What to do in Reykjavik. Activities in the capital of Iceland

How long?

Most travellers agree that to see the essential parts of Reykjavík it takes just half a day; this is true if you'd rather spend the rest of your holiday enjoying the wild rural areas of Iceland. However, it can easily take two to three days to appreciate fully what the capital has to offer.

Where to sleep?

The city is full of hotels and guesthouses, and with the growing popularity of Iceland as a travel destination, most places are booked out throughout the year. We recommend you book your accommodation well in advance. Check out the popular website airbnb.com if you wish to rent a room or apartment. For more information on the cost of housing in Iceland, see our article here.

Where to eat?

The eating choices are vast, and most restaurants are located in the city centre. Fast food (Icelanders are fond of!), Cafes, gourmet restaurants, Icelandic specialties, French, American, Italian, Mexican, Thai, there is something for everyone and the prices vary! For breakfast, we recommend trying Grái Kötturinn, the buffet at Icelandair Hotel Marina or the Laundromat. For lunch, Café Haiti, Saegreifinn or Bergsson Mathus are delicious choices! For a snack during the day (meaning a piece of cake and a hot drink),

Reykjavík has a bunch of really cool cafes. C for Cookie, Stofan, Babalú are among my favorites. For dinner, Þrir Frakkar, Fiskmarkadurinn or Fiskkompani are excellent choices and are expensive. Sushi Samba, Iceland, and Old Islenski Barinn serve good quality food at reasonable prices. For a drink in the evening, Kaffi Barinn, Hurra, and Dillon are good options -for older and more sophisticated customers, try Café Rosenberg, which is also a live music venue.

What to see?

The famous Hallgrímskirkja church is at the top of the exclusive street Skolavordustigur. Its organ is beautiful, and a must see -you can also walk up to the church tower for a breathtaking view of Reykjavík city. You can continue your walk to Perlan and Oskjuhlid and if you feel wish do a sea dive followed by a hot bath at the geothermal beach Nauthólsvík. Back in the city center, a visit to the beautiful Harpa concert hall is necessary; the building which houses concerts and events is an architectural highlight. In addition to your tour, a visit to Lake Tjörnin is a favorite activity.

What to do?

A stroll through the shopping street Laugavegur will without a doubt keep your day busy. If you want to know more about Reykjavík city and discover the best places to visit according to the locals, you can join a guided tour of the city. The city walks vary in price ranges, and some tours you donate what you wish and can afford. Visit the harbor and the surrounding area, why not join a boat trip to go whale watching?

There are dozens of public swimming pools in Reykjavik - check them out! Vesturbæjarlaug is the darling of Iceland's city center and is walking distance to the famous ice cream shop Ísbuð Vesturbæjar. From there you can go for a pleasant long walk or cycle along the shoreline at the end of Hofsvallagata and journey around the Seltjarnarnes peninsula.

Many museums are available around Reykjavík if you wish to learn more about the history and culture of Iceland. The D'Árbær museum consists of over twenty buildings that form a central square, a village and farm, and aims to show the Icelandic way of life at different time periods. D'Árbær is the only outdoor museum in the capital, but there are dozens more interesting ones to visit.

Iceland24h.blogspot.com
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Free activities in Reykjavík

Let’s say you’re holidaying in Reykjavik, Iceland and treating yourself to luxury trips and items, (while also helping the local economy of course), then suddenly! you discover your travel funds are running low. Now what?… Here’s a list of things to do in Reykjavík that are both fun and interesting without spending a penny!

Ljósmyndasafn Reykjavíkur (Reykjavík museum of photography) is located on the 6th floor of the downtown Reykjavík library and preserves various photo collections from professional and amateur photographers, there are around 5 Million photographs from the period around 1870 to 2002. You can also see the latest photographs from the best Icelandic photographers i.e. Ragnar Axelsson. There are other museums in Reykjavík that are free of charge all year round too, like the Eínar Jónsson Museum (the first sculptor of Iceland) near Hallgrímskirkja, the Museum of Numismatists in Reykjavík 105, or the Pharmacy Museum in Seltjarnarnes.

Kolaportið is a well-known indoor flea market that opens on weekends from 11-17 and is great fun to check out. You can taste samples of famous Icelandic delicacies like shark and dried fish and walk the aisles filled with clothes, books, crafts and locals chatting about interesting topics.

