Since it is the anniversary of my trip to Iceland, I felt inspired to highlight some of my favorite places I visited on my trip. I would highly recommend all of these places if you plan a trip to Iceland. I fell in love with each of these places for different reasons. Here are the 5 places you should add to your itinerary.
Diamond Beach and Glacier Lagoon It was a dream of mine to see icebergs in real life. Not only did this experience meet my expectations, but it also exceeded them. We did the boat tour in glacier lagoon, and it was definitely a once in a lifetime experience. Seeing the icebergs up close and learning about them was a surreal experience. The tour guide had a huge chunk of an iceberg on the boat and gave pieces to all of us to see how clear the ice is. You could even lick it to taste some of the freshest water on the planet.
Right next to the lagoon is diamond beach. Small ice chunks float and rest on the beach there. You can walk along the soft black sand beach and see the ice sparkling like diamonds on the shore. I highly recommend adding this to your itinerary. Make sure you give yourself enough time for the tour and walking on the beach. You will not regret it.
Blue Lagoon
I know many would deem this location as too touristy, but I would beg to differ. The Blue Lagoon is a stunning example of Iceland’s geothermal power. Additionally, the healing benefits of its water are incredibly unique. See more about that here: https://www.bluelagoon.com/about/water.
I went in the later evening during the summer, so the sun was still shining the entire time. It also was not crowded. I loved face mask options and swim-up drink bar. The few hours we were there were rejuvenating. Our trip was jam-packed, and this gave us some much-needed relaxation time. Overall, I definitely recommend the blue lagoon. If you are worried about crowds, go during a time of day that isn’t as popular as in the later evening like I did.
Reykjavík The capital city of Iceland was one of my favorite places to explore. The city is smaller and walk-able. We spent a day walking around and was able to see all the main tourist sites while visiting little shops, and eating is cute restaurants. I really recommend spending a day here without an itinerary. It was a blessing being able to just go where the wind took me. If you do want to plan some activities, they have some local walking tours available that might be an excellent way to see the city!
Snæfellsnes Peninsula
This area of Iceland is out of this world. This peninsula is where I saw a seal in its natural habitat, rock arches created by the sea, and a stunning pointy mountain called Kirkjufell. Exploring this area of Iceland is definitely a must if you have time. Arnarstapi, the little village where the rock arches were, captured my heart. It has a quiet beauty unparalleled to many places on earth. This peninsula really feels untouched and raw. Really, the best way to explain this area of Iceland is out of this world.
Westman Islands
Last but certainly not least the Westman Islands. Also known as Heimaey, the Westman Islands are definitely a hidden gem of Iceland. We traveled to the main island called Heimaey by ferry from the mainland of Iceland. We spent the day exploring this little island. We grabbed breakfast and coffee at a cute little cafe, hiked an extinct volcano, walked around the small town, and visited little shops. This quaint town is influenced by the history of the Eldfell volcano eruption in the 1970s. It erupted for months. The hardened lava from the eruption created a barrier on the one side of town. On this island, you can see puffins and explore stunning nature. My day here was one of my most relaxing and coveted days of the trip.
Maria Does Things 