Iceland for a short break - advice please

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

My Mrs fancies a short break in Iceland - Jan/Feb? - she's keen on seeing the Northern Lights - if possible. I know nothing of Iceland for holidays. Anyone been there or have the knowledge. Time of year to go; minimum length of stay; where to stay etc.

 

[Hacker Khan]

I've been twice and it is a weird but magical place. But it is also very expensive.

I've done a break in Reykjavik for 4 days and also did a tour around the southern part of the Island. I went in July and it does not get dark, and also in May. Both times it was not that cold, but I imagine it gets a bit parky in Jan/Feb. Plus you wont get a whole lot of sunlight for a lot of the time so something worth bearing in mind.

I can't remember where we stayed in Reykjavik, tripadvisor would be as good a place as any to look at. Reykjavik is kind of a capital city that feel like a small town, I loved the place. Out of Reykjavik you will want to do the blue lagoon, a huge thermal pool thing. Plus there's Geysir, which is where the name gayser comes from. And also Þingvellir National Park which is where the American and Eurasian plates are moving apart, so you can stand in the middle of them. There's some spectacular wateralls, Gullfoss is one of the most famous. You can do a lot of the sights on a very busy day trip, something like this one http://tours.wowiceland.co.uk/the-glorious-golden-circle/

A bit further out there are volcanoes a plenty plus a superb place called Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon where they do a lot of films (James Bond, Lara Croft have been filmed there) at the end of a glacier where the bits break off and float in a crystal clear lake.

And of course if you soundtrack your trip with the greatest band on the planet, that happen to be Icelandic, Sigur Ros, then you can't go wrong. A kind of serious point, if you get a chance, watch Heima, a Sigur Ros film, which sums the country up perfectly. Oh, and the women are absolutely gorgeous.

[video=youtube;KpQ6m2Qf918]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpQ6m2Qf918[/video]

 

[AmandaJR]

We went on a short break a few years back and it was brilliant. We went in December so cold and short days but that kind of added to the atmosphere. We travelled on a package with Exodus so lots of activities and a local guide included and can highly recommend them. We did glacier walking, ice climbing, skidooing (sp), swimming in the Blue Lagoon, stayed 2 nights in an isolated mountain hut where we hoped to see the Northern Lights as no light pollution - sadly it was cloudy so only a glimpse of them.

Definitely worh going.

 

[Khamelion]

Iceland is a fantastic place, but bloody expensive.

I highly recommend the blue lagoon the man made geo thermal outdoor pool, they have the hottest steam room you'll ever go in (straight from the center of the earth) and the coldest shower you'll stand in (Straight from the nearby glaciers) Geyser is a good place to go, lots of steam pools and of course the geyser.

We did the bus tour thing which took us to a lot of the tourist places, but your time is limited when you're there so not a lot of chance to look around. The better option we found was to book on a jeep tour, it's just you and and the driver and he'll take you to the places the bus cannot get to, like 800m up a glacier or for a drive down one of the many black beaches. The design of the church in the middle of Reykjavik is on a natural cave on one of the black beaches.

Anyhoo this is a photo I took while I was there. I Called it Moon over Hekla

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Thanks everyone for the advice provided.

 

[CMAC]

I cant see the attraction in Iceland.......always cold and just rows and rows of freezers.

If you want a real break visit Asda instead

 

[Andy808]

I cant see the attraction in Iceland.......always cold and just rows and rows of freezers.

If you want a real break visit Harrods instead

Fixed it for you. At least take her somewhere up market!

 

[Smiffy]

The wife and I went last year for a short break. 4 days/3 nights I think it was.
We missed the Northern lights (apparently they were fantastic the night prior to our arrival) but we had a good time anyway.
Went on a skidoo run, visited a reindeer farm, but the highlight for us was going on a husky sled ride. Absolutely fantastic.
We went to the Davii Lodge hotel, my wife organised it all as a surprise birthday present for me.
It was bloody cold though...we went towards the end of February (apparently a good time for the Northern Lights) and when we came back from the skidoo run, the hotels outside temperature gauge was reading -26 degrees!
If you want any more info just ask.
Rob

 

[Hacker Khan]

The wife and I went last year for a short break. 4 days/3 nights I think it was.
We missed the Northern lights (apparently they were fantastic the night prior to our arrival) but we had a good time anyway.
Went on a skidoo run, visited a reindeer farm, but the highlight for us was going on a husky sled ride. Absolutely fantastic.
We went to the Davii Lodge hotel, my wife organised it all as a surprise birthday present for me.
It was bloody cold though...we went towards the end of February (apparently a good time for the Northern Lights) and when we came back from the skidoo run, the hotels outside temperature gauge was reading -26 degrees!
If you want any more info just ask.
Rob

Whilst not wishing to question your geographic abilities and come over all Judith Chalmers, that sounds awfully like Lapland to me, which is in Finland, not Iceland. Although feel free to shoot me down and call me an idiot if you did indeed go to Iceland.

 

[Smiffy]

We went to Lapland

 

[CMAC]

ruined it for you. At least take her somewhere up market!

Harrods aint a supermarket- swing and a miss

@smiffy- did you meet Santa

 

[Smiffy]

@smiffy- did you meet Santa

Bollocks.
I can't help it if I am getting senile.
All I know is that it was bloody cold

 

[Snelly]

The women are amongst the most beautiful in the world. The men are quite dull. The drinks are bed-wettingly expensive. Everyone gets hammered at home then goes out at about midnight.

It is great. Quite fascinating.

 

[Hacker Khan]

The women are amongst the most beautiful in the world. The men are quite dull. The drinks are bed-wettingly expensive. Everyone gets hammered at home then goes out at about midnight.

It is great. Quite fascinating.

From my experience the best thing to do when buying a round is never under any circumstances convert it back to pounds. Just hand over the krona and enjoy the view. As I agree about the women, blimey charlie, I remember going in one bar and it was like a convention of super models.

 

[CMAC]

you both post that after a big bevvy :cheers:


to each their own I supp'ose

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

We went to Lapland

hahahaha - ooops - just as well you don't rely on your navigation skills to get you round a golf course Smiffy - as in 'I'm sure we were going to Iceland but ended up ini Laplap'

Me? I'm into seeing the fissure where the North America and Eurasian continental plates are rifting apart and all the otehr interesting geological stuff - at Thingvellier Nationalk Park - and getting onto a glacier, Blue lagoon, Geyser- and Northern LIghts if they are on...