The first question anyone would ask when I spoke of our upcoming trip to Reykjavík, Iceland was: ‘Are you going to the Blue Lagoon?’
It would lead one to think that it is the only place worth seeing in the entire country. The Blue Lagoon had not originally been on our hit list, as I thought it would be overcrowded and gimmicky. As it turned out, we ended up arranging it at the last minute, just 12 hours before boarding our flight home to DC.
‘Was it worth the hype?’, everyone asked later.
Reykjavík, Iceland: Capital charm
Let me back up a few large, Icelandic, steps. Reykjavík, the funky, charming capital city of Iceland (and about 30 miles away from the Blue Lagoon, as is worth noting), was not our ultimate destination. We were headed north, via another flight, to Deplar Farm for a week on the Troll Peninsula.
We decided to spend two nights on the back end of our trip to get under the surface of ‘the world’s northernmost capital city.’ Reykjavík, Iceland is a small city, such that it can be explored in just a few days. But exploring, and genuinely getting under the surface are two different things, and I would have loved a little more time given the chance.
Reykjavík, Iceland: Small-town vibes
Reykjavík has the appeal of a small town, with its cluster of trendy and interesting neighborhoods. It felt like a movie set, with a lively cast of characters milling about. Colorful, pitched rooftops, edgy mural-covered storefronts, and brightly painted houses provided an endless visual panorama as we roamed around.
This is a city that is certainly not afraid to express itself, and what it lacked in size, it made up for in energy. Locals passed one another with a wave or a smile, everyone seemed to know each other. With a population of only about 128,000, perhaps they did.
Reykjavík, Iceland: The Alda
City trips tend to overwhelm me, even though I have lived in big cities my entire adult life. I am often racing to get out of the city and into the countryside when on vacation. Reykjavík, Iceland defied this anti-city mentality, and I found myself daydreaming about living there.
Given we only had two days, we chose a hotel from which we could access the main sights on foot. This turned out to be just about every hotel in Reykjavík. The Alda Hotel is on Laugavegur, the main shopping street. Boutique in style and size, the Alda was simple and modern and had views of the rooftops across the low-lying city. Each room provided guests with a complimentary Android phone to be used throughout their stay, which was a nice touch.
Reykjavík, Iceland: Three Barbers
My favorite part of the hotel, by far, was the on-demand barber shop that faced the street and could also be accessed through the lobby. Situated next to Alda’s bar/restaurant, you are welcome to have a beer or cocktail while getting cut and shaved. The Barber website sums it up well, “three guys with a passion for cutting hair, shaving beards, and partying.” Quite a mission statement. The retro red and white frosted glass and old-fashioned barber chairs were insta-ready. Large street-facing windows gave passers-by a chance to watch the barbers in action. Another mini-movie set in this mini-city.
Apparently, these partying barbers have won ‘Best Barber in Reykjavík’ twice. I signed up my son for his back-to-school haircut (via text-only, so as to only minimally disrupt the party, I imagined), whether he wanted it or not. No joke, it was the best cut he’d ever had, and I wondered how I could get him back there every six weeks.
Reykjavík, Iceland: City Essentials
Every city should have a strong caffeine game, in my opinion. This is because there is nothing I enjoy more than sitting at an outdoor cafe with a cappuccino, watching the world go by. I especially love this in a foreign city, where I get to charge up and absorb the culture at the same time.
Cue Reykjavík Roasters, a hipster coffee joint if there ever was one. The design ethos is ‘great-grandma’s house chic’. With mismatched, upholstered furniture, vintage coffee accessories, and an old turntable with oldies to turn, Reykjavík Roasters, is ever-so-slightly full of itself. However, the coffee is really, really good, so I guess they can get away with it.
Their coffee is meticulously sourced from Central and South America, Kenya, and Ethiopia. The cherry on top (or perhaps I should say, the crema on the espresso), is that one of their locations is just a few steps away from the most divine pastries I’ve ever tasted.
Reykjavík, Iceland: Braud & Co.
I was told that if I didn’t arrive early enough, I could miss out on the melt-in-your-mouth cinnamon buns from Braud & Co., the uber-popular Reykjavík pastry shop. I took this as a personal challenge, and despite the fact that I don’t even eat cinnamon buns, it became an immediate priority.
I couldn’t pronounce most of the items on display; kanilbollur, Bláberja & Lakkrís, Danskt súrdeigsrúgbrauð, and Rabbarbarastykki, Brunsviger, prove my point. So I did what any desperate sweet tooth (or greedy four-year-old) would do and just pointed to everything I wanted. We paid, took our treasures and coffees up the street, and sat outside to feast.
