The Icelandic summer is a magical time of endless light, vivid landscapes, peaceful weather, and calm seas. Reykjanes Peninsula, home of Blue Lagoon Iceland, is perfect for exploration. If you have already been lucky enough to visit the area, then we’re sure you don’t need convincing, but if you haven’t, here are five of our favourite things when it comes to visiting the Reykjanes Peninsula to inspire a visit.
See
Iceland’s southern peninsula is home to moss covered lava fields, craters, dark cliffs, and mud pools. The boundaries between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates, one of the causes of Iceland’s volcanos and lunar landscapes, also lie right under Reykjanes Peninsula.
The Retreat at Blue Lagoon, Iceland’s luxury hotel, has launched a host of brand new series of excursions for summer 2020 to enable guests to experience the best of the Reykjanes Peninsula, including a guided photography tour. Combining a chauffeur-driven luxury sedan, an expert photographer, and a mesmerising landscape, this tour allows guests to explore the stunning landmarks of the Reykjanes Peninsula, while learning the optimal techniques for capturing Iceland’s elusive yet majestic beauty. Highlights include Kleifarvatn, the largest lake on the peninsula, Valahnúkamöl, a ridge created by powerful storms, and Reykjanesviti, Iceland’s oldest lighthouse.
Eat
Head to Bryggjan in Grindavik, a traditional harbourside café, for a taste of Icelandic lobster soup, Plokkfiskur (Icelandic fish stew), Saltfiskur (local salted cod with mashed potatoes) and apple cake.
For an upscale dining option try the Moss Restaurant. With each dish, the culinary journey leads diners through the country’s seas, mountains, rivers, and farms, highlighting the purest seasonal and regional ingredients. These ingredients include scallops hand-caught by a diver from the west; reindeer sourced by a hunter from Eskifjörður in the east and pearl barley from Vallanes, an organic farm and one of the northernmost places on earth where grains are cultivated.
Moss Restaurant also features a 10-seat Chef’s Table made of lava rock that was quarried onsite, and the Wine Cellar, which was built into a cavern of multi-hued, frozen-in-time lava that erupted in 1226. Anchored by Old World wines – with a focus on Bordeaux and Burgundy – the Wine Cellar also houses New World wines from the Americas and Australia.
Shop
Pioneering research enabled a Blue Lagoon skin care line to evolve into a spectrum of products that cleanse, boost, nourish, and heal. Created from the bioactive elements of geothermal seawater; silica, algae, and minerals – Blue Lagoon skin care brings forth radiant, youthful, healthy skin. Today, the products range from bestsellers such as the Algae Mask and the Silica Mask, as well as the Lava scrub. Kim Kardashian West recently cited the Blue Lagoon silica softening bath and body oil as one of her must have skincare products. Visitors to the Reykjanes Peninsula can shop the sought after Blue Lagoon skincare range at the airport, in Reykjavik city centre and at the Blue Lagoon itself.
Do
Visitors flock to the Reykjanes Peninsula to visit the Blue Lagoon and float and relax in the warm geothermal water. Guests can book either the Comfort Blue Lagoon experience, which includes entrance, a Silica mud mask, use of towel and a drink, or the Premium Blue Lagoon experience, which includes the addition of a second mask, slippers, bathrobes and a reservation at Lava restaurant with a complimentary glass of sparkling wine.
For the ultimate luxury, visitors can book the Retreat Spa. This includes four hours of access to both the Retreat private lagoon and the public Blue Lagoon, with a private changing room. The Spa features a steam room built into the lava rock; a cold well; in-water massages; treatment rooms offering bench massages and beauty treatments; a Spa restaurant; and much more. Exclusive to the Retreat is the Blue Lagoon Ritual, a spacious sanctuary of interconnected chambers where guests cover their bodies with the three treasures of geothermal seawater; silica, algae and minerals.
For those looking for adventure, Midnight ATV tours take place during the midnight sun season, where the fleeting boundary between sunset and sunrise becomes a magical moment where the sun dips below the horizon for only a few surreal minutes. Midnight ATV tours take place at the peak of Mt. Hagafell to bear witness to this unforgettable solar display.
A geothermal snorkelling tour is also a must. Snorkel in a caldera among the newly discovered subaquatic hot springs at Kleifarvatn Lake, the third largest lake in southern Iceland and one of the deepest in the country. The lake is located on the fissure zone of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and has no visible water coming in or going out as most of its water comes and leaves underground. With bubbles rising all around, the sensation is like snorkelling in a glass of champagne.
Sleep
Situated on a private inlet of the UNESCO Global Geopark, The Retreat at Blue Lagoon offers guests the opportunity to experience the incredible geothermal waters of the lagoon in true luxury and privacy. The rooms are stunning and all boast views of the beautiful, other-worldly landscape. Each of the 62 suites feature a minimalist aesthetic designed to bring the dramatic terrain of Iceland in-room with floor-to-ceiling windows, as well as human centric lighting set to mimic the phases of the sun.
Arranged on two levels, the suites on the lower level feature private terraces, providing views of the lava and the surrounding lagoon, with some offering guests direct access to the lagoon. The upper level suites offer private balconies overlooking the moss-covered horizon, showcasing the stunning views that change with the weather and the light. The Retreat at Blue Lagoon is offering a ‘Book with Freedom’ package, meaning all individual bookings for 2020 are 100% refundable until 24 hours before arrival. Suites start from £1,029 per night.
Getting there
Fly direct from London to Keflavík International Airport, Iceland.
