Complete Maps: Iceland (Reykjavik and Day Trips)

The land of ice and fire (but mostly ice), the place where all Game of Thrones fans flock to and, as of late, the place where seemingly everyone flocks to. The cosmic landscapes will intimidate and inspire you, and the word that will constantly spring to mind will be that of 'the sublime'. 

The map above is a complete one and, in true Icelandic spirit, everything is up to you to explore. All places have been tried, tested or recommended.

If you're the adventurous type, rent a car. Explore it yourself. The Golden Circle is outlined above, and the route should take you through all the wonders you need to see, with a few pit stop places thrown in for good measure.

Reykjavik lends itself to one day of exploring. It is tiny. Go see the church whose name no one can pronounce (if you want to try, Hallgrimskirkja), eat at the Fishmarket (AKA Fiskmarkadurinn) if you want to splash out, and brace yourself for splashing out in general. It's expensive, and there's no escaping it.

Should you wish to venture further, head north of Reykjavik and towards the stunning Snæfellsnes peninsula. Leave an entire day for it, and head off early if you're doing this in the winter. Daylight is precious, and limited. Take snacks. You'll need them.

The Blue Lagoon is extremely touristy (it is, literally, a melting pot of the world population itself). But it is also worth it. You can spend as long as you want there, but book in advance. Half a day should suffice.

The one thing that Iceland will teach you, is that there are some things out there you absolutely can't plan, the primary one being mother nature itself. The Northern Lights, the wild animals... Everything that Iceland has to offer is there for us to appreciate only if external forces conspire for us to do so. For the philosophy fans amongst you, according to Burke, the sublime is something that is literally beyond us - a greatness beyond any kind of possibility or calculation. For more on the differences between the beautiful and the sublime, watch this short video. Or this one.

What you can absolutely do, though, is get in a car, drive, and take it all in.

Quick Tips:

• You literally need no cash in Iceland. Everywhere takes card.
• You only need a day in Reykjavik to see everything. It’s tiny and Laugavenur is the main street in the centre.
• If you decide to drive you can check the road conditions here: http://www.road.is
• And the weather conditions here, including the Aurora Forecast: http://www.vedur.is
• The airport has a shop that a lot of the locals shop from as it’s tax free, maybe it’s worth buying snacks from there.
• A lot of the bars have happy hour during the day so you might be able to get a pint for £5, not £10.
• Their tap water is great! Just use a water bottle and refill it.