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What’s on my bucket list for visiting Iceland

I have always been fascinated and intrigued by Iceland. It looks like an amazing country to visit, and far different from my usual holiday of sitting on a beach, in the sunshine, or reading a book by the pool. Iceland looks like it offers so much for the entire family, not only adults or older kids, toddlers as well. So I’m sharing with you the 10 top activities that are on my Iceland bucket list.

Northern Lights

This is one of the many reasons why I would love to visit Iceland. I would love to see the Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis. It would be amazing to witness these, and the best times to see them are in complete darkness between September to mid-April.

Steamy Blue Lagoon

I love a hot bath or a jacuzzi, and what could be better than spending the day at the steamy blue lagoon at Grindavik which is a coach journey from Reykjavik (if you’re based there). The water is naturally heated and is meant to be so good for your skin. I’ve heard that it does tend to get very busy, and I can completely understand why, so we would aim to get there early. This activity is definitely top on my Iceland bucket list.

Steamy Blue Lagoon Iceland

Ice Caves

There are two ice caving tours that you can take in Iceland at either the Vatnajokull glacier in the South East or Langjokull glacier in the South West. I would love to do this as it is something very different from anything that I have done before. I’m sure that the scenery would be stunning, and the experience alone would create amazing memories.

Golden Circle Tour

I have heard so much about the Golden Circle, and it sounds absolutely amazing. It’s basically a 300 kilometre loop that includes Pingvellir National Park, the Geyser Geothermal Area and the Gullfoss Waterfall. All of these places are less than 2 hours from Reykjavik and can easily be visited in a day. It would be an action packed and busy day, but you can also combine a trip to the Steamy Blue Lagoon at the same time.

Iceland festivals

There are so many festivals in Iceland, and if we were visiting Iceland when one was taking place we would definitely try to go. Or at least plan our trip around the festival. The festivals range from large music festivals to small scale country fairs, and take place throughout the year. Reykjavik seems to be the place where many of the festivals take place, and it would be pretty cool to camp under an Iceland sky.

Iceland Northern Lights

Whale Watching

This is something that my toddler would love, as she is into her wildlife at the moment and loves animals. There are so many whale watching tours that you can take in Iceland, and they should give you the opportunity to see over 20 species including Orca, Minke, Humpback and Blue Whale. I’ve heard that the best time to go Whale Watching is between April and September, so you might be able to see  the whales and the Northern Lights if you visit in April.

Games of Thrones Locations

If you’re a fan of Game of Thrones you can take a tour to visit some of the best locations as part of the film including breathtaking places where “North of the Wall” was filmed. All the Game of Thrones locations look absolutely stunning and would certainly help to bring the film to life, especially for a film novice like me.

Horseback Riding

Another top activity on my agenda for Iceland is horseback riding, providing an opportunity to get out into the fresh air and experience the true beauty of Iceland. There are so many tours that you can take including those that take you to lava fields, to the geysers and to hot springs. I think that I would find it really hard to decide which tour to take, and my camera would get overloaded with photos from this trip.

Horseback Riding in Iceland

Snorkelling in the Silfra Fissure

This one is more for the adults, and I love to snorkel. I have only ever snorkelled in hot countries, so I imagine that this would be entirely different. The Silfra Fissure is on top of the tectonic plates between Europe and America. It is said to be one of the world’s most beautiful snorkelling sites where you can see amazing colours thanks to the crystal clear water being filtered by the glacier.

Visit to Reykjavik

It’s not possible to go to Iceland without a visit or stay in Reykjavik. You can use Reykjavik as a base for your trip to Iceland, allowing you to enjoy the Golden Circle, Whale Watching and Horseback Riding. Whilst being in Reykjavik there are some great places to visit including the National and Saga museums, the striking concrete Hallgrimskirkja church and rotating Perlan glass dome offer sweeping views of the sea and nearby hills.

I would love to spend a couple of days and nights in Iceland. It sounds and looks like a beautiful country to visit, and one that is far different from anywhere that I have ever been before.

So those are the activities that are on my bucket list. Have you ever been to Iceland and did you do any of these activities?

Claire x

Top 10 family activities to do in Iceland

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