If you’re going to go Northern Lights hunting in Iceland, you need to be prepared, I think, as I wind another scarf around my neck. Peering into the artfully distressed mirror at ultra-hip Kex Hostel, in Reykjavik, I can barely see my face beneath my accumulated knits. I’m here in Iceland for just 48 hours, with two of my closest and most adventurous friends, ready to experience the best of what the island has to offer.

If it seems like everyone you know has been to Iceland, it’s probably because everyone you know really has been to Iceland. Less than a decade ago this Nordic island was broke and best known as the home of the 2010 volcano that wreaked havoc on flights worldwide. But out of the ashes of Eyjafjallajokull came a tourism revival. Suddenly this sparsely populated isle is the must-visit spot in Europe. In 2017, two million visitors spent time on its shores.

Halfway between the East Coat of the US and the UK, Iceland is a major stopover point for transatlantic flights. Many of us have seen the dreamy shots of bathers basking at the Blue Lagoon, or hiking-boot-clad Instagrammers admiring the incredible landscapes that form the backdrop to hit HBO show Game of Thrones. Meanwhile Iceland’s hipster capital, Reykjavik, has joined the likes of Paris and Madrid as a must-visit city break destination. The country is also known for its high quality of life, reliance on renewable energy, peaceful stance on world politics and rich cultural scene. What more could a traveller want?

Flying direct from Edinburgh couldn’t be easier, thanks to flights offered by Icelandic budget airline WowAir. There are several bus companies and it’s advisable to pre-book your airport transfer and any other tours you fancy. We stay at Kex Hostel, this former biscuit factory is dripping in hip and we conclude its design walks a modish line between looking deliberately dilapidated and just dilapidated. It's hugely popular, the weekend we’re there Kex is hosting the Annual Icelandic Beer Festival and there’s a prevailing party atmosphere. Noise aside, we sleep well in the cosy bunk beds in our private room and the next morning we’re easily wowed by the hostel’s dreamy harbour-side views over the water.

Up early, we wander the bright-colored streets of Reykjavik, getting a flavour of this unique water-side capital. Shopfronts selling chic homeware and traditional Icelandic knits are adorned with eye-catching street art. Everyone’s friendly – even if the tourists easily outnumber locals. Our first stop is the expressionist modern cathedral of Hallgrimskirkja. Situated on top of a hill, it’s one of the most incredible pieces of architecture I’ve seen, resembling a rocket about to erupt into the Nordic skies. Admiring the striking organ inside, we ascend to the top of the building to observe the dizzying views of the red-roofed city below. Back on the ground, we stop for pancakes at the quirky Cafe Babulu – blessed with bohemian decor and a Star Wars-themed toilet – before continuing our roam about Reykjavik.

Spending 48 hours anywhere is never enough, but this is a compact and walkable city. We have time to swan spot at the picturesque Lake Tjornin, peek inside the magnificent Harpa concert hall and fight the elements at the iconic Sun Voyager sculpture before hopping aboard a bus to the Blue Lagoon.

A 40 minute drive from Reykjavik, this Icelandic landmark attraction is often visited by tourists on their way to and from the airport, which is a good idea if it suits your itinerary. Instead, we enjoy a Saturday afternoon sampling the spa’s delights. The water really is as blue as it looks in the photographs, glistening against the backdrop of the volcanic black lava field. We descend into the rich mineral water, praised for its healing properties and superheated by the nearby geothermal plant Svartsengi. It’s a vast space for soaking and scrubbing and we set out to explore every corner of it, stopping off to collect the free mud masks and sipping blueberry and skyr smoothies. During our two hour stint in the Lagoon we experience balmy sunshine, rain and even a hail storm as the clouds above darken. In our opinion, this only adds to the overall experience.

Back at Kex we shower, eat locally-caught cod in town and get ready for some Northern Lights hunting. There are a plethora of Aurora tour options for every kind of traveller, although it’s worth noting that Iceland is notoriously expensive. You have to accept you’ll easily spend the equivalent of £30-40 on just a normal evening meal and tours are pricey. It’s hard to avoid, but you can dig around for deals and try and budget prior to traveling.

