Family Travel Concierge: Iceland Adventures

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WELCOME TO ICELAND

Useless tips:

• You can exchange currency at the international airport. As soon as you

are in the city, there are not many banks left in the city centre, but plenty

of ATV’s where you can withdraw.

• If you plan to enjoy a sip of wine, or even pre-party – buy alcohol at the

duty free store upon arrival – it is much cheaper than the local wine store!

• In need of warm clothes? Buy an Icelandic wool sweater, lopapeysa;

it’s warm and it’s traditional. Handprjónasambandið on Skólavörðustígur

(downtown) has great variety, the Geysir store across the street from it has

some great wool products as well.

• Tap water is safe to drink and delicious – no need to buy expensively

bottled water

• Tipping is not a custom in Iceland, but greatly appreciated on private

tours.

Useful tips:

• Electricity is 220 volts, 50Hz as in most European countries. Plugs and

sockets are of the two-pin type as in continental Europe

• Local equivalent to 911 is 112

• Take the elevator to the top of Hallgrímskirkja church tower and see the city from above (for a small fee)

• Swimming and hot tub-soaking is a strong Icelandic tradition, in any

kind of weather, so a must do is to visit a local swimming pool. We like the

Laugardalslaug pool for its many hot tubs, and Vesturbæjarlaug, for its ex-

cellent steam bath. Entrance fee is about 500 Isk per person and they are

open from 7:00 to 22:00 at night.

• The whale museum, Whales of Iceland located at Fiskislóð in Reykjavík’s

harbour area. Open everyday from 9:00 to 19:00.

Restaurants & bars

Restaurants we like:

• The Fishcompany, the Fishmarket and the Seafood Grill for the

freshest fih.

• The Grillmarket and the Steakhouse for great meat dishes.

• Dill, Kol, Tapashouse, Forréttabarinn and Sushisamba for great fusion

food with the freshest Icelandic ingredients.

• Kryddlegin Hjörtu, Happ, Grænn Kostur and Gló for wonderful veggie

food.

• K-bar, Bunk restaurant, Nora Magazine and Laundromat for laid-

back-not-so-expensive food.

More local tries we like:

• The Seabaron, their delicious lobster soup.

• Baejarins Bestu Hot Dogs – best hot dogs in the world, for real!

• Reykjavík Roasters has the best coffee in town.

• Microbar has the best variety of beer in town – try their beer tasting, 8

different Icelandic beer

• Kaff Loki, where you can try out all the weird Icelandic food you have

heard about (and regular food to).

What to do in Reykjavík?

Do you have some extra time to kill in the city – we recommend:

• The Reykjavík flea market “Kolaportið” is open from 11-17 on weekends

only – in the food section you can get fermented shark.

• There are guided tours of Harpan, our concert hall every day at 15:30

(also 11 on weekends).

Add this to the above for glacier activities (note that for many glacier activities such as snowmobiling and Dogsledding you will be provided with overalls):

• Long underwear top and bottom, silk or wool recommended – avoid cotton or cotton blends.

• Fleece jacket.

• Rain jacket waterproof/breathable fabric (something comfortable over

your base layers)

• Fleece pants.

• Light trekking pants/rain pants.

• Wearing layers is always better than bringing a huge jacket that is un-

comfortable to walk in.

• Warm hiking boots – it’s important to keep your feet warm, wool socks

(no cotton/poly blends)

Breakfast, lunch and brunch:

• Bergsons Mathús close to the cathedral and the parliament

• Satt at the Icelandair Natura hotel and Vox at the Hilton Nordica hotel for

their brunch on weekends from 11:30-14:00.

Bars and outings:

• KEX hostel, Boston and Slippbarinn to start the evening (they close from

12-03)

• Rósenberg for live music every night.

• Kaffiarinn, Dolly’s and Prikið for the hipsters.

• B5 and Austur for clubbing (starting from 2-5:00 in the morning)

• Bar 11 for the rockers.

Ice cream stores:

• Valdís - Homemade ice cream with all kinds of interesting flvours

• Vesturbæjarís - More like ice milk instead of ice cream if that makes

sense at all?

