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Yule Year-Round: Visting Jólagarðurinn
This fall, while planning my first trip up North, I messaged a friend of mine who had gone to secondary school in Akureyri and asked him for a few choice recommendations. “The Christmas Garden,” he wrote back almost immediately. “Smells delish. Sounds…
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Furiously Chasing Tranquility In Ísafjörður
Through my travels, I’ve been lucky enough to meet a ton of Icelanders who have become some of my closest friends—I might call them family. At this point, I’m proud to say I’m fully enmeshed in the “Icelandic Connection” now, which means…
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Where Are The Glowing Rocks?
As you would expect, many visitors to Iceland are more than eager to view the country’s famous volcanoes. They may, however, be surprised to discover little more than rugged, cold lava flows and non-smoking volcanoes. These are of course fine sights, but…
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The Faroe Islands: Neither Iceland, Nor Scotland, Nor Even Denmark
“It’s not Scotland, it’s not Iceland. The Faroe Islands have embraced me. It’s kind of in the middle. Like Sc-iceland. The scenery is incredibly striking, but less Scots and less ice.” This is how comedian Danny Robins describes Iceland’s neighbours in his…
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Skógar, Take A Hike On Some Hot Lava
While travelling in the south of Iceland, Skógar, right by The Ring Road, is a must-visit destination. The majestic waterfall Skógafoss is a sight to behold and is positively awe-inspiring in its sheer size and volume (it is also really loud, which…
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Draugasetrið: Ghosts And Goblins And Trolls, Oh My!
When I was a kid, my favourite ride at my hometown amusement park was the haunted house. It was built in 1967; all the skeletons looked like they were made out of popsicle sticks and it was hilarious. Then they shut it…
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Westman Islands: More Like ‘Best Man Islands’
Three weeks ago on the Westman Islands there was one day when Eyjafjallajökull’s ash fell so thick that everything outdoors was covered. Everything. But the Grapevine arrived in Heimaey on a sunny morning that belied the long stretch of ash fall the…
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Djúpidalur: Spending The Night With A Farmer
It was early evening by the time we descended into Djúpidalur valley after spending a successful day weaving in and out of Iceland’s most spectacular Westfjords. We arrived at a cluster of red-roofed houses where a man and a couple of toddlers…
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Eyjafjallajökull: Who’s Laughing Now, Europe?
You are probably aware of the spectacular (if small) volcanic eruption on Fimmvörðuháls, the ridge next to Eyjafjallajökull glacier. We wrote about it last issue and everything. That eruption sadly ended not long after we went to print, and even most volcanologists…
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Eyjafjallajökull Raves On
As those European airport slumber parties wind down and guests return to the humdrum of sleeping in real beds, taking showers and hopefully changing their socks, the Eyjafjallajökull ash fest is far from over for the farmers living near the base of…
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Aldrei Fór Ég Suður: Cheerful, Drunken Voices
Inexplicably, at midnight, the bar gets crowded. There’s no clear reason why. The house lights have come on and Reykjavík! have stopped playing. By all traditional indications, this should be the end of the night. But the stairs leading down into Krúsin…
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Obscura Day: Celebrating the Obscure
Joshua Foer has made a name for himself as a freelance science journalist for various publications such as Slate.com, New York Times and the Washington Post. He is also the author of the forthcoming Moonwalking with Einstein, which documents his journey from…
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Seljavallalaug Swimming Pool
Take a long, hard look at the accompanying photo. You’ll want to be there. And for good reason. Seljavallalaug is just as beautiful, calming, transcendent and awe-inspiring as it looks. It’s accessible, too. Located just a couple of hours away from Reykjavík,…
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No More Blues: Animals Are Awesome!
Opened in 1990, Fjölskyldu- og húsdýragarðurinn is a family escape open year round, giving kids (and city folk) the chance to get up close and personal with a variety of animals native to Iceland. The animal park houses 150 specimens of 19…
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Phileas Fogg Would Weep: Travel Around The World In Seven Days
Four star country resort Hotel Rangá has been a favoured local city escape destination for years. Only an hour out of Reykjavík, right off the ring road in the Southern low lands between Hella and Hvolsvöllur, Rangá offers views of Mt. Hekla,…
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Ice-O-lation: Fighting Snow On A Desert Island
Hrísey is Iceland’s second largest island. It is located in Eyjafjörður, around 30 kilometres from the north’s capital, Akureyri. It used to be a prosperous fishing village with a lot of action all year round, but the small village lost its fishing…
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Top 5 Ski Areas In Iceland
1. Hlíðarfjall, Akureyri. With a high-speed quad and three tow lifts Hlíðarfjall may not be the biggest, but it’s certainly the best. The top lift accesses a lot of off-piste and offers endless hiking possibilities to various chutes, cornices and cliffs. The…
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South Shore Adventure: Chasing Waterfalls
Although the Golden Circle tour may include the most popular places of interest with Gullfoss, Þingvellir and the geysers, there are still a lot of things left to see in Iceland’s countryside. A great opportunity to see a whole bunch of beautiful…
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A Flying Visit to Akureyri: A Day Trip To Iceland’s Second City
Akureyri provides a mix of natural wonder and small town cosiness. The lofty peaks of Súlur and Hlíðarfjall overlook the pretty port and on a snowy day in early October, a day-visit was a welcome withdrawal from rickety Reykjavík. After a sleepy…
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Witch Museum: This Place Will Certainly Cast A Spell On You
The Strandir area in the West Fjords has always been notorious for witchcraft. The Strandagaldur Museum of Sorcery and Witchcraft in Holmavik features an audio tour from museum manager Sigurdur Atlason, exploring the real story behind Iceland’s history with the occult. The…