Resolution for 2009 - get that elusive silver dot. **What a surprise, more gremlins caused by pointl...
Resolution for 2009 - get that elusive silver dot. **What a surprise, more gremlins caused by pointless and irritating changes to site layout. Didn't see that one coming!**
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Reykjavik is probably the coolest city in the world - and not just because of its position as the most northerly capital, either. The geographical isolation of the city has given it a virtual license to be different, creative, quirky and ground breaking in many areas, a strangeness that is mirrored perfectly in the surreal natural beauty of the surrounding countryside. But before I plunge onwards with my review, let me just make it clear where I am writing about, as there may be some confusion as to which of the islands of the north Atlantic the city is on. Reykjavik is on Iceland, smaller of the islands and mostly green in cover - it is often mixed up with Greenland, the larger of the two that is mostly covered in ice. I'm glad we got that sorted out. ;-)
But why did I decide to go there of all places? Well, I think it is fair to say that when it comes to holidays I am not overly fond of hot places and nor do I like the thought of lying around on a beach for an entire week. I am what you might call a culture vulture; I like to visit places different from home, to try new foods and experience the culture and history of the places I visit. And when it comes to cool and cultured, you can't get much better than Reykjavik. Iceland is rapidly becoming a fashionable place to visit, but yet still retains a sense of being uncommercialised - how many modern cities do you know where the main shopping district contains not a single McDonalds, nor even the merest suggestion of a Starbucks? - A Bit of Background Reykjavik means "smoky bay" in Icelandic, being named after the steam rising from the surrounding geothermal springs was mistaken for smoke by the first settlers. It is located in the south west of Iceland and is currently home to around 112,000 people - which makes it sound a very small capital city indeed. However, when you consider that this is three fifths of the total population of the country, you begin to see the importance of the city. The country as a whole covers an area equal to England and Wales combined, although outside of Reykjavik the population is rather sparse and spread out around the coastline. The interior of Iceland is too inhospitable to live in, being largely a desert wasteland with around 11% of the land is covered in glaciers, including Vatnajökull, the largest in Europe.
The discovery of Iceland is usually credited to the Viking explorer Flóki Vilgerdarson in around 850AD, although it is possible that the island was known before that. Greek sources from 300BC mention an island they call Thule, the most northerly island in the world, six days by sea north of Britain. It is not known if this was definitely Iceland, but Thule is certainly the oldest name for the country and was used extensively in the Middle Ages. The first permanent settlement of Iceland is credited to national hero Ingólfur Arnarson in 874AD, and from this time onwards the country (especially the Reykjavik area) was settled by people of Scandinavian descent. By 930AD the country's population had expanded to around 60,000 people living in 36 municipalities, and it was clear that some form of central government was needed. As Iceland had no monarchy, it was decided amongst the leaders of the municipalities to meet annually at Thingvellir - this meeting (the Althing) is now recognised as one of the world's first republican parliaments. Iceland was later to lose its independence to Denmark, but regained Home Rule in 1904, and finally became an independent republic again on 17th June 1944. This day is now celebrated as Iceland's Independence Day.
The language that has developed into Icelandic is actually the closest of any modern language to the Old Norse used by the
Vikings. Icelanders are very proud of this Nordicheritage, and are alone in upholding another Norse tradition, that of using patronymics rather than surnames. In this system, an Icelander's Christian name is followed by his or her father's name and the suffix "son" for men and "dóttir" for women. This means that people in the same family can have a variety of second names, which can seem a little confusing to visitors, although sounds wonderfully exotic (providing your father hasn't been blessed with a name such as Trevor, mind).- Getting to Reykjavik While it is still possible to sail to Iceland (see www.smyril-line.com), most people choose to save themselves a couple of days travel and fly instead. Reykjavik does have an airport of its own but it is for domestic flights only - any international flights arrive and depart in Keflavik airport, around 50km from Reykjavik, mostly by Icelandair. If you are in Britain, Icelandair flights depart from Heathrow (twice daily) and Glasgow (four times a week) and take 3 hours and 2 hours respectively. I am unsure of the exact cost of these flights as they were included in the cost of my package holiday, but my guidebook informs me that they are in the Ł300 region from Heathrow and around Ł270 from Glasgow, although they do vary depending on the time of year you travel and at weekends. Flights to Keflavik are also available from several European airports and from North America (where you can fly direct or have a stopover in Iceland en route to Europe). For more details, visit: For British travel information: www.icelandair.co.uk For North American travel information: www.icelandair.com For the global website: www.icelandair.net
Incidentally, getting the 50km from the airport to the city is relatively easy, as one the local tour companies (Reykjavik Excursions) operates a Fly Bus service that will take you direct to the door of your hotel - and pick you up from there to come back. There are relatively few flights per day into Keflavik, so the bus just arrives to meet each one and runs a timetable to meet all outgoing ones. My tickets were included in the price of my holiday, but one of the other travellers buying tickets was charged 1000ISK.
