Discovering Iceland for the first time

In recent years Iceland has become more popular among tourists than ever before. With it's dramatic landscapes, bubbling volcanoes and soothing hot springs, there is so much to explore in this country where fire and ice co-exist. The moment I saw photographs of Iceland on Instagram I knew I had to go. I don't usually don't choose to go on cold holidays (I don't deal well when my toes are freezing) but it was too beautiful to not visit.

Time of year

Picking the time of year really depended on what I wanted to see. In my heart I knew I wanted to at least try to see the Northern Lights (although this didn't happen) so the best time to visit was between September through till April, therefore I picked February. Although this wasn't exactly in the midst of Winter and the sun shone for at least 8 hours the temperature at times was still below freezing, meaning some serious layers were required. When I was packing I turned my nose up at my hot pink thermal top and was like maaaaaan this isn't fashionable but trust me you won't care about fashion when you get there. The only country that is freezing and really cares about fashion is Russia. I really owe it to that thermal top, I could have been a lot colder. So i guess top tip number one, pack your thermals and some serious walking boots.

Money

One thing Iceland is extremely well know for or Scandinavia in general is how expensive it is. You think London is costly, well London is like shopping in PoundLand when you visit Iceland. When I was there all my money went on transportation and meals. Unless you have all the money in the world you won't be going shopping in Iceland. The most I bought was a fridge magnet which was £8 alone. Meals were also rather expensive coming on average to £20 each for a meal. So my best advice would be to not eat out all the time. We found a local supermarket called Bonus which was much cheaper than any of the small convenience stores and bought ourselves a little sandwich making kit so we were only eating out for one meal a day. 

Transportation

On holiday I like to take it easy and that normally means taking taxis, coaches or public transportation. However, in Iceland what I would recommend is hiring a car. I know what's going through your mind. What about driving on the other side of the road? Are the roads not really icy? Is it not easier to take another form of transport? Well I'm going to stop you right there. Hiring a car is actually a lot cheaper and more practical than any other form transportation also the cars in Iceland are built for these weather conditions. Hiring a car means you can drive the 40 minute drive from the airport to Reykjavik with ease, drive to the blue lagoon or even discover the Golden Circle in your own time without the need for paying an extortionate amount - did I mention Iceland is expensive already?! We hired our car from an airport dealer called Budget cars and it cost us £70 each for the entire time we were there with only £40 extra between us towards petrol. Getting to and from the airport alone was £30 each as was the Blue Lagoon and on top of that Golden Circle tour we found was £100 each. Therefore we saved ourselves £50 each or more from hiring a car. 

Accommodation

Although there are quite a few cities in Iceland, Reykjavik is definitely the place to stay for first timers. Being the country's capital with the largest population in Iceland (just over 120,000), this city definitely has the most to offer in terms of discovering Iceland's culture through art, restaurants and history. You can choose to stay in the city centre which can vary on expense depending if you want to stay in a hostel or a swanky hotel. Or you can stay somewhere a little walk out where there are also buses available - which is what we did. We stayed at the Icelandair Hotel Reykjavik Natura which was a 25 minute pleasant walk in to the city centre or a 4 minute bus journey. The bus pass was free from the hotel which was a massive bonus for those nights full of snow blizzards. The hotel itself was lovely with a great restaurant/bar and even came with a gym for those fitness fanatics like myself. 

Restaurants 

As I mentioned earlier eating out can be expensive in Iceland but there are some quirky places which you should definitely try. The Laundromat was number one on my list. I discovered this kooky restaurant on Instagram the week before I flew to Iceland. The point of this restaurant is to have somewhere to do your laundry but also socialise and eat in a comfortable environment. The average price was around £20 for a meal. Another great place was Eldur & Is which translates as Fire & Ice. This amazing little find does incredible sweet and savoury crepes and is perfect for brunch or breakfast. With a price tag of only £10 per meal - extremely cheap in Iceland - what have you got to lose.

Activities 

As for activities, there is honestly so much to see in Iceland but you've got to make sure you do the basics in your first time. In Reykjavik itself you need to see the best view of the city from Hallgrimskirkja (the largest church in Iceland) and visit the Harpa, the iconic concert hall (recently featured in Black Mirror).  Relaxing in the Blue Lagoon with a facemask is also a huge must. Though it is very touristy, it's a calm and serene place and you really feel the health benefits after. Finally last but certainly not least, The Golden Circle. This is where the car comes in handy due to it being a four hour round trip. On the drive alone you will see astounding views of the Icelandic countryside and Mount Esjan. You might even be lucky enough to see Arctic Horses -  my favourite bit. Although, the stops along the way such as Thingvellir National Park, Geysir and Gullfoss make the trip so worth worth while and make you appreciate the Earth's natural beauty.

There is so much more I want to do in Iceland such as going to see the seals, whale watching or even trekking up mount Esjan and I hope to be able to return there at some point in the near future as there is so much more to explore. I hope these tips help you discover Iceland the best way...