Icelandic Winter Chronicles: Part 1 - Snowstorms, Hot Springs, and the Tale of Grýla
Looking back, sticking to our plan to travel to Iceland during the coldest December in 50 years was probably one of the best decisions we've ever made. Despite the arctic blast and crazy weather, our Christmas adventure turned out to be unforgettable. Let me tell you why.
We landed at Reykjavik airport early in the morning, not quite sure what we were getting into. Before we left, we already knew that Iceland was being slammed by blizzards, with tourists stuck in Reykjavik and some unable to even find a hotel. My friend in Iceland had warned me: "It’s like Hotel California—people can check in, but they can’t leave!" In the past week, somehow many incoming flights managed to land in Iceland, but almost all the outgoing flights were canceled. As such thousands of tourists were trapped in Iceland for long than they originally planned, for better or worse. So, we were a little anxious for the whole week, wondering if our flight would take off. Luckily, it did!
The Reykjavik airport was smaller than we expected, but it was rather convenient for family tourists with young kids like us. Surprisingly, the weather wasn't that bad at all, with barely a snowflake in sight. We wasted no time and got on a shuttle bus to pick up our pre-booked Mazda CX-30 SUV at the rental car office near the airport. The rental car staff warned us to stay on the main roads, but assured us that driving would be fine if we were cautious. Sure enough, snowplows were out in force, keeping the roads relatively clear. It just looked like another chilly day up north.
With our luggage loaded, we hit the road and took off down Þjóðvegur 1 (Route 1). Our first hotel was in the southern part of Iceland, so we headed east, with Gamla Laugin (the Secret Lagoon) as our first stop.
I love hot springs, especially in the middle of nowhere. There’s something magical about soaking in a hot pool while surrounded by snow, the cold air keeping your head cool. It’s so relaxing! Gamla Laugin was amazing, especially since there weren’t many people there due to the weather. The kids had a blast splashing around and throwing snow at each other. Hot springs in freezing weather really are like oases in the desert—if only I could visit every weekend!
Then, disaster struck: my phone died. I thought maybe the cold had killed the battery, but later I realized it had a crack and moisture had gotten inside while I was taking photos at the hot spring. Yep, on day one of our trip, we were down to one phone, which meant one camera, one GPS, and one internet connection. Not the best start—but little did we know, things were just getting started!
As we turned onto Skeiða- og Hrunamannavegur (Route 30), the wind picked up, and powdery snow started blowing across the road. Visibility dropped to maybe 50 feet, and we crawled along at a snail’s pace.
Next up was Strokkur Geyser. Normally, it’s a short 20-minute drive, but thanks to the weather, it took us almost an hour. Known for its reliability and frequent eruptions, Strokkur shoots a powerful column of hot water and steam into the air every 5 to 10 minutes, reaching heights of 15 to 20 meters (49 to 66 feet), with occasional eruptions reaching up to 40 meters (131 feet). This predictability makes Strokkur one of the most popular geysers in the world for tourists. Visiting Strokkur Geyser is also free of charge.
The area itself isn’t that big, so we could walk around pretty easily, and watching the geysers shoot up on such a cold day was something special. As the hot water erupted, the steam turned into mist, shimmering in the air like diamonds. We wanted to stay longer, but with the temperature plummeting to nearly -20°C (-4°F), it was just too cold. After an hour, we left the Golden Circle and headed south.
Now, here’s something I didn’t realize before planning this trip: daylight in Iceland in December is very short. The sun doesn’t rise until after 11 AM, and by 3 PM, it’s already setting! By 5 PM, it’s pitch dark, especially out in the wilderness where there are no streetlights. As we continued driving, the snow intensified. What should have been a 90-minute drive turned into almost three hours. We hadn’t seen a snowplow in a while, and about 20 miles from Vik, we ran into a roadblock. The local police told us the snow was too deep and even their monster rescue trucks couldn’t get through, so the road to Vik was closed.
That meant canceling not only our hotel in Vik but all our plans for the next several days on the east side of Iceland. We also needed a hotel for the night, but it was Christmas Eve. After a frantic hour of searching, we found a room at The Garage. They didn’t serve food, and there were no restaurants or shops nearby, but the kind owner gave us whatever they could find in their kitchen—an unexpected but heartwarming gesture.
While settling in, we came across the story of Icelandic Christmas. I had heard bits of it from my Icelandic friend, but this was the first time I really dove into it. Iceland has such fascinating Christmas traditions, filled with folklore and myths that are a bit different from the usual. One of the most famous characters is Grýla, a terrifying giantess who, according to legend, hunts down naughty children and cooks them into a stew. Yes, you read that right—Christmas stew!
Then there are the 13 Yule Lads, Grýla’s mischievous sons. Starting 13 days before Christmas, they visit homes one by one, leaving small gifts in the shoes of well-behaved kids—or a rotten potato if they’ve been naughty. They’re like Iceland’s version of Santa, but a bit more quirky and mischievous.
We couldn’t stop reading, but after such a long and eventful day, we had to call it a night. As we crawled into bed, I couldn’t help but wonder if the witch Grýla was out there somewhere... or if one of her sons was going to leave us a potato by morning!
