Lonely Planet Iceland

428 Pages·2017·22.92 MB·English

by  Lonely Planet

P
D
F
Iceland
PDF ebook
Edition 10th Edition
Release Date May 2017
Pages 424
Useful Links
Want more guides?
Head to our shop
Trouble with your PDF?
Trouble shoot here
Need more help?
Head to our FAQs
Stay in touch
Contact us here
© Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd. To make it easier for you to use, access to this PDF ebook is not digitally restricted. In return, we think it’s fair to
ask you to use it for personal, non-commercial purposes only. In other words, please don’t upload this chapter to a peer-to-peer site, mass email it to
everyone you know, or resell it. See the terms and conditions on our site for a longer way of saying the above – ‘Do the right thing with our content’.
4 easy-to-use How to use this book
sections
Look for these symbols to quickly identify listings:
1 4
Sights Sleeping
r 5
Beaches Eating
2 6
PLAN YOUR TRIP Activities Drinking
C 3
Courses Entertainment
Your planning tool kit
T 7
Photos & suggestions to help Tours Shopping
you create the perfect trip.
z Festivals 8 Information
& Events & Transport
All reviews are ordered in our writers’ preference,
starting with their most preferred option. Additionally:
Eating and Sleeping reviews are ordered by price
range (budget, midrange, top end) and, within these
ranges, by writer preference.
ON THE ROAD
Your complete guide
Expert reviews, easy-to-use
maps & insider tips.
These symbols and abbreviations give vital
information for each listing:
Must-visit recommendation
Sustainable or green recommendation
No payment required
% Telephone number f Ferry
UNDERSTAND h Opening hours j Tram
p Parking d Train
Get more from your trip n Nonsmoking a pt apartments
Learn about the big picture, to a Air-conditioning d double rooms
make sense of what you see. i Internet access d m dorm beds
W Wi-fi access q quad rooms
s Swimming pool r rooms
v Vegetarian selection s single rooms
E English-language menu ste suites
c Family-friendly tr triple rooms
# Pet-friendly tw twin rooms
g Bus
SURVIVAL GUIDE
Your at-a-glance reference For symbols used on maps, see the Map Legend.
Vital practical information
for a smooth trip.
©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd
Iceland
The Westfjords
p196
North Iceland
p221
East
West Iceland
Iceland The Highlands p285
p170 p338
Reykjavík
p52 Southwest Iceland Southeast
& the Golden Circle Iceland
p100 p311
THIS EDITION WRITTEN AND RESEARCHED BY
Carolyn Bain, Alexis Averbuck
P LAN
ON THE ROAD
YOUR TRIP
Welcome to Iceland . . . . . 4 REYKJAVÍK . . . . . . . . 52 Upper Borgarfjörður . . . . 178
Iceland Map . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Greater Reykjavík . . . . . . 98 Snæfellsnes Peninsula . . . 181
Stykkishólmur . . . . . . . . . 181
Iceland’s Top 14 . . . . . . . . .8
SOUTHWEST ICELAND Grundarfjörður . . . . . . . . . 186
Need to Know . . . . . . . . . .18 & THE GOLDEN Ólafsvík . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
What’s New . . . . . . . . . . . 20 CIRCLE . . . . . . . . . . . 100 Rif . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
If You Like… . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Reykjanes Peninsula . . . 101 Hellissandur . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Blue Lagoon . . . . . . . . . . . 101 Snæfellsjökull National
Month by Month . . . . . . . 24 Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Keflavík & Njarðvík
Itineraries . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 (Reykjanesbær) . . . . . . . . 105 Southern Snæfellsnes . . . 191
Grindavík . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 Dalir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .193
Ring Road Planner . . . . . 36
Reykjanesfólkvangur Eiríksstaðir . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Outdoor Adventures . . . . 38 National Park . . . . . . . . . . 110 Búðardalur . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Regions at a Glance . . . . 48 The Golden Circle . . . . . . 111 Hjarðarholt & Around . . . 195
Þingvellir National Park . . 111 Laugar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Laugarvatn . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Geysir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 THE WESTFJORDS . . . 196
Gullfoss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 South Coast . . . . . . . . . 197