- Things To Do, Places To Go... You may well be wondering how a city as apparently small as Reykjavik could provide anything much to do. Well, I found that there was plenty going on, despite the peak tourist season having officially ended on 31st August. My great disappointment was that the Icelandic National Museum (with all its lovely Viking treasures) was closed for renovation, and indeed had been for many months with no sign of the work being completed any time soon. But Reykjavik was not named a European City of Culture in 2000 for nothing, so I did find other attractions to fill the time I had set aside for the national museum. This is my selection of the best things to do in and around Reykjavik:
*The Culture House A culture house is a popular Scandinavian term for a local history museum. Situated on Hverfisgata in the heart of the old city centre, the Culture House was the idea of the first Minister of Icelandic Affairs under Home Rule, and was opened to the public in 1909 in a bid to demonstrate Icelandic national pride. It is a large and impressive building, originally housing all of Iceland's principal national treasures (the national library and archives, the national museum and natural history museum) but as the collections grew and were relocated around the city, the building took on a new role. It currently has displays on Icelandic culture and history (in both Icelandic and English), covering the Viking age of settlement, ancient maps, the oral tradition of the island and Icelandic literature. Most importantly, the House currently displays the priceless Saga manuscripts that are at the very core of Icelandic culture while the National Museum is getting its makeover.
I found this to be well worth a visit, and was especially pleased that I could see the Sagas even though the country's principal museum was closed when I visited Reykjavik. A visit here will take about 2 to 2.5 hours and costs 300ISK (surprisingly good value given the expensive costs of just about everything else). The Culture House is open 11am to 5pm daily throughout the year, has a small shop and café and good wheelchair access to the exhibitions.
*The Saga Museum Located on the ground floor of the Pearl (a city landmark that also houses spectacular viewing platforms and a revolving restaurant), the Saga Museum is a new and modern centre that aims to interpret key moments in Icelandic history. You are taken on a tour guided by a CD player around reconstructions that are very reminiscent of the Jorvik Viking centre, which allow you to move at your own pace. It is colourful and well presented, and full of bloodthirsty battles, feuding Vikings and gruesome events. An absorbing and highly recommended way to pass an hour or so, in a visit that you can combine with breathtaking views out over the city and bay from the viewing platforms.
The Saga Museum is open 10am to 6pm in summer, and 12pm to 5pm in winter - it will set you back 800ISK for adults, 600ISK for students and 400ISK for children. www.sagamuseum.is
*Hallgrimskirkja Hallgrimskirkja is one of the major churches of Reykjavik - although some of you may have well guess that from the name, as "kirk" is still regularly used to mean "church" in parts of Scotland and northern England. The building itself is rather stark and rugged from the outside, designed to be reminiscent of a volcanic eruption, of which Iceland certainly has a few! Inside, the church has a beautiful vaulted ceiling and a magnificent organ, but the real purpose of visiting here is to go up the tower and take in the aerial view of the city (for a modest 300ISK). The church does hold classical concerts from time to time (which my tour guide informed me are very good), but unfortunately there were none on during my visit. The church can be found at the end of Skolavördustigur, although it is very easy to find as it can be seen quite clearly from most parts of the city centre - the 74m high tower stands way above anything else in Reykjavik.
