En route home from a recent trip to Italy, I took Icelandair up on its no-fee stopover, a call to action on every Icelandair flight that I simply cannot refuse. Iceland’s tourism industry has grown exponentially in the last decade due to the reasonable fares to Europe via Icelandair and the persuasion tactics used to convince travelers to enjoy a stopover in Iceland. It begins when you book your flight, the tabs on the site that beckon you to explore Iceland’s offerings and unique destinations. On board the plane, your in-flight television screen will be pre-set to the Iceland promotional channel, loaded with videos revealing the beauty of different sections of the island, culinary discoveries and Icelandic facts. The flights are like mini chamber of commerce vessels that tout and promote the country’s unique appeal. It has been a brilliant partnership for tourism, and who am I to deny myself of the miracles of the land of fire and ice? Besides, Reykjavik is one of my favorite cities; I love the smell of the sea air, the haute cuisine, the colorful buildings and the walkability of the downtown core.
Our flight from Munich arrived at Keflevik Airport in late afternoon and we hopped a convenient Flybus from the airport to our hotel in Reykjavik, an approximate 45-minute ride across the barren lava fields to the city. Part of Iceland’s successful tourism campaign has been attributed to its ease of travel for visitors. Just steps from the baggage claim were dozens of buses lined up to take us and our fellow travelers into the city.
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We arrived at our accommodations, a chic and modern hotel on Laugavegur Street, the most hip street in the city’s shopping and dining district. It was mid-July, so we didn’t have to worry about running out of daylight anytime soon. We ditched our luggage in our room and set out in search of a nice meal, as Iceland is a mecca for foodies with the fresh fusion of local ingredients and haute cuisine. We had arrived on a local holiday of sorts, and Google Maps informed us that many of our options were closed in observance. We took the enthusiastic dining recommendation of the friendly hotel staff and set out for a pre-dinner walk about the city.
As most tourists do, we wandered up to the Hallgrimskirkja, the Lutheran church that at 244 feet tall is one of Iceland’s tallest buildings.
Too frugal to pay the 900ISK (roughly $8.50) per person fee to climb the tower for a city view, we instead marveled at the church’s massive pipe organ with over 5,200 pipes before exiting the church by the grand statue of Leifur Eiriksson.
Our hotel staff recommended Kol Kitchen and Bar. We walked into this cozy, upscale bistro without a reservation and lucked into the last available table. We dined with our friends, sharing laughs and passing plates of beef carpaccio and seared ahi appetizers. We took in the divine culinary offerings while marveling at the bar’s masterful mixologist in action. The bartender was professional and enthusiastic, so much so that we speculated he kept himself in top shape from his antics behind the bar rather than at the gym. Despite the ghastly price of $25 dollars per cocktail (typical in Iceland, but the best you’ll ever try), we enjoyed sipping the uniquely flavored drinks even more than the display of its creator, mixing and shaking with vim and vigor. The evening’s favorites, besides the cocktails, were charred salmon with fennel escabeche, dill apples, aioli and dill Hollandaise and the ocean perch and langoustine with pepper polenta and other fresh accoutrements.
After dinner, we separated from our friends and set out to walk off our meal beneath the light of Reykjavik’s famed midnight sun. We took in the waterfront buildings, mixed architecture, eclectic public art and the background chatter from the boisterous pubs all the while filling our lungs and nostrils with the damp and salty sea air. Alas, we thought we would treat ourselves to one additional cocktail at a trendy bar near the waterfront. It was near midnight, but the streets were abuzz with energy as the steady stream of patrons transitioned themselves from restaurants to bars. I tried not to focus on the price as I sipped another $25 cocktail – when in Rome….
Our trip as a whole was economical and we knew going in that Iceland is not inexpensive. En route to the bar’s restroom, I mused at the life-sized sculpture of a man using the urinal, which served as a navigational beacon to the men’s restroom. Throughout the city we spotted evidence of Icelanders’ humor. They are serious about sustainability, energy independence, culinary arts, cocktails, and passing down their revered sagas, yet they do not seem to take themselves too seriously and maintain a quirky sense of humor. All are good reasons to love Iceland! The journey back to our hotel revealed the most beautiful moon shining over the Hallgrimskirkja, an incredible sight to behold.
We were only in Iceland for a night’s stopover on our trip home from leading a group hiking in Italy’s Dolomites for three weeks. Having already maxed my time away from the office, I made arrangements for the group to soak in the Blue Lagoon and take a Golden Circle tour of Gullfoss Waterfall, Geysir geothermal area and Thingvellir National Park. I hadn’t made reservations to the Blue Lagoon for myself and my family and found that it was fully booked. Having been there before, I was happy to spend the morning shopping on Laugavegur Street. My husband, daughter and I bade farewell to the fantastic group we had been traveling with and set out to immerse ourselves in Reykjavik. What fun to see the random and brightly colored murals on the city’s buildings, to wander the shops without being on a schedule, to sip a coffee and people watch! We wandered from shop to shop as I purchased jewelry, salts, and other Icelandic goods to bring back in appreciation of the incredible team that was covering me at the office during our summer holiday. Our flight didn’t depart until 5 p.m., which left us plenty of time to enjoy Reykjavik before heading to the airport to catch our flight home. To me, the world’s northernmost capital city is fresh, artsy, hip, healthy, friendly, safe and walkable. When contemplating whether to partake in an Iceland stopover, whether for one night or more, just say YES!
Cheers and safe travels.
Denise and her husband lead adventure travel trips abroad and will be organizing a trip to the fjords, mountains and highlands of eastern Iceland in the near future.
By Denise Lundy
Photography By David Ronalds
As Featured In: Winter/Spring 2018
