Reykjavík Grapevine - 08.01.2016, Page 27

❽ Icelandic Mountain Guides

Icelandic Mountain
Guides offer dazzling gla-
cier walks that are a safe
but daring trip, and a great
way to get up close to the wonders of
the Icelandic nature. Whether you’re
by yourself or in a group, take a glacier
walk on the blue ice to experience one
Iceland’s most popular tourism activi-
ties. Icelandic Mountain Guides operate
glacier walks every day, all year-round
on the Sólheimajökull glacier and at
Skaftafell national park. Look for the
Mountain Guides sign at the glacier, or
book online.
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❾ Laugarvatn Fontana Hverabraut 1, Laugarvatn
Laug a r vat n
Fontana is a
place to come
and experi-
ence authentic Icelandic nature whilst
relaxing in warm geothermal pools
and natural steam rooms. Nature meets
tradition at Fontana, where hot, heal-
ing steam simmers from the ground up
through the cabin floors of this newly
decorated wellness centre. The baths
vary in depth, size and temperature, and
the steam rooms sit directly over natural
hot springs that have been used for heal-
ing and relaxation since 1929. Fontana is
happily situated by the lake of Laugar-
vatn, and offers picturesque views from
sauna and pools alike.
❿ LÁ Art Museum: Austurmörk 21
Hveragerði
L i s t a s a f n
Árnesinga is
a real find—a
tucked-away art hub with four spacious
galleries, offering a year-round pro-
gramme of contemporary art. Located
in Hveragerði, the gallery also offers
an insight into the historically creative
nature of this peaceful town, as well as
a rich selection of catalogues and maga-
zines in the cosy cafe-shop that’ll pro-
vide a fascinating insight into Iceland’s
contemporary art scene.
❻ Rauða Húsið, Búðarstíg 4, Eyrarbakka
Tel: 483 3330
Rauða Húsið (‘The Red House,’ in Eng-
lish) is a restaurant in Eyrarbakki that
offers countryside fine dining at its very
best. We have been serving up melt-in-
the-mouth Icelandic lamb and some of
the best seafood in the country in our
historic building since 2005. The quaint
seaside town of Eyrarbakki is a scenic
45-minute drive from Reykjavík, just 10
minutes from Selfoss. It’s ideally situ-
ated for a wonderful meal to top off a
Golden Circle tour or a south coast ad-
venture. The restaurant is open for din-
ner every evening from 5pm. Lunch is
also served during winter weekends, or
daily in the summer season, from May 1.
HumarhöfninHafnarbraut 4, Höfn
After a day of travelling in southern Iceland, find the perfect end to your day at Hu-
marhöfnin, where you’ll experience the taste of local Icelandic langoustine, lamb
and arctic char in one of the region’s most charming restaurants. Höfn is a pictur-
esque south-eastern fishing town in Hornafjörður that’s often referred to as the ‘lan-
goustine capital of the north’. With seaside walks, scenic views of the Vatnajökull
glacier and Humarhöfnin’s delicious locally-sourced ingredients, it should be an es-
sential stop on your Iceland adventure.
❼ Við Fjöruborðið Eyrarbraut 3a,
Stokkseyri
In the town of charming seaside town of
Stokkseyri, located 60km from Reykja-
vík in Iceland’s largest lava field, you’ll
find Við Fjöruborðið, a homely and
welcoming restaurant. The menu spe-
cialises in juicy Icelandic langoustine
tails sautéed in garlic herb butter, and
succulent locally-sourced lamb. You can
start with Við Fjöruborðið’s famous lob-
ster soup, but remember to leave room
for one of our delicious desserts. For a
memorable meal, circle Stokkseyri on
your map, and come visit one of south
Iceland’s very best eateries.