Only in Iceland

1st day, Malpensa, Keflavik

The Icelandair flight departed slightly late but arrived on time at 7:15 pm. We quickly collect our luggage and immediately find the Hasso Car Rental representative, who hands over the car. The exchange office at the airport is strangely closed; they tell us it will open in the evening around 10:00 pm... we'll see about that.

Our first destination is only a couple of km away, the Motel Alex (€ 91), where we settle into a practical wooden chalet of modest size but equipped with a kitchenette, with a tiny bathroom with shower and sink that is barely usable.

The air is sharp, the sky blue and tinged with white clouds on the horizon, the surrounding landscape barren. You immediately feel immersed in the Icelandic atmosphere!

At 10:00 pm it is still very light; I go back to the airport and find the exchange office open... I couldn't believe it! A decent exchange rate (1 krona = € 0.0057; last year it was 0.012!!!)

2nd day, Reykjanes Peninsula and Hengill

After a quick, small breakfast at the motel, we set off to visit the Reykjanes Peninsula, a place usually little visited and off the main tourist circuits, which I strongly recommend visiting instead because it offers truly very suggestive places.

First stop Garoskagi, a promontory with two lighthouses, one old and one modern, a privileged spot for bird-watching. Nothing exceptional.

We continue towards the most beautiful places on the peninsula, with a road that crosses lava landscapes, with green hues here and there and the blue of the sea on the horizon. We meet no one on the road; we stop at the Bridge Between the Two Continents, where a canyon separates the American plate from the European one. The next stop is the unmissable geothermal area of Gunnuhver: we leave the car and walk along a path through the meadow surrounded by an imposing lighthouse, where scattered fumaroles emerge.

You stroll alongside boiling mud pools, extremely high temperatures, a strong smell of sulphur; it feels like being on another planet. Beside it is a very blue lake rich in silica, a copy of the Blue Lagoon, but with cold water; the place is so deserted that it is even more fascinating.

Given the beautiful day, we decide to stop by the Blue Lagoon to take a few photographs with the blue sky, even though we will come back here on the last day to bathe. One part of the lagoon is left in its natural state, with rocks tinged white emerging from the blue water that looks as white as milk, surrounded by black lava rocks and with gulls resting on the rocks. A truly extraordinary and unique place in the world. We then enter the bathing facility to go up to the terrace, where you can admire the whole lagoon, the developed one, where impressive steam rises from the water, bringing the water temperature to about 40 degrees.

We continue along the peninsula on an unpaved road, with imposing mountains on one side and the blue sea on the other, a truly spectacular road that leads to the Seltun hot springs. Here the steam comes out of the ground at about 200 degrees, mixes with sulphur, and tints the mountains in every colour, from blue to yellow, from red to the green of the pastures, where the famous Icelandic horses graze freely. A wooden walkway allows you to visit the area comfortably, to pass close to the fumaroles, and to admire beautiful views of the area.

We continue along the unpaved road 42, which continually offers magical views among sea, mountains, and green pastures, and we reach the town of Hveragerði, where we continue to the car park where the mountain path that traverses the Hengill geological area begins.

The path climbs through a very green valley with numerous fumaroles and multicoloured walls, where a clear stream flows, forming some waterfalls and which, as you go up, becomes increasingly hot until it reaches temperatures above 40 degrees, where it is possible to bathe. The place is truly idyllic; it feels like being high in the mountains, yet on the horizon we glimpse the sea; the green of the valley is blinding, and some Icelandic families are placidly immersed in the stream, whose temperature contrasts strongly with the brisk air, forming steam. The walk lasts about 3 hours, including the outward and return journey and a well-deserved break.

We end the intense and beautiful day in Selfoss, where we have booked two nights at the Fosstún Apartments (€ 80 with breakfast), and we find a spacious, super well-equipped modern apartment with breakfast already prepared in containers in the fridge.