We’ve been treated to BusTravel Iceland’s Premium Northern Lights tour, which means a smaller mini-bus, comfortable seats with phone chargers and an enthusiastic tour guide. A former lawyer, he’s used to chasing the Lights. “Sometimes they’re good, sometimes they’re weak,” he tells me. “There’s a big difference between reality and forecast.” My friends and I have been lucky enough to catch brief sights of the Aurora on the Hebrides, so we know something of the unpredictability – and the marvels – of this natural phenomenon. Of course for Icelanders, it’s an everyday affair. Our tour guide explains he’ll often spot them when he’s diving around the island and not even stop; still “we never take them for granted,” he says.

Aside from some brief bright green flecks spotlighting the starry sky and shadowy mountains, we don’t spot anything significant. But – and it’s a cliche for a reason – sometimes the journey’s as good as the destination. The experience of hurtling around under Iceland’s starry skies at midnight, stopping off in isolated spots for donuts and warming cocoa, is pretty memorable.

The following day we’re ready to see more of Iceland’s incredible scenery. BusTravel Iceland is on hand again, whisking us off on its Premium Golden Circle tour. The Golden Circle is the name given for a tourist route that covers the best-known tourist attractions in Iceland, looping from the city centre into the countryside and back again. Another charismatic guide is on hand to tell us Icelandic folktales en route. The first stop is Kerið, a 3000-year-old crater known for its aquamarine waters. Rain whips through our hair as we peer into the turquoise water below and marvel at the stark surroundings. Next stop is a small – by Icelandic standards – and stunning waterfall that neighbors the grander and more well-known Gullfoss waterfall, our next sojourn. This vast, cascading waterfall is a sight to behold and the surrounding snow-capped scenery adds to the feeling of grandeur. BusTravel Iceland has designed the tour to give travellers plenty of time to explore for themselves.The same is true of our visit to Geysir, the most famous of the Icelandic geysers. This natural phenomenon erupts every 3 minutes with sprouts of water, accompanied by audible gasps from the tourists surrounding it. We’re also impressed that Geysir has its own – very covetable – Nordic-chic fashion range for sale in the local gift shop. Only in Iceland, we decide.

Hurtling away in our minibus, our next stop is traditional Icelandic Efstidalur farm, owned by the same family since 1850. They host us for a couple of hours sampling Icelandic yoghurt and creamy homemade ice cream. We meet Isk, one of the youngest members of this sprawling farming family. As we enjoy the tasty dairy, Isk chats about life on the farm and its history:

“Iceland changed really fast in a really short space of time,” he says. “We didn’t get a tractor here until the 1960s. When my uncle was my age he would take a team of ten, eleven, twelve guys to cut the fields with a scythe.”

Isk also gives us an insight into food production in Iceland. Thanks to the geothermal heat, greenhouses can grow organic fruits and vegetables all year round, even if imports are becoming more common. “We still have the largest banana greenhouse in Europe in Iceland, with a total of one plant, just for the sake of it,” he laughs.

Our tour group are a diverse group and a range of ages. BusTravel Iceland seems as well-equipped to cater for an enthusiastic older couple who have difficulty walking as they are us, three twenty-somethings keen to explore alone. This is particularly evident in our final stop, Thingvellir national park, a cultural, historical and geological hotspot, the site of the world’s first parliament. Here we get a taste of Iceland’s vast, unspoilt natural landscapes and marvel at the boundary between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates.

That evening we discuss our adventures over drinks and dinner at the Sky Bar back in the city. The bar’s a bit overly fussy, but the views are great and it’s located close to Kex. We’ve got chance for a couple of hours sleep before we depart the land of ice and snow at 3am. Landing back in the UK that morning, the snow is falling and the country’s blanketed in white. It’s impressive, sure, but it’s got nothing on the marvels of Iceland.

TRAVEL NOTES

Francesca Street was a guest of Kex Hostel Reykjavik. Visit kexhostel.is or call +354 561 6060.

Summer room rates range from 4.800ISK/£33 for a bed in a 16 room dorm to 25.900ISK/£182 for a Double Room PLUS

WOWAir flights from Edinburgh are available from £29.99 one way. Visit WowAir.co.uk for more options.

For more details on BusTravel Iceland tours and the Blue Lagoon, visit bustravel.is and bluelagoon.com