“Those aren’t the Northern Lights, they’re traffic lights!"

So my two year old son helpfully pointed out to our fellow Aurora Borealis seekers, as the driver-guide jokingly fretted he could be out of a job. He also merrily declares “I didn’t like the Geysers” whenever he is asked about our recent trip to Iceland. Happily, he loved the waterfalls, swimming in thermal pools, seeing wild dolphins and flying on a plane, proving Iceland really is perfect for a family looking for adventure without a long haul flight. My son was free on every excursion we did and car seats (a legal requirement) were provided free of charge on every tour and transfer. We chose to go in the winter as we hoped to see the Northern Lights, however the summer months mean longer days, milder weather and the option to self drive and explore more of the island (not something that is really recommended in the winter). We had a 3 night stay in Reykjavik which was perfect for a city break with a difference. As mentioned in previous blogs, one of my biggest tips when travelling with young kids is to give extra consideration (and perhaps more of the budget) to your accommodation than you might previously have, as there is a good chance you will be spending more time in it! We stayed in a lovely apartment in the centre of the city with huge windows looking out towards Hallgrímskirkja church. Having the option to self-cater when we wished to helped keep costs down (Iceland is notoriously expensive) and after a busy day sightseeing an evening in the apartment looking out over the sparkling lights of the city was a lovely way to relax. Our first afternoon and the following day were spent exploring Reykjavik on foot. It is an easy city to navigate and surrounded by the ocean and beautiful mountain ranges. The architecture of Iceland is mainly low rise with many buildings clad in corrugated metal and brightly painted. For incredible views of the city and the mountain ranges beyond, a trip to the observation deck at the top of Hallgrímskirkja church is a must. We really enjoyed exploring the beautiful glass-honeycomb building that is the Harpa Concert Hall and a walk along the sea front to The Sun Voyager sculpture is definitely worth doing too. For a bit of a break from the elements we visited the ‘Whales of Iceland’ exhibition in the heart of Reykjavik's old harbour area. With 23 life sized models of whales found in Iceland's waters it is worth a visit, with or without kids. The third day was spent on a Golden Circle tour which took us to several of Iceland’s iconic sites: Thingvellir National Park, the spectacular 2 tiered Gullfoss waterfall, and Strokkur geyser. The fairly lengthy drives (1-2 hours) between them revealed a wild, often bleak landscape where nothing much grows above shrub height; as our guide pointed out, if you ever got lost in a forest in Iceland, all you would need to do is stand up! Thingvellir National Park, home to the world's oldest parliament, lies in a rift valley that marks the crest of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the boundary between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates - you can actually walk between the two which is pretty cool! Thingvellir is also home to the "Bloody Gate", the pathway to the impregnable Eyrie and where Brienne of Tarth and The Hound have their gruelling fight scene in Game of Thrones – so of interest to historians, geologists and fans of the HBO series alike. We ended our day with an additional stop at Ted's absolute favourite place in Iceland: the 'Secret Lagoon' - a natural geothermal pool surrounded by several hot springs and a mini geyser keeping it at a delightful 38-40 degrees centigrade all year round. This wonderful spot was used by the locals for swimming lessons from the early to mid 1900s - I think if I'd learnt to swim here I wouldn't have complained half as much about having to go to lessons as a child! On our final morning before heading home we took to the ocean in the hope of seeing whales. Sadly, they remained elusive, although we did see some Harbour porpoises and several pods of dolphins and with the sun shining it was lovely to be out on the water. An interesting point that was made on our whale watching trip was about the consumption of whale meat in Iceland. There is much in the media about whale hunting in Iceland and why it continues to happen, so it was a surprise to me to discover that despite whale being on the menu in many restaurants across Reykjavik, Icelanders themselves rarely eat it. It seems the people eating the whales are those visiting the country with the thought that they are 'eating like a local'. The hope is that with increased awareness more visitors will opt for a whale watching trip over selecting whale on a menu. One last thing I wasn't expecting - when we turned on the hot tap or shower in our apartment there was a distinctly 'eggy' smell. The warm water comes directly from the ground meaning it contains sulphur - ideal for bathing but not so nice for drinking. Luckily the cold water runs straight from natural springs and is reportedly some of the purest and most refreshing water on the planet. Great for the environment and your wallet so definitely worth taking a reusable water bottle! If you want to find out more or want help planning & booking your own Icelandic adventure please do get in touch: lisa.savage@travelcounsellors.com 0121 314 3870