Reykjavík Grapevine - 09.01.2015, Qupperneq 22

22
The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 1 — 2015
In Reykjavík and beyond, there are some
activities that are available only in the
winter season. January can be made
into a lively month, with a few ideas and
a bit of willpower—never before has the
frozen city pond looked as inviting, or a
glögg by the open fireplace seemed so
tempting.
The hardest part is often deciding to do
something and getting going, so push
yourself to get out of the house and you’ll
rarely regret it. Instead of dozing the
morning away, you can flick on a SAD
lamp, down some lýsi, pull on some co-
lourful clothes, and head out into the
snow.
Catching the few rays that are available
is best done towards noon, so it’s best
to get moving when the pink sunrise is
reflected from the snowy streets and
mountains. After 3pm it’ll get gradually
darker, and that’s when you can line up
some fun stuff from the list we’ve as-
sembled for you.

Enter the glacier
January is peak season for winter tour-
ism in Iceland. This is the season to head
out to Vatnajökull on an ice caving day
trip to experience the glacier’s vast and
ever-changing ice caverns. There are a
few companies offering trips, operating
buses from Reykjavík for an early start—
with any luck, you’ll see the sunrise as
you reach the southern coastline.
glacierguides.is
extremeiceland.is
Don't be an arsonist
There’s no reason to go mental and set
stuff on fire for the light, FYI. Just go sit
by the fireplace at Uppsalir Bar at Hotel
Reykjavík Centrum instead.
hotelcentrum.is
Get wet on purpose (for a change)
Hire a car and head out in search of wil-
derness hot springs on the south coast
(there’s a handy guide in our last issue,
and on our website), or treat yourself to
a fancy spa day at the Blue Lagoon. For
those on a budget, hit the city’s geother-
mal pools with their naturally hot water,
steam rooms and outdoor hot pots. No-
body has ever felt worse after doing these
things, that’s a promise.
swimminginiceland.com
Keep watching the skies
The Aurora Borealis is in full swing in
January, and offers a famously fantastic
spectacle, from a spectral green glow to
dancing blues and pinks. You’ll have to
stay alert to see it—keep an eye on the
aurora forecast, or take a tour when the
chances are at their highest. Twitter is
useful for real-time updates, but get out
quickly if you hear the lights are out—
they can be gone for the night after a
dazzling ten-minute display.
www.is.gd/auroraiceland /
extremeiceland.is
Hit the slopes
There are two skiing areas, Bláfjöll and
Skálafell, both within a 25-minute drive
from Reykjavík. There are buses avail-
able to either, and you can hire all the
gear you need for just under 5,000 ISK.
skidasvaedi.is
Be mothlike
There’s a lighthouse at the picturesque
Grótta area, on the city’s western shore,
which can be reached on foot via a cause-
way at low tide. Yoko Ono’s peace tower
shines bright from Viðey Island in the
city’s harbour, although boat rides to the
island only operate at weekends in win-
ter. Because it’s freezing out there tbh.
videy.com /
imaginepeacetower.com
Get high
The Perlan building has a gelato par-
lour, a restaurant, and unencumbered
views looking in all directions, and is
open until 21:00 each night. Loft Hos-
tel’s roof terrace offers a great view of
snowy central Reykjavík and white roof-
tops. Kolabrautin, the restaurant at the
top of Harpa, has a two-for-one cocktail
happy hour 16:00-18:00. Hallgrímskirkja
church tower is open until 17:00 every
day and offers beautiful views, especially
at sunrise and sunset.
hallgrimskirkja.is / perlan.is
lofthostel.is / kolabrautin.is
Dress to kill
While many Icelanders choose to wear
black at this time of year, make an effort
to wear colours instead. Bright colours
are proven to positively affect mood, so
playful socks, scarves and hats will help
exorcise the demons of darkness. Check
out downtown stores like Gyllti köttur-
inn, Kiosk and Spúútnik to brighten up
your wardrobe.
gylltikotturinn.is
kioskreykjavik.com /
facebook.com/Spuutnik

Eat stuff
This one is for your own health and san-
ity. Don’t forget the Vitamin D supple-
ments and to stock up on avocados,
berries, bananas for vitamins—and
anything colourful, just for the fun of it.
There’s a healthy, tasty selection of food
at the well-lit white-cube health restau-
rant Gló if you feel like eating out, and an
oat milk latte at Reykjavík Roasters will
do wonders for your spirits.
glo.is / reykjavikroasters.is
Walk on water
When the city’s covered in snow, you’ll
find downtown Reykjavík’s pond,
Tjörnin, deeply frozen. This is your
signal to go and cross it, always with a
company!
www.visitreykjavik.is/tjornin-pond
Learn Icelandic
at Mímir
Autumn Term
Spring Term
Summer Term
Level 1–5
www.mimir.is - Tel: 580 1800
Höfðabakki 9 Entrance to
Mímir-símenntun
Höfðabakki 9, 110 Reykjavík
Bus line no. 6 from city centre and
bus line no. 12 from Breiðholt
Öldugata 23, 101 Reykjavík
Vesturlandsvegur
EAST
CITY
CITY
CENTRE
Quality - Experience - Dedication
Words
By Elín Traustadóttir & John Rogers
Main photo
Sébastien van Malleghem
A survival guide for the darkest months
Remain In Light