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Quick facts: two days in October, me and my (then) 23-month-old.
We're stopping by on our way home from visiting family in Finland. I'm planning on staying in Reykjavik for two nights. Any suggestions what to do? If there are locals on the board, I'd like to find the best grocery store (you know, one where you can buy everything.. kind of like a big super market which will also sell yarn) as well as a nice bakery close to downtown (old town?) Reykjavik. I'm so excited, always wanted to go and now is my chance.
The closest supermarket to what you want is Hagkaup - but not all of them are superstores (some just have grocery stores). However, you should also check out Bonus (the discount grocery store - bags have a pig on them!). I got my yarn in Akureyri so I am of no help as to where to find it in Reykjavik, but ask the people at the front desk of your hotel. Yarn and woolen goods are very popular for tourists and locals alike.
SkólavörðustÃgur Street is the place to go for local art, designers, and shops.
There are some fantastic parks in Reykjavik. The Blue Lagoon is very touristy, but also worth the trip. Otherwise, try to find a local pool to go swimming in.
While I'm generally not a fan of tour buses, it might be worth it to do a Golden Circle tour. Renting cars is prohibitively expensive, but you shouldn't miss the geological sites.
I lived in Iceland (Akureyri and Isafjordur) for 3 months, with a little bit of time in Reykjavik. It's a fantastic country. So jealous of you!
I rented a car (despite the cost). However I had the impression there were many tours to choose from. I believe it will be chilly in October and the puffins will be gone. The Blue Lagoon is so exceedingly strange it is well worth a visit. The way my flight worked out- I stopped at the Blue Lagoon on the way to the airport.
Thanks guys! Keep the tips coming. I'm so excited to go. I won't be renting a car to save on costs, in my understanding Iceland is very expensive. I'm only planning on buying yarn anyway but love grocery shopping in countries I've never been to before. This will be just a quick stop, if it goes well I'm planning on taking the whole family there in a year or two.
I'm also interested in Iceland--it's under consideration with three other "finalists" for my next European stopover (others being Germany, Paris, and Greece).
I have a terrible dilemna regarding Iceland as I'm interested in both midnight sun, and northern lights, so I can't see both obviously will have to pick one. On the other hand, I live on US East Coast so maybe Canada will be an option.
I'll have 4 days or so. Is that enough for Iceland? Is a rental car too expensive if it's only for that number of days, or can I use bus tours as well?
I'm also interested in Iceland--it's under consideration with three other "finalists" for my next European stopover (others being Germany, Paris, and Greece).
I have a terrible dilemna regarding Iceland as I'm interested in both midnight sun, and northern lights, so I can't see both obviously will have to pick one. On the other hand, I live on US East Coast so maybe Canada will be an option.
I'll have 4 days or so. Is that enough for Iceland? Is a rental car too expensive if it's only for that number of days, or can I use bus tours as well?
I visited Iceland for a week and absolutely loved it. The combination of the geology, geography, solitude make it a very special place. Is 4 days enough? Well, I think there's plenty to do that can keep you busy for much longer, but you certainly can accomplish a lot in 4 days.
Whether to do bus tours or rent a car depends on what you want to see while you're there. If you want to see the "Golden Circle" sights (Gullfoss, Geysir, Thingvellir), I'd recommend going with a bus tour. I generally prefer to go do things on my own and not feel like "that kind of tourist," but the Golden Circle stops are tourist-heavy anyway. Also, the guides are great, you'll learn a lot, and see things along the way you might have missed otherwise. There are dozens of bus tours all over the country, but I'd recommend the Golden Circle first. It's the must-see stuff, and it's a full day.
Also, there are lots of small "companies" that take you on more individualized tours. Basically, these are guys with jeeps who will take you to see whatever you want to see. We called one of these guys and he picked us up, picked up another couple across town, and then we drove out to hike into a volcanic crater. Wicked awesome day. In theory you could rent a jeep and do this on your own, but in a place so desolate I think it helps to have a guide with you. We were ready to set up a night trip with the same guide to see the northern lights, but the weather turned so we had to call it off.
We did rent a car for a couple of days as well, and drove around a few other places we wanted to see. That was enjoyable too, and we had fun "discovering" some things instead of having them shown to us. I didn't find that renting a car was prohibitively expensive, but I'd still rent a car for a day or two and only if there are things you want to see/do that bus tours don't cover, or if you just want to get away and be free for a day. You'll find wide open roads unlike any in the eastern US.
Blue Lagoon is pretty cool and usually on everyone's itinerary. It's right next to Keflavik airport, so do it on your way out. We had an afternoon flight back to New York, so we went to Blue Lagoon in the morning, had lunch and headed over to the airport.
Any tips on how to arrange for accommodation. I'm planning a week drive along Route 1. I guess I cannot book all nights in advance. Where should I stop looking for a place to sleep each night? I'll be there early September.
Blue Lagoon is great. Also, there is a very good Indian restaurant in Reykjavik, very spicy.
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