Travel
From speeding over black sand beaches to walking behind waterfalls, descending into volcanoes, hiking on glaciers or driving across the wild Highlands: read about our Iceland travels within.
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The 3rd “Iceland Is Weird But So Great” Video Is Here
The third installment of the travel video series is here, and this time, you can take a closer look at Iceland’s obsession with choirs. Many new arrivals might not know it, but Icelanders love to sing. Especially when it comes to singing…
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PHOTOS: 12 Hours In Snæfellsnes
Less than two hours drive from Reykjavik lies the Snæfellsnes peninsula, sometimes known as “Iceland in miniature,” such is the diversity of the landscape. Here are a few examples what you can see on one-day trip out west. 1. Brúarfoss The story goes that there…
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All Ice Everything: Glacier Walks And Boat Trips
Even during the peak of Iceland’s summer’s season, there’s always a place to be cold. So, feeling the 13˚ city heat of Reykjavík, we decided to go there. The south coast of Iceland is probably one of the most travelled routes in…
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Discovering Þríhnúkagígur: Árni B. Stefánsson’s Descent Into A Volcano
During our recent visit to the Þríhnúkagígur volcano, the magma chamber was a hive of activity, with workmen busily preparing the space for the season ahead. The man leading the work is Árni B. Stefánsson, the lifelong cave enthusiast who was the…
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Springtime In Svalbard: Ice Caves, Dog Sleds And Tinder In The Arctic
The very first written mention of the group of islands known as Svalbard, meaning “cold coast” or “cold edge,” comes from a 12th century Icelandic Saga. “Svalbard fundinn,” it reads in Old Icelandic, meaning, in English: “Svalbard found.” After the Vikings came,…
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Living On The Edge: A Trip To Grímsey, Iceland’s Arctic Island
It’s almost 2pm when our tiny propeller plane passes over the glossy white mountains that mark Iceland’s northern coastline. I press my face to the cold glass to see the fjords below. They’re vast and undulating, full of intriguing nooks that seem…
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Swallowed Whole: Into The Volcano
It’s easy to forget, basking in the tropical sun of a 9˚C summer morning in Reykjavík, that just outside the city, summer is yet to arrive. But sure enough, one Saturday in May, after pulling on some hiking boots and taking the…
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Friendly Ghosts And Langoustine: A Day In Stokkseyri
It’s snowing in Hellisheiði. Powdery drifts sweep over the narrow strip of asphalt that cuts through the snow-laden mountains. Like any trip south along Route 1, our journey to Stokkseyri begins with a steady climb over this high plateau that separates the…
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The 2nd “Iceland Is Weird But So Great” Video Is Here
The second installment of the travel video series is here, and this time, outdoor geothermal swimming is explored. Many guests to our fair shores find the conventions around bathing in Iceland to be confusing. Fret no more, as you’re taken on a…
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Last Chance For Aurora Borealis?
As the days get longer and the nights get lighter, the chances of seeing the aurora borealis over Iceland recede for the summer. But this weekend, the aurora forecast at vedur.is is an above-average four/five out of nine, which means there might…
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PHOTOS: Early Summer Sun At Sólheimajökull
For visitors to Iceland, the majestic peaks of the southern glaciers have a magnetic pull. Eyjafjallajökull comes into view somewhere between Selfoss and Hella on the southern road—an impossibly high ice cap that makes you blink and wonder if it’s a cloud…
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PHOTOS: Springtime For Skiers
Bláfjöll is the largest skiing area in Iceland, located less than a half hour drive outside Reykjavík. Nestled in a large mountain range, it’s clearly visible from the city on winter nights. Local skiers are now enjoying their final days of fun on the…
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PHOTOS: A Day Out In Akureyri
On our way up to Grímsey island recently, we had a four hour layover, so we jumped in a hire car and had a drive around in Akureyri, Iceland’s “second city,” population 18,191. It a beautiful place to visit, even for just…
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A Feast For All The Senses In Stykkishólmur
“Are you kidding?” laughs the grizzled old bus driver. “I’ll never get to Ártun by 8:51. Maybe if this was a Ferrari.” He checks a timetable. “You should take Strætó number five. I’ll radio ahead… oh wait, there it is! Run!” And…
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A Close Encounter With The Arctic Fox
Skimming briskly along Ísafjarðardjúp, the large bay that cuts between the Westfjords’ northernmost and middle tines, I lose phone service and geographic reference at about the same time. Snowy mountains jut into the deep from every direction, giving me the sense that…
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The Road To Glymur, The Highest Waterfall In Iceland
Glymur is the highest waterfall in Iceland, rising to an elevation of some 198 metres. To get there, it’s about a one hour drive from Reykjavík, followed by 40 minutes to an hour of walking from the parking lot to the waterfall…
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Akranes: The Great Unknown Across The Bay From Reykjavík
Sitting in the office on a rainy afternoon after several days reeking of the mundane, Hrefna and I take a solemn oath. We will take hold of our heartstrings, seek adventure, and head into the uncharted territory of the west. We will…
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Take A Moment: There’s More To Borgarnes Than Bónus And N1
Borganes is perhaps best known as the last‐chance gas and Bónus stop before the long drive onward to the remote Westfjords or the north of Iceland. Passing through, this diminutive town appears to have been dramatically sliced off just past the local…
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People of Stykkishólmur
On our recent trip to the picturesque fishing town of Stykkishólmur on the Snæfellsnes peninsula, we met plenty of interesting locals going about their business. The town is, like much of Iceland, riding the wave of increased off-season tourism, which benefits everything…
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Over Hill And Underwater: A Day With Icelandic Horses
The Icelandic word for horse is hestur, which translates as “peaceful creature with floating hooves and blow-dried hair as if lifted from the scalp of a 1980s supermodel.” These animals are notably wily and smart, many of them published poets. It has…
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New Video Series On Iceland’s Lesser-Known Wonders Starts Now
A new series of short documentaries explores some of Iceland’s stranger, lesser-known wonders, and your participation is welcome. The series, called Iceland Is Weird But So Great, is the work of film maker and director Árni Sveinsson, in collaboration with the Reykjavík…
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The Mysterious Pull Of Djúpavík
It’s late spring and the mountains of the Westfjords are still covered in snow after a harsh winter. The undulating, unpaved coastal road to Strandir is a challenging drive at this time of year, with steep slopes, the risk of landslides, and…
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PHOTOS: Spectacular Aurora Display Last Night
Last night’s Northern Lights were magical! All of the different colours and forms this natural phenomenon holds were beautifully documented in photographs under the hashtag #northernlights on Instagram. We had a blast going through them and wanted to share our favourites from…