The Nordic House (Norræna Husið) was designed by the Finnish architect Alvar Aalto and is open since 1968, offering each month a selection of exhibitions and cultural events i.e. music, conferences, photographs, film, theatre and a program for children and adults.

The geothermal beach Nauthólsvík is not to be missed during your visit to Reykjavík. Winter or summer, after a dip in the sea, you can relax in a large tub of hot water and enjoy the view ...

The Reykjavík Botanical Gardens (Grasagarður Reykjavíkur) is a delightful place to hang out in the summertime. It has over 5,000 species of plants and flowers to discover in a relaxed charming environment. In winter time, the gardens turn into a winter wonderland of Christmas lights and decorations glittering against the snow.

You can also enjoy the many walking tours that are offered daily by different guides in central Reykjavík. There’s also a tour to Perlan, the City Hall, the Harpa concert hall, the University of Iceland and its library. Throughout the year, there are free festivals and events throughout the city i.e. the Winter Lights Festival in February and the Culture Night Festival in August when all museums have no entrance fee.

Joanne, Iceland24h.blogspot.com
February 2016

Camper Rental in Iceland - Motorhome, caravan, campervan Rental Iceland

If you’re planning to tour Iceland by car, then Icelandic camper van rentals provide the cheapest and best way to explore the vast island. It is increasingly popular to travel trough the Icelandic nature in the comfort of a camper van or a luxurious caravan. It gives tourists the opportunity to experience Iceland freely without involving too much planning.

Even though Iceland has a small population, the island itself is three times bigger than Scotland. Motorhome travel in Iceland is the ideal way to get around, because along the way there are so many well hidden natural gems that just demand a stop off.

Here you can find the youngest and the oldest camper rentals in Iceland and campers of all sizes and prices. Whether you need a ordinary family camper, caravan or a RV you can find it on this page. Below you'll find a list of the top camper rentals in Iceland.

CAMPER VAN PRICE COMPARISON
May 7th to 14th (7 days) - Prices with GPS, CDW Insurance, unlimited km & pick up / drop off

Option A - New Campers:

CAMPERVAN ICELAND * Recommended 
www.campervaniceland.com
Camper Renault Kangoo (2 persons)           701 EUR / 875 USD
Camper Renault Trafic (4 persons)              1.330 EUR / 1.660 USD

EUROPCAR
http://www.holdur.is/en
Camper Toyota Hilux (2 persons)               1.834 EUR / 2.519 USD
Camper Motorhome (3-4 persons)              2.343 EUR / 3.218 USD

CAMPER RENTAL ICELAND * Recommended
www.camperrentaliceland.com/
Camper 2 DIESEL  (2 persons)                    715 EUR / 892 USD
Camper 4 DIESEL (4 persons)                     1.360 EUR / 1.696 USD

Option B - Old camper vans:

MOTORHOME ICELAND
www.motorhomeiceland.com
Camper Nissan Diesel   (2 persons)               881 EUR / 1.075 USD
Camper Renault Trafic  (4 persons                1.468 EUR / 1.825 USD

CARAVAN.IS
www.caravan.is
Camper VW Caddy (2 persons)                   1.040 EUR / 1.297 USD
Camper Renault Trafic (4-5 persons)           1.442 EUR / 1.798 USD

CAMPERS REYKJAVÍK
www.campersreykjavik.com
Camper NV200 Diesel (2 persons)                  989 EUR / 1.108 USD
Camper Trafic High Roof (4 persons)             1.330 EUR / 1.491 USD

LAVA CAMPERS
www.lavacampers.is
Camper Mercedes (2 persons)                      1.201 EUR / 1.649 USD
Camper Ford Transit (4 persons)                  1.540 EUR / 2.115 USD

CAMPERVAN ICELAND 
www.campervaniceland.com
Camper Renault Kangoo (2 persons)            701 EUR / 875 USD
Camper Renault Trafic (4 persons)               1.330 EUR / 1.660 USD

SNAIL
www.snail.is
Camper VW Transporter (2 persons)              1.150 EUR / 1.434 USD
Camper VW Transporter (4 persons)              1.720 EUR / 2.145 USD

Why choose a camper van in Iceland:

