Iceland gets a post all to herself since we had the pleasure of exploring the island for 4 whole days. I can’t more emphatically recommend visiting! I’m so glad we had all that time because anything less would have been just a tease. Even with 4 days, we still only explored the countryside on the west and north of the island. I have to go again, just to see the rest of the country.

One of the most recommended things to do in Iceland is to bath in one of the many geothermal baths. The most popular, and expensive, is the Blue Lagoon. We actually decided to try 2 different locations: Myvatn Nature Baths and the Secret Lagoon. Both have their advantages for sure. The Secret Lagoon is smaller, intimate, and the least expensive. You can walk around the lagoon area to see small bubbling pits of mud, little geysers, and mossy rocks too. Myvatn is much bigger and offers a variety of pools and areas to relax, but is almost twice the price of Myvatn. There was quite a crowd of people visiting when we went, but it never felt overcrowded.

If you do head to the Myvatn area, then climbing up the rim of Hverfjall and exploring the lava fields, which are all around is a must. The panoramic views from on top are incredible. I was also amazed and how old this crater is, yet how young it seems. Like it was poured out of a giant dump truck just weeks ago. I guess it seems that way because of the lack of vegetation on it.

Another favorite adventure was exploring Thingvellir National Park, located just outside of Reykjavík. You can spend an entire day here, in my opinion, so plan on spending at least a couple of hours.

Ok, so here comes the onslaught of photos! Since there are so many, I’ll just post in order of our visit and caption some of them with location info.

Steam rises from geothermal vents in the hills near the Secret Lagoon in Iceland.

A weathered stone hut sits on mossy ground as steam rises at Iceland's Secret Lagoon.
Steaming pools at the Secret Lagoon.

A grassy field with fence posts stretches toward a lagoon and distant glacier under heavy clouds in Iceland.
View of a Glacier from the Lagoon.

A boy in glasses sits on a stone wall in a mossy plain at Thingvillir, Iceland.

A traveler stands on the rocky riverbed before a powerful waterfall cascading into the Iceland gorge.
One of the waterfalls at Thingvillir.

A rushing river cuts through rugged mossy rock formations under a cloudy sky in Iceland.

Moss-covered rocks frame a wide green tundra stretching toward a flat-topped mountain in Iceland under cloudy skies.

A river winds through a moss-covered rocky canyon landscape in Iceland under a cloudy sky.

A winding road and small green-roofed building sit in a vast Icelandic valley beneath a cloudy sky.

Horses graze across an open Icelandic plain beneath a flat-topped mountain under overcast skies.

A white church sits on a grassy coastal hill with misty mountains and water in the foreground.

A yellow harbor beacon stands on rocky breakwater stones overlooking the water beneath low clouds in Iceland.

Sunbeams burst through a heavy cloud bank and stretch across the open Atlantic sea.

Sunbeams break through heavy clouds over the Icelandic sea, illuminating the calm water below.
See the whale’s tail?

Visitors stand beside a shallow mossy river winding through Icelandic hills under a clear blue sky.

A couple sits on the rocky rim of an ancient volcano overlooking a river valley in Iceland.

A geyser erupts in a sequence of frames across Iceland's steam-filled geothermal field under a cloudy sky.
A geyser erupting at Geysir.

Steam rises from a rugged volcanic landscape with snow-dusted hills under a bright blue sky in Iceland.
Steamy ground, all around.

Rugged volcanic hills with reddish and dark moorland stretch beneath a clear blue sky in Iceland.

A volcanic cone rises behind a steaming geothermal field and blue lake in Iceland.

Barren volcanic landscape with reddish hills and lichen-covered ground under a clear blue sky in Iceland.

Three sheep graze in a grassy field with rocky hills rolling into the distance in Iceland.

A girl sits atop a weathered wooden A-frame staircase in a barren rocky Icelandic landscape.

A wide fissure splits the volcanic rock of an Icelandic hillside beneath a clear blue sky.

Two people sit together on a mossy rock in a vast Icelandic landscape with a winding road and distant mountains.

Low green mosses and lichen cover rocky tundra beneath a vast brown Icelandic mountain under a clear blue sky.

Two people sit on a dark volcanic slope in Iceland, one pointing across the crater.
Sitting on the rim of an ancient volcano.

A woman and boy pose together on a rocky volcanic ridge overlooking craters in Iceland.
Look, I was there too!

Vast golden-brown highland plains stretch beneath distant mountains under a clear blue sky in Iceland.

Rolling multicolored volcanic hills and distant steam vents stretch across the Icelandic highlands under a clear sky.

Steam billows from a geothermal spring in Iceland as the sun sets over the water.

Bathers soak in a steaming geothermal hot spring pool in Iceland beneath a fading twilight sky.
Myvatn Nature Baths

A golden grassland stretches toward a rounded mountain and hazy peaks under a cloudy Icelandic sky.

A vast green pasture dotted with round hay bales stretches toward snow-capped mountains under a bright blue Icelandic sky.

A small farmstead with a silo sits in a green field below rolling Icelandic hills.

A small red house stands on a grassy headland with mountains rising in the distance in Iceland.

A vintage wooden radio sits on a worn table in a green-walled room lined with old tins.
Inside one of the buildings at the The Herring Era Museum. Everything is frozen in time. I love museums that let you explore freely like this. You have this weird sensation that the people will show up and wonder why you’re in their kitchen.

A pair of tan leather brogue shoes rest on weathered wooden planks beside a white painted baseboard.

A small round clock sits on a narrow white shelf against a distressed, peeling-painted wall and floor.

Two children lean over white fermentation vats at an Icelandic distillery with wooden barrels and a yellow building behind.
Pretending to process fish. Lucy is holding her breath from the imaginary stink.

A lit fishing boat cabin at night in Iceland with a person standing inside the doorway.

A traveler poses beside a carved wooden figure in a rustic Icelandic cabin interior.

A wooden pier extends into calm turquoise water beneath rugged green mountains in Iceland.

A distant ship sails across the open Atlantic Ocean beneath a soft pink and blue twilight sky.
This iceberg wasn’t in Iceland, but actually off the coast of Greenland, if I remember correctly. The captain came on the speakers announcing the sighting. Herds of people rushed to the port side of the ship to snap photos. To the dissapointment of many, it was much too far, and dark, to photograph. I was slightly disappointed in the distance too, but quickly was grateful for not being in danger of hitting one! Several people had commented before we left, that we were going on a “Titanic cruise”!