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 Sometimes Unbelievable, Always Remarkable Story of Hotel Borg
Travel doesn’t have to entail hitting the road, hopping on a plane or lacing up your hiking boots to trek into remote destinations. There’s something to be said for the staycation, or travelling in time by getting to know the places you…
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It’s Spa O’Clock — Here’s Where to Get Your Soak On
In the past few years, a particularly entrepreneurial spirit has swept the country, inspiring millionaires of all stripes in the throes of religious epiphanies to begin monetizing Iceland’s geothermal springs into dark castles devoted to the worship of cosiness. Where locals and…
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Blue Skies and Lumbering Whales: Landlubber finds whale watching heaven
It was a cold, crisp November day. The sea was mostly still and, even rarer for Iceland in autumn, the sky almost completely blue. Hallgrímskirkja, lording over Reykjavík city, became smaller while the mountains, still largely bereft of snow, grew larger still.…
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Andie Sophia’s Perfect Day In Reykjavík
Andie Sophia Fontaine is a journalist, writer, and Trans Iceland board member living in Reykjavík. Originally from Baltimore, she has lived in Iceland since 1999. She is the only openly trans journalist in Iceland, and has written for the Grapevine since 2003.…
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Perfect Day: Vaka Agnarsdóttir
Vaka Agnarsdóttir is a member of Inspector Spacetime, the band that has quickly become a dance music phenomenon in Iceland. Their track ‘Dansa og Bánsa’ is so catchy, it gets even the most reluctant movers on the dancefloor. What does Vaka do…
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Perfect Day: Snæi Jack
Snæbjörn Helgi Arnarsson Jack wears many hats—broadcaster, musician and community organiser, to name but a few. His perfect day in Reykjavík involves inclement weather, the best lunch deal in town, and a sneaky rooftop spot. A-type ideals I wake up in my…
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Perfect Day: Aurore Pélier Cady
Aurore Pélier Cady has traded the bustling streets of Paris for quietness of Reykjavík, bringing French delicacies to Iceland in her very own fine pastry shop—Sweet Aurora Reykjavík. In addition to making state of the art desserts, she obviously loves animals and…
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Hot Dogs And Hot Chocolate On Esja: Testing Our Patience And Resolve
Across the waters of Faxaflói Bay from Reykjavík resides Esjan—the dark, often cloud-covered mountain considered the quintessential Icelandic hike. Esjan is often visible as we leave Grapevine headquarters, prompting us to say, “We’re going to be on top of that mountain…one day.”…
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Perfect Day: Valdís Steinarsdóttir
Valdís Steinarsdóttir is an experimental designer from Reykjavík. Winner of the 2020 Formex Nova award—Nordic Designer of the Year—Valdís is best known for her projects repurposing organic materials. Among her most acknowledged works are food packaging made of animal skin and clothing…
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Laugarvatn: Waterproof Entertainment
Where does one go when you only have one day off from work this week, but you’re long overdue for an adventure, something to remind yourself that you are actually in the Iceland that you fell for? Dramatic landscapes, geysers and waterfalls?…
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Perfect Day: Blær Örn Ásgeirsson
Blær Örn Ásgeirsson is a 19-year-old disc golfer from Reykjavík. Don’t let his young age fool you though, he has already won The Reykjavík Open three times. Before embarking on a European disc golf tour, Blær shared his perfect day. Completely head…
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Islands Of Wonder: Winning The Weather Lottery In Vestmannaeyjar
No matter what the gods have thrown at the Westman Islands (known locally as Vestmannaeyjar)—eruptions, turbulent history, harsh living conditions—it seems only to have strengthened its inhabitants, creating a resilient population that lives with endearing optimism and a complete and utter lack…
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Perfect Day: Helga Kristín Torfadóttir
Helga is a young Icelandic geologist, specialising in volcanology. She has been working on the most recent eruption in Reykjanes, while studying for her PhD, researching Iceland’s largest and most dangerous volcano, Öræfajökull. When she is not testing out spacesuits for NASA,…
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Witch Hunt: A Visit To The Museum of Icelandic Sorcery & Witchcraft
Witchcraft and wizardry haves been the subject of fascination for centuries—just look at the success of a certain magical franchise written by She Who Must Not Be Named. But in the past, the relationship between everyday folk and the dark arts was…
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Perfect Day: Erlendur Thor Magnusson
Erlendur Thor Magnusson is an Icelandic photographer with a 20-year-long obsession with surfing in any weather conditions. He humbly mentions that he has also “dabbled” in filmmaking. He is featured in one of Redbull’s ‘Chasing The Shot’ episodes, and numerous other short…
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Beginner’s Guide to Skiing In Iceland
Ever wanted to go very fast down a hill with two sticks attached to your feet? Here’s how! Say what you like about the Icelandic winter—and you can, because it won’t make the slightest bit of difference—it sure does have staying power.…
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Perfect Day: Silja Björk Björnsdóttir
Silja Björk Björnsdóttir is a feminist, writer, podcaster, and lecturer. Her first book is an autobiographical story about mental health, depression, and recovery. Silja spends most of her time between Akureyri and Reykjavík, so here’s her guide to the perfect day in…
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In Hot Water: Switching Off From The World At Krauma Spa
It’s 2022. If you’re not waking up in a cold sweat shouting, “holy mother of (insert preferred deity here)” every morning, then frankly, where have you been for the last two years? Horrifying conflicts, a global pandemic, corruption, poverty, capitalistic greed –…
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Perfect Day: Ása Steinars
Ása Steinars is an Icelandic photographer and content creator. Her love for photography and travelling has taken her many places around the world, but her home is in Iceland. She is an editor and nature expert for Vogue Scandinavia. Here’s how her…
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Lenya Rún Taha Karim’s Perfect Day: Politics And Chill
Lenya Rún is a Pirate Party politician. In September 2021 it was announced that she was to become the youngest ever member of Alþingi. However, due to the election miscount chaos, she lost her seat in the subsequent reshuffle. Lenya instead entered…
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Arcadian Arts: A Night In Skagaströnd
A trip to the northern town of Skagaströnd raises questions about Iceland’s identity. Iceland was, until recently, essentially rural. Rapid urbanisation after 1900 changed the country forever and despite Iceland being revered for its beautiful landscape, 94% of the population lives in…
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Elísabet Pálmadóttir’s Perfect Day: Outdoor Activities And Eruptions
Elísabet Pálmadóttir works as a specialist in natural hazards at the Icelandic Met Office. During the course of this year, she has been busy explaining the acts of Fagradalsfjall volcano to us common people. She is probably the only person whose perfect…
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Power Trip: A Steamy Day Out Around Iceland’s Hottest Power Stations
Icelandic winter entices for many reasons. There are ice caves, snowy mountains and long, dark nights full of stars and Aurora. But there is another category of beauty and intrigue with a unique premise: power stations. Iceland’s iconic geology is a source…