1. It's really cheap. Why spend your money on a expensive hotel and a car when you can use a Camper van or a Motorhome for both?
2. The weather in Iceland is as predictable as roulette table and therefore you will want to be mobile and ready to move at any given time. We don't recommend you to have to pack your tent in the rain, and then sit wet in your car for the rest of your day.
3. In Iceland there is a law that allows you park your motor home or camper van anywhere for one night. It´s called the law of survival and it also allows you to eat whatever you can put in your mouth (do not forget). You always need permission of the land owner (in most cases the next farmer). The best thing to avoid the problem is to use campsites.
4. In a camper van you can go anywhere and do anything you want to do.
5. There are 3 persons per square kilometer in Iceland. This allows you to basically disappear into the nature in a motor-home, caravan or camper van. 
6. In Iceland you won't need to reserve a spot at a camp site . You need simply to show up and enjoy it. Camp sites are very modern and have good facilities.
7. All of Iceland's ring road (road no.1) is asphalt which allows you to drive safely around Iceland in any type of camper van. 
8. In a camper van in Iceland you won't need to plan your trip. You just follow the good weather and enjoy where it takes you. 
9. In Iceland there are hardly any trees. Therefore you always have an amazing 360° view from a camper at all times. 
10. With a Camper van you have a kitchen wher-ever you go. This will save you lot´s of cash. Fast food in Iceland is expensive. 

DRIVING IN ICELAND

Driving Conditions in Iceland are in many ways unusual and often quite unlike what foreign drivers are accustomed to. It is therefore very important to find out how to drive in this country. We know that the landscapes are beautiful, which naturally draws the driver’s attention away from the road. But in order to reach your destination safely, you must keep your full attention on driving.

-The speed limit in populated areas is usually 50 km/hr.

-The speed limit is often 60 km/hr on thruways, but in residential areas it is usually only 30 km/hr.

-The main rule in rural areas is that gravel roads have a speed limit of 80 km/hr, and paved roads 90 km/hr.

-Signs indicate if other speed limits apply.

Camper rentals in Iceland are a popular choice for travelers looking for the "road trip" experience in Iceland. Renting a camper in Iceland is a great option in Iceland because the country offers unique sites to see in all of its forur corners. 

112 Iceland App

The 112 Iceland app can be used for two things, both for added safety on your Iceland trip.

First of all you can call for help by pressing the red Emergency button. Your location will be sent by text message to the 112 response center. Remember that even though your phone shows no signal there is a possibilite that you can send text message.

The green Check In button is for you to leave your location with us so if something happens we have more information to work with. Only the 5 last locations are stored and we recommend you use this – don’t worry – you are not disturbing anyone – except for our big computer who wants to be disturbed.

Here you can download the app for Android phones, Windows phones and iPhone.

Wohnmobilvermietung in Island - Camping-cars en Islande - Alquiler de autocaravana en Islandia - Camper Rental in Iceland - Car Rental in Iceland - Autonoleggio Islanda

We recommend you read:

Car Rental in Iceland

Speed Tickets in Iceland

Peter, Iceland24h.blogspot.com

Photography in Iceland - A Snapshot of Nature

You've framed the composition. Jagged volcanic rock formations are silhouetted against the crystal glacier horizon. Looking up from the viewfinder of your SLR, reality is confirmed; you are standing shrouded in the ethereal glow of the emerald and violet Northern Lights.

Snap!

It's little wonder why Iceland is seen as the photographer’s paradise. For the seasoned professional or the so inclined amateur enthusiast, there is no shortage of subject matter. With contrasting landscapes covering the island, each one more breathtaking than the last, Iceland is a photographer’s dream destination; from the charming small town islands of Vestmannaeyjar, to the enchanting scenes of nature at the Golden Waterfalls of Gullfloss, your individual photography fairy-tale awaits.

Iceland itself is a unique mix of cultures and traditions that have been refined by a beautiful, yet demanding, landscape. Those who visit cannot help but want to capture a small piece to take home with them. Even those who aren’t normally ‘shutter bugs’ suddenly find a desire to pick up a telephoto lens, a small pocket digital shooter or even a phone, to capture one of the many scenes that touch their imaginations.

Memories preserved on film serve to awaken the spirit of adventure in every naturalist and call one back to the island’s majestic scenes (even for a second to third visit).

Inspired photographers of all skill levels set out into the wilds of Iceland to capture that perfect shot. Iceland may be small, but it has so much to offer in terms of variety. The unique and simple beauty on the island gives photographers the chance to shoot assorted subjects that are suited to every individual’s photographic flare; scenes of nature, wildlife, culture, midnight sun, Northern Lights… you’ll be sure to find your picturesque opportunities in Iceland!

