Iceland Recap! — Life With Marianna

I know you see me saying this a lot especially after every trip but this trip is one of my all time favorites. I went to…. ICELAND. Yes you read that right. I was in the land of fire and ice & I cant even begin to tell you how beautiful this country is. Everywhere you looked, there was either a gorgeous view, waterfalls, geysers, hot springs, and Icelandic horses (check out my Instagram for all my pictures!). I usually have off around this time of year and I wanted to explore a new country. After tons of research, I decided that Iceland was a must. Plus the flight was only $320 rountrip so that was also a big factor haha(shoutout to Wow Airlines for such great prices). Other places in mind were Spain, Ireland, Portugal, and Seattle. Once I had my friend on board, I was able to convince my sister to come (my friends sister was also coming as well).

The trip really came together so quickly. We had to see the obvious things such as the northern lights and blue lagoon. I had made a list of things I wanted to see such as waterfalls and the black sand beach. I am a big planner so I created a day to day itinerary of all the things we would do from morning to night. I hate being unprepared in a foreign country. Plus, I always want to make the most out of our time especially that we were only there for 4 days.

Monday

We landed bright and early to Kevflavik, 4:15 am to be exact. We got our rental car and were on our way into Reykjavik (I recommend renting a car because traveling back and forth and paying for tours is so expensive!).We were there before anything opened so we drove around town for a bit and we were able to find a good breakfast spot. Everything in iceland is HEALTHY, organic, gluten free, vegan, and so on everywhere we went. Which leads to the food being crazy expensive. Like we spent $30 on a simple breakfast which was delicious but definitely expensive. So for those who want to go to Iceland, make sure your ready to spend a lot on food. Luckily our Airbnb had a kitchen so we were able to go food shopping and cook most of the days.

Blue Lagoon was incredible. It was freezing outside but once in the water, it was so soothing and relaxing that you forget that its 30 degrees out. We got the basic package which included a towel, free drink, and a mud mask. It was such a unique experience. I literally could’ve of stayed there all day if it wasn’t for my pruny hands and feet. FYI DON’T GO UNDERWATER! Your hair will suffer and it will take a few days for it to get back to normal.

Tuesday

This was when the real adventure began. I love hiking so of course I had a few hiking trails I wanted to do but we only got to do one. We decided to hike the Glymur waterfall which was a 3.2 mile hike. This isn’t just another walk in the park. Seriously this hike required holding on to the poles and ropes and scrambling for rocks. We also had to cross a river that was up to our knees and the water was FREEZING. It took us a good half hour to decide how to cross because there was no log or bridge. We ended up going barefoot and I swear I could’ve gotten frost bite. The hike was really intense but the views were INCREDIBLE. Even though it was a short hike, this was physically demanding hike.

We also got incredible lucky to see the northern lights on Tuesday night. For those who arent aware, the northern lights are the best to see during their winter months. April is cutting it close because their summer is just a few days away. Due to a solar flare, we were able to spot them. We also had to drive far away from the city lights to see them. At first I wasn’t aware of what I should be looking for because I was expecting blue and green lights. In reality, they were white with a hint of green. The camera was able to capture its true color.

Wednesday

This was the day for us to see Iceland's true beauty away from the city. The golden circle is a route in Iceland that lets you see its most popular sites such as the Tectonic plates in Thingvellir National park, Geysirs, and Waterfalls. The whole drive took us about three hours (you can also pay for a golden circle tour). It was cool seeing the north American tectonic plate as well as the Eurasian plate. The national park is just gorgeous due to the giant lake, the lava rocks, and the waterfalls. I really recommend coming here.

We were able to see 3 of icelands most popular waterfalls Seljalandsfoss, Gullfoss, and Skogafoss. Gullfoss was part of the golden circle and it's so beautiful! The other two waterfalls were on the way to the black sand beach. They were incredible and easily seen from the drive. We were able to pull over and take in the beauty of these waterfalls. The black sand beach was incredible as well. It's one of the most unique beaches in the world so you know we had to check that out!It's on the south coast of Iceland and about 2 hours away from Reykjavik and it's really worth the drive.

Thursday

Sadly our trip came to an end. Due to the bit of time change, we slept in a bit on Thursday (We were going to bed at 1 or 2am every night and were up early). We headed to the airport to turn our rental car in and get ready for our flight home.

I've already decided that I am coming back to Iceland because I wish I could've hiked and seen more of what Iceland has to offer. I will be back and hopefully soon! I really recommend that everyone visits Iceland at least once in their life. It really is such a beautiful place. As for my next trip, I am 22 days away from hopping on a flight. So excited to be traveling with my two best friends. Make sure you stay tuned to see where I'm off to next!

XOXO MB