*The Botanical Gardens This was a rather pleasant surprise I must say, not least because I didn't think somewhere as northerly as Iceland would have much in way of flora and fauna. But that is really the whole purpose of the gardens. As well as welcoming visitors, the gardens are a centre for research into finding species that can tolerate the harsh climate of the country, and they have done so with great success so far. Since opening in 1961, the Botanical Gardens have grown to cover 2.5 hectares of space in Laugardalur valley and have cultivated an astonishing 5,000 species. If you are lucky enough to visit on a sunny day (as I was) then the gardens are a wonderful place to walk around, relax and have lunch - they also house a café with some of the best chocolate torte in existence! The other pleasing thing is that the gardens are off the beaten track for most tourists (as they are well away from where most hotels are situated), so tend to be quiet and peaceful. They can be reached quiet easily by taking a number 5 bus, though.
The gardens are open 10am to 10pm daily, giving you plenty of opportunity to visit - and entrance is free as well.
*Whale Watching Now, this has to be a real highlight of my holiday! Since renouncing whaling (more or less), Icelanders have instead been offering tourists the chance to go on whale watching tours - and they take them very seriously, too. The boat I was on was led by an experienced guide (who gave commentary in three different languages - Danish, English and German) and was accompanied by a marine biologist. There are several companies in the harbours in and around Reykjavik offering this service with varying prices and length of trip, but whichever you go on there will be at least a 90% chance of spotting these wonderful creatures during your trip. My excursion was booked via my travel operator and was on Moby Dick tours, operating from Keflavik harbour with hotel pick-up included. These tours leave at 10am daily between April and October and cost 2700ISK per adult, and 1400ISK for under 12s for a 3 hour trip. Expensive this may be, but they do include an offer in their price that if you see no whales on one trip, you get another for free.
So did I see any whales? Yes, several Minke whales and some harbour porpoises and it was an experience I would recommend to anyone. Worth the cold and the seasickness! Depending on the time of year, you may also glimpse dolphins, humpback whales, fin whales and even Orca whales. You do need to reserve these trips in advance as they are rightly very popular - your travel agency or the Reykjavik Tourist Information will be able to do this for you. Oh, and one other thing. This particular operator works within the codes of conduct laid down by Greenpeace and the Iceland Whale Watching Association, so it rates highly on the Murphy-ometer too.
*The Golden Circle This is the classic tour for visitors staying in Reykjavik to take, and is the most popular tour run from the city by all operators. This is a day tour that takes in three of Iceland's finest natural features - the "Golden Falls" waterfall at Gullfoss, the spouting geysers at Geysir and the national park at Thingvellir, site of the original Viking parliament.
Gullfoss is a massive two-step waterfall and a dramatic sight whatever the weather. The force of the water pouring over the falls throws up huge clouds of spray, and if you are lucky enough to visit on a sunny day, then a whole rainbow of colours can be seen shining over the water. Visiting Gullfoss is free, and there are two observation platforms situated a short walk from the car park - one above the falls (which involves climbing quite a steep flight of steps) and a lower one that takes you close to the upper step of the falls. If you are planning on using the lower, closer viewing platform then make sure you take a waterproof with you!
Just a few miles down the road from Gullfoss is Geysir, site of the hot erupting springs that gave its name to all such features around the world. While the original geysir has not been active since an earthquake a few years back, a visit to this site is still well worth it. Strokkur (a smaller geyser) still erupts to a height of around 25m every 10 to 15 minutes to the delight of onlookers, the active hot springs continue to bubble away and the strange, lunar landscape would almost make you think you were on another planet (if it were not for the coach loads of tourists regularly turning up, that is). Across the road, there is a rather good visitor centre (with geoscience centre, café and shop). Care must be taken when visiting the springs though, as earthquakes can and do weaken the crust in places, and some of the water is at boiling point.
Thingvellir offers yet another type of dramatic sight - an active rift landscape. For the non-geologists amongst you, this is the area where the mid-Atlantic ridge rises onto the surface of Iceland, the point at which the North American and European plates are tearing apart and new land is being created at a rate of 2cm a year. The ridged landscape created by this action was site was also the site of the Viking parliament (but you will already know that if you were paying attention when reading the background information!). Unfortunately, the national park provides no interpretation panels to visitors, so this is where it is really worth being on a guided tour.
All natural features in the Golden Circle are free to visit. A guided day tour of the sites will cost you between 5500ISK and 6000ISK, including hotel pick-up. If not booked through your holiday agency, places can be reserved at the Tourist Information offices for you.
