6 days-Iceland (Reykjavik & South Iceland)

About the destination: Reykjavik is not your typical capital city, it has no magnificent buildings, or a historic city centre or grand monuments, this city is much more than that. Iceland’s capital is different, full of life and very close to nature. Its location, at the fringe of the Atlantic Ocean, between two fjords and surrounded by a lunar volcanic framework, makes the city, which name literally means Bay of Smokes, incomparably special. The world’s northernmost capital is the perfect place for outdoor and wildlife lovers. Surrounded by sea, whale watching is one of the most popular touristic activities. The city has plenty of open spaces: parks, pedestrian areas, a lake situated next to the city hall and Nauthólsvik geothermal beach just 15 min away from the city centre. Throughout the city there are 7 municipal geothermal pools where locals go to socialize and relax after work. Other activities like cycling, hiking, horse riding, sailing and fishing can all be enjoyed on the doorsteps of the capital. Aside from all its natural wonders, Reykjavik has always something to offer. It is a cosmopolitan and dynamic city full of museums, art galleries and cosy coffee shops. Its nightlife is exciting and outrageous, during a night out, it seems locals are making up for the prohibition on beer that was in force till 1989 and nightspots tend to stay open until the early hours of the morning. During the day, the capital is a much more relaxed place, with its trim colourful houses, rubbish-free streets and an easygoing pace of life. Reykjavik is considered the one of the cleanest, greenest and safest cities in the world. Getting lost in this city is almost impossible: Hallgrímskirkja church and Öskjuhlíð hill are visible from most places in the city centre and are essential landmarks for orientation. Reykjavik is dynamic, creative, modern, cosy and very special. Its peculiar personality and magnetic surroundings will make you agree that there’s no better city in the world.

About the destination: The South coast of Iceland holds some of the most beautiful natural attractions in Iceland. The area boasts a unique mix of volcanoes and glaciers, geysers, hot springs and waterfalls, along with multiple historic sites like the UNESCO site of Thingvellir. You’re headed into the ‘volcano zone!’ South Iceland is a masterpiece of volcanic activity and home to some of the island’s most celebrated natural wonders along the ‘Golden Circle’ route which is a real must for sightseers. Its centerpiece is Thingvellir (UNESCO), where settlers established an assembly in AD 930 which has evolved into the world’s oldest parliament today. Thingvellir is also a masterpiece of nature, with a scenic lake and rifts which mark where the continental plates of America and Eurasia meet. Other Golden Circle highlights include Gullfoss, the ‘Golden Falls’, a mighty two-tier waterfall on the Hvita River, and the geothermal fields of Geysir, where the spouting spring Strokkur erupts every ten minutes. The forces of nature in South Iceland have shaped not only the land but man’s life too. Off the south coast, the Westman Islands were evacuated in 1973 because of volcanic activity – but the inhabitants soon went back. The area is also the location of Iceland’s newest star Eyjafjallajokull, the unpronounceable volcano that made itself known to the world in April 2010. History is everywhere in South Iceland, too, spanning the whole range from the Saga Age farm at Stong to the old bishop’s seat of Skalholt and the regional folk museum at Skogar. The southeast offers Europe’s largest glacier at Vatnajokull National Park where you can also experience the awe-inspiring Jokulsarlon glacial lagoon, renowned for its boat cruises among dancing icebergs. Few places in Iceland can match the wealth of contrasts found at Skaftafell National Park, where green woodlands and black mountains converge with the sheer white glacier in the shadow of the country’s highest peak, Hvannadalshnjukur.

About the destination: Reykjavik is not your typical capital city, it has no magnificent buildings, or a historic city centre or grand monuments, this city is much more than that. Iceland’s capital is different, full of life and very close to nature. Its location, at the fringe of the Atlantic Ocean, between two fjords and surrounded by a lunar volcanic framework, makes the city, which name literally means Bay of Smokes, incomparably special. The world’s northernmost capital is the perfect place for outdoor and wildlife lovers. Surrounded by sea, whale watching is one of the most popular touristic activities. The city has plenty of open spaces: parks, pedestrian areas, a lake situated next to the city hall and Nauthólsvik geothermal beach just 15 min away from the city centre. Throughout the city there are 7 municipal geothermal pools where locals go to socialize and relax after work. Other activities like cycling, hiking, horse riding, sailing and fishing can all be enjoyed on the doorsteps of the capital. Aside from all its natural wonders, Reykjavik has always something to offer. It is a cosmopolitan and dynamic city full of museums, art galleries and cosy coffee shops. Its nightlife is exciting and outrageous, during a night out, it seems locals are making up for the prohibition on beer that was in force till 1989 and nightspots tend to stay open until the early hours of the morning. During the day, the capital is a much more relaxed place, with its trim colourful houses, rubbish-free streets and an easygoing pace of life. Reykjavik is considered the one of the cleanest, greenest and safest cities in the world. Getting lost in this city is almost impossible: Hallgrímskirkja church and Öskjuhlíð hill are visible from most places in the city centre and are essential landmarks for orientation. Reykjavik is dynamic, creative, modern, cosy and very special. Its peculiar personality and magnetic surroundings will make you agree that there’s no better city in the world.