Christmas in Iceland Escapade

Welcome to Iceland! Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel with FlyBus coach.The remainder of the day is at leisure. Reykjavik is decked out in its Christmas lights, and we recommend taking a stroll down the main shopping street to enjoy the festive decorations and atmosphere. Why not try a local city tradition and enjoy ice skating on Ingolfstorg square to holiday tunes? Or browse around the little booths in the square while sipping a mug of hot cocoa or Icelandic mulled wine? Dinner this evening is at your leisure.  Later in the evening, if weather conditions allow, you will join a motorcoach tour in search of the magnificent northern lights. If luck is on your side, you’ll see the glory of the northern lights dancing in the Icelandic sky! During the tour, your guide will tell you about the auroras and will provide some basic information about how to take pictures of northern lights. Overnight in Reykjavik.

After breakfast at the hotel, you will experience the trio of natural wonders along the Golden Circle route in South Iceland, a true winter wonderland. Highlights include the breathtaking Gullfoss waterfall, which is often frozen mid-cascade during winter; the active Geysir geothermal area of hot springs, spouting geysers and bubbling mud pots; and Thingvellir National Park (UNESCO World Heritage Site), Iceland’s greatest historical site. Thingvellir is an important geological site; this is where the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates meet, and you can walk in a canyon that divides the two continents. Overnight in Reykjavik. (B)

Today, you will be picked up for a visit to the famous Blue Lagoon. During your unguided transfer you can enjoy the views of surreal lava terrain and the unique pollution-free Svartsengi power station as you head to the Lagoon. Relax at the Blue Lagoon with the Comfort Experience, which includes towel rental, a Silica mud mask, and a choice of one drink from the Blue Lagoon’s bar. The warm geothermal mineral water will soothe your skin and set you in the perfect holiday frame of mind!Soothed and relaxed, head to Reykjavik on one of the scheduled transfer buses departing the Blue Lagoon. The rest of the afternoon and evening is open for your own activities. The 23rd of December is St. Thorlak’s Day, when stores are open late into the evening and Icelanders enjoy last minute shopping and greeting friends throughout the day and evening. This makes a cheerful backdrop for you, and it is fun to take a walk and enjoy the happy atmosphere and twinkling lights. Overnight in Reykjavik. (B)

Today, you will meet guide dressed in Iceland’s national costume at the Old Harbor area of downtown Reykjavik for the walking tour. This leisurely stroll through the downtown gives you unique insights into Icelandic Christmas traditions as well as the city’s history, architecture, and culture. As you walk through the city centre, with its colorful old buildings decked out in twinkling lights, you will also get to enjoy a taste of Iceland’s culinary secrets at various stops. At the end of the tour, you will receive a little Christmas gift: a lovely souvenir of Iceland and this Christmas moment. The tour ends in Reykjavik around noon. You’ll have some free time to take in the Christmas atmosphere. (Please note that many shops will close for the Christmas holidays in the afternoon.) At 6:00pm, the church bells ring throughout Reykjavik as Icelanders begins Christmas celebrations with their families at home. You’ll also be a part of the celebration: this evening you will head to a local restaurant in downtown Reykjavik for a delicious holiday dinner. You’ll enjoy a 3-course meal based on traditional Icelandic Christmas foods in a festive atmosphere. Overnight again in Reykjavik. (B, D)

Farewell to the Land of Fire and Ice! After breakfast at the hotel, you will be transferred to the Airport with Flybus Coach for your onward flight. (B)