- My Opinion To say that Iceland is unique feels like something of an understatement - yet how else would you describe a country like this? Reykjavik combines the openness and style of a Scandinavian city with a warmth of hospitality that only a place so unused to hordes of tourists descending upon them can have. It is still relatively unspoilt and undiscovered and I can't suppose it will stay that way for very long. If you are considering a visit to Reykjavik, I would strongly suggest you do so in the next few years, before a good deal of this charm is swamped beneath tourist coaches, bland chain coffee shops and temples to greasy food just like every other city in the developed world.
It is a good destination for a week or less (any longer and you could well be remorgaging your house to pay for it), for singles, couples and friends of all ages. I would not especially recommend it to those of you with small children (not that Reykjavik isn't child friendly, just that the expense may not be quite worth it for the very young) or with an aversion to walking (as Reykjavik is essentially a walking city). Older children, especially those with an interest in nature, would doubtless thoroughly enjoy a trip to Iceland, though. What more can I say? I had a great trip, and I would love to go again....but once the National Museum has re-opened, mind.
- Other Useful Information Climate? Not as cold as you think, actually. The average temperature when I went in September was a comfortable 9°C - although the weather is very changeable, so remember to take warm clothes and waterproofs with you whenever you visit.
Currency? Icelandic Krona (ISK). There are currently around 114 to the Ł.
Duty Free? Yes!!! Although part of Europe, the lovely Icelandic people are not part of the EU, so duty free shopping is still available in Keflavik airport. A perfect opportunity to stock up on Icelandic vodka and schnapps. ;-)
Food? Very expensive, usually around double what I would expect to pay for similar food in similar restaurantsin the UK. Specialities are fish and hangikjöt (wonderful smoked lamb), although at prices of around 2000-3000ISK you won't be eating out much! Other things worth trying are skyr (divine Icelandic yoghurt) and the local pastries, especially kleinur ("Icelandic doughnuts").
Souvenirs? Iceland is still not terribly touristy (thankfully), and while you can get a small range of cheap souvenirs (mugs, keyrings, t-shirts, etc) they are generally not that good. You may want to buy some Icelandic knitwear or silverwear, though, if you have any money left over from feeding yourself.
- Five Things I Liked About Reykjavik 1) Everyone was friendly and polite, and most people speak excellent English 2) The air and water are the freshest and cleanest anywhere 3) Very little penetration by international brands (yet) 4) The city is very clean, well maintained and feels safe to walk in 5) Some of the most stunning natural landscapes I have seen
- Five Things I Didn't Like About Reykjavik 1) I didn't get to see the Northern Lights (bah!) 2) Everything is very expensive due to the country's remoteness and 15% VAT 3) The length of time the National Museum has been shut for 4) Skyr is far too addictive and I can't get it at home 5) Ummm, did I mention that things are expensive?
- Five Things I Learned From Visiting Iceland They say travel broadens the mind... 1) It is not a good idea to stand downwind of a geyser 2) There is still a widespread belief in Elves 3) Iceland produces the best lamb and worst croissants I have ever had 4) It is still possible to get friendly, courteous and personal service 5) It is very difficult to describe the beauty of what I have seen in a Ciao review!
- Other Sources of Information The main excursion providers: www.icelandexcursions.is and www.re.is Tourist Information: www.visitreykjavik.is
Footprint books produce a handy pocket guide to Reykjavik by Laura Dixon, Ł7.99 in the UK and $11.95 in the US (ISBN 1903471591).
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hey great review, I will be off to Reykjavik in 3 weeks and im so looking forward to it. Like you I go on holiday to discover new cultures NOT to go lying on a godforsaken beach all day in some med resort. although im not sure how much money to bring. A lot I guess as its so expensive!
thecatsmother 09.12.2003 11:42
I've always had a vague notion of going to Iceland, as my mother always fancied it and never managed to get there, but this has really turned it from a notion to a desire. Shame it's so expensive. Do you mind me asking how much you paid for your package?
CherryBlossom 13.11.2003 18:00
I want to go! I really and truly want to go! I'm like you; I have no time for holidays that consist mainly of roasting on a beach. I'd much rather "discover" new cultures or just relax in a cabin by a lake, far away from civilisation, somewhere in the depths of Scaninavia. An excellent reveiw! ~Sharon
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Sep 12th, 2003
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