From gorgeous sights, photogenic locations, year-long mild weather perfect for snuggles, the northern lights and the midnight sun to gorgeous buildings, various vintage architectural wonders, and beautiful rich wildlife, one can find numerous things that make Iceland the perfect honeymooning location. It is no secret that couples like to have some “us-time” in a location that has a calming vibe, some exciting activities to get into, a few fine dining places, and some fantastic places to stay in for romantic hot cocoa under the dazzling northern lights. Iceland is one of the most popular honeymoon destinations of all times in the world and it has several things to offer to justify the tag as well. If you are choosing Iceland to be your honeymoon heaven then one thing is for sure – you are going to have a honeymoon that will become one of the major highlights of your happy married life.
Why Iceland?
It is no secret that there are hundreds of places one can choose from when it comes to honeymooning or general vacations. But Iceland stands at the top of all these choices and options that you may have in mind simply because there is nothing that you cannot get here. Iceland is the perfect combination of every vacation element which means that it won’t be a problem even if and your partner has different kinds of places and the environment mind, you will get every single thing in one place. Mountains, extraordinary beaches, hot springs, glaciers, volcanoes, highlands, plains, national parks, and other geological formation you can think of, you will find all of them here in Iceland – packed like a box of treasure. This is one of the many benefits of being a country with heavily contrasting landscapes.
While a beautiful place to spend time with your love is one part of being on a honeymoon, the other includes going out and experiencing new things. Iceland is no short of those either. Some people come to visit Iceland to gaze into the endless beauty of the northern lights while others come for the extremely exciting activities that Iceland offers. From glacier hiking to diving, snorkeling, snowmobiling, and ice caving to soaking in hot springs, walking behind cascading waterfalls, and riding the one and unique Icelandic horses, there are ample amount of adventure activities you can include in your schedule for the day to make the best out of your honeymoon trip. In all seriousness, an Iceland honeymoon will be a perfect combination of adventure, relaxation, romance, and tranquillity – an ideal example of quality time with your partner.
Honeymooning in Iceland 101 – What to Do, Where to Go?
Normal vacation is one thing but if you are coming to Iceland for your honeymoon then there is something that you would be expecting before and above everything else which is – something romantic. A romantic restaurant, a romantic hot spring, a romantic stay, and whatnot. But honeymoon or not, every trip should have all the elements of fun and excitement in it to ensure that your trip is all the way gorgeous to the top of the biggest glacier of Europe. So, let’s dive and explore all the romantic and adventurous activities and places that await you:
Places to Visit
The Golden Circle
One of the most visited routes, the Golden Circle holds 3 of the most popular tourist destinations in Iceland – Gullfoss Waterfall, Geysir Geothermal Area, and Þingvellir National park. Consider it a tourist rule to visit the golden circle when you are visiting Iceland. Starting with the National Park, this particular tour is a well-blended mix of thrill, awe, and romance. The best way for you and your partner to experience the golden circle is on a self-driving tour, but you can also find a great variety of guided tours that will take you to the Golden Circle. You can find everything from bus tours to luxury private tours in Super Jeeps. If you choose to go self driving, you can rent different kinds of cars so that travelers can drive themselves around the country, sightseeing and enjoying the roads. For the Golden Circle route, pick a simple 2×2 vehicle and get on with the trip. The Golden Circle tour may take your whole day if you decide to add on some activities on the trip which will fall right on your route like snorkeling in Silfra Fissure. It is located in the Þingvellir National Park, the first stop on your route.
The Blue Lagoon
What is more romantic than a steamy hot soak in the milky azure waters of the Blue Lagoon with your partner either under the northern lights or as the midnight sun shines upon you. No matter the season, a retreat at the Blue Lagoon will always be as romantic as it gets. The Blue Lagoon is one of the top 25 tourism sites all over the world which makes it one of the top places to visit on your honeymoon trip to Iceland. The lagoon is surrounded by black lava from the volcanic fields of the Reykjanes Peninsula, and this hot spring and spa is the ultimate place to relax, spend some romantic time with your partner and have a few hours of luxury delivered right to your steps. The Blue Lagoon Hot Spring and Spa is located in the Blue Lagoon Retreat, the hotel, which has its restaurant, sauna, and many other fabulous things that you can enjoy. Consider spending a few hours here if you are staying in the capital city.
