Just another sunset in summertime Iceland. Try to imagine how beautiful nature will always make for a better romantic setting than crowded cities or fancy sun kissed Caribbean beaches. PIC Deivis
C hances are Iceland is not on your radar when planning some romantic getaway with your loved one. After all how can cold and windy island in the middle of nowhere compete with the gardens of Paris, the piazzas of Venice or lovemaking in the warm sands at sunset in the Seychelles?
Then again, you have never spent a clear summer night in a mountain cabin in the highlands of Iceland. Where you two are all alone for miles with only the greatest nature on earth to keep you company.
Neither have you experienced warming each other by hugging sitting comfortably before a magnificent moving glacier.
And most likely you have never thought about the romantic aspect of lying naked together under the stars in one of Iceland´s hundreds of warm natural springs.
It all depends on what you define as romantic. But romance is but a time dedicated wholly to just one person. Which begs the question why people seek out popular tourist destinations or overcrowded squares or the fanciest hotels to really show the love.
Team Total Iceland contends a romantic trip to odd places in Iceland will give you loads more romantic moments than you will ever find in old cities or sun kissed beaches. For how will you find extreme closeness to one person among thousands? Common sense should suggest you find it most easily when the two of you seem to have the whole wide word to yourselves. Sparsely populated Iceland could be just the thing.
Below we suggest four spots we think ideal for blossoming romance. Each member of team Total Iceland has suggested one place and while we all differ we believe you might ignite that long lost love or spark new love in these surroundings. Be aware we skip all places that could easily tick the romantic box but where you´ll have to share with hundreds or thousands at any given moment.
- HORNSTRANDIR >> This is the largest uninhabited area in whole of Iceland and you have a large peninsula to choose the perfect spot. True, there are tour groups going to and fro over summertime but nothing to break the silence and in any case it is easy to move away from the trekking trails. You will need a tent and your own supplies and one can only get here realistically by boat. It does take some effort but that´s part of the charm and for your troubles you will most definitely feel special around here.
- HERDUBREID >> The mountain is called the Queen of Icelandic mountains and you´ll know why when you get here. Standing quite alone it is very visible from the Ring Road between Myvatn and Egilsstadir in the Northeast of the country. The landscape here is mostly void of vegetation and downright depressing for some but that changes as soon as you come upon Herdubreidarlindir Springs. This is a weird but beautiful oasis of flora and fauna next to a slow flowing river. Old lava is the icing on this cake. Admittedly there is a small camping place here and even basic services on offer but the area is quite vast and it is easy to camp away from everyone else. The road to this place can be treacherous and is only passable in high summer.
- ARNARFJORDUR >> Overall the best place to avoid any crowds at all is the Westfjords part of Iceland. Not only are tourists rather a rare sight but so are locals themselves as the whole peninsula is very sparsely populated. Take the village of Bildudalur as an example. Population 171 at latest count. But it is not the village we´re recommending. Find Bildudalur en then you keep on driving through the village onward. You see, apart from the village and a couple of farms the whole fjord is pretty much empty and endless nice spots to pitch a tent and make hay. You´d probably be amazed at the sights here too. We were.
- HVALFJORDUR >> The fjord itself is quite busy and indeed very popular with locals themselves and a number of folks own summer cottages around here. But there is one single spot where nothing is found apart from an old rundown farmhouse and natura so majestic it will blow you away. That place is the innermost area of Hvalfjord called Botnsdalur. It is en route if one is trekking into the Botnsa canyon itself the home of the highest waterfall in Iceland. Thus, there are folks around but this does not really change the atmosphere. Anyway, by nightfall most folks are gone again and the place yours for some time. Awesome sights and the whole area as green as green nature can get in Iceland.