Some quick facts! Iceland has very few trees, making unimpeded wide shots featuring wild, rocky terrain commonplace. Around 11.5% of the country is covered in glaciers. Amazing glass-like structures protruding from the foreground and cascades of ancient ice slides rolling through the mountains are some of the more remote, yet fantastic scenes on the island nation.

In summertime, specifically in June and July, the island experiences 24 hours of day light. The merging of sunrise and sunset make for some magical images of glaciers, beaches or waterfalls bathed in pink and orange light.

Wildlife

For wildlife photographers, Iceland boasts a rich birdlife. Puffins are exceptionally popular models. Stunning bird cliffs can be found around the country with breathtaking sunsets over the sea in the distance. The Icelandic horses provide a graceful subject, if not a tricky one; better snap fast, those ponies are quick!

Whale watching is a popular attraction that doesn’t disappoint. No need to take long trips out to sea, the huge water-dwelling mammals swim very close to the Icelandic coast. If you feel more like capturing images of domestic animals, there are also plenty of sheep and cows - in fact, the sheep outnumber the people 2 to 1! Of course, Iceland is also famous for Santa’s flying friends. Reindeer herds roam freely in some areas.

Northern lights photography in Iceland

In addition to Iceland’s night life, there are the “night lights”. The Northern Lights are another natural wonder that is unique to regions lying in the Arctic Circle. Streaking the night’s sky with vivid color, the Arora Borealis can best be seen in the winter months away from populated areas.

The sight of the northern lights were considered a sign of something sacred to the Norse people; seeing the breathtaking sight today, it is easy to see why.

Culture 

There is no place better for quirky images of culture, food, architecture or people than Reykjavík! It is known for its colorful houses, arts, great nightlife and a personality all of its own. The Icelandic population is a mix of Scandinavian as well as Irish heritage, which is reflected in their food, architecture, and character. Dotted around the coastline of the country are a few towns and numerous small fishing villages. Some are very remote and in idyllic settings. The traditional turf houses are small cottage structures covered with earth and make for a rustic, quaint picture.

Iceland’s individuality, diversity and remoteness are what make it such a desirable destination for the amateur or the professional photographer. From its natural wonders, to its animal life and the people who call it home, this island nation has so much to take in, and so much to capture on film. One thing is for sure, on your next Icelandic adventure, you shouldn’t forget your camera!

Photo tours and photo workshops in Iceland

Iceland24h.blogspot.com can get you in touch with the talented Florent Gast (info@landmannalaugartours.com), a fully licensed tour operator in Iceland.

Florent Gast is a fantastic photographer that has years of experience in photographing Icelandic nature and both organizes photo tours and workshops in photography. The workshops are small and personal and include information about long exposure methodology, concepts of landscape photography, visual design and composition, working with filters, post processing for web and prints, basics of time-lapse and more.

All the pictures in this article (and most of the pictures on this website) are taken by Florent, many of them during photo tours, such as this one that appeared recently in The Icelandic Times.

Photography in Iceland
Rachel - Iceland24h.blogspot.com

Bjúgnakrækir - Icelandic Yule Lads (December 20th)

In contrast with Skyrgámur‘s habit of eating tons of healthy skyr, Bjúgnakrækir (Sausage Swiper), the Yule Lad arriving on the 20th night of December, prefers his snacks high in cholesterol. Nobody knows exactly what his preference is: rumors say he will ravenously eat all kinds of sausages, without any exception. His appetite can make him reckless sometimes.

Smoked sausages are a brilliant way to preserve meat in a place like Berk (or most of the North Atlantic Islands) where it may snow and hail and rain locusts (or whatever Hiccup dreams up in his snarkfest), but it rarely gets cold enough to freeze food. So smoking, pickling, drying, curing are all ways to keep food stashed through the winter.

The rafters are an ideal place to store the lamb meat and fish meat sausages once they are prepared. Then the cook just snags down dinner from the ceiling and dumps it in a pot to boil. Sometimes you have to climb a bit to get dinner. At the Haddock household it´s a good thing there is a tall chieftain and a willing Night Fury to help with this. And a few cleverly designed long hooks for those days when the chief dragon tamer/chef does not want dragon drool on the sausages.