Reykjavik
Speaking of Capital city, there is no way that you should miss out on exploring Reykjavik if you are a fan of the cute romantic movies in which the protagonists take a stroll in beautiful streets laden with snow. The streets of Reykjavik could be those streets you fantasized to take a walk of romance with your partner. The cherry on the cake here is that the capital city of Reykjavik is loaded by various landmarks, restaurants, little bakeries, cafes, wineries, museums, clubs, pubs, bars, and fine dining places to cater to anything that you may have on your mind. Along with all this, you will find various public swimming pools, friendly locals in the streets who are always ready to welcome the tourists, and some beautiful historical sites on the outskirts of the town to plan a full-day expedition of the biggest settlement of Iceland.
Since most flights land on the Keflavík International Airport, located 50 minutes drive from the city, it could be a fantastic idea to start your honeymoon with exploring the city first and getting a taste of the world-famous nightlife of Reykjavik. From scrumptious food to booze, dance, music, and banter, you will find everything that you need to give you honeymoon a blazing start.
The Highlands
For the power couples with a hunger for the thrill, there is nothing better than visiting the highlands. Highlands are known for their challenging landscape even in a country like Iceland which is practically made of nothing but extremely beautiful yet very difficult to conquer geological formations. The weather is riskier and more prone to change in the Highlands than it is in the rest of the country. Note that Iceland is known as a place that will have you experience every single season in 10 minutes straight.
The highlands of Iceland are said to have formed during the ice age mostly but they are a mass of land which is constantly forging new lands and pushing the old one aside towards east and west. This is the least populated area of Europe and most of it is still undiscovered. Considered visiting Þórsmörk or Thorsmork (the land of Thor), Volcano Helka, Landmannalaugar geothermal area, Kerlingarfjöll mountain range, and the hot spring valley of Hveradalir. Many people choose to take on the Laugavegur hike that starts at Landmannalaugar and ends at Thorsmork. Laugavegur hike is one of the most popular hikes in Iceland and for due reasons. If you are someone who would do a few adventure activities on your honeymoon trip then a visit to the highlands of Iceland should be a must on your list.
Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
Also known as the crown jewel of Iceland, Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon is another ideally romantic site to explore with your partner. It is easy to find the glacier lagoon and the views over the glacier and the lagoon are magnificent. If you would like to explore the icebergs up close, you can book a boat tour. We recommend the glacier kayaking tour where you can float across the lagoon and get close to the glacier and ice bergs. Breiðamerkurjökull glacial tongue of the Vatnajökull glacier forms the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon. Icebergs from the glacier fall into the lagoon and float in the calm waters endlessly before flowing away in the Atlantic Ocean. This is another beautiful place for a romantic getaway on your trip.
The Diamonds Beach
This beach is exactly what it sounds like – littered with diamonds. Well, not real diamonds but nothing short of the real ones either. The Diamond Beach of Iceland is located on the south coast of the country near the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon. Some couples who choose Iceland for their wedding ceremony have it at the Diamond Beach because of the extremely calm landscape of the place and its exceptional picturesque quality.
The reason this black sand beach is called the diamond beach is the gorgeous glimmering sculptures of ice that are littered all across the beach. These ice sculptures are formed when icebergs from the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon washes into the Atlantic Ocean and get polished into transparent sculptures of ice by the crashing waves. These sculptures then wash on to the shore which gives the beach its name. The sight here is unimaginable and no words can do justice to the actual beauty of the Diamond Beach which means that this is one of many perfect locations to take your gorgeous awe-inspiring honeymoon pictures.
Seljalandsfoss Waterfall
All waterfalls are romantic in one way or another, true but, consider Seljalandsfoss to be the most romantic one yet to have discovered in the country. What makes this particular waterfall so special is the hidden cave behind the cascading waters. You can simply walk behind the waterfall and enter this cave. How magnificent would that be, right? It is every bit unique and amazing as it sounds. The Seljalandsfoss waterfall is one of the top places people go to catch the midnight sun because the beauty of the landscape when seen as a whole precedes its reputation in every way possible.
