Iceland in a week: Songs of ice and fire in the Nordic island country

Sólheimajökull glacier, Iceland. (Photo: Kalpana Sunder)

Iceland, the sparsely populated island country, the land of ice and fire, waterfalls, and glaciers, volcanoes and hot springs is a sensory feast, and an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise. If you plan to explore the island by yourself and would like to do the Golden Circle or driving around the island on the ring road, then you need a car. Otherwise, you can base yourself in Reykjavik and take bus tours which are usually day trips. Hidden Iceland and Special Tours are good tour companies that offer offbeat trips. Stay at apartments with all amenities offered by Airbnb (where you have the advantage of a local host’s insights and help) or take your pick from hotels like The Reykjavik Edition or Center Hotels. Iceland can be visited both in the summer and winter, with different sights and activities. The best way to reach Iceland is fly Finnair from Mumbai or Delhi and connect to Reykjavik through Helsinki.

Day 1 and 2

Capital start

Reykjavik, the capital and the largest city in Iceland, is the natural starting point of any trip to the country. Reykjavik is a contrast of old and new sights — from the cutting-edge opera house called Harpa to cafés, museums and a wealth of  old corrugated-iron buildings. Walk through the main shopping hub of  Laugavegur, dotted with shops and restaurants. Visit the Hallgrímskirkja church that is named after a 17th-century Icelandic poet and clergyman and sits atop a hill. The architect who designed the church took his cues from the hexagonal basalt columns that are found on this volcanic island. In front of the church is the imposing statue of Leif Eriksson, the Norse explorer credited as the first European to set foot on American soil in the 11th century.

Hallgrimskirkja church, Reykjavik. (Photo: Kalpana Sunder)

Visit Harpa, the modernistic concert hall that is the work of  genius Ólafur Eliasson and was also inspired by basalt. Walk along the waterside from there to see the abstract stainless-steel sculpture called the Sun Voyager, erected in 1990. Visit the Tjornin pond in the centre of Old town, with duck geese and swans, with the City hall close by where there is a big map of Iceland that’s worth seeing. To get a glimpse into the town’s maritime past, visit the Maritime Museum in the old harbour. Splurge on a meal at the Tides restaurant with Iceland’s first Michelin-star chef, Gunnar Karl Gíslason at The Reyjkavik Edition. If you have time, take a whale-watching trip that takes you from the harbour into the deep ocean for a marvelous experience. If you are short on time, use the Hop On Hop Off bus tour to see the sights in a short time.

Day 3

Spa-ctacular

Geothermal pools of Iceland. (Photo: Kalpana Sunder)

Iceland is home to some outstanding geothermal pools and hot springs with therapeutic properties. These thermal pools range from primitive pools to upmarket resorts. Do have a taste of  at least a few, as you travel across the country. One of the most popular ones is not far from the Reykjavik airport, called the Blue Lagoon. The blue shade of the hot spring is due to the high silica content. A mud mask is complimentary for all bathers. There are also sauna and steam rooms in addition to an in-water bar. For a different experience, head to the offbeat Secret Lagoon, locally as Gamla Laugin, the oldest swimming pool in Iceland. It was made in 1891 at Hverahólmi, a geothermal area near Flúðir. It’s peaceful and gives you an impression of being out in the countryside with a walking path that goes around it and other small pools.

Round it off with a visit to the recently opened Sky Lagoon, just 7 km from downtown Reykjavik, which has architecture inspired by old turf houses and is a luxury experience with a seven-step spa ritual, which includes a glacier pool, sauna, body scrub, and steam room. Don’t miss the infinity edge of the lagoon, which showcases a panoramic view of the Kàrsnes Harbour.

Day 4

Ring of gold

The Golden Circle is the easiest option to experience Iceland’s beautiful nature and a microcosm of its natural delights like waterfalls, geysers, lakes, mountains. The first stop, an hour from the city is the UNESCO-listed Þingvellir National Park, where there’s a canyon caused by the rift between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates. The world’s oldest existing parliament first met at Þingvellir in 930 AD.

Icelandic horses. (Photo: Kalpana Sunder)

Drive past lava fields and spectacular landscapes with Icelandic horses, to Gulfoss or the Golden Waterfalls, one of Iceland’s most spectacular waterfalls where the Hvita river flows down a deep canyon. You can feel the spray from far off, and as you walk down the narrow path to the waterfalls, you will definitely be drenched, so wear a raincoat.

The Geysir Strokkur geothermal field, Iceland. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Day 5

Coasting along the south

Drive down the South Coast of the country with a variety of sights from  black sand beaches to vast lava fields, majestic waterfalls, glaciers. Start by stopping first at Seljalandsfoss one of the most unique waterfalls in Iceland where you can actually walk behind the waterfalls and view the spray.

Walk behind the waterfall at the unique Seljalandsfoss, Iceland. (Photo: Kalpana Sunder)

Another gorgeous waterfall on this trip is Skógafoss with scenic surroundings — grassy slopes and cliffs dotted with nesting fulmars. There is always a rainbow here to see, thanks to the cascade.

Skógafoss waterfall, Iceland. (Photo: Kalpana Sunder)

An Icelandic fulmar. (Photo: Kalpana Sunder)

Take a walk to the front of the mighty Sólheimajökull glacier for an incredible view, learning all about the glacier’s changes over the years. Stand on the volcanic black sand shores of Reynisfjara beach with its unique rock formations and basalt columns, and watch the powerful waves crashing onto the  shores — be careful of sneaker waves. Don’t miss the special Lava show in the southernmost town of Vik, with its  picturesque red roofed church on the hill.

Churches in Vik, in southern Iceland. (Photo: Kalpana Sunder)

Day 6

Iceland in a nutshell

The 'Game of Thrones' fame Kirkjufell mountain in Grundarfjörður fishing village on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. (Photo: Kalpana Sunder)

End your week-long stay with a trip to the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. The 90-km-long peninsula, to the west of Reykjavik, is called "Iceland in a nutshell" with empty roads, mountains, black-sand beaches, basalt cliffs, lava fields, waterfalls and glaciers. Stop first at the wild lava fields called Berserkjahraun, with moss covered rocks splotched  with shades of orange and red, and spikes of hard lava. The lava field dates back to a volcanic eruption that took place 4000 years ago. Walk to the secret waterfalls for a Insta worthy shot.

Horizontal columns of basalt cliffs, Iceland. (Photo: Kalpana Sunder)

Drive up to Grundarfjörður, which  is home to one of the peninsula‘s most iconic and photographed landmarks, the symmetrical mountain Kirkjufell that towers 1,500 ft and is famous thanks to the Game of Thrones. The waterfall opposite to the mountain is the place for that iconic shot. Make your way to the black-sand beach of Djúpalónssandur with two lagoons, and and finish off the trip at Hellnar and Arnarstapi, two tiny villages located at the end of the Snaefellsnes peninsula. Both are located on a  dramatic coastline of spectacular and beautiful cliffs with nesting puffins and rock ledges. Walk from one to the other for a great view of the coast. And say, bless, an Icelandic bye to the island country.