While my wife prepares dinner, I and Davide go to the municipal swimming pool (admission 2 euros), with an indoor pool, an outdoor one, a lagoon with a water slide, and several outdoor hot tubs. In Iceland every little town has its own pool, with geothermal water constantly at 35-40 degrees, with no need for chlorine because the water is naturally recycled within 24 hours. It really is a strange feeling to be soaking in an outdoor pool while the outside temperature does not exceed 15 degrees: little Davide doesn't even stop going down the water slides, mixing like a daredevil among the Icelandic children, who are more used to these temperature swings.

3rd day, Golden Circle

The whole day is dedicated to visiting the famous Golden Circle, which we decide to do in reverse compared to the itinerary usually followed by tour operators, so as to meet fewer people. The road crosses the green Icelandic countryside, among grazing horses and sheep; we glimpse the first glaciers. After a quick stop at the Kerið crater, where a spectral lake has formed, we arrive at Geyser, with high expectations. It is a truly extraordinary place that absolutely cannot disappoint! Here is the most regular geyser in the world, Strokkur, which explodes, erupting at intervals of 5-6 minutes, creating a unique spectacle. One could spend an entire day admiring it. The water is an unreal blue and turns azure when, shortly before the eruption, a gigantic bubble forms.

The water bursts out violently, creating a stupendous effect, then is quickly sucked back, as if the geyser were suddenly emptying. Around Strokkur there are other dormant geysers, with water of indescribable clarity.

A short distance away we reach Iceland's most famous waterfall, Gullfoss, truly majestic and imposing. A path follows the lower edge, climbs to a natural rocky platform, and finally winds up towards the upper viewpoint, where you admire the force of the river and the water plunging into a deep canyon. The majestic Langjökull glacier forms the backdrop. Breathtaking.

From Gullfoss we take the unpaved road 365, which passes through Laugarvatn, surrounded by volcanic mountains of breathtaking colours and a spectacular view over the valley and the magical lake of Þingvellir National Park, the site of the ancient Icelandic open-air parliament and an important geological area. It is here, in fact, that you can admire the Atlantic Ridge, an imposing fissure that separates the North American continent from the European one. The environment is truly idyllic, with little waterfalls pouring into the clear stream and a 360-degree view among countryside and mountains. A splendid day, with a blue sky and temperatures close to 20 degrees.

We return to Selfoss, where even tonight we do not pass up dipping into the warm municipal pool.

4th day, Seljalandsfoss, Skogafoss, Vatnajokull

Today is a long day of transfer to the foot of the Vatnajökull glacier, where we have booked two nights at the Smyrlabjorg farm. The south coast offers remarkable attractions, which we decide to visit on different days, since on the way back we will travel the same road.

Today the sky has turned grey and threatens rain; the splendid days and mild temperatures of the first 3 days will not return. But Iceland is magical even when the thermometer stops at 11 degrees, the sky is grey, and the wind blows at 90 km/h...

We visit two of Iceland's most famous and spectacular waterfalls: the first is Seljalandsfoss, with its candid, unmistakable appearance; it plunges from a considerable height down a very green wall, with a path that lets you get behind the waterfall, after a guaranteed shower. The second is even more majestic, Skógafoss, where the water roars and plunges from 60 metres. A path that winds up the mountain allows you to reach the top. Nearby there is also the Skógar open-air museum, a reconstruction of a past Icelandic village, with the typical turf-roofed dwellings, the little church, the school.

Continuing on, we penetrate an increasingly spectacular landscape, that of the glaciers contrasting with the fire of the volcanoes. Along the way you cross the green plains of the south, the desolate Sandur, the volcanic rocks covered with green moss, and the bulk of the Hekla volcano, the most famous in Iceland thanks to its spectacular eruptions that occur about every 10 years. The next one is expected in 2010... be careful before thinking about Iceland for next year!

Along the road we find everything: a pale sun making its way through the clouds, a wind and rain storm that makes even the car swerve, while alongside we sometimes see a cyclist who struggles even to push the bike.

We leave the main road for a detour that leads to the spectacular Fjaðraárgljúfur canyon, where a short walk offers a breathtaking view of the deep fissure, with a stream flowing at the bottom. Finally we reach the Smyrlabjorg farm (€ 120 for the triple with breakfast), which looks more like a 3-star hotel, with well-kept rooms and a large dining room where we have dinner with a quality buffet.