It is just as well that I don’t make a living as a food blogger, as I am usually about halfway through any meal before I remember to snap a pic. That said, even a half-eaten rabbarbarastykki from Braud & Co. looked heavenly.
Reykjavík, Iceland: Eat, walk, eat, repeat
I’ve always had a soft spot for a good food hall. Borough Market, in London; Union Market, in Washington DC; and the Shibuya Food Hall, in Tokyo are a few notable faves. I love being able to sample lots of flavors and unusual cuisines in one handy place.
Reykjavík has a surprising number of food halls. At the recommendation of one of our fearless guides from Deplar Farm, we headed towards Grandi Mathöll, aka old harbor, passing fishing vessels hauling in the daily catch. The day was brisk but sunny. A row of warehouses lined the marina, which is where we finally found Grandi Mathöll, the cavernous, savory-scented food hall.
Rustic-chic picnic tables filled the space. Transitional square paneled floor-to-ceiling windows let in oodles of natural light and offered sweeping maritime views. Was I in the mood for kimchi, Icelandic lamb, or Cuban jalapeño poppers? Maybe pizza with a ketonic crust, or deep-fried fish and chips? Grandi Mathöll kicked each of our individual tastebuds into overdrive.
Gastro-what?
Be that as it may, my husband and I had one thing on our minds, the crispy, spicy, chicken burger from the mobile Gastro Truck. Another instagrammable moment, The Gastro Truck had a cool, matte black finish with unique wooden details. It prides itself on the idea of elevated street food. Whatever they want to call it, it was worth every crispy, spicy calorie.
Reykjavík, Iceland: Wandering
In August, the sun didn’t set until almost 11pm, which elongated our outdoor wanderings and allowed us to sleep late each morning. There was never a need to rush (cinnamon buns aside) and our two days felt especially leisurely.
We ducked in and out of boutiques, the interiors just as interesting and decorative as the exteriors, due to the wealth of intricate murals, and richly-colored painted shops.
Progressive Reykjavík, Iceland
According to the Social Progress Index, Iceland is one of the most socially progressive countries in the world. It also blazes a fiery trail in gender equality, and has been cited by The Guardian as, ‘one of the best places in the world to be a woman.’ This all adds up to an open-minded, laid-back, and refreshingly forward-thinking culture.
All along the main and back streets of the city were hidden gems; restaurants, bars, homeware, and design shops, and art galleries. Every so often, we’d pass a tourist kiosk that promoted various adventures easily accessed from Reykjavík. Having just spent an adrenaline-induced week of adventure on the Troll Peninsula, we opted to stay in town.
Off the ground
Keen to see the country from a different angle, I stopped at one of the kiosks in search of a possible helicopter excursion. It took less than five minutes to organize a 90-minute helicopter ride for the following day. My husband and son politely opted out, which left my fearless daughter and I to catch a glimpse of Iceland from above.
Reykjavík, Iceland: Wheels up
The next morning, a driver from Reykjavík Helicopters arrived at the hotel entrance and drove us ten minutes to the tiny Reykjavík Domestic Airport. Within minutes of arriving, we were wheels up with Thor, the pilot with whom we would put our trust for the next few hours.
Experienced and knowledgable, Thor confidently swept us north, away from the city, over majestic waterfalls, and then eventually to a massive glacier.
At 640ft, Glymur holds the title of the tallest waterfall in Iceland. Glymur’s gangly shape looked like a long, towering trickle from overhead. Thor circled to get a closer peek, and my stomach lurched as we dipped directly over the top of the waterfall. My daughter was in her element, thrilled yet relaxed, a huge smile across her face. Mother/daughter bonding at its best.
Thor had told us there was no guarantee we would be able to land on Langjökull Glacier “long glacier”, as it was weather permitting. While it was cloudy and overcast in the city, by the time we got to the glacier, blue skies prevailed. Thor prepared to descend.
Reykjavík, Iceland: Glacial landing
I stepped out of the helicopter as if I was Neil Armstrong landing on the moon, each step tentative, my eyes wide in awe. Arctic nothingness in every direction. Langjökull glacier, at 30 miles long, is the second largest ice cap in Iceland. And at 1,900 ft thick, I had little fear of falling through the ice. But, we stayed close to the helicopter, as instructed, taking a few selfies and videos as proof of this magical tableau in the clouds.
There are at least two active volcanic systems beneath Langjökull, and we saw one caldera, called Hveravellir, in the distance. The silence was deafening and ethereal. The air was completely still. My daughter and I savored the vistas until Thor said it was time to go.
On the way back to the airport, we straddled North America and Europe from above, observing the continental drift between them. The rift of the tectonic plates was clearly visible from the air.
The largest natural lake in Iceland came into view, glassy and reflective, as we ended the tour. We reluctantly said goodbye to Thor, both thinking he had the coolest job in the world.
