I’ve been to over 90 countries, but there’s only one I want to return to again and again

Although I live in the US, I’m a born traveler at heart. I’ve been to over 90 countries and have no plans to stop exploring.

However, my approach to travel is usually one-and-done. Why see the Colosseum again when I haven’t seen the Great Pyramids or Antarctica?

Yet, there’s one country that keeps pulling me back: Iceland. I’ve already visited three times and definitely plan to return.

I quickly fell in love with the country during my first visit

I’d always wanted to visit Iceland, but I never prioritized it until a close friend convinced me to take the plunge. She planned most of our trip and got me excited about seeing the country’s soaring waterfalls, hot springs, glaciers, and lava fields.

Even better? It turns out that Iceland is less than a five-hour flight from where I live on the East Coast.

As soon as I arrived, I could feel myself falling for the country. Our first stop was Reykjavík, the world’s northernmost capital city.

In the heart of the old town, there’s a huge road painted like a rainbow — a beautiful and unmistakable sign that all are welcome in Iceland. It brought me so much joy.

Alongside shopping and museums showcasing Icelandic art, history, and culture, the city’s personality comes through.

The old town of Iceland is filled with quirky museums, including a Phallic Museum and a punk-rock museum located in an underground, abandoned restroom.

Other uniquely Icelandic attractions, including the Lava Show, complete with real, red-hot lava, and the Perlan Museum, with an indoor ice cave, are also nearby.

I was astounded by how much there was to do in Reykjavík, especially since it’s a fairly small city with a population under 140,000.

My trip just kept getting better as I experienced more of the country

Although I could’ve happily stayed in Reykjavík, I ventured out to see what else Iceland had to offer.

I started by soaking in the warm waters of the Sky Lagoon and indulging in a multistep ritual inspired by traditional Nordic wellness practices. My life is stressful, and I find it hard to relax, but I felt rejuvenated when I left.

I also visited a black beach with soaring basalt columns formed by volcanoes, hiked up a glacier, walked behind a soaring waterfall, and crossed a bridge spanning North American and European tectonic plates.

Throughout the trip, I enjoyed the local cuisine. It’s hard not to love a country obsessed with hot dogs and ice cream, but I also loved the gourmet meals I had in Reykjavík.

A lot of the local pastries were astonishingly good — better than any I had in Paris.

Moreover, the people I encountered in Iceland — considered the world’s most peaceful country — were incredibly nice. They also seemed proud to show off their country.

Once, while standing on the rooftop of a restaurant, someone asked my friend and me if we were tourists. I stiffened and wondered what was coming next. But when we nodded, they just led us to a higher part of the roof, where the views were even more stunning.

Unexpectedly, I felt at home in Iceland. I loved the adventure, the food, and the people. I didn’t want to leave.

I’ve visited Iceland 2 more times since that trip — and I still plan to go back

At first, it seemed unthinkable that I’d ever return to Iceland since there’s still so much of the world I haven’t seen.

Yet, once I was back home in Washington, DC, my soul longed to return. I craved the vast, quiet, open landscapes that starkly contrast with my daily life in a big, busy city.

When a planned family trip unexpectedly fell apart, I decided to take my children to Iceland — even though it’d only been three months since I first visited.

This time, I booked an expedition cruise to the north. We saw puffins and whales, crossed the Arctic Circle, and hiked in mountains and lava fields so beautiful that the views didn’t seem real.

Five months later, I packed my baselayers and returned to Iceland again. I was obsessed with the idea of seeing the northern lights and experiencing the country in winter.

Iceland looked totally different covered in snow, and I got to briefly see the northern lights. During this visit, I experienced Reykjavík’s nightlife, visiting everything from an upscale rooftop bar to Lemmy’s, a heavy-metal bar named after Motorhead’s lead singer.

To me, this was more proof that there’s always something new to discover in Iceland, and I’m already plotting a return trip.

Next time, I want to see a volcanic eruption.

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