EXCLUSIVE Anita Rani reveals Iceland's hidden gems - and why the country blew her mind
When she visited Reykjavik for the first time in 2000, Anita Rani fell in love with Iceland and promised herself she'd be back to explore more of the country.
It may have taken 25 years, but the TV and radio presenter, 47, finally got the chance to return last month.
And now, in an exclusive interview with MailOnline, Anita reveals why she found Iceland just as, if not more, magical the second time around, as she headed off the beaten track on a Discover The World tour.
Rather than starting her trip in Iceland's capital, Anita drove two hours south to stay at Ranga Hotel, located between Hella and Hvolsvöllur, where she also did some stargazing.
'It's the most incredible hotel, in the most picturesque setting, and I had the most amazing meal, with delicious wine,' Anita tells us. 'But also the people who run it are brilliant.
'The owner, Fridrik, is amazing. He joined us for dinner and was the funniest, most brilliant person.
'Icelandic people have a great sense of humour, just very dry, but also so passionate about their country.
'They really love it and really live in tune with their land, and when you visit Iceland, you can understand why.
'It is so wild and so alive. The Earth is literally steaming and speaking to you. So you can understand why people are so proud of it.'
It was flying in a helicopter over the Reykjanes Penninsular that Anita felt this most - as she saw Grindavik, which, two weeks prior, had seen its seventh volcano eruption in the last four years.
'It was still steaming and smoking, and that was really magical,' she says. 'It was incredible to see the steaming lava where it erupted from, fly over in a volcano, and then actually do a drive down to the town which had been evacuated.
'But they are so well kitted, they just know what to do. They are so on top of it, like these massive bulldozers are ready to move the lava where it needs to be.
'I was so impressed. It just felt very, very cool.'
Another highlight for Anita was the Katla Ice Cave tour she did in a 'massive monster truck with tyres up to my head' - even getting the chance to see an arctic fox up close.
She continues: 'That was unbelievable, because that was when I got a real sense of the landscape.
'We drove along the road for I don't know how many hours, through lots of hills, and just really picture perfect scenery.
Anita says: 'The ice caves [pictured] are amazing because they're only there for a short period of time, because then they dissolve and they disappear, so you're witnessing something that is never going to be the same again, because it's always changing'
'And then we took a right and just drove across this glacier for ages, to these ice caves, and the sun was perfect.
'And then when we got to the ice caves, it started snowing, and this arctic fox appeared.
'I've never seen one before and it was just so gorgeous and so cute, just a fluffy white fox, and it was really curious.
'They must be used to people coming, because he sat around with us for ages.
'The ice caves are also amazing because they're only there for a short period of time, because then they dissolve and they disappear, so you're witnessing something that is never going to be the same again, because it's always changing.'
Anita did also do some of the more popular tourist experiences - including snorkelling between two tectonic plates at Silfra, eating and drinking in Reykjavik, and relaxing in the hot springs at Blue Lagoon and Sky Lagoon.
But Anita says neither Blue Lagoon or Sky Lagoon compare to Iceland's newest hot springs, Hvammsvik - which she says is the 'most amazing place'.
She says: 'A chap who used to own an airline bought this area and converted these properties into these lovely cottages, so you can stay there.
'There aren't that many, but it's on the edge of this peninsula, and the sea comes in, and you've got these hot springs right there.
'It was the most amazing thing. I loved it so much. It was unbelievable.
'And the Icelandic people are so classy. They have bars at the hot springs, so you can drink champagne while in the hot water.
'I was in heaven.'
Anita is already planning to head back to Iceland, and is thinking about booking all the accommodation at Hvammsvik for her and her friends to celebrate her 50th birthday - if not before.
She says: 'I cannot rave about Iceland enough. To me, it was the perfect holiday.
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