Our friends at luxury travel agent Go Bespoke share some of the team’s top recommendations for an Icelandic honeymoon in this guest post. It’s just 3 hours and 10 minutes flying time from London to Reykjavík. This land of extremes promises plenty of unforgettable experiences and memories for adventurous honeymooners. And with a Patchwork honeymoon fund, your friends and family can chip in to help make it even more spectacular!
What makes Iceland perfect for honeymooning couples?
Iceland is quite simply like nowhere else on earth. An arctic wilderness dotted with volcanic peaks, geysers, glacial rivers and geothermal lagoons. It is the perfect destination for honeymoon adventure seekers. For those who also like a dose of culture, the thrill of the wild is matched by the vibrancy of the capital city, Reykjavík. The city’s downtown area can be walked in less than a day.
There’s is plenty to discover, including cutting edge galleries, a burgeoning restaurant scene and lively nightlife. Whether Icelandic micro beers or cool cocktails are your thing, you’ll find plenty of choice. Stroll the streets to encounter an enchanting mix of old and new. The small painted houses rubbing shoulders with boutique hotels and stunning contemporary architecture such as Harpa – the city’s concert hall and home to the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and the Icelandic Opera.
What are the best times of year to go on an Icelandic honeymoon?
The summer months from June to August offer plenty of daylight hours for outdoor adventures such as cycling, hiking and whale watching. It is effectively light for the whole 24-hour period, but the sun does set for around three hours per day. Therefore, make sure you’ve packed eye masks if you are visiting in the summer months! Book between October and April to be in with a chance of spotting the iconic Northern Lights. With the weather at its crispest, prepare to witness some breath-taking winter scenery. There are partially frozen waterfalls, dramatic icebergs and ice fields.
What are your top tips for the best places to stay in Iceland?
Kvosin Hotel, Reykjavik
Explore the charm of the city from this fabulous boutique hotel. It’s located in the historic Kirkjuhvoll building in the heart of downtown Reykjavík. Built in 1900 Kvosin Hotel is a former townhouse which has been beautifully renovated with Scandi-style interiors. It makes the perfect base for spending a romantic city break for a couple of nights.
Book the ‘Big Room’ category if you’d prefer a bit more space. It offers an added lounge area and a marble-topped kitchenette perfect for in-room snacking.
Price: From £233 per night
Deplar Farm, Troll Peninsula
It doesn’t get more off-grid than this converted sheep farm in the remote Flijót Valley. There are just 12 luxurious suites to choose from. The farm’s mountainous location in the Troll Peninsula means it is ideal for outdoor honeymoon adventures. Activties range from heli ski-ing, hiking, horse-riding, salmon fishing to sea kayaking – not to mention viewing the Aurora Borealis. You can also spend your stay kicking back in the spa. You can hop from the geothermal-heated indoor/outdoor pool to the Isopod flotation tanks. There’s an outdoor Viking sauna or you canprop up the swim-up bar under the midnight sun.
Deplar Farm is about 5 hours from Reykjavík’s Keflavík Airport, or 150km from Akureyri Airport. You can also arrive by helicopter onto the farm’s own landing strip!
Price: From £2,200 per night (price includes meals, local transfers and two guide-led activities per day).
The Retreat Hotel At Blue Lagoon, Grindavik
This fabulous all-suite property is located in the Reykjanes UNESCO Geopark. It’s about 20 minutes from Keflavík Airport and 50 minutes from the centre of Reykjavík. Stay at The Retreat Hotel and you will gain access to The Blue Lagoon. This is one of Iceland’s most popular attractions. It ranks in the top 25 Wonders of the World by National Geographic and definitely one for the honeymoon bucket list. The mineral-rich waters there are the perfect temperature for bathing in, measuring 39 degrees all-year round. You will experience the exhilarating ritual that uses the lagoon’s silica, algae and minerals to rejuvenate even the most exhausted honeymooners!
The Retreat Hotel also has its own subterranean Retreat Spa and private Lagoon which you can exclusively access during your stay.
Price: From £1,100 per night in a Lagoon View Junior Suite. Including breakfast, unlimited use of the Retreat Spa, Retreat Lagoon and the Blue Lagoon, morning yoga, and a 7-course dinner for two at the Michelin-rated Moss Restaurant.
And your top tips for unforgettable Icelandic honeymoon experiences?
- Soar over the Icelandic Highlands by private helicopter
- Take a private boat excursion among the icebergs of the Jokulsarlon glacial lagoon
- Book a private Snowmobile tour on the spectacular Langjökull glacier followed by a picnic lunch
- Visit the waterfalls of Gullfoss and Skógafoss
- Explore the vast black sandy beaches of the south coast on a private Super Jeep tour
- Walk alongside the North American tectonic plate and Eurasian plate at UNESCO heritage site, Thingvellir National Park
- Experience the spouting hot spring at Geysir.
Wow, well we’re certainly adding Iceland to our hot (or maybe not so hot) list! If you’re feeling inspired to plan an Icelandic honeymoon, use Patchwork. You can invite family and friends to treat you to experiences that will make your trip even more special.
Whether it’s £5 for a coffee, £70 towards a whale watching trip, or £150 for some sub-zero scuba diving, your friends and family will love to know they are treating you to the things you really want.
For more information about planning a honeymoon in Iceland, contact Go Bespoke on 020 8935 5779 or email the team at info@gobespoketravel.com quoting ‘Patchwork’.