Alright guys.. I’m literally geeking out over this Iceland trip. I’ll be honest. As I told you before in my previous blog, I initially planned this trip because of its popular demand, and not from some burgeoning inner desire to visit Iceland before I die, but holy junk! The more I’ve come to learn about Iceland the more I kick myself for not having this at the top of my bucket list. Here’s a deeper look at Day 2 of this ridiculous tour. You can check out the full itinerary here in the meantime.

Just like every tour on magical day 2, we will hit the ground running. We will leave straight from the airport and head out on a Reykjavik city tour. Starting with the old town center. Imagine if Norway, Sweden, Bavaria and Amsterdam’s architecture had a baby. Pretty quaint right? That’s Reykjavik’s old town center. Colorful buildings in unique Icelandic style, back-to-back lining both sides of the street. There are street performers, cold weather shops, Viking paraphernalia, and infamous Icelandic sweaters. I don’t know about you, but I plan to take a few of those puppies home with me.

From there we will check out the Parliament house in Reykjavik aka Althingi, one of the oldest parliamentary institutions in the world, dating back as far as 930 ad. My favorite fact about the parliament house is that it was founded by a group called the thingmenn. Best name ever am I right? It also has a super Icelandic façade made out of hewn Icelandic Stone. It’s a pretty rugged and intimidating building if you ask me.

We will also check out the Reykjavik harbor, a vibrant and colorful scenic spot showcasing beautiful views of the snow-capped peak of Mount Esja. For those that are going on the optional whale-watching tour on day 3, you will actually leave from here. Besides the beautiful view, there is a killer Viking maritime museum nearby, cycling tours and puffin tours available from right in the heart of the old harbor.

From there we will check out the Hofdi house, which is not only stunningly beautiful, it is actually the spot where President Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbatsjov officially ended the Cold War—so I’d say it has some pretty rich historical significance as well. The house overlooks the water and is a breathtaking man-made structure.

This next one has me SO excited. I’ve long wanted to visit the Hallgrimskirkja Church. It is the very symbol of Iceland. Because of it’s massive height, the steeple of the church can be seen from almost anywhere in Reykjavik, making it synonymous with the city itself. It was actually designed to mirror the basalt columns native to Iceland, making it not only functional and beautiful, but it mimics the very landscape of Iceland.

We will also be checking out the Northern Lights Center on this day. This place is amazing. It has a digital display of the Northern Lights, along with folktales and stories surrounding the Aurora Borealis, the history of the northern lights and a photography section. Word has it that the Northern Lights can be elusive, but thanks to this awesome museum, there’s no way we will leave disappointed.

Another building I’m stoked to visit is the Harpa Concert Hall. I’ve seen many a travel photo taken from this bad boy and I can’t wait to snap my own. This building is relatively new, opening it’s doors in 2011. It’s a fully functional concert hall and conference center and has won numerous architectural awards and was voted best performance venue by Travel + Leisure.

After the city tour we will check into our hotel for the evening. Let me tell you too, the hotels are ridiculously fancy. I can’t wait to experience the luxury and comfort that Iceland has to offer. For dinner, I suggest being a little adventurous and trying some Icelandic specialties, like fermented shark. Okay, this may or may not be a tourist trap of epic proportions, but it doesn’t stop me from wanting to try it none-the-less. There is also a signature drink called Brennivin, aka “The Black Death” that is said to have a licoricey aftertaste and burn as it goes down. True Vikings could handle it, and it is a must try for those with an adventurous spirit and a taste for all things authentically Iceland.

After dinner I suggest taking a short snooze because later that night we will go out on our Northern Lights tour. The Aurora Borealis is one of the most spectacular natural phenomena in the entire world. I planned this entire trip around prime Northern Lights viewing times, which is smack dab in the middle of October. We will actually embark on a chase this evening—attempting the best view from various vantage points. Weather in Iceland can be tricky, so if we miss prime viewing tonight, rest assured, we will head out later on other evenings in the tour as well. It’s said that the Aurora Borealis can be viewed in the night sky from the hotel too, so we very well may have multiple nights of Northern Lights viewing. Seeing the Northern Lights in person is high at the top of my bucket list. I can’t wait to feast my eyes upon this natural wonder.

After this we will retire to the hotel for some much earned rest and relaxation before hitting the streets again tomorrow. Be on the lookout for our Day 3 summary soon. Again, you can check out this killer itinerary here and enroll straight from this link. Make sure you enroll before Dec. 24th to look in the early enrollment discount before it expires.

Iceland here we come!

An in-depth photo journal of Day 2 on our Iceland tour