien world. Out in the sea there are more basalt columns, which, according to folklore, were trolls trying to bring a ship to shore, but froze to stone as daylight emerged.
It’s a surreal and unique experience to walk along Reynisfjara beach, but be careful not to get too mesmerised by your surroundings, as the waves are extremely powerful here – there have been casualties!
11. Walk on a glacier
If you don’t quite fancy going inside an ice cave, there’s always the option of taking a glacier hike, instead. You’re given crampons for your hiking shoes so you’re not dangerously slipping around. Glaciers are made up of ice that has formed thousands of years ago and are constantly changing, making them a dominant natural wonder in Iceland – getting up close and personal to them is an amazing experience. Check out Solheimajokull, close to Reykjavik.
12. Search for the Solheimasandur Plane Wreck
You may have seen the pictures, a plane wreck in the middle of nowhere in a desolate landscape, like something out of a post-apocalyptic movie. This is the Solheimasandur plane wreck, a haunting yet iconic site caused by a US plane being forced to land on Solheimasandur’s black sand beach in southern Iceland after it experienced severe icing. It’s located between Skogafoss waterfall and the town of Vik, but local landowners have recently banned access to vehicles, so you’ll have to walk 4km from the road to the plane. As you can see, the photo opportunity is well worth the effort, though!
13. Visit the Phallological Museum
Yes, really. In Iceland, there’s a Phallological Museum, filled with the world’s largest display of the male genitalia. It contains a collection of 280 specimens from 93 species of animals, including, comically, an empty vessel labelled as Huldufolk (Icelandic elves). Why is it empty? Because, in Icelandic folklore, elves are invisible. Obviously.
If you’d like to visit this weird and wonderful establishment, it’s open every day 10am-6pm. Entry is 1,500 ISK per person.
14. Find the Icelandic horses
Often mistaken for ponies, the Icelandic horse is small in size and can be found roaming in fields with its neighbours (horsey pun intended). They’re a main part of the Icelandic landscape, having arrived with settlers from Norway over one thousand years ago. The horses may look cute with long, luscious hair, but they’re a tough breed that can handle the rough terrain of Iceland. As you’re driving or travelling to other sites, you’re likely to come across farms with horses, or you can always take a riding tour.
15. Take a dip in natural hot springs
If sharing the Blue Lagoon with a bunch of other people sends a shiver down your spine, there are plenty of natural hot springs dotted around the country in which you can spontaneously take a soothing dip without worrying about rubbing shoulders. Try out Landmannalaugar, located in the southern highlands. It’s spacious and the changing facilities are top notch. In winter, it’s even more desolate and you might even get a glimpse of the Northern Lights. There’s also Strutslaug, Landbrotalaug and Hveravellir.
16. Learn about the local folklore
Iceland’s landscape is beautiful and dramatic, but once you start delving deeper into the country, it becomes even more enchanting. Icelandic folklore – stories involving giant animals, trolls and elves – is deeply embedded into everything from Christmas to the shape of mountains and rocks coming out of the sea. Tour guides in Iceland will enthrall you with details of these legends when you pass a particular rock where an elf supposedly lives or a formation which is said to be a troll or spirit which has frozen in that form. During the Christmas season, the folklore comes alive, with the 13 mischievous Yule Lads and the giant black cat which eats children.
17. Go Puffin spotting
Puffins spend most of their time at sea but return to Iceland from early April to September every year to breed, showing off those signature colourful beaks. Seeing them perched on rugged cliffs is quite a sight – head to Papey island off Djupivogur in east Iceland, or Dyrholaey, in the south, and only a two and a half hour drive from Reykjavik.
