8 THINGS TO DO IN ICELAND

We went to Iceland in the January of 2020 and I thought I would share some of my favorite things we did there!

Before I get into the specifics, I just wanted to let you know that we visited Iceland in the winter. For those of you who don’t know, the Winter days in Iceland are quite short - about 5 hours. Their summer days are very long (I think about 21 hours) so if you don’t like the darkness, it might be best to wait until the summer!

The other thing I wanted to mention (which also is probably quite obvious) is how COLD it is in the winter. If you plan your visit during the fall/winter seasons, be sure to bring lots and lots of warm clothes - including windbreakers! It was incredibly windy when we were there. Gloves and earmuffs and beanies also saved my poor hands and ears!

1. Drinks at Smiðjan Brugghús

The first recommendation that comes to mind is going to Vik which is a town on the Southern coast of Iceland. Vik is a really neat city with cool shops, restaurants and breweries - one of which is called Smiðjan Brugghús. Mind you this is the only brewery in Vik that we went to so we can’t say it’s the best as we don’t have anything to compare it to. But I can say that I had the best hot cocoa there! I know… pretty random that a pub would have the most amazing hot chocolate but it seriously was! So if you are a fan of this festive hot drink, you cannot miss trying this!

2. Black Sand Beaches

The second recommendation is also in Vik - they have a beautiful beach called Reynisfjara (don’t ask me to pronounce this word…) which had black sand! Very instagrammable. As we visited this beach in the winter, it had quite a bit of snow and was quite windy (as I mentioned before) so bundle up!

3. Blue Lagoon

The Blue Lagoon is probably the most famous destination spot in Iceland - and it definitely does not disappoint! Yes the water is that blue. Yes - it feels incredible. Yes - it is worth paying the amount you do to experience it! We spent probably 8 hours in the Blue Lagoon and had a meal at the Lava Restaurant - also worth going to!

One thing I tell everyone who asks me what the Blue Lagoon is like is that if you have long hair, PUT IT IN A BUN! I highly recommend not dunking your head in the water. The Blue Lagoon has high amounts of a mineral called silica. No joke, it took me over a month until my hair went back to normal. It just felt crusty and hard. It was very difficult to brush and always felt like I had sprayed a whole bottle of hairspray every morning on my hair. It was pretty awful. So if I ever go back, I definitely will make sure to put my hair in a bun and do my best not to get it wet.

4. Icelandic Street Food

The next recommendation I have is to go to Icelandic Street Food in Reykjavík. It looks more like a cafe when you walk in, and is a kind of fast-food concept with traditional Icelandic food. They have an all-you-can-eat option where you get as much stew as you want. They refill your completely edible bread bowls as many times as you like! And let me tell you the stews are delicious! They also offer other Iceland delicacies such as Icelandic Pancakes and Happy Marriage cake which are definitely worth a try - delish! To top it off - the prices are very attractive for how much you get!

What’s even more unique about this place is that if it is too busy to sit down (which it often is), they have a bar a few doors down where you are free to go to and sit down and they give you a free beer to go with it!

I don’t have any photos of this scrumptious place, but you can take a look at my Iceland highlights on Instagram if you are interested to see what the stew looks like!

5. Hraðlestin

This is another very random recommendation, but there is an Indian Restaurant next to Icelandic Street Food in Reykjavik called Hraðlestin. We went here on a whim because we wanted to try something other than Icelandic Street Food (yes it’s that good). We felt we still wanted something hearty and warming because of the dropping temperatures outside and we were so glad we took a chance and came to this restaurant. I’m pretty picky when it comes to my Indian food (it is one of my favourite foods ever!). We ordered quite a few curries and a few of their specialties and everything was divine.

And again, the prices were very attractive! So if you like spicy curries this is a must!

6. Visiting the smaller towns

One of my favourite days in Iceland was just driving… and driving… and more driving. We just drove as far as we could just to see what we could find. I don’t even remember the small towns we stopped at but there were some of the cutest farmhouses and churches I had ever seen in these tiny towns. Highly recommend just ‘getting lost’ for a day just to explore and see what you can find!

7. Food truck at Sólheimajökull

Another very random recommendation but also very worth it! We intended on hiking the glacier but at the beginning decided it was too cold! We saw a food truck there which we don’t remember the name of but it could have been '“Mia's Country Van - Local Fish & Chips”. Hands down the best fish and chips I’ve tasted! So if you are into this tasty meal - definitely stop by this truck for some deliciousness!

8. Taking in the most beautiful and diverse landscapes

Speaking of glaciers, Iceland has one of the most diverse landscapes I’ve ever seen! You can be in one area surrounded by black rocks and green moss, and be in another area covered in ice! In some areas, it looks like you’re walking on the moon, and in others you feel like your in Middle-Earth (a Lord of the Rings reference, for those who don’t know)!