Signature Luxury Travel & Style
UNDER THE MIDNIGHT SUN
Summer reveals Iceland at its most evocative
It’s midnight. Whirring blades slice through puffs of clouds drifting past the windows. Far below, patches of white streak across the black volcanic sand, making the ground look like a herd of prancing zebras. “See that glow up ahead,” our pilot Sandra says above the noise of the helicopter. “That’s where we are heading.”
Bathed in midnight sun, the caldera of Askja suddenly comes into view. Mountains painted with golden rays reflect in the water as darkened clouds swirl around the edges of nature’s amphitheatre. Askja is only one of around 130 volcanoes in Iceland, but it’s considered the most spectacular.
From air to sea, road to horseback, my three weeks exploring the ‘land of fire and ice’ feels more like six.
With virtually 24 hours of daylight, it’s hard to close my eyes on scenes of such intense beauty.
Iceland is full of superlatives: it has the lowest population density in Europe (around 80 per cent of its landmass is uninhabited), with Europe’s biggest glacier (Vatnajöokull) and most powerful waterfall (Dettifoss). Almost all of its electricity comes from renewable sources; the Icelandic horse (don’t call them ponies) is one of the purest breeds on Earth; and the Arctic fox is the only endemic wild mammal (although many other species visit).
Travelling at the height of summer means the darlings of the north are in full flight. It’s estimated around eight million puffins descend on Icelandic shores to breed and raise their pufflings (as if the word puffin wasn’t already cute enough). My pursuit for all things puffin takes me from clambering up cliffs at Drangey Island in the north, to wandering around Bakkagerdi village in the east and tripping south to Heimaey Island. Nowhere disappoints. Puffins en-masse fill my camera lens as well as my heart.
As do waterfalls (there’s around 10,000 throughout the country). And then, of course, there are the thermal hot springs. To Icelanders, soaking in a thermal bath is like Aussies meeting for coffee. Pools, natural springs and baths of all sizes are sprinkled throughout the entire country, but none is as famed as the Blue Lagoon.
Formed by nature, sculptured by humans, the milky, aquamarine mineral-rich water winding through the Svartsengi lava field (moments away from Reykjavik’s international airport), is one of Iceland’s most popular attractions. However, since the opening of The Retreat in 2018, it’s possible to be cocooned from the main lagoon in a private sanctuary.
Icelandic in design, with touches of Italian style, the 62-suite hotel blurs the line between outside and in. Picture windows frame the ethereal landscape, with minimalist furnishings and tones adding depth rather than competing for attention.
Using the healing properties of the water, treatments are personally designed – the holy grail of wellbeing is the Blue Lagoon Ritual, a three-step self scrub involving lava, silica and an algae found nowhere else in the world.
Meals are as inspiring as the surroundings: three restaurants, with three different kitchens, menus and vibes. From lunching in a bathrobe, munching on sushi of locally sourced Arctic char in the Spa Restaurant, to taking a gastronomic tour of Iceland at the chef’s table in Moss restaurant, the food here is an art form.
Hidden treasures
For another exclusive Icelandic experience, I fly north to stay at exclusive Deplar Farm, located on the evocative-sounding Troll Peninsula.
Tucked into the mountains, where shades of green dotted with yellow buttercups stretch in every direction, the turf-roofed, 18th-century wooden farmhouse stands alone, seemingly detached from civilisation. Inside, however, is pure indulgence.
Restored and converted by travel company Eleven Experience – experts in high-end, off-grid locations – Deplar Farm’s 13 rooms bear the name of a character in Norse history and mythology. Sheepskin rugs and handwoven Icelandic woollen blankets drape across chairs and beds, a flick of a switch controls the blackout blinds and lighting, and there are aromatic Aesop amenities in the bathroom, an import from Australian shores.
Having a personal guide available for every guest means that activities here match interests. Hike an easy trail or trek to the top of a mountain; fly fish like an expert or cast a line for the first time; kayak in the sea or paddle a canoe on a lake; experience the unique fifth gait atop an Icelandic horse or simply give one a carrot and a pat. There’s also plenty of pampering to be had in I-sopod floatation tanks, a series of thermal pools (including a swim-up bar), spa sessions, yoga classes and the gym.
Icelandic Chef of the Year in 2018, Gardar Kari Gardarsson and his small team conjure up culinary magic using locally sourced ingredients. Served in the heart of the lodge – a light-filled dining room bookended with floor-to-ceiling windows – meals are relaxed yet elegant.
It’s midnight. My last night in Iceland. Enveloped by the warmth of the main pool at Deplar, I gaze up at the pink sky framing the mountains and try to visualise the same scene in winter.
Travel file
Accommodation bluelagoon.com elevenexperience.com