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My wife and I are heading to Iceland next month (May 20th - 27th) and are looking for recommendations on lodging and restaurants in Rekjavik! We are budgeted for a hotel on the nicer side, basically "cheaper than Black Pearl" is our general price range (would like to keep it at or below $350/night). We want to try whatever upscale dining the city has to offer but are definitely interested in any cheaper fare/street food etc as well. She's pregnant so bars are not going to be a huge focus on this trip. As for an itinerary, we were planning on doing like 2 or 3 nights in the city then driving either North or South and staying in Airbnb's along the way. We are NOT going to try and drive the circumference of the island, just take our time and see where we end up. I'm a photographer and we're both pretty good at entertaining ourselves so the idea of just driving around with only vague destinations in mind, exploring and taking photos is just fine with us. I did book a rental for a 4x4 but my understanding is most of the F roads will still likely be closed that time of year? I suppose my question here is: North side? South side? I've seen some really great houses for rent in the North but I'm open to anything. Any tips or advice is appreciated, thanks!
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Apr 20, 2015 17:44
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We went to Iceland in October and absolutely loved it. We only stayed in Reykjavik 2 nights, so I can't give you a ton of information on restaurants. We ended up staying in a hotel 2 different nights. All of our other lodging was B&B. Honestly, we preferred the B&B setup way more than the hotels. I can't really explain why, but it felt a bit more relaxed maybe? They were also a lot cheaper than hotels. If you haven't officially planned everything yet, you might want to consider what my wife and I did. We flew into Reykjavik and rented a car. We then spent the week driving around the south part of the island, and ended up in Egilsstadir. We then flew from Egilsstadir back to Reykjavik. It allowed us to take our time driving and seeing things. No rush at all. We didn't have a 4x4, so we weren't able to explore the F roads. We didn't feel like we missed out though either. Since you're a photographer, I HIGHLY recommend going to Jokulsarlon, which is in the southeastern part of the island. This was probably our favorite part of the trip. I could have stayed there for hours taking pictures. The glacial lagoon drains into the ocean there, and many icebergs end up beached on the black sand. It's pretty amazing. Things to think about. - It's expensive and ends up being more than you really think. Prepare for this so you aren't surprised when you get there. - Restaurants are few and far between once you leave Reykjavik. Plan for this. Gas station food is pretty popular. Sit down restaurants get pricey. Fancy sit down restaurants are REALLY pricey. - 24/7 convenience stores don't exist, at least not outside Reykjavik. - To pay for gas at the pump, you need to have a credit card with a chip, and need to use a pin #. If you don't have one (we didn't at the time), you will need to purchase 'gas cards' and use those. We were pretty confused the first time we filled up. - I assume you're from the states. I assume you've traveled internationally before. Just as a reminder, be sure to take a power converter. I have one of these, and it was awesome. http://www.amazon.com/BESTEK%AE-Portable-Universal-Converter-Charging/dp/B00MSTG93S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1429991913&sr=8-1&keywords=bestek - TAKE RAIN GEAR. We were very happy we brought nice rain gear. - TAKE RAIN GEAR FOR YOUR CAMERA. I didn't. My brand new camera got soaked in a downpour and wouldn't turn on again. Amazon was quite nice with an exchange, so I really lucked out. Luckily my wife had her camera too, otherwise it would have just been cellphone pictures. Can't think of anything else right now, hope it helps. If you have any questions, shoot me a message.
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Apr 25, 2015 21:00
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That is all super helpful! Thanks a lot!
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Apr 28, 2015 16:33
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I did the circumference route about 10 years ago I went by boat from Denmark with a few days in the Faroe islands. If you're not heading very far from Reykjavik, I'd go to the far end of Snaefellsnes where there's a mountain which looks a bit like Mt. Fuji, with some nice seaside basalt cliffs and bird colonies, there's also a gently caress off tall radio antenna at the far side of the volcano, which looked very imposing and surreal as it's in the middle of nowhere. By far the most impressive part of the whole island is the far east where you can see deep fjords, a massive glacier and tiny villages that feel like more like Antarctic outposts, with very wild and varied landscapes. The area directly around Reykjavik is a relatively flat plain which has much less of a wilderness feeling to it. Snaefellsnes is the only part close to Reykjavik which felt similarly wild. I didn't go to the northwestern peninsula at all though, so I don't know about that, but generally I'd advise driving north, if you're choosing either north or south. Maybe just head for Akureyri via Snaefells, that'd make for a pretty good trip for sure.