Activities That You Can Not Miss
Glacier Hiking
For the lovers of adventure, glacier hiking is one of the top activities that you should take part in. Iceland houses some of the biggest glaciers in Europe which means that there is no shortage of places for you to hike. What makes hiking in Iceland more adventurous and thrilling than any other place in the world is the challenging landscape and the potential hidden danger of the volcanoes. Almost every glacier range in Iceland hides several volcanoes underneath their thick sheet of ice. These volcanoes, however, have been dormant for a long time now but just that fact that you are walking on top of a volcano is more thrilling than other things. Top picks to go glacier hiking in Iceland is Skaftafell Nature Reserve, Sólheimajökull glacier, Snæfellsjökull glacier, and the Vatnajökull glacier.
Horse Riding
Icelandic horses are one of a kind and you will never find another one of these beautiful creatures anywhere else in the world. Majestic, intelligent, and extremely friendly, these horses are popular for not only their unique appearance and characteristics but also for their unique 5 gait walk. Icelandic horses are the only breed of horses in the world that can do Tolt – a gait so smooth that you can ride the horse with a glass full of water and won’t spill even a drop. Horse riding is one of the must-have experiences or activities that you need to do as a rule when visiting Iceland and consider this, how romantic would it be to ride a magnificent horse in the beautiful green pastures of the country with your better half, right?
Camping
The perfect way to spend some alone time with your partner whilst enjoying the beauty of nature, camping is another top activity in Iceland. If you are someone who is looking for a rugged but romantic time in the lap of nature then consider camping in one of the many beautiful camping sites in the country. Many tourist that come to Iceland spend some time camping under the stars, meeting new people, sharing stories, and making memories. And this is also the local way of traveling around Iceland. Depending on what kind of time you are looking for, you can choose to share your camping ground with some other tourists or choose a secluded area to be with yourself and your love. Also, camping is the ideal way to catch the midnight sun in Iceland and the view that you finally get is worth every minute you spend out in the open.
Read a detailed article about Camping in Iceland.
Snorkeling and Diving
You should choose to go for a personalized snorkeling and diving tour of the Silfra fissure when visiting Iceland on your honeymoon. While you will be accompanied by a Dive Master, you will still be alone, underwater with no one but your partner, experiencing the jaw-dropping corals and marine life of the fissure. Silfra dive is also known as the dive between continents as the fissure is located between the Eurasian and the North American tectonic plates. Imagine sitting back, looking at pictures of your honeymoon, and telling your friends and family, “oh this is us diving between the two continents”. There are not many things that can beat this for sure. Several other sites in Iceland are perfect for an exclusive, one of a kind diving experience, for example, Strýtan the geothermal chimney underwater, Bjarnagjá with bot hot and cold-water dive, etc.
Ice Caving
Visiting ice caves is a season exclusive activity since most ice caves form only in the winter season. There are several caves that you can visit from September through March. It is recommended to add the black ice caves of Katla volcano (open all year), crystal ice caves of Vatnajökull glacier, and the unusually patterned caves of the Langjokull glacier. All of these ice caves are completely different from each other. Not only that, since every ice cave breaks down and reforms every season, but you will also get to see a brand-new cave if you happen to visit the same cave more than once. The tour agencies and their experts search for the locations of these caves beforehand and the surrounded areas to determine if it is safe to travel. So, the right way to visit the caves is by booking a tour with a tour company, to enjoy the beautiful blue ice caves to the fullest.
Don’t Forget the Northern Lights
Coming to Iceland in winters on your honeymoon and not going on a northern light viewing tour should not be acceptable. Aurora viewing could be the most romantic activity you can get to do on your honeymoon, not to mention the epic pictures you will get to take. Going on guided tours is the best way to catch the lights in their full strength since the northern lights experts know exactly where to look for them each night.
Best Places to Stay
Some people prefer a nice luxurious hotel to stay on their honeymoon while others prefer, small cottages or hotels located in a deserted area. Depending on what kind of accommodation you are looking for, there are several options available for you to choose from. For the ones looking for luxury accommodations, choose from Deplar Farm, The Blue Lagoon Retreat, Iceland Luxury Lodges, or the Black Beach Suites. While for the ones who would like a nice, warm accommodation somewhere remote, Hotel Búðir is a good choice.
Dining in Some of the Finest
It is quite probable that you would stay in the capital city when you visit Iceland. If you are not staying in the city, you will be visiting it since no trip to Iceland is complete without a tour of Reykjavik. Consider visiting some of the top restaurants in the city when you are at it. The options include the Grill Market, Dill – The Michelin Star Restaurant, Fish Company Restaurant, and the Gallery Restaurant.