MARION FARIA PHOTOGRAPHY/GETTY IM THÞESFSylohetvóorrleeafalkro áhrkaSskbrsgosesaee . hupkyr .öptkðr .hfiiui . . . n r & . . . . . . . . . . . .A . . . . . .r . . . . . .o . . . . . .u . . . . . .n . . . . . . . . . . .d . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111111122222220046335 RFBSLPTáláaoeróljttyukákrrktnaneahhabklsuwóflsjæajnleföarjdsökrgr .tuð ur .ðPru Pr . . . u ere . . . . rnn . . . . . ii . . . . .nn . . . . .ss . . . . .uu . . . . .lla . . . . .a . . . . . . s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .222221100009900003771
AGES © Western Þjórsárdalur . . . . 128 Bíldudalur . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Eastern Þjórsárdalur . . . . 134 Central Peninsulas . . . . 204
HALLGRÍMSKIRKJA P59 Hella & Around . . . . . . . . . 136 Þingeyri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Hvolsvöllur & Around . . . . 138 Dýrafjörður . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Skógar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143 Önundarfjörður . . . . . . . . . 205
Landmannalaugar . . . . . . 146 Flateyri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
JAKKREETHAMPITAKKULL/GETTY IM LÞVVHWaóeíekEusri . msgtS .mma .aTv .öea e .yrIng . .kC n . . .u Ea . . .ri . . .eLn . . .yAn . . .j a . . .NH . . .riD . . . k . . . . .e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111111766465003832 SBÍÍHSssuotoaarðlffruajjnuöannrsrrgdeððtayiraurrarrr vind . .C í . .kjdoú . . . iapr . . .s . . . . .t . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .222222001111462771
AGES © Hvalfjörður . . . . . . . . . . .171 Hólmavík . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Drangsnes . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Akranes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Bjarnarfjörður . . . . . . . . . . 219
Borgarbyggð . . . . . . . . . .171
JÖKULSÁRLÓN P327 Reykjarfjörður . . . . . . . . . . 219
Borgarnes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Norðurfjörður . . . . . . . . . . 220
Contents
UNDERSTAND
NORTH ICELAND . . . 221 Langanes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283 Iceland Today . . . . . . . .352
Eastern Húnaflói . . . . . . 224 Vopnafjörður & Around . . 283 History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354
Hrútafjörður . . . . . . . . . . . 224
EAST ICELAND . . . . 285 Natural Wonders . . . . . . 364
Hvammstangi . . . . . . . . . . 224
Vatnsnes Peninsula . . . . . 225 Inland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288 Icelandic Culture . . . . . .371
Blönduós . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226 Egilsstaðir . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288 Icelandic Attitudes . . . . . 377
Lagarfljót . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Western Skagafjörður . . 226 Icelandic Cuisine . . . . .382
Varmahlíð . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226 Eastern Highlands . . . . . . 294
Öxnadalur . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228 The Eastfjords . . . . . . . . 295
Sauðárkrókur . . . . . . . . . . 228 Borgarfjörður Eystri . . . . . 295 SURVIVAL
Seyðisfjörður . . . . . . . . . . . 297 GUIDE
Tröllaskagi . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Hólar í Hjaltadalur . . . . . . 231 Mjóifjörður . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Hofsós . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231 Reyðarfjörður . . . . . . . . . . 302 Directory A–Z . . . . . . . .388
Siglufjörður . . . . . . . . . . . . 233 Eskifjörður . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Transport . . . . . . . . . . . . 400
Ólafsfjörður . . . . . . . . . . . . 239 Neskaupstaður . . . . . . . . . 304
Dalvík . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240 Fáskrúðsfjörður . . . . . . . . 306 Language . . . . . . . . . . . . 408
Akureyri . . . . . . . . . . . . .242 Stöðvarfjörður . . . . . . . . . 306 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 413
Goðafoss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258 The Ring Road: Map Legend . . . . . . . . . . 423
Breiðdalsheiði to
Mývatn Region . . . . . . .259 Djúpivogur . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Reykjahlíð . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263 Breiðdalur . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Eastern Mývatn . . . . . . . . 265 Breiðdalsvík . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Southern Mývatn . . . . . . . 266 Berufjörður . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Western Mývatn . . . . . . . . 267 Djúpivogur . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Northern Mývatn . . . . . . . 268