Reykjavík, Iceland: The Adventure capital
Extreme adventure opportunities in Iceland are endless. With 10,000 waterfalls, 125 volcanoes, and 269 known glaciers, one could spend a lifetime exploring the natural elements alone. The land of fire and ice is no joke.
Yet, there is a time for adventure and a time to chill (no pun intended). With that said, I’ll go back to the Blue Lagoon, was it worth the hype?
As I mentioned earlier, the Blue Lagoon was not part of our itinerary. Only when I serendipitously discovered A.) it was halfway to the airport from our hotel, B.) our flight wasn’t until 6pm, and C.) the overpopulated lagoon had a separate, more private area, called The Retreat, did I pick up the phone and book.
The Blue Lagoon, or Disney?
Calling the Blue Lagoon a tourist trap is the ultimate understatement. According to Lonely Planet Guidebooks, the Blue Lagoon is the Disneyland of hot springs. It is unclear whether the writer thought that was a good thing or a bad thing. I know what I thought.
The area where the Blue Lagoon was built is a UNESCO Global Geopark, which sounds quite industrial. I imagine the bold and daring juxtaposition of the natural and the man-made defines its intrigue and captivates so many tourists each year.
Reykjavík, Iceland: The Retreat
The addition of The Retreat Hotel was finished in 2014. With its own entrance, spa, restaurant, and lagoons, we had the experience of the geothermal spa without the crowds. Basalt, the architecture firm that built it, cleverly incorporated natural elements, (wood and lava) with raw concrete to design a low-impact and modern structure that maximized the unique landscape, and complimented its natural beauty.
There was a viewing deck to look out over the main lagoon, and visually it was quite spectacular. A masse of people waded around the pools with the industrial geothermal plant smoking in the distance. The entire adventure was so unique, I would be hard-pressed to tell anyone to skip it, as we nearly did.
The area surrounding the Blue Lagoon was unlike any of the other places we visited in Iceland. Low, lava-crusted fields seemed to sprawl out for miles. The color of the milky blue water against the porous black lava was extraordinary and added to the otherworldly aura.
At The Retreat, different levels of warm pools snaked around bridges and pathways. The soft mud that forms at the base of the pools is created by the high silica content, which gives it the iconic turquoise color. Unfortunately, photos at The Retreat are forbidden, but I took my fair share from the viewing deck into the main lagoon to capture the scene.
The water temps hovered around 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and the combination of sulfur, silica, salt, and algae, felt soothing to the touch. I think I now know why slime was so popular with my kids. Having the lagoons pretty much to ourselves, it again felt like a movie set, although this time an alien sci-fi genre.
The geothermal waters are supposedly beneficial for the skin, and we spent four hours pre-flight, in and out of the water, applying various mask treatments to ourselves while in the dark, subterranean spa. There were meditation rooms and swinging basket chairs to curl up with a book. Our kids got lost for a while, but thankfully we found them in time to head to the airport.
Hype? believe it.
It was only a 4 1/2-hour flight home, but it felt like we had come from another planet. As I write this post, it’s nearly December. The daylight in Reykjavík is as limited now as it was in excess in August (sunrise: 10:29am, sunset: 3:58pm). A mere 5 1/2 hours of light, and lessening each day. Winter—an entirely different way to experience Iceland. Northern Lights? I’m all in!
Where will you find yourself next? Just Click.
Cape Town is a city where you can have it all; sun, beach, hikes, museums, not to mention world-class food and wine.
Tack on a few days or more at intimate Deplar Farm. It is the ultimate family adventure in Iceland.
Take to the sea—the Adriatic Sea—on a privately chartered sailboat for a week around the islands of Croatia.
That water looks amazing!
It really was! Thanks for the comment.
If I start swimming now I’ll get there by Springtime.
Hahaha, dad!
Thanks for planning our trip to Reykjavík!!!
Anytime, Gretchen!
I just have to figure out how to convince my wife that does not like cold, we need to visit Iceland.
Go in the summer! It’s idyllic. 22 hours of sun!
Love your article! What a great place to visit! I haven’t been there and really would like to visit some day!
Thanks for sharing!
This is such a well written article and the research done to get the names of all little shops and places is aaaaamazing!
Thank you for the lovely comments! -Jamie
I’d love to visit Iceland! For both the northern lights and the blue lagoon… but you show a great side of the city and it looks like fun!
Thank you Gail! Happy travels, I hopeyou get there!
Iceland is bigh on my bucket list. I only knew about the blue lagoon, but your post highlighted so many other things to experience!
Wow! I had no idea how much there was to see in Iceland! Lovely pics of beautiful places!