Reykjavík Grapevine - 20.04.2018, Page 48

Travel
The best of Icelandic produce
with a nod to Japan and South
America. Modern Icelandic
flavours, share plates and award
winning cocktails.
Sushi Social
Þingholtsstræti 5 • 101 Reykjavík
Tel. 568 6600 • sushisocial.is
Our kitchen is open
17.00–23.00 sun.–thu.
17.00–24.00 fri.–sat.
SOCIALIZE
WITH THE
LOCALS
ICELANDIC
SEAFOOD
makes world’s best sushi
Iceland’s eastern capital of Eg-
ilsstaðir is an administrative and
travel hub for the area, situated
directly on Route One. There’s a
domestic airport that’s a conve-
nient and often picturesque one-
hour flight from Reykjavík, and the
town also sits right on the shore
of Lake Lagarfljót. You can reach
most of the Eastfjords within an
hour or two by car, making it the
perfect jumping off point to ex-
plore this part of the country.
Stay: Icelandair Hotel
Herað or Gistihúsið
There are lots of accommodation
options in Egilsstaðir, from small
guesthouses to cabins to a camp-
site, but the two main hotels are a
stone’s throw from each other. Gis-
tihúsið Egilsstaðir, also known as
The Lake Hotel, is metres from the
shore of Lake Lagarfljót; Icelandair
Hotel Herað sits just over Route
One. Both have well-appointed
rooms at a reasonable price.
Eat: Salt
Open all year round, this airy and
comfortable restaurant has a diz-
zying array of menu options, from
seafood and meat dishes to cur-
ries, pizzas, burgers, and a strong
selection of vegetarian and vegan
fare. There are window seats, cosy
booths, and a bright greenhouse
area where you can catch a few
rays. It’s a super-reliable choice,
whatever your mood.
Shop: Hús handanna
This local art and design store
is in an odd mall-like building,
but don’t let that fool you. They
have everything from decorative
wooden carvings to hand-knitted
sweaters, vinyl records, home-
wares, paintings, gift cards, and
lots more. Much of it is locally
made, sometimes with the name of
the artist attached, but you’ll also
find products from bigger Icelan-
dic companies and a smattering of
Scandinavian design.
Visit: The
Slaughterhouse
Gallery
Housed in a former meat pro-
cessing plant, this local culture
centre features a year-round arts
programme, with a focus on the-
atre and dance performance. It’s
foreboding exterior hides a net-
work of spaces, including an art-
ists residency and a sound studio.
There are workshops, lecture,
exhibitions, and performances:
check their website for the sched-
ule and seasonal opening hours.
Road trip: Lagarfljót
Lake Lagarfljót is a serpentine
body of water that dominates the
area. Several of Iceland’s larg-
est forests line its shores, many
of which have camping ground,
guesthouses, and networks of hik-
ing paths. Picnic spots are dotted
along the road that circles the lake,
and many of them have breathtak-
ing views.
Bathe: Egilsstaðir
Town Pool
The town pool is a quintessential
example of what an Icelandic mu-
nicipal pool should be like. Despite
its location in a sports centre, the
pool is overlooked by statuesque
rocky crags and there are trees
planted within the grounds, giv-
ing it a natural feel. You can bask
in the hot pots, steam in the sau-
na, plunge into the cold pot, or do
lengths to your heart’s content. It’s
a gem.
Visit: Móðir Jörð
Organic Farm
Although it’s absolutely unsafe and
completely closed in the winter,
the steepest mountain track in Ice-
land is a spectacular drive, should
you be there during summer. Driv-
ing from Vopnafjorður, you’ll pass
the Gljúfursáfoss waterfall before
crawling through some high and
mountainous scree slopes with
views to the sea, then cruising past
the Heraðssandur black beach to
Egilsstaðir.
Egilsstaðir
Arts, crafts and organic produce in Iceland’s
eastern capital
Words: John Rogers Photos: Timothée Lambrecq
Distance from Reykjavík: 615 km
How to get there: Fly from Reykjavík, or drive Route One
Car provided by: hertz.is
Flight provided by: airicelandconnect.com
Acommidation provided by: icealandairhotels.com
Lake Lagarfljót is sometimes as still as a mirror