Jun 11, 2017
Smash Hits Iceland
We have been travelling around Iceland for the past 2 week. We loved it. Many of our friends want to go there as well. For them we have listed our top recommendations:
Top 3 Places to Stay
No 1: Hafaldan Hostel in Seyðisfjörður
I still can’t believe it! When travelling in India earlier this year, I picked up a postcard from a hostel in Iceland. At the time I thought it was funny that there would be advertising for Iceland in India. But it was even funnier, when I realised AFTER booking into Hafaldan Hostel, that this was the very hostel the postcard was from.
No 2: ION Adventure Hotel
Expensive, but beautiful.
No 3: Víðir’s House on Airbnb in the center of Vestmannaeyjabær
Great place to relax and enjoy walks around the beautiful island and indulge in the near by restaurants and cafes.
Top 3 Places to Eat
No 1: Skaftfell Bistrot in Seyðisfjörður
We could have spent weeks in this cafe/bistrot which is a legacy of German-Swiss artist Dieter Roth. Our favourite: the long table with the games and painting materials hanging from the ceiling.
No 2: Slippurinn Eatery in Vestmannaeyjabær
Amazing Icelandic food and desert.
No 3: Kaffihus Vesturbaejar
Relaxed neighbourhood hangout in Reykjavik, which has tons of great restaurants and cafes.
as well as Gott in Vestmannaeyjabær
Top 3 Places to Hike
No 1: Snæfellsjökull
This is a 700,000 year old glacier, featuring prominently in Jules Vernes Journey to the Center of the Earth (1864). We had great fun hiking up the snowy slopes and tobogganing downhill on our raincoats.
No 2: Coastal walk from Hellnar to Arnarstapi
Check out all the birds!
No 3: Circumnavigating Hverfjall near Myvatn
Top 3 Places to Visit
No 1.: Waterfall Gullfoss and Geysir
No 2: Ice Lagoon
No 3: Halldór Laxness Museum, Gljufrasteinn
Best 3 Bodies of Water
Lilian, Vico, Siena and Jake had fun jumping into one very cold body of water every day. I only joined them once, in Fáskrúðsfjörður. But we all spent hours in the hot springs!
Coldest: Seyðisfjörður harbour
Warmest: Hot Spring at Highland Hostel Laugerfell
Most beautiful: Lake Thingvallavatn
Curated: Myvatn Nature Baths
Other Musts
Save money beforehand, as everything is at least twice as expensive as in the rest of Europe. While in Iceland, just forget to convert prices into your local currency. This will make your trip much more enjoyable.
Rent a 4x4
Read Halldór Laxness Independent People
Watch Werner Herzogs Into the Inferno
Bring raincoats and lot’s of warm clothing as Icelanders have been waiting for summer since 1926.
And check out some of the exciting contemporary Icelandic composers!
