Julie Falconer is a London-based travel writer. To read more of her writing, visit her London travel blog and Europe travel website.
Twenty-four hour daylight is a phenomenon most places will never experience. But there are a few parts of the world that spend their summers drenched in sunshine, never letting the darkness fall. One such place is Iceland.
Icelandic summers are famous for their bright days and white nights. When I arrive in the country, the light of dawn is strong at 2 o’clock in the morning. It is amazing to witness firsthand.
But daylight in the middle of the night isn’t the only natural Icelandic phenomenon that inspires awe. No, the country is rife with them. First I visit the famous Gullfoss waterfall, its blue current crashing down two rock ledges with spectacular force. Nearby two giant glaciers dwarf the mighty mountains beneath them like stiff white waves rolling over tiny pebbles.
Then there are the geothermal gems of Iceland. The famous Strukker geyser erupts every 8 or 9 minutes, sending a gush of water 20 meters into the air. All around it are steaming hot springs and boiling, bubbling pools of water.
Above them is a hillside with views out across the green fields to the snowcapped mountains and volcanoes in the distance. The whole area feels like another planet; it is hard to believe I’m only three hours from London.
Speaking of cities, I travel to Reykjavik, one of the smallest capital cities I’ve been to. What it lacks in size, though, it makes up for in charm, cleanliness, and creativity. The brightly colored buildings with their corrugated metal walls are brilliant in the summer sun, and the simplicity of the architecture and design have an elegance all their own.
There is a cool freshness in the air as I walk past buzzing cafes, cutting-edge art galleries, and pristine ponds. Along the harbor sits a tall ship, and in front of it is a shiny new opera house encased in dark blue glass.
Iceland glows in the light of day, and in the light of night it continues to shine. I could explore forever, not held back by the rising and setting of the sun. But in a few months’ time the daylight will fade and endless night will take over. As the sun retreats below the horizon, I retreat home with the hope of returning again when the light comes back next year.
