Two friends and I decided to visit Iceland in March 2019. We flew overnight from Charlotte to Reykjavik, Iceland, with a stop in JFK. This trip was a tour through Iceland Travel called Nature’s Treasures and Northern Lights. I had taken guided tours before for specific attractions, but this was my first trip that was entirely a tour.
5-day Iceland Travel Tour
2019 Price: $2,496 per person (including flights)
We left Charlotte on a Thursday around 2:50 p.m. and arrived at Keflavik airport at 7:50 a.m. on Friday. From the airport we took a pre-booked Gray Line bus to the hotel – Icelandair Hotel Natura.
Friday was an open day, so after we checked-in, put our stuff in the rooms, and rested for about an hour, we stopped back at the front desk to see what sightseeing options were available. We booked the 3-hour Reykjavik City Sightseeing Tour by Minibus.
Reykjavik City Sightseeing Tour
2019 Price: $47 per person
Minibus Sightseeing Tour of Reykjavik
On the minibus tour we stopped at the presidential residence at Bessastaðir, Harpa concert hall, Perlan dome, historical Höfði house, Hallgrímskirkja church, Sun Voyager sculpture, old harbor and the city center. We also had the opportunity to see Icelandic horses for the first time!
Bessastaðir
The tour started at Bessastaðir, which now acts as the current presidential residence. In the 13th century, the original farm was turned into a Norwegian stronghold. In the late 18th century, Bessastaðir was changed into a school for a few years, before becoming a farm again. The property was donated to the state in 1940 and has acted as a residence for the reagent or president since. It was incredible how close we were able to drive up to the buildings and walk around.
On the drive, we passed a farm and pulled in for 5 minutes to see Icelandic horses. I was looking forward to seeing them due to their charm and history. These horses came to Iceland on Viking ships of Norse settlers around 1,100 years ago. Selective breeding over the centuries has developed them into their current form. To maintain the breed and its characteristics, Icelandic law prevents horses from being imported into the country and exported animals are not allowed to return. The beautiful horses we saw were sporting their winter coats.
Perlan
Our second stop was Perlan dome. The tour included access to the viewing platform which provides a 360° view of Reykjavik. It was a great chance to orient ourselves and see colorful buildings against the snow-capped mountain backdrop. It was a bit windy and cold, which gave us our first taste of the weather for the trip.
Hallgrímskirkja
Next, we visited Hallgrímskirkja church. The design was inspired by basalt lava columns, which are a common rock formation in Iceland. It is the largest Icelandic church and one of the tallest structures in the country (74.5 meters/244 feet high). Inside the church there is an enormous organ with 5,275 pipes. A statue of explorer Leif Erikson stands near the front of the church. It was a gift from the United States in honor of the 1930 Althing Millennial Festival, commemorating the 1,000th anniversary of Iceland’s parliament at Þingvellir. This is a popular destination; there were at least 4 other tour buses parked outside.
Sun Voyager
Stopping at the Sun Voyager sculpture was not technically on the tour but since the bus parking space along the road was open, we were able to hop out for a couple minutes. The sculpture on the waterfront resembles a Viking long-ship although it was intended to represent a dreamboat or ode to the sun. The sun ship points out into beautiful Faxaflói Bay and symbolizes the promise of new, undiscovered territory.
Harpa
Our last big location was Harpa concert hall. The hall has a stunning glass façade which was also inspired by the Icelandic basalt landscape. The structure consists of a steel framework filled with geometric glass panels in different colors. Our guide told us that for a week in 2014, there was an app you could use to play PONG with the 714 lights on the wall of the building!
After the tour of Reykjavik, we returned to the hotel and made a reservation at the hotel restaurant – Satt Restaurant. They offered a buffet dinner which was delicious. To the delight of one of my travel companions, there was a table with dozens of desserts.
Buffet dinner
2019 Price: $40 per person
What a fantastic trip. Although, I don’t see Iceland as a destination in the near future, the pictures are stunning and your narration of the tour stops sound really amazing. So glad for you that you were able to do this and see Iceland for yourself!
I think I have visioned Iceland as a vast white land of snow and ice. Thank you for showing me the beauty and history . Can’t wait to read more.