Christmas in Iceland
Reykjavík
We spent Christmas on the beautiful island of Iceland, perhaps one of the most magical and naturally beautiful places I’ve ever been. We spent over a week exploring the natural wonders of the country, and it did not disappoint. We stayed in Reykjavik the whole time, and it was such a cute, quaint, eclectic town. Tons of art, bakeries, small businesses, book stores, and delectable food shops. It felt like we were on a movie set - and it’s exactly like what I would picture the North Pole to be like! It was very festive - lights and Christmas decor and music EVERYWHERE - and since it’s winter time, there was only 4 hours of daylight each day making the time change adjustment a little difficult. One morning, we walked to this incredible museum and got to go into an ice cave and see a panoramic IMAX show about the northern lights. Most of the time, we strolled up and down the streets, visited the beautiful church, read a ton in front of the fireplace at our hotel, ate the most delicious soups, and enjoyed some nice sunsets/sunrises over the lake and ocean.
Northern Lights
I was so excited to see the northern lights, which has been on my bucket list for years. Our original night tour got rescheduled to the following evening due to poor northern lights forecast, but we definitely got to see them when we went! We drove to the middle of nowhere (No Man’s Land) at 9pm in a small van and stood in the freezing cold for a few hours to see the lights. They were pale green to the human eye and often faded in and out, but on camera we were able to get some shots of the brighter green lights in the sky behind us! It was absolutely freezing but so much fun. We got back to the hotel around midnight and were so tired, but it was worth every second.
Blue Lagoon
Another one of my bucket list items was to visit the Blue Lagoon. It was one of my favorite experiences of the trip because it was so relaxing and I felt like a new person after spending 2 hours in the hot, milky lagoon! The steam rising from the water, plus the view of the mountains and the freezing cold air outside was such a unique sensory experience. The lagoon itself was again in the middle of nowhere and it was massive. We got to walk around a ton in the water, and it was so incredibly peaceful and quiet. We sat and talked the whole time, and even got to drink some juice from a mini bar in the lagoon. My least favorite part was having to completely shower from head to toe before and after you get in the lagoon, simply because it was absolutely freezing outside. But again, it was worth it and I will never forget this experience!
Golden Circle & Secret Lagoon
We had a really nice day trip around the Golden Circle where we saw a cool geysir, but my favorite part was seeing the Golden Waterfall, which was massive and FREEZING. It was probably the coldest I had ever been in my life. This was by far the most impressive waterfall I have ever laid eyes on. Later on, went to the Secret Lagoon which was a more natural, less touristy lagoon in the middle of nowhere. The lagoon itself was super hot (they actually port in cold water to cool down the naturally hot water) and again, it was such a relaxing experience. My body felt so refreshed after. We stopped at Thingvellir National Park on the way back to see the original Parliament in Iceland (AKA a big rock) and the tectonic plates - so neat! Overall it was a really fun day trip and it was so neat to see more of the island.
South Coast Glacier Hike
My favorite day of the trip was our south coast adventure on Christmas Day. We drove 2 hrs to the most massive, stunning glacier and literally hiked it for 3 hrs. Our legs were pretty sore for the next few days, as we had to wear ice crampons and full gear. Not to mention, the hike itself was mostly uphill and quite steep! I have never hiked on ice before, and it was such a cool experience. It was totally freezing but since we were hiking and moving I was actually pretty warm inside all my layers. The views within the crevices of the glacier were insane, and the stunning scenery around the glacier was honestly indescribable. It took my breath away. It was the coolest way to spend Christmas day!
Black Sand Beach & Waterfalls
The second part of Christmas day was spent at Black Sand Beach, which was GORGEOUS but incredibly windy and cold. The sand was indeed black and so beautiful! We had lunch at the little cafe there (I had the most delicious vegan turnip soup) and then we headed to a few more big waterfalls before retuning back to Reykjavik that evening. We even hiked up 400 steps to the top of one of the waterfalls. All in all, it was such a fun way to spend Christmas day, and it really reminded me of how grateful I am for this beautiful planet, its clean air, and stunning nature.
