So, you’ve shopped in the shops, drank the drinks, and eaten all the foods. And whilst those things are all super fun, culture and the outdoors are the missing pieces of the puzzle for a perfect trip. Whether it’s a gleaming museum or a grimy artist-run gallery, a springtime hike or a day trip to try and glimpse the aurora, here’s where to do it.
Best Day Trip
Snowmobiling
Various tour operators
Snowmobiling over the surface of a glacier is an excursion to remember. Just ten minutes into your tour you’ll lose sight of day-to-day life, finding yourself surrounded by pure unending white as far as the eye can see, save for the specks of other snowmobiles in the distance. Numerous tour operators provide exhilarating snowmobile tours all over Iceland. Langjökull and Mýrdalsjökull are both easily reachable in a three hour drive or so, and some operators will pick you up from your hotel. It’s breathtaking by day, and you can even chase the northern lights at night.
Runner-Up:
Hvalfjörður
Hvalfjörður
Cut off from Route One by a road tunnel, Hvalfjörður is a beautiful rural fjord an hour from Reykjavík. Perfect for a road trip, it’s home to Glymur—Iceland’s second-highest waterfall—as well as various scenic and historical stops dotted around the fjord. “The church is a great place to get married, too—just ask my sister.”
Runner-Up:
Budget pick: Viðey
Viðey Island
This little island can be reached by a three-minute ferry ride from Reykjavík. “Despite its small size, it has a lot to offer!” said the panel. It has nesting birds, panoramic views of Snæfellsness peninsula and the Imagine Peace Tower (a Yoko Ono curated Lennon memorial), just to name a few attractions.
Previous Winners
New Category!
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