Polar Lights and Snowy Sights: A Winter Getaway to Iceland

Rise and shine, it’s your first full day in Iceland and there’s not a moment to waste. Today is all about discovering the wild natural heritage of the surrounding Snaefellsnes Peninsula, a sliver of Iceland dominated by the towering Snæfellsnesjökull glacier-volcano. Icelanders have long believed this ancient wonder to be one of the world’s chakras, an area home to an intense concentration of the Earth’s energy. First up: a visit to the Hvammsvík Hot Springs, a natural hot spring featuring eight pools oscillating between 36 and 42°C, and a traditional sauna, all nestled directly along the ocean’s edge. The icing on the cake? You can have a drink served to you while you’re floating around and enjoying the surreal feeling of being at the edge of the world. The rest of today is yours to spend further discovering the scenic delights of the peninsula at your own pace. To the east of the village of Borgarnes stretch sweeping plains home to the waterfalls of Barnafoss and Hraunfossar; on the Grabrok side, you can visit a 550ft-tall crater overlooking a dramatic lava field; and on a beautifully clear day, you can summit the Langjökull and Snæfellsjökull glaciers, or visit the nearby Hredavatn Lake.

Swap the wild west coast of Iceland for the picturesque southern shores as you travel three hours to Skógar, a tiny village surrounded by beautiful moss-green countryside. Break up the journey along the way with a stop at Vik, a beautiful sea-fronted village overlooked by the Mýrdalsjökull glacier and the Katla volcano. On arrival in Skógar, settle in for three nights in a cosy farmhouse-hotel perched at the foot of the Eyjafjallajökull Volcano and spend the rest of today discovering your new Icelandic hideaway. Nestled between glaciers and the ocean, this region displays a symphony of natural wonders, including the cliffs of the ancient underwater volcano of Dyrholaey and some of the island’s most beautiful waterfalls, like Kvernufoss, Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss. If you still have some fuel left in the tank after a busy day on the road, we recommend enjoying a gentle hike up the side of the Skógafoss waterfall along a path revealing small secondary falls and, in the background, glaciers and black sand beaches.

Spend two further days based in the enchanting village of Skógar. During your time here, you’ll have the opportunity to visit the otherworldly Katla glacial cave, which, located on the dormant slopes of the volcano of the same name, is only accessible by ‘super jeep’. Once you’re suited and booted with crampons and other necessary equipment, you’ll be led by a seasoned guide through the ice corridor of Myrdalsjökull, which displays a majestic show of bright blue and white patterns. Round off this adventure with a stroll along the peaceful black sand beaches of the south coast. The rest of your time in Skógar is yours to spend discovering the region at your own pace. Our team can also arrange for you to embark on a private journey to the breathtaking, multicoloured massifs of Landmannalaugar.

Your journey across Iceland continues today as you head to the charming capital of Reykjavik via the Golden Circle, a 190-mile route of the nation’s three most popular natural attractions. There’s the sweeping Thingvellir National Park, which houses the oldest parliament building in the world (the Althing, founded in the year 930 AD), as well as Lake Thingvallavatn, the largest natural lake in Iceland. The Strokkur geyser, the nation’s most visited geyser, is another major attraction here. Prepare yourself for the dramatic fountain of water that bounds 65ft into the sky every five to eight minutes. The last of the big three attractions here is the Gullfoss waterfall, the nation’s most famous and beautiful waterfall. Continue on to Reykjavik and to your next hotel: a stylish Nordic-style apartment in the heart of the capital, where you’ll be hanging up your hat for the next two nights. After a busy day of sightseeing, take this evening to relax, rejuvenate and recharge your batteries, ready for your final full day in Iceland tomorrow.

Spend your final full day in Iceland soaking in the cultural delights of colourful Reykjavik, a compact, walkable city that charms visitors instantly with its trendy, laid-back atmosphere. The local population have cultivated a vibrant arts scene, which sees the city through its long winter days and nights. Live music venues, independent cinemas, concept stores, ceramic workshops and classic Scandi cafes, bars and restaurants reveal themselves at every turn. Wellness is another integral part of Icelandic culture, which you’ll get to experience for yourself as you settle in for a seven-step ritual in the breathtaking Sky Lagoon, a geothermal spa perched at the tip of the Kópavogur Peninsula. Get ready for a few hours of total full-body rejuvenation, with steam baths, scrubs, saunas and ice plunges. The rest of your time in Reykjavik is yours to play with. Besides simply getting lost in the network of charming overlapping neighbourhoods, popular things to do in the capital include climbing to the top of Hallgrimskirkja church, which towers over the city centre; cycle or scooter through the cluster of colourful wooden houses that line the streets of the old town and lively downtown district; visit the Arbaejarsafn Open Air Museum, a beautifully-curated space that shows what the Icelandic capital looked like at the beginning of the 20th century; feast on a lunch of cooked shark fin and fermented mashed potatoes flavoured with caraway seeds; and stroll around the Marshall House, a former herring factory opened in 1948 that has been skilfully converted into an exhibition space for artist collectives.