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May 14, 2015 15:44
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When you're in Reykjavik, find this spot on Tryggvagata across from the concert hall: Its a hot dog trailer, but its ridiculously popular among locals. Let them put everything they have on the hot dog as that's how they prepare them. They're delicious and for ~400 krona per hot dog, it'll be one of the cheaper meals you'll find in Reykjavik. Also, the F roads should be open depending on where you go. May is the beginning of peak tourist season, so have fun dealing with the mobs of tourists. Don't expect to get the "local" experience in most towns unless you want to pay an arm and a leg for it. Reykjavik is your best bet for good traditional restaurants, but again they're pricey. Restaurants are few and far between unless you stop in one of the bigger towns. Icelanders love their fast food. Every town will have a supermarket of some kind, I recommend poking your head into one to stock up on some supplies and to just see what its about. They're a little different than a US supermarket. Hveragerđi has a couple of decent restaurants along Breiđamörk. Vik is a great little town and the black sand beaches are beautiful. Not much in the way of food there, though the gas station along Rte 1 in the center of town has decent fast food fare. There's a pub/restaurant named Halldorskaffi on Vikurbraut that's great for pizza and things like that. If you have a day, make it out to Vestmannaeyjar. The ferry terminal is maybe an hour and a half from Reykjavik. Great town on a volcanic island that you can hike with a bunch of good restaurants, cafes, etc. Also, try to see if the local soccer team is playing. Its a fun experience as the town comes out to watch. Also if you're into birding or whatever, you can take a hike around the golf course on the island with massive cliffs that overlook it. Great opportunity to see puffins and other sea going birds that come in to nest. The ferry runs into the evening so you can take your time milling about and not worry. Whip Slagcheek fucked around with this message at 21:07 on May 14, 2015 |
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May 14, 2015 20:54
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Went with a friend for ~10 days in 2012. A couple days in Reykjavik and the rest driving across the southern half of the country. We didn't eat at any nice restaurants in the city, but seconding the hot dogs. They were amazing though drinking may have played a part. Also, really liked Noodle Station. Order spicy though we found the definition of that changed quite a bit depending on who made the bowl. For north vs. south, north just seemed like the travel time for the things I wanted to see was too much for our short trip. We made it through the south from Reykavik to Hofn, seeing a ton of stuff and didn't feel rushed. That said, I still want to see the north - a lot of beautiful country up there. Also we used AirBnB for Reykjavik but stayed in small hotels/cabins out in the country. We figured in the city we may come and go all day so nice to have a place to relax while out driving around we'd be hiking or driving or riding horses or a million other things that a room with a bed would be enough. Other than that, can confirm what others have said: - Jokulsarlon is awesome and worth checking out - Spent a night on Vestmannaeyjar, probably not worth much more than that but loved the ride out and exploring the island. Climb the giant rock by the harbor. - Vik is sleepy but a good base for the south. We did find an awesome restaurant there - Gas stations are your friend and the food is generally pretty good - Check your rental agreement for your 4x4. Often they will preclude you from doing anything actually off-road - Ride the horses - No joke about the rain gear. The weather will change often every day. Layers
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May 17, 2015 15:46
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Thanks for the additional replies! We're leaving on Weds, our plan is pretty similar to what a couple of you have mentioned. Couple nights in Reykjavik, one on Vestmannaeyjar and a few out near Hofn. I really appreciate all the advice, will report back when we get home.
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May 18, 2015 15:17
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TACTICAL SANDALS posted:Thanks for the additional replies! We're leaving on Weds, our plan is pretty similar to what a couple of you have mentioned. Couple nights in Reykjavik, one on Vestmannaeyjar and a few out near Hofn. I really appreciate all the advice, will report back when we get home. You're going to enjoy that itinerary, pretty much what I did. Put one day into doing the Golden Circle. That will hit your major sights to see in terms of waterfalls and geysers. If you get a clear weather day, try to make it out to Dyrholaey. Its a "stop and take some pictures" spot that you can work in to a day of sightseeing in the eastern portion of the country, but its really scenic and a good opportunity to see Puffins if you're into that. If the weather is garbage though, don't bother. You won't be able to see anything and your pictures will come out like crap. May is a finicky month when it comes to weather. We had a lot of grey days. Pretty much anywhere along the southern portion of the ring road you're going to see gorgeous waterfalls. One thing to keep in mind: most of the natural sites are free (though obviously they'll accept donations) so just drive up and see what you want. The only place we paid to see was Keriđ and that was just a few krona. The only tour I'd encourage you to do and pay for is a glacier hike. They're fantastic and I would strenuously encourage you not walking onto the glaciers by yourself. The guides will have specialized equipment and lead you on the safe routes while giving you an opportunity for great pictures. Enjoy the trip, Iceland is an amazing country and I want to go back to hit the north. If you stop in a town that we didn't cover, check out TripAdvisor for recommendations on food and sites. There's a huge TripAdvisor presence in Iceland and they're pretty spot on with their recommendations on where to eat/sleep/visit. ONE LAST THING: Since I didn't see it mentioned. Don't eat the whale meat. Seriously. No one in Iceland does it anymore and its strictly an overpriced tourist thing. Whip Slagcheek fucked around with this message at 18:17 on May 18, 2015 |
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May 18, 2015 18:13
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Hofn itself isn't a very exciting town, I enjoyed kirkjubaear and litlahof (right at the foot of the island's tallest mountain and the big glacier). You can't miss jokullsarlon either. Somehow I remember all these Icelandic place names 10 years after I visited. Enjoy all the crazy landscapes, fields consisting of a single species of moss stretching to the horizon, an actually visible continental faultline, stuff like that. And yeah try the food at gas stations. Buy some nice dried fish at the supermarket to eat in the car. It tastes like cat food, in a good way.
