Tips for visiting Iceland even at low cost, seven things not to be missed for a week-long trip, from brunch with dried shark, to motor sled, from geysers to lagoons not to be missed.
I've always thought aboutIceland as in the land of geysir, impressed in the mind through geography books since elementary school, of the fascinating northern lights, and of the almost totally dark days in winter. During my adolescence I dusted off it thanks to post-rock music and the lyrics of Sigur Rós. He then drew attention due to the eruption of the volcano Eyjafjallajökul in 2010 and thanks to the film "The secret dreams of Walter Mitty"(2013).
Somehow Iceland has always fascinated me, so far, considering it a quite surreal journey. And instead, a friend of mine and I spontaneously took the opportunity to spend a week there: we would have had the opportunity to add thenorthern Lights to our “bucket list” and experience the country and its culture, as a local would, as guests of a friend.
The trip went well beyond our expectations: from landscapes that literally leave you breathless, like being immersed in a cloud, when your horizon clearly separates the blue of the sky to the white of the snow-covered earth, to the goliardic culture of its people, to still dark mornings at 9.
Here are the 7 experiences that made the trip to Iceland special and unrepeatable.
1. 'Great Geyser'
Propinated among the school benches as one of the geothermal phenomena, a manifestation of secondary volcanism, witnessing the eruption of a live geyser is equivalent to receiving an energy shock. The Great Geyser, from which the phenomenon takes its name, is active since 1300 and whose jets of boiling water can reach 40 meters.
2. Hvìtserkur
During the drive from the capital Reykjavik to Akureyri, our friend's hometown and the second largest in the country, we deviate from the main road (Iceland is connected by only one road) to admire a stretch of coast whose view caused chills. Hvìtserkur it is a 15 meter high basaltic rock that rises majestically not far from the coast. In front of us the monolithic and beyond the cold and gray Atlantic Ocean, pink clouds stood in the way of the whiteness of the snow-capped mountains.
3. Northern lights
One evening, a snow battle in progress, we roll our eyes and one green light hangs over our heads. The magical moment has arrived. We drive out of the city, away from light pollution, and our eyes fixed on the sky. A luminous green trail “dances” over us, leaving our bodies immobile from the cold and from the sensational experience of the moment.
4. Drive snow motorcycles
In Iceland, have snow bike in the garage is not unusual at all. Tied to the back of the car, we went to the mountains and tried to ride a snow bike for the first time. Under the guidance of our friends who showed us the least treacherous path, it is one of the things to try at least once.
5. Dettifoss
La most powerful waterfall in Europe is located in Iceland. About 45 meters high, it is possible to admire its merciless strength overlooking the edge of the collection basin. Given its position, partially collected in a canyon, you can admire the entire facade from the west after a walk. Once again, you will find yourself breathless in front of its majesty. Immersed in silence, the sparkling air of the sunset, it is the sound of water that marks the heartbeat.
6. A brunch in Grænavatn
One Sunday morning we go to Grænavatn, an area of ​​northern Iceland outside Akureyri. Exactly four houses on the shore of a lake, where our friend's family grew up. We were greeted by parents and relatives, struggling with Sunday brunch, still sleepy from the long night of drinking indoors. Traditionally Icelandic food, among the dishes on the table they made us find dried shark, blubber, sheep's head and grains (ram testicles).
7. Hotpots and thermal baths
Have you ever thought about an outdoor bath when the temperature is around 0 °? It is one of the favorite pastimes of Icelanders. Don't miss the Mývatn Nature lagoon in the north of the country. A pool carved into the rock in the geothermal area of ​​Námaskarđ, temperature 38-40 °, from which to enjoy the magnificent surrounding landscape. If you are daring enough, you can follow the Icelanders' custom of rolling around in the snow after swimming in boiling water.
Iceland is a country to visit in any season. It is appropriate to go there in winter period to admire it in its typical snowy landscape and, with a little luck, to be able to see the Northern Lights. But spring also has its charm, when the snow melts and gives way to lush greenery.
