There are few places in the world that have felt as magical and as friendly to me as Reykjavík, Iceland. The town glows with Christmas lights as I walk down the colorful streets, and friendly faces are eager to explain to me the nuances of Icelandic culture; as I enjoy lunch in a cafe, for example, a waiter explains to me the tradition of the "Yule Lads", which are thirteen Santa Claus characters that make mischief throughout Iceland around Christmastime. I leave the cafe, and as the (short) winter day turns to night, the Northern Lights rise in the sky and dance for two hours. My boyfriend and I freeze in the cold, northern air, watching them in total awe. The previous night we had hunted them for three hours to no avail, but on the last night of our trip they decided to finally show up. The Northern Lights are, after all, unpredictable, and they don't always show up when (or where) you'd expect them to. There's a good chance that you can go to Reykjavik in Northern Lights season and not see the Lights at all, unfortunately. But, Reykjavík and the Icelandic countryside surrounding the city are enough to make for an amazing adventure on their own! It's important to have more things on your itinerary than seeing the Lights, and as I stare at the dancing lights and reflect on how lucky I am to have seen them, I think about the rest of my trip; the good, the better, and the best. Here are three things I experienced in Iceland that totally blew my mind (besides the Northern Lights):

1. Gullfoss Waterfall/Strokkur Geyser:

If you drive long enough on Route One in Iceland, you can see the entire country in a matter of weeks. It's not a very large island, and every inch of it is absolutely gorgeous. My boyfriend and I only had time to see part of the island, mostly in the Reykjanes area, but two things we did see totally blew our minds. Part of the "Golden Circle" tour (a circular path around the island) of Iceland features an amazing geyser and an even cooler waterfall. Gullfoss, the giant waterfall, and Strokkur, the extremely active geyser, are about an hour and a half away when driving from the city center. We drove our own rental car during our time in Iceland, and we enjoyed many breathtaking views on the way to the geyser and the waterfall. Mountains, horses, and a gorgeous snowfall kept us entertained as we drove to the natural landmarks. Once we arrived at the landmarks (both of them being no more than five minutes apart from one another), a giant blizzard was blowing in and we got to witness the geyser explode and steam into the wintry air, and the waterfall roar along with the blizzard wind. Here are some photos of our little detour; it was WELL worth the drive.

2. Mt. Esja:

Even closer to the city center, Mt. Esja stands above Reykjavík with much prestige. It took about twenty minutes to drive there, and there is a parking lot at the base of the mountain which offers a great view. Esja can be hiked in the summertime, but it was too cold and icy to be hiked during our trip. Regardless, it's totally beautiful and I was amazed at how tall it was. Seriously, pictures don't do it justice.

3. Downtown Reykjavík, and the people who I met there:

Reykjavík is a little rainbow city, full of unapologetically colorful buildings and tons of artsy, vintage, and crafty shops. Reykjavík also hosts a plethora of clubs, bars, coffee shops, and cafes that are perfect for hanging out in the evenings or getting some early morning relaxation in before your day begins. Personally, I enjoyed stopping by Joe + The Juice every morning before starting my day for a hot flat white or café latte. I also really enjoyed eating at Fish and More and Café Loki, which are both within walking distance of the massive art-deco style church, Hallgrímskirkja. Café Loki was particularly wonderful, and my boyfriend and I ate their twice during our trip. Not only did we eat there, we also befriended the staff and the owner! During a storm on our first night in the city we had forgotten where we'd parked our rental car, being unfamiliar with the city and having no way to GPS ourselves back to the car. We decided to head back to Café Loki to get out of the cold and get our bearings before searching for our rental car, and the staff was very immediately concerned for us. A few of them offered us their phone chargers, and one offered us a ride around the city to look for our car after her shift. I couldn't believe how kind everyone was, and before we knew it, the owner of the cafe had come downstairs to meet with us. She was very concerned about our situation, seeing as the staff had told her about it, and she literally drove us in her own car at that very moment around the streets of Reykjavík until we found our vehicle. She was so kind and happy to help us, and she wouldn't take any gas money or any other form of repayment. She even texted the staff to let them know we were okay, and when we came back to eat the next evening, the waitress that had initially offered us a ride shared a great conversation with my boyfriend and I about Norse mythology and the Northern Lights. I'd never experienced kindness like that from strangers until I visited Reykjavík. Here are some photos of the city during my trip (around Christmastime).

Overall, Iceland was one of the most beautiful and entertaining places I've ever visited. I would definitely go back (I'm kind of already planning my next trip) and I would recommend this getaway to anyone who wants to travel abroad.