Until December 20, of course. Then Bjúgnakrækir makes his way into the farms and the village, ready to snatch some sausages. It's a good thing he's an acrobat so he can climb WAAAY up into those rafters and reach for the prize. He just, unfortunately, is a leeetle bit afraid of heights. But singing usually helps him deal with the situation, and also keeps the watch dragon fast asleep.

So, if you are planning to make sausage stuffing or simply hot dogs between Dec 20 and Jan 2, keep 'em hidden. This guy's on the prowl!

Luckily for this chap, there’s not much need for recklessness in recent times: in Reykjavík you can find near the harbor the famous Bæjarins beztu pylsur (Best hot dog in town in English) stand, described by many satisfied customers as one of the best in the world. I’m pretty sure Bjúgnakrækir knows very well and he visits the stand regularly during his annual excursions.

Icelandic

Níundi var Bjúgnakrækir,
brögðóttur og snar.
Hann hentist upp í rjáfrin
og hnuplaði þar.

Á eldhúsbita sat hann
í sóti og reyk
og át þar hangið bjúga,
sem engan sveik.

English

Ninth was Sausage Snatcher
Artful and quick.
He hied up to the rafters
And snatched a little there.

On a kitchen beam he sat
In smoke and soot
And ate a smoked sausage,
That was very good.

Berglind, Iceland24h.blogspot.com
December 2015

Green Driving Tips in Iceland

You CAN make a difference! 

As stated in our environmental platform, one of our objectives is to reduce emissions from the company´s car fleet. With regular maintaining and service, we keep our vehicles operating at peak efficiency. By following the „green“ driving tips below, you can improve your fuel economy and help us to reduce the negative environmental influence and create a greener future.

Plan routes and consolidate your trips: 

Whether going for a longer vacation or a quick trip, plan out your routes in advance to avoid heavy traffic periods and areas. If rush hour or road construction leads to traffic jams and stop-and-go driving, sometimes, the longer route can consume less fuel than a shorter one. So plan your routes to enable you to bypass congested routes and lead to fewer start-ups and less stop-and-go driving. Try to combine several short trips into one to save fuel and cut down on pollution. Warmed-up engines produce lower emissions.

Lighten your load and reduce drag: 

The more weight a car carries, the lower its fuel economy will be. Only pack what you need for vacations (including emergency items), and remove items that are not needed. Remove unneeded roof boxes, trailers and other items from your vehicle that cause wind resistance. These simple steps can cut significant weight and reduce drag, enabling your car to use less fuel.

Avoid quick starts, reduce your speed and keep the RPMs down: 

A smooth, steady speed improves your fuel economy, saves gasoline and reduces wear and tear on the engine, tires, transmission and brakes. As speed increases, so does drag. So, driving at higher speeds will reduce your fuel economy. Avoid quick starts. Putting the pedal to the metal when the stoplight turns green, increases your vehicle’s RPM level and lowers your fuel efficiency. Staying at or a bit below the speed limit and watching your RPMs can have a big impact on the environment and can lower your fuel cost. For every 15 km per hour you reduce speed, you can improve your fuel economy by 10 – 15%.

Think ahead in traffic: 

Try to anticipate stops and let your vehicle coast down as much as possible. Avoid the increased pollution, wasted gas and wear on your brakes created by accelerating hard and braking hard. Be smart as you navigate your way through traffic. Create space from the car in front of you and look ahead for any potential.

Keep a recommended air pressure in your tires: 

Maintaining recommended tire pressure can improve fuel economy as much as 6 percent. Over time, tires lose air pressure and as the air pressure decreases, rolling resistance increases and that makes your vehicle less fuel efficient. Recommended air pressure for your tires is shown in your vehicle’s owner’s manual.

Peter
Iceland24h.blogspot.com
May 2015

Travel Report - 12 days itinerary trip in Iceland from Sarah

We will start posting our readers trips on Iceland24h.blogspot.com. We think it is an important aid for all those who will come in the future to Iceland.

12 days trip around Iceland

Hi there,

We were a family of 4 - 2 adulsts and 2 kids (13 and 11) on our 12 day holiday to Iceland (from July 28th to August 9th).

I started planning the trip back in April / May.

- Flights: WOW airlines, no complaints, nice staff, on time, no comments on 2 checked in (under 20kgs) or 4 hand luggage (each under 10kgs). We had each one piece of hand luggage and the kids some handbags (although they did ask to see them when we checked in),

- Car: Rented with Reykjavík Cars (www.reykjavikcars.com), again no probs. Booked a estate car with a large boot for the luggage, originally a Suzuki Grand Vitara but got a Jeep Grand Cherokee 4x4. Around 4,000 km on the clock and we did another 4,000. Had our own insurance (we book one year insurance to cover all of our rentals for the year).