Krafla . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269 SOUTHEAST
Mývatn to Egilsstaðir ICELAND . . . . . . . . . . 311
(Ring Road) . . . . . . . . . .270
Kirkjubæjarklaustur . . . . . 314
Möðrudalur & Around . . . 270
Lakagígar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Húsavík . . . . . . . . . . . . .270
The Sandar . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Húsavík to Ásbyrgi . . . . . . 276
Skaftafell (Vatnajökull
Jökulsárgljúfur National Park – South) . . 319
(Vatnajökull National Jökulsárlón . . . . . . . . . . . . 327 SPECIAL FEATURES
Park – North) . . . . . . . .276
Höfn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333 Ring Road Planner . . . . . 36
Ásbyrgi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Vesturdalur . . . . . . . . . . . . 279 Höfn to Djúpivogur . . . . . 336 Wildlife Watching . . . . . 130
Dettifoss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280 The Northern Lights . . 156
THE HIGHLANDS . . 338
Northeast Circuit . . . . . 280
Kjölur Route . . . . . . . . . . . 339 Winter Travel . . . . . . . . . 234
Kópasker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Sprengisandur Route . . . 344 Hot-Pot Hop Itinerary . . . 236
Raufarhöfn . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Askja Route . . . . . . . . . . . . 346
Rauðanes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282 Fire & Ice . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Kverkfjöll Route . . . . . . . . 349
Þórshöfn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd
4
Welcome to
Iceland
Hitting headlines, topping bucket lists,
wooing nature lovers and dazzling
increasing numbers of visitors – there
seems no end to the talents of this
breathtaking northern destination.
A Symphony of Elements A Personal Experience
Iceland is, literally, a country in the making. The warmth of Icelanders is disarming, as
It’s a vast volcanic laboratory where mighty is their industriousness – they’ve worked
forces shape the earth: geysers gush, mud- hard to recover from financial upheaval,
pots gloop, ice-covered volcanoes rumble and to transform Iceland into a destination
and glaciers cut great pathways through that, thanks to its popularity with visitors,
the mountains. Its supercharged splendour can host five times its population each year.
seems designed to remind visitors of their Pause and consider a medium-sized city in
utter insignificance in the greater scheme your country – then give it far-flung univer-
of things. And it works a treat: some crisp sities, airports and hospitals to administer,
clean air, an eyeful of the cinematic land- 30-odd active volcanoes to monitor, and
scapes, and everyone is transfixed. hundreds of hotels to run. How might they
cope? Could they manage as well as the
The Power of Nature Icelanders – and still have time left over
to create spine-tingling music and natty
It’s the power of Icelandic nature to turn
knitwear?
the prosaic into the extraordinary. A dip
in a pool becomes a soak in a geothermal
Nordic Nirvana
lagoon; a casual stroll can transform into a
trek across a glittering glacier; and a quiet Don’t for a minute think it’s all about the
night of camping may mean front-row seats great outdoors. The counterpoint to so
to the aurora borealis’ curtains of fire, or much natural beauty is found in Iceland’s
the soft, pinkish hue of the midnight sun. cultural life, which celebrates a literary
Iceland has a transformative effect on legacy that stretches from medieval sagas
people, too – its sagas turned brutes into to contemporary thrillers by way of Nobel
poets, and its stories of huldufólk (hidden Prize winners. Live music is everywhere,
people) may make believers out of sceptics. as is visual art, handicrafts and locavore
Here you’ll find some of the world’s high- cuisine. The world’s most northerly capital
est concentrations of dreamers, authors, is home to the kind of egalitarianism, green
artists and musicians, all fuelled by their thinking and effortless style that its Nordic
surroundings. brethren are famous for – all of which is
wrapped in Iceland’s assured individuality.
