Page 14 - AAA Every Day – AAA Hudson Valley – March/April 2020

Your tour starts in Reykjavik, the capital city. It is known for its cultural liveliness, modern architecture
and exceptional cuisine. A walking tour will get you acquainted with the city as you visit city hall, the harbor and Hallgrímskirkja church, the largest church in Iceland and one of the tallest structures. In front of the church, placed before the church was built, stands a statue of Icelandic explorer Leif Erikson. The figure was a gift from the United States in 1930 in celebration of the country’s 1,000th anniversary.
Following a dinner of Icelandic cuisine – which could include smoked lamb, seafood (it is an island, after all), fried pastries and berries – you will embark on your quest to see the aurora borealis, the northern lights. The aurora is caused by particles from the sun interacting with the earth’s atmosphere and letting off energy.
Taking on the Golden Circle
After spending the night in Reykjavik, you will awake
to take on the Golden Circle, a 190-mile journey to visit many of Iceland’s famous natural works of art. Thingvellir National Park is where Icelanders first convened in 930 to create the world’s first parliament. Besides its historical aspect, the park has scenic beauty with its rift valley
that marks the peak of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the boundary between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates.
Thingvellir was named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2004. Next on the circle are the geothermal fields of Haukadalur, home to the geysers Geysir and Strokkur. While Geysir has been dormant for years, Strokkur erupts regularly, putting on quite the show. Your final stop along
Location: Hallgrimskirkja church and Reykjavik cityscape in Iceland
the circle will be the Gullfoss, Icelandic for Golden Falls. Along the Hvítá River, it is unique because it is a two-step waterfall with the first step being around 36 feet and the next step is about 69 feet. The most impressive waterfall is the next stop. Seljalandsfoss, along the Seljalands River, drops 197 feet. But the coolest thing about it is there is a cave that visitors can enter and walk behind the waterfall, making it one of the country’s most visited and photographed locations.
The volcano that stopped air travel
Your journey continues to Vik, where you will have dinner, continue your quest for the aurora borealis (or see them again if you were lucky enough to see them the first night) and retire for the evening.
For the next two days, Vik (officially Vík í Mýrdal; not
to be confused with Vik, Norway) will be your home
base. Your first visit from here will be to the Eyjafjallajökull Volcano Visitor Centre, home to an ice-cap covered volcano. When it last erupted in 2010, it caused flooding and evacuations in Iceland and the volcanic ash it spewed into the atmosphere caused airline traffic to come to a halt for more than six days. At the Visitor Centre, you will learn about how a family struggled through this ordeal.
At the Skogar Folk Museum, you will finally get some time indoors as you delve into the history and culture of the Icelandic people. The museum celebrated its 70th anniversary last year and had been curated by its founder until 2013. It houses more than 15,000 artifacts covering fishing, agriculture, natural history and furnishing and crafts. The main feature of the fishing section is an eight- oared fishing boat built in 1855 and used until 1946.
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To find out more about AAA’s Iceland’s Magical Northern Lights tour, contact your AAA Hudson Valley Travel Agent. Call 518-426-1000 or email booktravel@aaahv.com.
Photo: IStockPhoto: Creative-Family