Good service, had to call the first day as there was a leak in the car, they arranged for us to visit a mechanic on the village we were in and fortunately it was nothing. When we returned the car, they inspected it thoroughly and everything was fine.... so very good experience!

- Accommodation: We booked through YHA and stayed in Youth Hostels except for 2 places where they were already sold out in May (Isafjordur and Akureyri). I booked in Gamla Guest House in Isafjourdur (very nice, with a superb breakfast) and Solgardar guesthouse in Akureyri which was also nice and clean (without breakfast). This was the cheapest option. We brought our own sheets (we slept in duvet covers) and towels.

- Clothing: Forget about summer clothes, it is cold and we were wearing a few layers of clothes every day (the adults were on their thermals pretty much the whole trip)

- Pre-booking trips: I prebooked a few trips but other than the ferry cross, I think that you can book everything on the spot allowing you to plan your day as you wish and deciding depending on the weather or your mood which is exactly what we did in the second part of our trip (the galcier walk, the ice lagoon, the visit to the cape) without having to do something because you have already paid for it.

The trip was as follows:

- July 28th: London Gatwick to Reykjavík, pick up the car and drive to Grundafjordur. Stayed at the YH (a small house that was fine) and had dinner at Kaffi 59. Dinner was so so, burguers (kitchen too busy for pizza) and I had some meat that was not that great

- July 29th: Breakfast at the bakery in Stykkisholmur (very nice) and took the Unique Adventure Tour which was very nice (prebooked directly with Icelandic Excursions). Quite amazing the part when they brought the scalops and sea urchins on board and we all ate them...

Then we travel around Snaefellsnels and did all the sights. Dritvik, Djupalon, tried to go up to Snjofell but decided not to as we were worried about the leak in the car (which was nothing), Breidavik, Budavik... had dinner in a N1 grill which ticked the box. Slept at Grundarfjörður. There is a huge lava cave outside Dritvik which we could not visit because we arrived late but looked like an interesting place to visit.

- July 30th: Ferry from Stykki to Brjanslaekur (prebooked with Seatours) and drove to Látrabjarg. While it was nice, please be warned that this is a long drive and we had the opportunity to see bird cliffs with puffins in other parts of Iceland. This ended up being a long day as we had to drive to Isafjordur where we were staying at Gamla Guesthouse. Had dinner in Isafjordur at the fish restaurant in the port.

Dinner was sublime, it is fixed menu with a very nice fish soup, "all you can eat" of freshly cooked fish and you have different types of fish to choose from and side dishes, a heavenly rubarb desert with cream, tea and coffee.... So nice and what a change from the grills!!!! Kids were free so only the adults had to pay 5000ISK (or £30) which was good value for money

- July 31st: We drove to our next destiatination in Broddanes stopping on the way to see the seals in Súðavík, had a swing in Reykjanes geothermal pool and visited the witchcraft museum in Holmavík (which is NOT worthy the visit). The YH at Broddanes is isolated, nice and modern but in the middle of no where. It was good that we had bought some food at Holmavík and cooked dinner.

- August 1st: We had to drive to Akureyri with 2 activities on the way that I had prebooked thought Saga Travel - seal watching at Hvammstangi and rafting in Skagafjordur. Unfortunately we missed the seal tour (long story but took the wrong turn when we left the YH so we were late for the boat trip) but managed to get it moved to the following day (you can book directly at www.sealwatching.is).

We drove to the rafting place enjoying the scenary and had a good laugh with Artic Rafting. While I booked this with Saga Travel you can book it directly with them. They are a good bunch of young lads that clearly enjoy what they do!!!! Continued our trip to Akureyri, checked in at the guesthouse Solgardar (very nice) and went for dinner to Greifinn. Good hearthy dinner with a 15% discount .....

- August 2nd: We had planned Lake Myvatn for the day but had to drive back to do the seal tour in the morning (the day was gorgeous and the boat trip very pleasant, the crew offered binoculars and hot chocolate with pastries and we even saw humpback whales in the distance) and in the afternoon we went to Goðafoss and Lake Mývatn and did the treks in the South and East of the Lake (including Dimmuborgir). Back to Ajureyri for dinner by the port. Long day!!!

