Beyond my wildest dreams in Reykjavik, Iceland

It turns out we know a lot of people who have been to Iceland. Who knew? We've received more tips about what to see and do in Iceland than any other spot we've visited so far. Before I go adding my own two cents to the mix, I thought I might take a moment to pass on some of the advice given to us by friends who've made the trip before us.

Getting to Iceland

Did you know you can stopover in Iceland for up to 7 days for FREE when you fly Icelandair to Europe (meaning, there are no additional airfare fees involved)? It gets even better - flying with Icelandair is relatively inexpensive. In fact, when we were looking to purchase tickets to England from Halifax, Icelandair offered the cheapest prices around. Thanks for the tip, Beth!

Activities

Our friend Diane was kind enough to put us in touch with a number of local contacts - so many that it actually felt like we'd connected with a significant percentage of the population. One helpful Icelander who shared insights on what's currently hip and happening in Reykjavik was Sibbi. Below is a re-print of his advice on things to do in and around the city:

For a day trip outside of Reykjavik, you can try the famous Blue Lagoon, a natural geothermal spa rich in silica and sulphur. The mineral rich water has been known to help people with several ailments, but most people go there just for the fun of it.

Reykjavik itself has several geothermal swimming pools, where the water is naturally hot (i.e. not heated).  Most note-worthy is the Laugardalslaug.  An outdoor Olympic size swimming pool with several spas and steam rooms.  A great place to unwind for a small admission. You can also get a massage.

Another great day trip is the so called Golden Circle which takes in the hot springs at Geysir, the awesome waterfall Gullfoss and the Thingvellir National Park.

If you want to get a snapshot of the country, this would be the one trip to take.

Geysir is the Icelandic version of Old Faithful and actually the hot spring that all the other ones are named after. It erupts rarely these days, but there are other springs that shoot up around there every few minutes.

Gullfoss is an fantastic specimen of awesome power of the water that cascades from the glaciers and provides the country with practically 100%  of its electric power.  An impressive sight.

Thingvellir is the spectacular meeting point of the Eurasian and American tectonic plates and the seat of the world's oldest parliament (established in 930 AD).

When at Þingvellir, I would not miss Almannagja and Oxararfoss. Almannagja is the fault in the ground where the tectonic plates rub up against each other. Technically it is possible to stand with one foot in America and one in Europe. The view from the ridge of Almannagja over the nearby lake (Thingvallavatn) is stunning.

Take time to stroll along the fault (gja) from the bridge, heading east. Once you're past the waterfall (Oxararfoss), you are past the beaten path and into a very secluded part of the fault. The silence and the peace in there is a beautiful thing to experience, You can walk all the way to where the road cuts through the fault and then walk back to the parking lot along the road. (This takes maybe two hours, but is worth it). Alternatively, you can just walk past the waterfall for about 20 min. and then return the same way).

The south-eastern part of Iceland is spectacular, and the location of the volcanic eruptions in recent years the seemed to bring the world to a stop. The whole drive towards Jokulsarlon (a glacial lagoon with icebergs) is spectacular and not easily forgotten. Stopping at briefly at Skogarfoss and Seljarlandsfoss waterfalls. The former is spectacular, the second is unique in the sense that you can walk behind it. 


You can also take time when you are in the town of Vik to walk the black sand beach. Almost all beaches in Iceland are black sand, but the one at Vik is easily accessible and has a view of the Reynisdrangar rock formation.

If you go to the Snaefellsnes peninsula, Hótel Budir used to have a very good restaurant and probably still has.

A lot of the restaurants you're going to encounter in the countryside are going to be burger joints (individually owned, not chains). The beef in Iceland is good quality, but you might want to opt for fish or the lamb which is much lauded. 


If you're having a burger and fries, or anything with fries, be sure to ask for 'cocktail sauce', which is a stir-up of ketchup, mayo and mustard).

The one activity in Iceland recommended over others is horseback riding. The Icelandic horse is a very gentle, well-tempered animal. They're small compared to other breeds, somewhere between horse and pony in size), but very sturdy. Laxnes a horse rental close to Reykjavik offers guided tours.

The National Museum in Reykjavik (Thjóðminjasafnid) has an excellent permanent exhibition on founding of the country and its history of it through the ages.

Maria, another one of Diane's friends, invited us to meet for a drink at a super hip bar near the harbour called Slippbarinn and gave us the skinny on where to shop in Reykjavik. Maria recommended Kirsuberjatred for Icelandic design and handicraft, or checking out the art and design shops along Skolavordurstigur. She also pointed us in the direction of the city's main shopping street, Laugavegur, which was great for people watching.

And on the day we spent city sightseeing - our chosen stops included Perlan, Hallgrimskirkja, and the old harbour - Baasje's school friend Hofi suggested two additional must-do activities that were missing from our itinerary, taking the elevator to the top of Hallgrimskirkja and stopping for a hotdog complete with "the works" from Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur.

The best of the rest

Finally, our good friend Ruth sent us these words of wisdom that cover two areas of key importance, proper clothing and finding a good read:

…Bookshops are super good too, so you can always buy more reading material, if you run out! Finally, we learned that layering is key. Weather was very unpredictable -- we were there this time last year, and had every type of weather you can imagine!

Takk fyrir (that's how you say, 'thank you' in Iceland)

Thanks one more time to all of you who've sent us tips and advice not just about Iceland but about other places we've visited and are planning to visit. You guys rock our world!

If you have any additional tips, keep 'em coming. We'll be in this amazing country for 2 more days!