Why it’s time to visit Reykjavik: cold place, hot destination

For somewhere so cold, Reykjavik certainly is hot right now. Quickly making a name for itself as the place to visit for the hip and trendy traveller, it offers an array of cool bars and live music venues to indulge in. Or if you prefer a quieter holiday, you can always take a relaxing dip in a hot spring, take a wander around the city, and marvel at the natural beauty of the Icelandic sky.

Step into the Blue Lagoon

For an experience you’re sure never to forget, visit the Blue Lagoon. Even when the temperature outside is in minus figures, the lagoon is heated to 40 degrees by natural volcanic black lava formations. It’s truly beautiful and feels out of this world. If you fancy a drink, you needn’t step out of the warm water into the icy air, just swim up to the lagoon-side bar and make your order.

Sample the local delicacies

Anyone for some rotten shark, puffin or sheep’s head? No. Well, these are all Icelandic specialities, and if you fancy being adventurous and branching out from your chicken and chips for dinner, why not give them a try. We can’t promise you’ll love them, but you never know, you may be pleasantly surprised. Doubt it though…

See the exploding Strokkur

The Strokkur is an exciting hot spring which spouts water 100ft into the air. It’s like something out of Alton Towers, but it’s all entirely natural, so waaaay better. It’s not the only one around; there are hot springs dotted around the Reykjavik area which are well worth a trip.

Get merry on the Rúntur

The Rúntur is a famous Reykjavik weekend bar crawl. Known for its fabulously cool nightlife venues, Reykjavik certainly has a lot of bars to crawl to! But don’t expect rowdy club rep style drinking games, the Rúntur is an altogether different animal where friendly fun is the name of the game.

Be dazzled by the Northern Lights

A visit to Iceland wouldn’t be complete without a trip into the vast and beautiful Icelandic countryside to see the dancing colours of the Northern Lights. The (unfortunately colder) winter months are the best time to catch the most spectacular displays, as the nights are darker. Remember to take along lots of clothes and blankets!