- August 3rd: We had booked the whale watching trip in Husavik in the RIB boat again with Scandivian Travel but you can book directly with Visit Askja. It was by far the worst day of all of our holidays (cold, rainning, bumpy sea....) and although we were given the option for a refund, we decided to take a chance. We saw a few humpback whales and also puffins in one of the islands and despite one of us getting sea sick it was worth the trip.

Then we continue to Asbyrgi and then took 864 down to Lake Myvatn stopping at the various spots. Unfortunately it rained all day and we were wet from the boat trip so we did short stops to see the waterfalls and the canyon. It was gorgeous despite the weather and I cannot imagine how nice it would all had been if the weather had been nicer!!!! Back in Akureyri we had dinner at Bautinn, very nice, hearthy and yummy dinner (main courses are inclusive of unlimited soup, bread and salad !!!!)

- August 4th: Spent the day in Lake Myvatn on our way to Seydisfjorður. Enjoyed all the walks in the area and the kids really liked Hverir. We continued to Egilsstaðir, drove over Route 93, stop by the waterfall Litlanefoss (Hengifoos was too far away and it was far too windy to go all the way up) and continued to Seydisfjordur where we were staying at the YH. Big house, ample rooms (not sure why we got booked in double rooms when they had 4 bedrooms free). Had dinner at the Cultural Center, very nice home made meal and the kdis enjoyed the pizza

- August 5th: Drove towards Hvoll where we were staying. Long drive but beautiful scenery along the Eastfjords. Had breakfast at the bakery in Hofn and did the tour of Jokulsarlon (we booked the zodiac as it takes you well inside the lake towards the glacier and really worth the extra money compared to the amphibious alternative), stopped at the various places along the coast and Skaftafell (nice walk to Svatifoss). The hostel at Hvoll is isolated, in the middle of nowhere but nice!!!! We went for dinner to the closest place 25km away - Systrakaffy. It was ok but it was extremely busy and had to wait an hour for our food

- August 6th: We did a glacier walk in the morning that we booked directly in Skaftafell and then we went to Ingolsfshold. The visit to the cape was one of the highlights of the trip, A - M - A - Z - I- N - G, really enjoyed it, the puffins in the cliffs, the skuas (terrifying), the skeletons of whales beached on the beach.... really great. We drove to Skogar where we were staying at the YH (this one was borderline in terms of cleanliness) and had dinner at Edda hotel as it was the only option. Very nice buffet dinner

- August 7th: We visited Pakgil (very nice and worth the 14km gravel road), Vík, Reynisdragur, Skógafoss and then made our way to Laugarvatn stopping at Gulfoss and Geysir. We detour taking route 32 and 26 and felt it was a bit long although the views of the volcano and the landscape was nice. The YH was nice and we were put in a room with ensuite bathroom which was good.

Went for dinner to Lundin and felt that it was a joke of a place, best to be avoided. We ordered the cod and I doubt we got more than 100 grams of fish without any sides!!! and we tried what the pretentiously called "the world famous chocolate mousse" which was disappointing, at least for us, the mix of watermelon and chocolate mousse does not in our opinion marry well and not worth the £10. All in all scarce and expensive.

If I had known it, we would have gone to the Pizza Factory that looked much more fun and better value for money.....

- August 8th: The end of the trip approaching. Went to Pingvellir and explored the area albeit it was rainning and windy so not the best day for the visit. Made our way to Reykiavik stopping at various places including the crater in Kerid and the lava tube in Raufarholshellir.

We we were staying at the YH Reykjavik City. Huge place. We had booked a room with ensuite bathroom and ticked the box. Visited the city, cathedral, port, bought some souvenirs,.... and went for dinner to the fish restaurant accross the street from the YH - Lauga as. Superb!!!!

- August 9th: Last day, before we got to the Blue Lagoon, we drove past the Reykjanes peninsula - bridge between two continents (not that easy to find) - spent a couple of hours at the Blue Lagoon and made our way to the airport. I was dreading the return of the car based on all the stories I had heard but it all went very smoothly.

Checked in, filled in the paperwork to get the tax refund, bought some sweets for the office and spent the last ISK and back to London by 8PM

So that was our trip to Iceland.... now planning next year's trip.

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Thank you very much Sarah!
Peter, Iceland24h.blogspot.com
May 2015