Iceland - Reykjavik & S. Coast -


When we first landed in Iceland there was an actual blizzard happening and we found out that our tour for the next day was cancelled. The roads were completely closed to our first hotel on the south coast so we had to go with a different plan.  The weather was unlike anything I've ever experienced but honestly, I (kinda) loved it. Even with the crazy weather and road closures, everything still worked out with a little shuffling of our schedule.

We ended up staying in Reykjavik the first two nights and hoped that the weather would start to improve. On our first night in Iceland we went to find the famous hot dog stand and then grab some dinner. (See below for some pics)

The famous hot dogs with everything on it. (ketchup, sweet mustard, raw onion, fried onion, and a mayo based sauce with relish) 

Our first night in Iceland! 

The next day we woke up and walked to the Sun Voyager sculpture which is a beautiful sculpture that was built in 1990 and is right on the water. Then, we went to breakfast at a cute cafe that is well-known for their waffles (um, yes please!). After several cappuccinos and waffles, we decided to walk down the main street and go into some of the shops on our way to the famous church. The church has a unique facade that is meant to resemble different aspects of Iceland's landscape. We decided to go to the top for some great views.




We then decided to check out one of the science museums. While Drew was pumping gas, I was checking the roads and weather. The weather was starting to improve and the roads actually opened up. Instead of going to the museum, we decided to head towards the south coast and check out some things on our list. Here is what we were able to see on our self-guided tour of the south coast.

Stop #1: Seljalandsfoss Waterfall
This waterfall is breathtaking at 196 feet tall and you can get very close to the falls.








Stop #2: Gljúfrabúi Waterfall
This was probably my favorite thing in Iceland. This waterfall is located just about a 5 minute walk from the Seljalandsfoss waterfall but it is hidden inside of a gorge. We had to walk through the gorge while standing on rocks in water to get to this waterfall. It was a good thing we were wearing our waterproof boots, pants, and jackets. It was incredible. I could have stayed here for a long time just listening to the sound of the waterfall. 



Stop #3: Skogafoss Waterfall
Just a short drive from the first two stops, is Skogafoss. This is one of the widest waterfalls in Iceland, 82 feet wide and is almost 200 feet tall. You can walk so close to this one that you could touch the water. There is also a staircase that goes to the top where you can also walk along trails to find other waterfalls.






Stop #4: Reynisfjara Beach
This beach was also among my favorite stops of the trip. The black sand was gorgeous with the snow and the waves of the ocean. This beach is also home to large basalt columns which are formed as basaltic lava cools over a long period of time.






Iceland is so incredible and is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. The crazy thing is that we barely scratched the surface with Iceland. There is so much more to see! Hopefully we can go back one day :) Stay tuned for several more posts about our Iceland trip. This post only covered 1 full day of our trip!

Liz


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