Isn't Reykjavik expensive?
I went to Reykjavik with my family to celebrate my son's 21st birthday. He wanted to go because I usually opt for hotter destinations and he was curious about what a colder destination would be like. This was an extra trip, so we decided to see how cheaply we could visit staying in a hotel and seeing the main attractions.
We flew from Luton with easyJet as this was much cheaper than Icelandair from Birmingham. We only went for 2 nights as this would allow us to see the main sights. We booked a 3 star hotel as it was more affordable. We booked just 2 excursions and decided to eat in more affordable restaurants whenever possible. Our hotel was the Fron and it was perfectly placed in the city centre and had comfortable rooms plus a great continental breakfast.
Was such a short trip worth it? Yes it was!
Where else can you swim in such large natural geothermal baths? Where else in Europe can you see a geyser push water 30 metres in the air every few minutes? Or see Europe's most powerful waterfall? And where else is there such a stunning landscape of scattered black volcanic rocks!
The geothermal baths at the Blue Lagoon are located close to the airport. So it is a good idea to visit them either on your arrival or departure days as you can stop off en-route to/from your hotel. The temperature is like swimming in a hot bath water so you do not get cold. And you can spread silica mud over your face to help your skin. We did this on arrival from our early morning flight as it meant we could enjoy the baths and then go to the hotel after lunch to check in.
On our second day we took the Golden Circle tour. This includes a visit to the gorge being created in the Thingvellir National Park because the north American continental plate and the European continental plate are slowly shifting apart. You continue to Geysir to see the Strokkar geyser which shoots water 30 metres in the air every few minutes. Finally the tour visits Gullfoss waterfall where water plunges 30 metres into a crevice in the valley. The power of the falls is obvious yet they have a serene beauty at the same time.
In contrast to the raw power of the landscape, Reykjavik is a compact city with the houses painted in many different colours. It is fun to wander the streets and there are many bars and restaurants which offer a welcome escape from the cold. It has a friendly atmosphere which was a pleasure to explore when we had some spare time.
I mentioned that Iceland is expensive and I can confirm that it is - pizza and wine for 4 people cost over £100. But by staying for just 2 nights we managed to keep the total cost including our spending whilst there to under £2000. It is possible to keep the cost affordable and still see the most amazing sights.