What must the first Vikings have thought of Iceland? They found Geysir (the original geyser) hurtling boiling water 200 feet into the sky. Great streams of lava...glaciers...fjords teeming with whales...a solitude that must have made the fjords of home feel crowded by comparison. We love traveling to Iceland because it’s still a land of chaotic, supremely beautiful nature. Whether you’re marveling at an endless colony of cartoonish puffins or watching the clouds turn shades of sherbet at sunset, you’ll experience this place with remarkable intensity. And today’s Icelanders are a colorful, cordial lot as you’ll discover at every stop, and when you’re invited into a family meal in the remote village of Bogarnes. Travel to Iceland on Classic Journeys' cultural walking tour and you’ll dig into a lobster feast, soak in a geothermal spa and stay in luxury hotels that capture the island’s unique vibe.

DAYS 1-3 - REYKJAVIK / HELLA​
Our Iceland tours begin in Reykjavik, the world’s northernmost capital, where we meet for a privately guided walk and lunch in a private home. A short coastal drive takes us to our luxury resort, bounded on one side by a salmon river and on the other by a volcano. Dinner is at a legendary lobster restaurant in a fishing village.

A day in the wilderness includes beautiful walks in the highlands near Mount Hekla. Trails lead through lava fields surrounded by pink, blue, yellow and purple mountains. Ferrying to the Westman Islands, we visit the 700,000 pairs of Atlantic Puffins that breed there. And we’ll explore the “Pompeii of the North,” a town covered by a volcanic eruption four decades ago. Back on the main island, we’ll stop at the world’s first known geyser...see the tectonic rift valley in Þingvellir National Park...and learn about the world’s first parliament, founded here in the year 930. 

DAYS 4-6 - SNAEFELLSNES / REYKJAVIK​
Out on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, our countryside hotel overlooks a glacier-capped volcano. Our meals here are in several of Iceland’s most renowned gourmet restaurants. And our daily expeditions include whale watching, fine coastal walks, and the chance to meet a shark fisherman. 

On the final day of our Iceland tours, we visit the remote village of Bogarnes where local police chief and his family invite us into their home for a traditional lunch overlooking the sea. We part company back at the Reykjavik airport.