Reykjavík Grapevine - 01.08.2018, Page 28

The Reykjavík Grapevine
Best of Iceland 2018
28 BEST OF ICELAND 2018
West
Go West, where the skies are blue
Best Museum/Gallery
Borgarnes Museum
Bjarnarbraut 4-6, Borgarnes
Safnahús Borgarfjarðar is one of the most locally-focused muse-
ums in the country. Located inside a bright red house near the sea,
the museum offers a new program every year focusing on local
artists. Their permanent exhibition, ‘Children Throughout A Centu-
ry,' dives into the dramatic changes Icelandic children have faced
as Icelandic society transformed from an agricultural community
to a modern nation. “They reconstructed an old turf living room
and from there you just walk into a modern teenagers bedroom
from IKEA,” one panel member says. “It’s a crazy contrast, just a
great exhibit.” Map square: E13
Runner Up
Bjarnarhöfn Shark Museum
Iceland is known for its bizarrely spe-
cific museums, but Bjarnarhöfn’s Shark
Museum is easily the most charming.
The space is packed to the brim
with boats, shark info sheets, shark
skeletons, shark stomach contents, and
stuffed local fauna. If that’s not enough,
just up the hill is a drafty shack where
shark meat hangs down in front of your
eyes. “The whole thing is so handmade
but very informative,” raves one panel
member. C11
Runner Up
The Library Of Water
Bókhlöðustígur 17, Stykkishólmur
Roni Horn’s Vatnasafn, or Library of
Water, overlooks the Stykkishólmur har-
bour in the town’s old library building.
The exhibit presents floor-to-ceiling
glass vials, each containing a sample of
meltwater and silt from one of Iceland’s
glaciers. The subtext is clear—one day,
this may be all that’s left of them. D11
Best Café
Fjöruhúsið
Route 574, Hellnar
If the weather is good, there might not
be a better view in Iceland than that
from the patio of this seaside café. The
cosy spot faces the Baðstofa rock for-
mation along the Atlantic, where calls
of nesting birds echo with the rush of
the tide. “The location is stunning,” the
panel notes. “Their coffee and food
is incredible too. The seafood soup
is a standout, as are their cakes and
waffles.” B12
Runners Up
Kaffi Kyrrð
Skúlagata 13, Borgarnes
Kaffi Kyrrð is both a coffeehouse and
a florist, so if you’re looking for some
lilies and a latte, this is your spot. With
kitschy décor and sanguine platitudes
(“Dream, Hope, Love”), Borgarnes’ Kyrrð
is the best place to have a quiche while
pretending you’re in your great aunt’s
living room, except well, with better
quiche. A kitsch quiche, if you will. E13
Settlement Centre,
Brakarbraut 13-15, Borgarnes
The Settlement Centre puts much more
on the table than just info on your favou-
rite Saga heroes and heroines. “Their café
has a really good vegetarian buffet,” one
panel member raves. They’re referring to
the 2.200 ISK ‘Wellness Lunch’. “It’s rare to
find a good vegetarian dish around here,
much less a buffet,” she says. E13
Best Tour
Vatnshellir Cave
Road 574, Snæfellsbær
It only takes an hour to experience
the Vatnshellir cave, but it was the
unanimous choice of the panel. Put on
a helmet and marvel at stalagmite-like
formations which were formed by drip-
ping lava and bacteria that sparkles in
your flashlight beams. After the final de-
scent—35 metres below the surface—
shut off your flashlights and stand in
darkness. Due to the composition of
the cave walls, Vatnshellir has no echo,
so no one will hear you scream. B12
Runners-Up
Viking Sushi
Smiðjustígur 3, Stykkishólmur
If you prefer your scenic cruises with
a little nosh, try “Viking Sushi." While
meandering around the many islands
of the Breiðafjörður bay, you’ll taste the
freshest seafood around, as scallops,
clams and urchins are plucked from
the sea floor right before your eyes. Soy
sauce and wasabi are provided. D11
Into The Glacier
Langjökull
So you’ve been on a glacier, but have
you been in one? If no, the Langjökull
Ice Tunnel will give the opportunity
to stroll under the ice. The man-made
tunnel spiders its way through the
glacier, giving you unparalleled views
and a general sense of ‘woah.' There’s
even an ice chapel if you feel a little
romantic. H13
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