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May 19, 2015 18:34
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I'll be spending 5 days in Iceland with some people at the end of July. None of us can rent cars, what's the public transport like for anything outside Reykjavik?
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May 21, 2015 08:09
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TheLawinator posted:I'll be spending 5 days in Iceland with some people at the end of July. None of us can rent cars, what's the public transport like for anything outside Reykjavik? I just got back from Iceland and we spent most of our time in Reykjavik. Although we rented a car when we left it, I spend plenty of time looking at buses. You can get to the suburbs pretty easily. There are buses that go out further run by Straeto: http://www.straeto.is/english/plan-your-journey/schedules-and-maps. If you're only planning to leave for sight-seeing, I did a day-trip with Reykjavik Excursions and had a good time on the South Shore tour. Might want to look them up since the Straeto stops probably won't leave you very near the sights. I've also heard that hitchhiking is pretty common and safe in Iceland, if you're the adventurous type.
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May 21, 2015 22:35
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TheLawinator posted:I'll be spending 5 days in Iceland with some people at the end of July. None of us can rent cars, what's the public transport like for anything outside Reykjavik? I definitely saw hitchhikers while driving along the ring road, so that's a thing. I saw a few "commuter" buses but they were very uncommon once I got out of the Reykjavik/Keflavik area. Where are you trying to go? The vast, vast majority of tours are based out of Reykjavik and will either pick you up at your hotel or somewhere nearby.
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May 22, 2015 08:08
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Whip Slagcheek posted:I definitely saw hitchhikers while driving along the ring road, so that's a thing. I saw a few "commuter" buses but they were very uncommon once I got out of the Reykjavik/Keflavik area. Where are you trying to go? The vast, vast majority of tours are based out of Reykjavik and will either pick you up at your hotel or somewhere nearby. We have no idea and are open to suggestions for stuff to do in late July.
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May 22, 2015 08:26
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ADudeWhoAbides posted:I just got back from Iceland and we spent most of our time in... Sorry for post/name but I hope you found your way to the Lebowski bar
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May 22, 2015 14:27
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TheLawinator posted:We have no idea and are open to suggestions for stuff to do in late July. What are you into? I would definitely recommend doing a 4x4 tour up a glacier and also do a hike out onto one of the glaciers. Some companies will do both in the same trip to make it an all day type thing. A tour of the golden ring can be done in a day and I saw tour buses at every stop along that route. I'd definitely give Reykjavik a full day to explore. On the weekends it gets a little nuts because all of the younger folks living out in the countryside come into town to get ripped. It's a good time and they actually like Americans. Also. DEFINITELY get out to Jokulsarlon. It'll be a full day trip to get out there on a bus, but it will be worth it if you do a zodiac tour. Whip Slagcheek fucked around with this message at 22:03 on May 22, 2015 |
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May 22, 2015 22:00
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Well, I suppose the OP is about finished with his vacation and this has sort of turned into an Iceland general travel thread. Starting June 2nd there are organized strikes that could affect air travel. Anybody have any clue how fast these things usually get sorted out? I have a flight into Keflavik on June 5th and am quite worried. http://www.kefairport.is/English/News/3027/Possible-strike-actions-postponed-%E2%80%93-new-dates/default.aspx
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May 26, 2015 15:00
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extravadanza posted:Well, I suppose the OP is about finished with his vacation and this has sort of turned into an Iceland general travel thread. It'll probably work itself out. Tourism is Iceland's life blood and June is peak season for tourists coming in. They're not gonna let that disrupt their economy.
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May 26, 2015 18:30
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Is mid september alright or am I getting myself into snowpocalyps? Bonus question: how is this location? We're planning on driving around, seeing the sights, but coming back to the same place every night. I'm torn between Reykjavik or outside Reykjavik.
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Jun 26, 2015 20:52
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Refried Noodle posted:Is mid september alright or am I getting myself into snowpocalyps? If you're really intent on exploring the Golden Circle and Thingvellir you're looking at a good spot. Personally I would try to be along the ring road somewhere. What's your plan for things to see? As far as September goes you're looking at the tail end of peak season so you should be fine. The roads will be navigable and everything should be open. Bring rain gear though, it can be wet. Whip Slagcheek fucked around with this message at 21:35 on Jun 26, 2015 |
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Jun 26, 2015 21:30
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