5
NATAPONG SUPALERTSOPHON/ GETTY IM
AGES ©
Why I Love Iceland
By Carolyn Bain, Writer
As I flew north to begin my third circuit of Iceland in four years, I was slightly anxious. The
number of visitors to Iceland has doubled in that period, and I feared this might mean a little
less magic to go around. At the end of this trip, 6000km later, I’m thrilled to report that the
magic levels remain high. It’s found in glorious football victories and Viking chants, kayaking
among icebergs, sitting with puffins under the midnight sun and crunching across brand-
new lava fields. The locals’ resourcefulness, quirkiness, interconnectedness and warmth is
undiminished. My smitten state continues.
For more about our writers, see p424
Above: Northern Lights over Jökulsárlón (p327)
Iceland
Arctic Circle
Denmark
Strait
Tröllaskagi
Hornstrandir Ring Road detour with
viewpoints galore (p231)
Bolungarvík
Suðureyri Drangajökull Siglufjörður
Ísafjörður
Norðurfjörður Skagafjörður
Þingeyri Húnaflói Drangey
Skagaströnd
Bíldudalur Sauðárkrókur
Hólmavík
Blönduós
Patreksfjörður Brjánslækur Hóp
Varmahlíð
Breiðafjörður Flatey Hvammstangi
The Westfjords
Majestic stone towers
and silent fjords (p196)
Búðardalur
Stykkishólmur
Hellissandur-Rif
Grundarfjörður
ÓlafsvíkSnæfellsnes
Eiriksjökull Hofsjökull
(1675m)
Langjökull
Snæfellsnes Peninsula
A microcosm of Iceland's Borgarnes
natural highlights (p181)
Faxaflói ÞINGVELLIR
Akranes NAPTAIORNKAL Geysir Gullfoss
Reykjavík
Iceland’s unrivalled nightlife REYKJAVÍK
headquarters (p86) Fimmvörðuháls
Kópavogur Þingvallavatn Gushing waterfalls and a
Keflavík steaming eruption site (p144)
Hveragerði
Njarðvík Hafnarfjörður Selfoss Landmannalaugar
Hella
Grindavík Þorlákshöfn
Selvogsgrunn
Blue Lagoon Eyrarbakkabugur Hvolsvöllur
Steaming silica cauldron full Mýrdalsjökull
of relaxed bathers (p101) Vestmannaeyjar Eyjafjallajökull(1450m)
Craggy archipelago and
roaring birdlife (p163)
N O R T H
Skógar
A T L A N T I C Heimaey
O C E A N VESTMANNAEYJAR Vík
Surtsey
0 100 km
0 50 miles
Arctic Circle
Grímsey
Raufarhöfn
Húsavík
Whale-watching heartland Þistilfjörður
and gateway to the unspoilt
northeast (p270) Öxarfjörður
Þórshöfn Borgarfjörður Eystri
Hidden haven for
Flatey Bakkaflói puffins and elves (p295)
Ólafsfjörður
Húsavík Bakkafjörður
DalvíkEyjafjörður (VAJTÖNPKAAUJRÖLKKSÁ U–R LNGLOL NRJDATÚeHTFttI)UiOfRoNssAL Vopnafjörður Vopnafjörður
Akureyri Reykjahlíð
Mývatn
Seyðisfjörður
Cascades ring the fjord basin
of this arty township (p297)
Askja
Storied volcanic crater,
Egilsstaðir Seyðisfjörður
part of a remote geological
wonderland (p348)
Neskaupstaður
Eskifjörður
Reyðarfjörður
Askja Fáskrúðsfjörður
Stöðvarfjörður
Breiðdalsvík
Bárðarbunga
(2009m)
Djúpivogur
Kverkfjöll
Grimsvötn (1860m)
(1719m)
Vatnajökull
Stafafell
SKAFTAFELL
(VATNAJÖKULL NATIONAL
PARK – SOUTH) Höfn
Hvannadalshnúkur Vatnajökull National Park
(2110m) A mammoth ice cap
headlines this outstanding
Skaftafell
national park (p326)
Kirkjubæjarklaustur
Jökulsárlón
ELEVATION Ghost-blue icebergs set adrift
in an ethereal lagoon (p327)
1500m
1000m
500m
200m
0
Glacier
©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd
8
Iceland’s
Top 14