• Ísgerðin - Yogurt ice cream that you serve yourself

What to pack for Iceland

Are you wondering what type of climate to expect when heading to the island in the North Atlantic? Well, expect all kinds of weather. Iceland is famous for the ever shifting weather and winds, as the saying goes: “If you don’t like the weather right now, just wait five minutes”. In wintertime, basically pack your warmest clothes – and in summertime... prepare for everything! Vague enough for you?

Here are a few more concrete tips and suggestions:

Clothing for sightseeing tours (all year): Good outdoor shoes, comfortable

clothes, waterproof clothes.

Winter: Long sleeved thermal, scarf, hat, gloves, warm socks (wool), wa-

terproof shoes/hiking boots, waterproof jacket.

Other useful packin tips:

Nr. 1, 2 and 3: Bathing suit, even in wintertime. We are crazy about our

lovely geothermal pools and the hot tub culture is one you shouldn’t miss

out on. As for the hard-core ones... why not try out swimming in the North

Atlantic at Reykjavik’s artificial beach, followed by a soak in the hot tub.

• Earplugs when staying downtown... for some reason the sound level

rises after midnight on Friday and Saturday nights.

• Driver’s License – renting a car, or doing any motorised activity such as

quad biking/snowmobiling?

• Hair conditioner, bathing in all that mineral rich water calls for a good

conditioner.

• Motion sickness pills for Whale watching and other water activities.

• Rain clothes – the vertical rain in Iceland will treat your umbrella bad...

• Sleeping mask in summertime... when you have stayed awake for

too long with the midnight sun in your eyes.

• Sunglasses and sunscreen, believe it or not, the sun burns in Iceland too!

WHAT TO DO IN REYKJAVIK

Arts and culture lovers are in for a real treat in Reykjavik. From the Icelan- dic Sagas to contemporary art, Reykjavik has a buzzing cultural scene. A constant flow of innovative musical happenings, stage theatre performanc- es and cultural events keeps locals and visitors entertained all year round.

We recommend you start your visit by the “Visit Reykjavik” Tourist infor- mation centre, in Aðalstræti 2. You will find information on the on-going events, temporary exhibitions, and answer to any other question you may have on the capital area:

Tourist Information Centre

Adalstraeti 2

101 Reykjavik

Tel: +354 590 1550

Fax: +354 590 1501

E-mail: info@visitreykjavik.is

Opening hours:

1st of June to 15th of Sept:

8:30 - 19:00 daily

16th of Sept to 31st May:

9:00 - 18:00 weekdays

9:00-16:00 Saturdays

9:00-14:00 Sundays

Cafes and Bars

There was a time when you only had the choice between three or four cafes. Today they have invaded the city centre and are particularly lively

on weekends. Here are a few, all located in the city centre and easy to find: Vegamót, Ölstofa, Prikid, Kaffi 22, Kaffibarinn, Kaffibrenslan

You have a series of tea rooms where you will find something to snack

on in the morning. Unexpected places such as the tea room located on the second floor of the bookstore on Laugavegur where you can start to browse the book or magazine you are going to buy.

Or surprising places like Babalu, Skolavordurstigur 22 B, heading back to the cathedral, the orange facade draws the eye. If you do not have the opportunity to visit one of the many souvenir shops or craft of the city, do not worry: you can still make purchases on your return to duty free airport (always open regardless of your departure time).

You can also find crafts, sweets, polar sweaters or wool sweaters if you have not had time to visit the store handknitting The association down- town Skolavordustigur 19 offering sweaters, hats, gloves, socks hand knit- ted by grandmothers nice little.

Museums

A fascinating Viking heritage and the latest in visual arts can be explored in the cities many museums and galleries.

Learn about Icelandic history at the National Museum, view a Viking age longhouse at the new Reykjavik 871 +/-2 Settlement Exhibition and get acquainted with Iceland’s unique literature heritage at the Culture House. Visual art flourishes in the city. The flagship galleries are the National Gallery and the three-fold Reykjavik Art Museum (Kjarvalsstadir, Harbour House and Asmundur Sveinsson sculpture museum). Adding colour to the scene is a rich array of exhibition venues ranging from specialized muse- ums and smaller art galleries to the city streets.

Other exhibition venues in the Reykjavik Capital Area include the open- air folk museum Arbaejarsafn, Museum of Photography and Numismatic, Electrical and Telecommunications museums, to name but a few.

