Having travelled on my own on organized holidays for some years I decided it was time to really go solo. Very daunting but a real success. If you are in a similar position I recommend Iceland.
I travelled in May so not high season, no northern lights or 24 hour daylight but it worked very well. The tourist sites were not overly busy and there was plenty of choice on bookable tours. The weather was chilly but dry with lots of clear skies.
I stayed at the Foss Baron Hotel which is a no frill hotel only 5 minutes walk to the centre of Reykjavik. The tour buses pick up right outside the hotel. My stay was Monday to Friday and I booked separate tours for each day through Get your Guide. For my first night I booked a food tour. As we walked around Reykjavik stopping off at various restaurants our guide gave a running commentary on the history and points of interest. A good way to start my stay with some lovely food and good company. This was followed by trips to the usual sights, geysers, waterfalls, black sand beaches and blue lagoon etc. I also recommend visiting Reykjavik’s public swimming pool, which is a couple of minutes walk from the Foss Baron. There are indoor and outdoor pools and hot tubs, definitely not a touristy place but well worth it and if you’re an oldie like me (over 65) it’s free.
At all times I felt safe, transport all worked as planned, and on the one occasion when I had to amend my plans the hotel staff were very helpful. So as a first, truly on my own, venture it was a great success.
