On the Road in Iceland :: Reykjavík, Westfjords, and Snæfellsnes Peninsula

Hi friends!

First off, I have to apologize for holding onto these photos and stories for so long! That definitely was not my intention. I think subconsciously I had to let the whole experience of this trip really settle in before I could dive into editing and talking about it...and then suddenly a year + has gone by and I STILL hadn’t shared! Iceland is a place I’ve been dreaming of for YEARS, so when I finally had a chance to visit, it almost didn’t seem real. And since it was a pretty short trip (eight full days), it felt like a blur. Constant traveling + exploring + squealing over every turn in the road..I got home and just remember sitting in my room thinking : Did that really just happen?!

Before I dive into photos, I wanted to give a little backstory on why we chose to visit in Spring (we went in early May 2019). Months earlier, Jack and I had decided to visit in Iceland’s wet season for a couple reasons - one, it’s significantly cheaper, and two, we wanted both longer days + moody weather. Iceland’s high summer is amazing for its midnight sun, but it’s a lot drier than in late April/early May when we visited. Since it was both our first time there, we also didn’t want to run the risk of getting stuck in any snow! With all these considerations in mind, Spring felt right for us. It would be wet, sure, but we were after that iconic moody weather. And that’s exactly what we found, almost right away.

After touching down in KEF and picking up our adventure mobile (we had a GREAT experience with Blue Car Rental - highly recommend!), our first destination was to the city center of Reykjavík. Even if it’s just to settle your jetlag, the city is not to be missed! I was immediately charmed by the coastal, fishing village feel of the brightly colored buildings and cobblestone streets. If you’re keen on picking up an authentic Icelandic knit, you have to stop in to the Handknitting Association of Iceland. The streets are packed with both touristy shops and local boutiques - both of which I love visiting - ha! Make sure to grab some postcards + stamps before you leave town, as it will be harder to find those things once you’re out on the road.

As far as lodging options, Reykjavík has them in abundance. From luxury accommodations, long term rentals, or hostels (I stayed in all three of the HI Hostels in the city - Downtown was my favorite!), it’s very easy to find a stay suitable to your needs. As I mentioned before, it’s also much cheaper in the off season! Keep that in mind if you are traveling on a budget.

On our way back to the airport at the end of the trip, we made a point to explore Reykjanes Peninsula. Aside from the infamous Blue Lagoon, the peninsula is also home to beautiful cliffside landscapes and charming little lighthouses. For some reason, these are often overlooked by travelers, and therefore MUCH less crowded (we had the lighthouses to ourselves!).

Our first official destination on this trip was to the Westfjords. We knew that we would be hitting up some pretty touristy spots on the second leg of our journey, so with that in mind, we wanted to start in a more isolated area. The Westfjords are perhaps the BEST part of the country to head to if you’re looking for adventures both off the beaten path + away from the crowds.

Iceland is well known for is its geothermal waters - in the form of natural springs and local swimming pools. The ones that we found in the Westfjords were honestly my favorite on the whole trip! Because some of these locations are treasured by the locals, I won’t be sharing names of the pools we visited here - but a quick Google search will provide a slew of information on the subject (and bring you to countless other spots that we didn’t have the chance to visit).

This region of the country is home to the mighty Dynjandi, the biggest waterfall in the Westfjords. I promise the crazy drive to get there is worth it!!

From the Westfjords, we pointed the car south to the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. While this part of the country is home to some ICONIC natural wonders, it still felt very removed from the crowds! Sunrise at Kirkjufell is a must, as is exploring the vast beauty of Snæfellsjokull National Park. If you’re looking for classic landscape photos, this area is where you’ll find them - and don’t even require you getting out of the car! In the summer months, the area around Kolgrafarfjörður is teeming with lupine fields and friendly Icelandic horses. Also make a point to stop at Ondverdarnes and Svortuloft Lighthouse, and the Budir Black Church.

Even with our brief time in the Westfjords and Snæfellsnes Peninsula, we were able to cover a lot of ground and see some truly remarkable places. And with four days left in our trip, we still had so much to see. Next up : waterfalls GALORE.

xo

J.