Travel Journal: Exploring Iceland pt II

As temperatures in London are getting colder and we’ve already lit up pretty much all of the city’s Christmas lights, I felt a revisit to my Icelandic travels from September is in order. Last time I shared part of our adventure, including the Geysir geothermal area, Gullfoss waterfall and the Golden Circle. 

We continued exploring the breathtaking Nordic landscapes over the weekend, starting with the Seljalandsfoss waterfall, which is not too far from Selfoss. Undoubtedly one of the most picturesque places I’ve ever seen. The golden sunrays, crystal water cascades, blue skies and the surrounding greenery make for a powerful colour combination that really left me in awe. You simply have to stop and stare at this view for a moment without doing anything else. It’s gorgeous! Even more so when you go behind the waterfall and see everything from an entirely different angle.

Another highlight in the south of Iceland we stopped at was the Seljavallalaug hot pool – one of the oldest swimming pools in Iceland, built in 1923. Also one of the wonderful unknowns of Iceland and often overlooked. The pool is situated by a rock wall where the water, flowing from a natural hot spring, seeps out of the rock and is collected in it. The changing rooms are very modest, there’s just enough hangers to leave your things and go into the pool. And you have to do that pretty quickly if you don’t want to freeze. Many people also tend to go skinny dipping there, so don’t be shocked. The rich swimming pool culture in Iceland has actually cultivated a pretty relaxed attitude towards nudity in Iceland.

In true Icelandic fashion we went from boiling hot pools to ice cold lakes in just a couple of hours when we got to The Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, one of Iceland’s greatest natural wonders. It was easy to see why – the baby blue skies pierced by golden rays of light blurred with stunning crystal icebergs coming out of the stormy dark glacier waters that go all the way to the coal-black shore under our feet. Apart from a number of boat tours and a small coffee shop (who’s hot chocolates are perfect for keeping you warm if you don’t have someone to snuggle as you walk), the area is virtually untouched, which felt so refreshing and pure compared to hyperconnected and overcrowded London. Needless to say this place is absolutely loved by photographers and videographers, who can stay here for several hours just to get that perfect shot or time lapse video. Jökulsárlón alone is enough to leave you breathless, but wait, there’s more! When the weather permits it, you can even see the stunning Northern Lights dancing in the sky at night.. If there’s one place Elsa from Frozen would live, it’s here!

I wouldn’t say we left the best for last, but I can admit our final stop before heading to the airport was one of my favourites. On the way to Keflavik we stopped at the relaxation oasis that is The Blue Lagoon. Located in a lava field and containing 6 million (!) litres of water, the spa is one of the most visited attractions in Iceland. With water temperature up to 40°C, swim-up bar with delicious cocktails and smoothies and variety of spa treatments available, The Blue Lagoon was very, very hard to leave.