Iceland – Reykjavík & the Northern Lights

Northern Lights, Reykjavík

Discover Europe’s most surprising capital, explore the ‘Land of Fire and Ice’ and search for a celestial phenomenon.

Strokkur Geyser Gullfoss Falls

Available Feb, Mar & Nov to Dec 2022, Feb, Mar 2023 Fly direct from these airports. Prices from

• Gatwick £689 • Heathrow £745 • Luton £675 • Manchester £749 Personalise your holiday

• Blue Lagoon (half day) – from £135 • Golden Circle Tour (full day) – from £129 • Southern Shore Adventure (full day) – £139 Room for Sole Use from £180

Please note: Due to extremely high demand, and in order to avoid disappointment, we strongly recommended that you pre-book your optional excursions in advance. The Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon and therefore we can not guarantee that you will be able to view them during your visit. The order of the itinerary may change in order to give you the best chance of experiencing them.

Reykjavík

Reykjavík

Thingvellir Iceland

Keflavik Airport Blue Gullfoss Lagoon Waterfall Strokkur Geyser

• A guided tour of the fascinating city of Reykjavík, Europe’s most northerly capital and one of its most welcoming • Experience the lunar-like landscapes of

Iceland, strewn with geysers, thermal pools, waterfalls and volcanoes • Go in search of the celestial occurrence of Aurora Borealis – the fabled

Northern Lights • Join an optional excursion, taking in volcanoes and puffins • Four nights’ carefully chosen bed and breakfast accommodation at the Hotel

Cabin, Reykjavik (Hotel Klettur available for a supplement) • Return flights to Reykjavík (Keflavik), with coach travel and transfers throughout • Fully escorted by a friendly, experienced tour manager

Enjoy a break with a difference, as you fly to the ‘Land of Fire and Ice’ to explore one of Europe’s most surprising and welcoming cities, together with its surrounding glaciated landscape of smouldering volcanoes, plunging waterfalls, bubbling thermal pools and spouting geysers. With the chance perhaps to witness the extraordinary Aurora Borealis, a sight that has captivated and bewildered generations, this is a simply irresistible few days away.

Icelandic Horses

Your Hotel Choices

Day One – Fly to Keflavik Upon arrival meet your tour manager and make the short transfer into the capital, where the rest of the day is at leisure. The fascinating city of Reykjavík, or ‘Smoky Bay’ sits on a promontory jutting into the crystal clear waters of Faxafloi Bay, and is framed by majestic Mount Ejsa. The city’s brightly painted wooden buildings stand in sharp contrast to the stunning beauty of its setting, surrounded by water, distant ice and lava fields dotted with geysers and thermal springs. With a host of restaurants, bars, cafés and shops, Reykjavík justifies its claim to be amongst Europe’s most ‘happening’ cities, despite its remote location. This evening, try any of the countless eateries in the compact centre, which range from the usual ‘fast food’ outlets to a host of restaurants serving traditional Icelandic and international cuisine. Seafood is hugely popular, and don’t miss the Icelandic lamb – said to be the best in the world. With wine notoriously expensive, beer is a refreshingly cheaper option, with the recent opening of several craft breweries adding local choice alongside the international brands. Day Two – Included Reykjavik tour and optional visit to the Blue Lagoon This morning’s included guided tour will be the ideal way to get acquainted with Reykjavík and its surroundings. Amongst the highlights will be the extraordinary ‘Pearl’, a collection of disused water tanks now crowned with a glass dome and converted into a conference centre and meeting place, and from the viewing platform of which you can look out over the city and the harbour beyond. You’ll take in the Presidential Residence in its idyllic shore-side setting at Bessastaöir, and the brightly coloured fishing town of Hafnarfjord, as well as the Houses of Parliament, the Lutheran Cathedral, the University Quarter and the towering Hallgrim’s Church, Iceland’s tallest – and most memorable – building. This afternoon gives you the chance to explore Reykjavík under your own steam, although many will want to join the optional excursion to the world-renowned ‘Blue Lagoon’ outdoor spa, whose mineral-laden waters have long been recognised for their healthgiving properties. Day Three – Optional Golden Circle tour and included evening ‘Search for the Aurora’ Today brings the opportunity to experience ‘Iceland in a Nutshell’, on the hugely popular optional Golden Circle tour. Join our tour manager for an unforgettable day that includes visits to the extraordinary sight of Thingvellir, a great lava arena deep in the Continental Rift valley, where the world’s oldest national parliament, the Althing, was established in 930AD, and to Thingvallavatn, Iceland’s largest freshwater lake. You’ll also take in the active geothermal area site where the ‘original’ Geysir is now all but extinct, but where its near neighbour Strokkur spouts impressively every ten minutes or so. The fascinating tour is completed with a visit to the stunning Gullfoss waterfall, perhaps Iceland’s most beautiful natural wonder. This evening, the highlight of the break will be the included trip out of the city in search of a sighting of the fabled Aurora Borealis, the celestial wonder caused by the interaction of solar particles with the polar atmosphere during the winter months. Truly awe-inspiring, the Northern Lights, should you be lucky enough to view them, are a never-to-be-forgotten sight. Day Four – At leisure, or optional Southern Shore Adventure Today gives you the chance to explore Reykjavík under your own steam, although you may wish to join the Southern Shore Adventure optional excursion. Your journey into wild, rugged Iceland begins by driving over a lava plateau, descending onto the southern coastal lowlands and crossing Ölfusá, Iceland’s great river. Arrive at Eyrarbakki, a coastal village with many old wooden houses, then continue towards the Eyjafjalla and Mýrdalsjökull glaciers in Southern Iceland, to marvel at the Eyjafjallajokull volcano that famously closed down European airspace in 2010. You continue to the impressive Skógafoss waterfall, then on to the ice-wall of Sólheimajökull, before reaching the village of Vík í Mýrdal, Iceland’s southernmost settlement. After a lunch break (payable locally) you reach the volcanic black sandy beach of Reynisfjara that is famous for its bird species, including puffins. Return to Reykjavík to spend your last evening in the Icelandic capital, perhaps dining out or enjoying a taste of the famous nightlife. Day Five – Fly home Transfer back to the airport for the return flight to the UK, at the end of a truly wonderful few days. Hotel Cabin, Reykjavík

HH Bed & Breakfast from £675

Set on the promenade overlooking scenic Faxafloi Bay, and a 25-minute-walk from the city centre, the Cabin is a modern, wellequipped hotel offering comfortable rooms with satellite TV, and public amenities which include a restaurant serving buffet breakfast and a lobby bar.

Hotel Klettur, Reykjavík HHH Bed & Breakfast from £785

The centrally located Hotel Klettur is close to Reykjavík’s main shopping street and is also a pleasant walk to the elegant harbour and famous Hallgrímskirkja Church. The hotel offers a bar and lounge area, breakfast room and reception. The bedrooms have satellite TV, a telephone, mini-fridge and tea/coffeemaking facilities.