7 REASONS WHY EVERYONE SHOULD GO TO ICELAND

Back in October, some friends and I hopped on a plane at London Gatwick for a 3 night winter getaway to Iceland's capital - Reykjavik. Why Iceland you may ask? Although it's not a country you automatically think of when you fancy a mini break to Europe, it's somewhere my dad has been dying to go for years - so naturally I became intrigued and it slowly but surely moved to the top of my bucket list. I got chatting with my travel buddies (aka the group of friends I met in Australia who are just as travel obsessed as I am!) and luckily they were just as eager to go as I was, as was my friend Hannah and her friend Emily when I mentioned the trip we were planning. Before we knew it, a group of 5 had emerged and our flights and accomodation were booked for a winter adventure to the Arctic Circle.

Instead of rambling on about every single detail of the trip, I've decided to split it up into 3 seperate posts: '10 reasons why everyone should go to Iceland', a post about accomodation and where we stayed and a post about how expensive Iceland is and how much the trip cost. So, in no particular order, here are my 10 reasons why everyone should stop what they're doing and book a flight to the magical country of Iceland!

1. THE BLUE LAGOON

Lets be honest, the main tourist attraction that draws everyone to Iceland is the Blue Lagoon! It's a once in a lifetime experience (unless you plan on visiting again - which I certainly do!) to say that you've bathed in a geothermal power plant rich in silica and natural minerals at temperatures of 38 degrees whilst sipping a glass of Rosé as the sun sets behind you. Yep, it really is that magical. You've got the novelty of applying the silica mud masks from various crates around the lagoon as well as the intense heat from the sauna and the 'Peter Andre Mysterious Girl' moment under the waterfall - there really is something for everyone! If the heavenly photos of the Blue Lagoon aren't enough to persuade you to go to Iceland then I don't know what will!

2. THE COLOURFUL STREETS OF REYKJAVIK

I'm sure you've all seen the photos from the top of Hallgrímskirkja Church of Reykjavik's colourful rooftops, but the true beauty of the capital doesn't come to light until you've explored the city's quaint and quirky side streets. Graffitied buildings and colourful houses line the eerily quiet streets - even the roads can't escape a splash of colour with a bright rainbow design providing the perfect photo opportunity! Reykjavik is definitely one of the most unique and interesting cities I've ever been to (they even have a 'speed dating' gate for single gloves!) so it's easy to see why it's so popular!

3. THE NIGHTLIFE

Reykjavik is famous for it's nightlife, which is surprising considering it's such a tiny city. Although from what we did experience, I can certainly understand why people rave about it. I love anything a bit quirky and different and Reykjavik definitely has it's fair share of quirky bars and restaurants! Two of my faves were Lebowski and The English Pub. Lebowski is a really cool 50s style diner with an indie twist. We had dinner there one night and it was full of Canadians watching sport on giant widescreen TV's. By night, the tables are removed and the dancefloor is full of people singing and dancing to 80s classics (FYI - I was in my element!) The English Pub was another place I LOVED. There was a live band playing some of my all time favourite songs, the underground toilets were plastered in London tube maps and it was mega busy so the atmosphere was amazing. Both bars had wheel of fortune's where you could win free drinks which was also really cool! You'd never pay £10 to spin a wheel at home, but somehow it seems like a great idea when you're on holiday! If you're ever in Reykjavik, be sure to leave enough time to experience it's nightlife!

4. THE STUNNING SCENERY

There's no doubt about it, Iceland is beautiful. The entire surface of the country is covered in volcanic rock, and with a tiny population of just over 300,000, it's stunning landscape has remained relatively untouched. All of the touristy activities in Iceland are based outdoors and it's easy to see why. Waterfalls, national parks, riding through the countryside on Icelandic horses... what's not to love?

5. THE NATURAL PHENOMENONS

From the geysers to the Northern Lights, there's nowhere quite like Iceland for natural phenomenons. Although the Northern Lights are nothing like what you see on photoshopped photographs (and they are pretty much impossible to capture unless you have a really expensive camera), it's still one of those touristy things you HAVE to do. Just be prepared to be absolutely FREEZING!

6. THE SHOPPING

If you love Ikea and the whole ‘monochrome, minimalist, Scandinavian’ trend for Interior Design, you will LOVE the shops in Reykjavik. If Iceland wasn’t so god damn expensive and I didn’t have a baggage allowance to stick to, I could have quite easily bought everything. Trust me, it’s heaven!

7. IT'S NOT OVERLY TOURISTY

Iceland has certainly become a lot more popular recently with the influx of 'famous' bloggers visiting and writing blog posts about it. But in general, Iceland isn't as popular with Brits as other European countries such as France and the Netherlands so you don't tend to see a huge amount of tourists there. I mean where else can you take a photo in front of a tourist attraction and have NO ONE ELSE in the frame?! (above photo) Take advantage whilst you can because in a few years I can guarantee you’ll be fighting for a spot on the rainbow road with masses of people with selfie sticks behind you!

So what are you waiting for? Get booking!
Have you been to Iceland before?
Let me know what you loved the most below!
xxx

*photos taken from Google: single gloves, Lebowski bar, Piccadilly Circus sign, Northern Lights, both shop photos