5th day, Vatnajokull and Jokulsarlon

Unfortunately the day does not look promising; the mountains are covered in clouds and it is drizzling, but at least the wind has stopped. We have to reach the top of the Vatnajökull glacier, where we have booked a snowmobile tour. At 9:30 am the superjeeps of Jöklajeppar arrive punctually; they climb the spectacular, near-vertical F985, which in about twenty minutes reaches the refuge on the glacier. Here we put on winter suits, helmets, and gloves and reach our snowmobiles. Visibility is truly terrible, and unfortunately we cannot enjoy the marvellous, rare view over the glacier. Here a single cloud is enough to block the panorama, let alone on a day like this.

The snowmobile ride is a real blast, a unique experience; we race across the glacier for about an hour: the guide tells us to keep a distance of about 10 metres between one snowmobile and the next; often the one in front disappears into the fog, and you find practically a wall of clouds ahead of you... unsettling! The route is semi-tracked, but we are still on a glacier and not on a track, with dips and bumps that make you bounce and toss you from side to side with the feeling of overturning at any moment. The temperature must be close to zero, and every now and then a light sleet falls.

We return to the valley, and on the way back the clouds lift a little, allowing us to admire the vertiginous road we travelled on the way there.

We continue along the road that offers a unique landscape: glaciers on one side and the sea on the other, until we encounter the most extraordinary place in Iceland: the glacial lagoon of Jökulsárlón; no description and no photo can do justice to the sight that presents itself before it: an impressive number of blue icebergs floating on the waters where seals swim, with unique and magical reflections. The backdrop is enclosed by an imposing glacier that meets the lagoon: with some amphibious vehicles, we begin navigating the lagoon, skimming these masses of ice where you can let your imagination run wild finding the strangest shapes: one in particular looks astonishingly like an elephant.

On board we are given a taste of ice that is more than 1000 years old; by contrast, the lagoon is recent, having formed about 70 years ago due to melting ice. The icebergs wander in the lagoon for up to 5 years before finding an outlet into the sea. We return to the farm rather chilled, for our well-deserved rest.

6th day, Skaftafell N.P.

We devote the entire day to visiting the magnificent Skaftafell National Park. We have an appointment with Glacier Guides, who provide us with an ice axe and crampons, and we set off towards a glacier tongue that descends all the way down to the valley. The sun peeks out from time to time and visibility is decent. After the necessary explanations, we begin walking on the ice, passing alongside fearsome crevasses, little waterfalls plunging into tunnels formed by the glacier, and admiring vertiginous walls where ice pyramids jut out, with impressive tongues whose thickness exceeds 10 metres.

We head back towards the Visitor Center and walk the trail of about 30 minutes that leads to the black waterfall Svartifoss, the least imposing we've seen so far, but unique for the presence of hexagonal-shaped basalt columns of volcanic origin. To end this unforgettable day, we take a path that ventures onto another impressive glacier tongue stretching into a green valley, where a rainbow suddenly appears, making the place even more evocative.

We reach the town of Kirkjubaejarklaustur, where we stay overnight at the first real hotel of the trip, the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur (triple room, accommodation only € 105, breakfast extra about 6 euros).

7th day, Vik and Blue Lagoon

Driving along the road back towards Keflavik, we stop in the town of Vik, where we take the two detours that branch off from Route 1 towards the sea. Vik's black beach is a truly fascinating place: there are two imposing sea stacks, a basalt wall with a gigantic cave, and a few specimens of puffins, the symbol of Iceland. The wind is very strong; it feels like being at the edge of the world. The second detour, more crowded than the previous one, leads to the Dyrholey cliffs, where you admire a magnificent view over the black beach and where numerous puffins nest.

The day is rather grey and cold, ideal for relaxing for a few hours in the warm waters of the Blue Lagoon. The contrast between the outside temperature and that of the water creates a truly peculiar effect, as does the attire of the barmaid serving ice-cold beers to bathers in swimsuits in the lagoon.

A truly extraordinary place, the emblem of this country, immersed in a nature without equal, contrasting, fascinating and in many ways primordial.