*This is a guest post written by my friend Hilary Podgers. Hilary is a female solo traveler who is currently backpacking through Europe! You can follow her adventures on postgradnomad.com. Thank you for the post Hilary!
With budget airlines beginning to dot their way along the eastern coast of North America, travel to Western Europe has become increasingly popular and affordable! One particular destination that may have been overlooked previously, maybe due to its somewhat isolated location to mainland europe, is the beautiful island of Iceland. Now don’t let the name fool you, Iceland is country of many landscapes. Hot springs pocket the island, lush fields cover the coastline, up to the cascading cliffs covered in waterfalls which were pushed up over millions of years, looking over the shore. Iceland is also an extremely volcanically active area, which has created huge portions of lava fields. As much as the land is actually green or rocky, the name does in fact come into context, for Iceland has several glaciers and ice fields. Along with this, you may come across iceberg-filled bays along the coast.
Iceland is beautiful and mystical, and you cannot visit without renting a car to explore the ever-changing landscape, but be sure you decide what you want to see first. Two-wheel drive vehicles are prohibited in certain areas, mostly to save your butt because insurance will not cover damages from lava fields, and many roads (if you can even call them that) are nothing but a somewhat smoother surface than the rest of your surroundings. If you opt for a four-wheel drive, know that it will be more expensive, but then take advantage of it by exploring more of the off-road terrain. Of course, be sure to explore the natural beauty and ever-changing landscape, but do not forget that Iceland also offers superb dining and nightlife, most of which you can find in the capital of Reykjavik. Reykjavik is pretty small for a capital city, with a population of about 120,000, but is still as captivating and culturally exciting as any other capital in Europe. From cozy cafes to hopping clubs and bars, you will have plenty to do while in the city. As far as my personal experience in Iceland, I freaking LOVED it. I tried to couchsurf while there, as Iceland is very (very) expensive once you arrive, but to much avail it just didn’t work out. I ended up staying at Hlemmur Square, which is a great mix of hostel, hotel, restaurant and bar. There was no shortage for meeting people as there were a lot of foreigners, but it was also a place for locals to come in for a drink. We were also graced with some live music one night, which was awesome by the way, there is something in those Viking genes, because Icelanders are AMAZING musicians. I ended up renting a car with a girl I met in the hostel and we drove along the south coast for two nights, visiting waterfalls, glaciers, and lava fields. It is quite common to see the northern lights during the time we were visiting (October), but unfortunately cloud cover is also very common at that time of year, so we unfortunately missed out. Do not worry though, I know several other people who saw them during that time. While in Reykjavik I definitely took advantage of the nightlife. Our hostel was just off the main road, take a 10 minute walk down Laugavegur to find all of the hottest spots, including dance clubs and English pubs.
As a backpacker I do not tend to eat out much in order to save money, but some other girls and I decided on one night out. We opted for a tapas restaurant, which had a whole menu of classic Icelandic fare, with whale, octupus, and puffin. I did not realize it was puffin at first, but I have to admit it was damn good. If you go to Iceland, try puffin! Iceland is a beautiful country, with great food, majestic landscapes, and beautiful people (no really, they’re descended from Vikings, so they’re all tall and blue-eyed and swoon-worthy). Take the time now to visit while it is still affordable and not a complete tourist trap, check out WOW Air for cheap and comfortable flights, and enjoy the enchanting country of Iceland!
Runaway Blond 