A trip to Iceland like no other

I just got back on July 8, 2025, from a very fun, extremely interesting, and a life-enhancing 20-day three country trip to the Scandinavian countries of Iceland (4 days), Sweden (4 days) and Finland (10 days, where I was visiting special Finnish friends of mine who I have known since we attended the University of Toledo together back in 1993 / 1994) and since I will be writing about this extensive trip in a series of three parts, I will focus on my visit to Iceland in this first travelogue. So let's get started shall we? Iceland, a Nordic island country of only 400,000 people, is defined by its dramatic landscapes with volcanoes (many of them still active), geysers, geo-thermal hot springs, lava fields and gorgeous glaciers. It is a dreamy country right out of Lord of the Rings, a country (#49 for me) that had been on my radar screen and on my bucket list for years. It is a country that you must be prepared for mentally and physically because it is and can be rather cold (even in summer), often rainy and windy depending on where you travel to and what time of the year you visit. And do I dare mention that it is very expensive country to visit, everything from lodging, to food, transportation, to those coveted souvenirs that all or most tourists just have to buy while there. After a comfortable 6-hour overnight flight that originated in Detroit, I arrived in the charming capital city of Reykjavik (250,000), which is more like a small, big town than a big capital city. It was a cold 50 degrees on the morning of June 20th when I arrived at my charming city center hotel via shuttle bus and was I ever glad that I was wearing the new water repellent and insulated raincoat that I purchased just for this trip. That first day, despite my jet lag, I just took my map with me and walked all over this fun and colorful city. That first evening, I had to wear an eye mask to get to sleep because it literally never got dark and it never does in the middle of summer in this land of the midnight sun. That second day, I got up very early to take part in a fully escorted 11-hour-long bus tour of the very popular Golden Circle, which takes you to and past some of the country's most spectacular scenery and natural landscapes, including a stop at the gorgeous Gullfoss Falls, one of the country's major tourist attractions. Its cascading waters are right out of a fairy tale. Our next stop was at Geysir, a very sulfur-smelling moonlike looking place packed with continuously bubbling and erupting geysers that rivals Yellowstone on the coolness chart. After a delicious lunch of lamb stew, the national dish, which I thought was even better than beef stew, loved and had three times while in Iceland, we got to visit a horse farm to pet and feed the world-famous Icelandic horses. As an animal lover, this was a real treat for me. Our final stop that day was a spectacular two-hour-long visit to and soak in the world-famous Blue Lagoon, by far Iceland's #1 tourist attraction. The Blue Lagoon is a natural geothermal spa that is known for its milky blue, mineral-rich waters, that millions of people from around the world visit every year and is or should be a must-see and a must-do if you are visiting Iceland. Visiting this place was a dream come true for me honestly. Our tour package included a free beverage of choice at the very cool swim up bar in the lagoon itself, as well as a silica mask that makes your skin feel and look like you are ten years younger. Trust me, I needed that mask (ha!) and slept like a baby when I hit my bed that evening. On my third day, I got up very early once again to take another full day bus tour, but this time to the south coast of Iceland. We visited two more spectacular waterfalls, one of which you actually get to walk behind, even though you get thoroughly soaked doing so. We also visited one of Iceland's magnificent black sand beaches, which was created by and the result of volcanic ash depositing on the country's North Atlantic shores. It was drop-dead gorgeous, but we were warned about getting too close to the water with its crashing waves and dangerous rip currents that have killed many people in the past, locals and visitors alike. On my 4th and final day in Iceland, I took a super fun 90-minute-long puffin watching cruise to an island located just off the coast of Reykjavik that is home to literally tens of thousands of tiny and very cute puffins who come to breed and rest in the numerous nooks, crannies and crevices on the cliffsides of the island, before they depart for Canada and the coast of Maine in mid-August. With binoculars provided by the crew of the boat itself, we were able to see these adorable birds, the national bird of Iceland, very close up and it was truly an unforgettable experience for me. After the cruise, I spent the rest of the day doing serious souvenir shopping not only for me, but for numerous friends and neighbors who were taking care of things for me while I was out of the country. Before dinner that evening, I took a self-guided walking tour of the University of Iceland campus before having my last and final bowl of my favorite lamb stew with rye bread. Delish! The very next morning, I boarded an early flight to my next country and destination of choice, that being Sweden (Stockholm), but I will save that for another day. While I was not happy to say goodbye to Iceland, I was happy that I made the decision to visit this unique, beautiful and interesting country with its very friendly and hospitable people in the first place. And ahhhh, that magnificent Blue Lagoon. Gary Richards is a teacher and traveler who likes to write about his trips. He is a Norwalk resident.