Shopping and design

Whether you are after designer brands, unique Icelandic design or quality souvenirs, you will be spoiled when shopping in Reykjavik. Even better, you can take it home tax-free!

The cosy atmosphere, vibrant street life and the myriad of cafés and restaurants in Reykjavik city centre will make your shopping time an en-joyable one. There are wonderful bookstores, where you can spend hours browsing through international and Icelandic books and buy souvenirs. There is always something new in this area, from cafés and galleries to small shops offering the latest items by young Icelandic designers.

Outside the city centre, you’ll be able to do some shopping in the warm comfort of the city’s two main shopping malls; Kringlan, a couple of min- utes’ drive from the heart of the city, and Smaralind in the adjacent town of Kopavogur.

Icelandic Design

The Icelandic design scene is very innovative and experiencing strong growth, spurred on by young Icelandic designers who are inspired by influences at home and from abroad. Most shops selling Icelandic design

- clothes, accessories, home ware - can be found in the city centre on Lau- gavegur, Skolavordustigur and around Vesturgata and the old harbour. You may sometimes need to look hard - many shops and studios are located in back streets or upper floors that are not easily spotted!

Tax Free Shopping in Iceland

As a visitor to Iceland, whenever you buy goods for more than 4,000 ISK in one shop, you are entitled to tax refund. When you shop Tax Free, it means that you are getting the VAT (Value Added Tax) deducted from the purchased price. The tax is used for social purposes in Iceland and as a foreign resident you can claim this tax back and shop Tax Free.

How it works: When you buy the products in the shop you pay the full price, but should ask for a “tax-free” form, which entitles you to a 7-15% refund on the goods you just bought.

If the amount of your refund is more than 5,000 ISK, you must have the tax free form stamped by the Customs Authority Office at the airport be- fore you check in. You may be asked to produce your purchases (with the exception of woollen goods), so you should carry them as hand luggage

but after you have produced your purchase you can pack it in your suitcase and check it in.

Where can I get my refund?

The money can be refunded in several places in Reykjavík, such as; ITA service desk, Aðalstræti 2

Kringlan shopping mall

Smáralindin shopping mall

Skarfabakki, cruise ship service centre (only open during summer)

ITA service desk at the BSI bus terminal

Keflavik international airport

Both at the Reykjavík domestic airport and Keflavik airport you can

use your tax free form as a payment in the duty free shop.

Opening hours

Most shops in Reykjavík, particularly shops on Laugavegur- Reykjavík’s main shopping street - are open:

Monday - Friday 10:00 - 18:00

Saturday 10:00 - 16:00

In the downtown area shops are usually closed on Sundays except for

bakeries, flower shops, souvenir shops and book stores. Book shops and

souvenir shops usually close at 10PM in summer, all week long.

Shopping malls are usually open longer:

Monday – Wednesday 10:00 – 18:30

Thursdays 10:00 – 21:00

Fridays 10:00 – 19:00

Saturdays 10:00 – 18:00

Sundays 13:00 – 18:00

Various supermarkets and kiosks are open for sale of groceries, tobacco,

newspapers and sweets.

Active in Reykjavík

The vast, beautiful landscape around Reykjavík and the numerous green areas within the city are perfect for all kinds of outdoor activities. Visi-tors to Reykjavík will be impressed by the city’s proximity to nature and struck by the cleanliness of the city itself. There are plenty of possibilities when planning what to do outdoors during your stay in the capital. Locals love to spend time outside, and pursue a wide variety of sports all year round. Icelanders are keen swimmers, horse-riders and skiers (when there is enough snow), while the two most popular spectator sports in Iceland by far are handball and football (soccer). There are usually lots of sports events going on all year round.

Your trip overview

10th of August - 19th of August 2015

Monday 10th of August You arrive in Iceland

Tuesday 11th of August City tour

Wednesday 12th of August   Golden circle & horseback riding
Thursday 13th of August       Iceland south & glacier hike
Friday 14th of August            Jökulsárlón to Eastfjords
Saturday 15th of August       Mývatn, caving & Nature baths

Sunday 16th of August           Dettifoss & Ásbyrgi National park
Monday 17th of August        Explore Akureyri & flight to Reykjavík
Tuesday 18th of August         Reykjavík

Wednesday 19th of August Blue Lagoon & transfer to the airport

Hotel Information