Iceland

By Alyssa and Brittany

Oh Iceland, the land of fire and ice. We didn't see any fire, but visiting during the winter, we saw plenty of ice. People thought we were crazy to go during the winter time, but I think the 6 hours of daylight and the snowy weather just added to the experience (and hello, it's off season, aka $$ saved!).  Here is a summary of our experience in Iceland and some money saving tips. You should have seen how excited we were when we discovered the bank had free internet and coffee!

GETTING AROUND

You can walk everywhere if you stay downtown, but we recommend renting a car even for just 1 or 2 days. It is definitely worth seeing some of the beautiful areas outside of Reykjavik. If you visit during winter, make sure you or someone you travel with has experience driving in ice and snow. The main roads are supposed to be plowed daily, but they were often covered in thick ice and snow.  The weather literally changes in seconds so even if it seems like a nice day, you could be stuck in a blizzard within the blink of an eye (yes, it happened to us more than once!).

ACCOMODATIONS

We Couchsurfed for the first time and we loved it! We asked our host, Einar, so many questions, I truly think I know every fact about Iceland. Couch surfing was the best decision we could have made as far as getting to know the culture and the country. We even met some cool people that offered to show us around even though we didn't stay with them, like Karl who took us to look for lava caves and showed us a hidden lake.

FOOD

Puffins, whale steak, putrified shark and hotdogs! Did I try any? No, so I can't comment on how they taste. Dinner at a restaurant will cost you anywhere from $13-$30. We checked out their discount grocery store called Bonus to buy some local goodies like skyr (Icelandic yogurt). Since their food isn't anything to write home about, here's my tip for saving money...bring your own food! We stocked up at Costco and brought oatmeal, instant mac'n cheese, granola bars and instant coffee packets from Starbucks. It saved us a ton of money.

NIGHTLIFE

Reykjavik's nightlife is world renowned. Most people stay out until 6 or 7 am.  Drinks are EXPENSIVE, so go to a liquor store beforehand and drink at your house/hostel. We also tried live karaoke at The Oliver on a Tuesday night which ended up being a lot of fun. I definitely needed a few beers before getting in front of an audience with just an acoustic guitar and belting out Rihanna! 

ACTIVITIES

Alyssa Ice Climbing

Our budget only allowed for one major activity which we decided to put towards ice climbing and glacier hiking. We did the Blue Ice climbing tour through Arctic Adventures which was our big "splurge." They take you out to a glacier tongue where you hike the glacier and climb an ice wall with ice axes and crampons. 

Brittany with Glowie

Icelandic horseback riding through lava fields is another activity we did. Thanks to our Couchsurfing host, we were able to get a discount on our ride at Hestar. If you've never seen an Icelandic horse before, just picture a gigantic Shetland Pony. Some other winter tours include snowmobiling, cave exploring, and snorkeling between the tectonic plates in Thingvellir.   

Blue Lagoon

The Blue Lagoon is definitely touristy, but I actually really enjoyed it! Our Couchsurfing host helped us out with this one too by getting us 50% off per person. They offer spa services if you are looking for a nice massage or facial. Here are some other cheap and/or free activities we did:

     -Go to a pool, which they have dozens of around town. People go to swim, soak in the 

     hot tubs, and sweat it out in saunas. It's only a few dollars and totally worth it, especially if 

     you want to do something in the evening during the week when most businesses close 

     early. You will feel like a local since Icelanders go daily to the pools. 

Hraunfossar

     -We took two days to sightsee outside of Reykjavik. We drove the Golden Circle one day, 

    which consists of Gulfoss, the Geysir and Thingvellir. In simple terms it's a beautiful  

    waterfall, a gigantic geysir, and a national park where the parliament was signed. They 

    have tour groups that take you there, but it's better to rent a car. Some other natural 

    beauties we saw were Barnafossar and Hraunfossar, two waterfalls which I actually 

    enjoyed more than Gulfoss. 

The Geysir

     - Our first day in town coincided with the last day of Christmas. Let me tell you, Icelandic  
     people LOOVVEE their Christmas. Decorations were everywhere, and the last night is a
     big celebration with a bonfire on the snow covered beach and a fireworks display. Free
     hot cocoas and Icelandic donuts--what more could you ask for?  

Hallgrimskirkja

-Go to Hallgrimskirkja during the day and at night. This church looks like something out of

The Wall and is a good landmark to give you a sense of direction for when you want to

explore the town. For a few bucks you can go to the top and see views of the entire city. 

-Swim in the ocean! Yes, it was freezing, but now you can say you swam in the ocean in

Iceland during the winter. How many people can claim that?! After jumping in the frigid

water in a bikini, I felt like the weather was mild. Beware: you'll go numb so make it short

and sweet ; )

     -Hunting for the Northen Lights was fun and we went during the best time of the year to

     see them, but sadly we never spotted the lights. One local told us she had only seen the 

     lights a few times in the past several years. I think the hype surrounding the lights may be

     greater than the chance of actually seeing them. 

My favorite part about Iceland was just immersing myself in the local everyday stuff. Going grocery shopping, walking the streets, and talking to anyone with an ear to listen! My most fond memories were going for walks around town at night, making our rounds at all of the different cafes and restaurants, and having no agenda but to wander.