Iceland: A Winter Break Full of Surprises
Ever since I was little, I’d dreamed of that picture-perfect Christmas scene (the kind you see in festive films where everything is blanketed in snow). Of course, in reality, British Christmases tend to be more grey drizzle than white wonderland. So, I thought, “Let’s do this properly!” I booked our trip for early December, certain that Iceland would deliver a Nordic fairytale, with twinkling lights, snowy streets and that cosy festive magic.
We woke up on travel day wrapped up in jumpers, scarves, and hats, we even packed a carrot, just in case we built a snowman (yes, really!). But when we landed in Reykjavik, there wasn’t a snowflake in sight.,not one. The airport, the city, our hotel were all completely snow-free. I was crushed.
So here’s a little travel tip from me: before I book your Iceland trip, I’ll always be honest about the weather, snow is never guaranteed!
Once I accepted that, we settled into our lovely little 3-star hotel, just ten minutes from the harbour and city centre. That first evening, we strolled along the water and thought we might’ve caught a flicker of the Northern Lights, though it might’ve just been our imaginations. Afterwards, we went in search of food and quickly learned another important Icelandic fact: it’s expensive. When you’re paying £20 for a Subway, you know you’re not in England anymore!
But that night we found a little gem of a restaurant tucked away down a side street. We both ordered the soup and it came in a carved-out bread bowl, piping hot and perfect for the chilly air. Tearing off bits of the bread to dip into the soup was one of those small, simple pleasures that stick with you long after a trip ends.
The next morning, we set off on the Golden Circle tour. At 8am, it was still pitch black, as December daylight in Iceland is short-lived. As we climbed into the mountains, dawn slowly revealed a landscape straight out of a fantasy film: semi-frozen waterfalls, steaming geysers, vast glaciers… and finally, snow! It was breath-taking, raw, wild and completely untouched. Nature at its most incredible.
That night, we joined a Northern Lights tour. Wrapped in blankets, we stood in complete darkness under a sky bursting with stars. We waited and waited, and then... the faintest ripple. Like static on a TV screen. A shimmer of green, then yellow, then blue, even red were dancing and waving across the night sky. Everyone fell silent. It felt almost manmade, too magical to be real and yet there it was: nature putting on its finest show. Wow.
The next day was our final full day. We enjoyed a long, lazy breakfast (filling up before facing Icelandic prices again!) and spent the day wandering Reykjavik. We passed the famously quirky Phallological Museum which was completely bizarre but somehow very Iceland, then admired the stunning Hallgrímskirkja church towering over the city; before browsing Nordic shops filled with handmade ornaments, local salt and beautiful Scandi gifts.
For our final night, we’d saved the Blue Lagoon. We went in the evening, so the sky was dark and the air icy. As we stepped into the warm, milky-blue water, it felt surreal with the steam rising around us, the moon glowing above and everything still and quiet. Then, as if the universe was showing off, we heard gasps ripple through the lagoon. The Northern Lights were back, dancing above us while we floated in the warm water, mud masks on and drink in hand. The sulphur in the air, the salt on my lips, the icy chill against my face, every sense was alive and electric. It was pure magic.
When we left Iceland, I thought back to how disappointed I’d been when we arrived, no snow, high prices, not quite what I’d pictured. But by the time we flew home, I realised Iceland had shown me something far better than what I’d expected. It had shown me its true, untamed beauty.
Whenever I book a trip there for someone now, I make sure to include those special touches: a central hotel with breakfast, the Golden Circle, the Northern Lights, the Blue Lagoon. They’re nature's experiences that are part of Iceland’s story. Plus, one more thing. If you’re travelling before Christmas, I’ll always remind you one thing…
Don’t expect snow. Expect magic instead.