The Bartender’s Guide to Airwaves

As Airwaves grows nearer, it’s time to ask for advice about what to do, what to drink and where to go when you’re not attending concerts, of course. There are plenty of things to do, to see and to experience but don’t just rely on my words, pay attention to the opinion of local people who are taking an active part to make the city such a dynamic place and who also provide lots of fun, namely bartenders! We asked four of them for their suggestions but feel free to talk to them yourself as soon as you arrive.

Name: Ingi Þór

Works at: Microbar

Do’s: Have beer at Micro Bar and enjoy the festival, of course. Aside from going to Airwaves, you should definitely have a look at one of the many swimming pools around the area and experience the Icelandic lifestyle.

Don’ts: Don’t be rude, at least try to be polite. But actually my experience with most people who come to the Airwaves is that they all are behaving very well.

What you should order: Try one of the micro brews I have on draft, as I am the only one in town supplying them. Or choose one of the bottled collection that’s also pretty large.

Name: George

Works at: The English Pub

Do’s: Keep on partying, enjoy your stay and have a great Airwaves! Breathe some northern city air and try talking to locals for further advice. They know best!

Don’ts: You should know your limit. So please don’t drink too much.

What you should order: You should definitely have a Whiskey Sour. It’s one of the best drinks if you ask me.

Name: Dagur Benedikt

Works at: Lebowski Bar

Do’s: If you are in Reykjavík for the first time, don’t spend too much time on the main streets, like Laugarvegur, Bankastræti or Austurstræti. There’s plenty more to see once you just leave the beaten tracks, for example street arts or cosy little stores.

Don’ts: You shouldn’t be unfriendly or intolerant. Everyone is different, please respect that and you will also be accepted the way you are.

What you should order: I would suggest you to order a White Russian. It’s an appropriate drink to tipple at Lebowski Bar.

Name: Villi

Works at: KEX Hostel

Do’s: If you got some spare time, I would recommend you to take a hike at Reykjavík’s whale-shaped backyard mountain called Esja. It’s a challenging experience, of course, but it’s offering a huge contrast to the fast and sometimes noisy city life. If you’re not interested in such a demanding activity but also want to experience something unique, you should take a trip to the Blue Lagoon which is a rather chilly place to go. Anyway, you should be able to learn more about Iceland by talking to locals as well.

Don’ts: To be honest, you are allowed to do nearly everything as long as you are not hurting anyone. You don’t have to cover up your alcoholic drinks when you’re in public for example. Just be yourself, that’s all I can say.

What you should order: My personal suggestion would be to get yourself a Whiskey Sour or an Old Fashioned because these are cool drinks! Whiskey in general is a cool drink. And it’s good for your health, too [twinkles].