By Yvonne Reddin
Before Covid, I had Iceland on a list of places I wanted to visit. I am a cold creature and an early morning person who enjoys sunrises from different locations but on doing my research, the sunrise in Reykjavik is 10:50 am in December. They have about five hours of daylight this time of the year.
Iceland Air is a fantastic airline and on entering the airport at Keflavik, I knew I was in for something special. The design and layout inside was crisp, clean and artistic. The Flybus –Reykjavik Excursions are equivalent to our air coaches but more frequent. Just look for the Reykjavik Excursion desk at the airport. These can be smaller shuttle buses that may need to change at the BSI terminal which is the centre point for booking all your trips also. The transfer to Reykjavik is approx. 45 minutes so make sure to add that time on when returning to the airport. I arrived at 2:30 pm and I was able to experience the sunset on the drive to the hotel.
The landscape is bleak and dark but so captivatingly beautiful. I was in awe. My hotel was situated along the harbour and the room looked out at the sea and the mountains. It was a perfect base if you like to explore on foot which I did. The BSI terminal is 15 minutes’ walk and where I had to go to begin two separate day trips to the Blue Lagoon and the new Sky Lagoon.
On the first evening, I walked up to the bustling shop area and also to see the magnificent Hallgrimskirkja church which was only 10 minutes away from the hotel. It is superb and you can go inside and light a candle and just walk around taking in the amazing architecture. It’s funny how the lack of daylight affects your body clock as it felt like it was 9 pm but on reaching the hotel, I ordered drinks that were in the happy hour time frame, which finished at 6 pm. Your concept of time is tested here, you go out and return in the dark. So, make sure you savour the few hours of light for your photos.
My first trip the next morning was to the infamous Blue Lagoon. The coach which you get from the BSI terminal, took approximately 50 minutes outside Reykjavik. The coach brings you off the motorway and into the mountains and the first thing you see is a lot of steam and a black landscape.
Walking down a path with overexcited tourists, you then enter a ski resort-style structure and get your band for the lockers and the outdoor bar. Out of the changing room and down the steps into the hottest pool, wading out a door and you are into lagoon heaven. The steam is everywhere, there are bridges to swim under and lots of quieter areas to just take in this serene, out-of-body experience. It is quite a large lagoon so you can easily take your time and swim around the many nooks while sipping on Moet, Prosecco, Gull beer or alcohol-free refreshments. I stayed for about two hours sipping sparkling wine and swimming around bumping into lots of different tourists, all in awe of the experience.
While waiting for the bus back, the café at the entrance and check-in area is a lovely area to sit and people-watch, while looking out the huge windows to the lagoon, wanting to go back in.
My second trip, the following day, was to see the popular Sky Lagoon which is 10 minutes by coach from the BSI terminal. The Sky Lagoon is slightly different than the Blue Lagoon and is also closer to the city centre. As you drive in, the first thing you see is a dome-style structure and once inside you know it is going to be special. I got the package including the seven-step ritual which includes entering a hobbit-like structure out at the lagoon and going through 7 steps of pure relaxation –
1. Slowdown in the lagoon
2. Cool down in a plunge pool
3. Relax in a quiet room with a huge window looking out at the sun and sea
4. Refresh in a cold fog mist
5. Sky body scrub
6. Steam room
7. Shower and back into the lagoon
A magical, rejuvenating, unforgettable experience.
Later that evening, I had prebooked a night yacht tour to see the Northern Lights through Sea Trips tour company. It was about a 15-20 min walk to the old harbour near my hotel and it is where a lot of the boat trips go from. There are many fabulous restaurants here also and the magnificent landmark – Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre is an award- winning work of art in itself.
The yacht I was on was the ‘Amelia Rose’ and it was superb. It had plenty of room to walk around and a cozy bar inside with hot chocolates, alcohol and a selection of beverages and snacks. I was lucky to see the northern lights after about an hour out at sea, it was magical. It was a whirlwind three-day trip, one I would 100 percent recommend everyone to do, maybe in the summer months, if you don’t like the freezing cold. I think it adds to the magic of this country going in Winter.
If you like an ‘experience’ on holidays, this is for you. And if lagoons are not your choice of trips, there are lots more unique trips to choose from.
The Travel Suite have a luxury weekend in Iceland departing on 10th January 2024 that includes the following –
From €2,199pp – This includes as per program:
- Return Flights from Dublin
- Private return airport transfers
- Reykjavik Food Walk (shared, small group)
- Northern Lights Cruise
- 3 nights Sand Hotel 4* incl breakfast
- Full-day Golden Circle by super jeep & Snowmobile (shared, small group)
- Retreat Spa at Blue Lagoon, 5 hour experience incl transfer
