Reykjavík Grapevine - 01.08.2018, Qupperneq 42

The Reykjavík Grapevine
Best of Iceland 2018
42 BEST OF ICELAND 2018
North
Chilling by the Arctic Circle
Best Accommodation
Siglo Hotel
Snorragata 3, Siglufjörður
Luxury Pick: There was no dispute over which hotel should win best
accommodation. Mind the price: this is a luxury hotel, and a favour-
ite of higher class Icelanders on a weekend ski or golf getaway. Get
comfortable in their cosy, rustic looking rooms or, if you’re feeling
social, walk down to the private outdoor pool with a view over the
fjord. A weekend stay really doesn’t get better than this. E6
Runner Up
Hotel Laugarbakki
Hvammstangi
This hotel is the perfect stopover on
your way to Akureyri. This old school
was recently converted into a hotel,
with spaces that make up for the
exterior with classic Scandi minimal-
ism, wooden panels and neutral hues.
It’s perfect if you’re looking for an
affordable place in the silent northern
countryside to feel both lost and com-
fortably at home. A10
Budget Pick
Akureyri Backpackers
Hafnarstræti 98, Akureyri
Budget Pick: We know luxury hotels
aren’t for everyone, but even so,
Akureyri Backpackers is a palace
amongst hostels. With their clean and
minimal rooms, dorms for those truly
on a budget, and a choice of cooking
for yourself in the kitchen or eating in
the cosy café-bar (try their arctic char
if you can), this is a reliable choice with
a lot of charm. G9
Best Meal
Vogafjós
Mývatn
This small, newly renovated café is
almost on the shore of Lake Mývatn.
“They do everything themselves, from
smoking their trout to making their
own mozzarella,” said the panel. Gaze
at the windswept countryside through
the vast floor-to-ceiling windows while
you delve into one of their fragrant
homemade cakes, or go pet the cows if
you have little ones with you. They’ll be
delighted. I9
Runner Up
Sjavarborg
Hvammstangi
Originally a slaughterhouse, Sjavarborg
occupies a special place in the heart of
Hvammstangi with a quirky but elegant
atmosphere. You’ll find an entire page
dedicated to eclectic noodle-based
dishes, but the menu is rather classic,
with choices for meat eaters and veg-
ans alike. Go for the fish soup and sit by
the windows at sunset. A10
Newcomer
Siglunes,
Siglufjörður
Since the Moroccan-born master
chef Jaouad Hbib began running the
restaurant, Siglunes really turned
things around. With a warm Mediterra-
nean twist on Icelandic ingredients and
an intensely flavoursome menu that
changes every day, this exotic gem of
the North is well worth a visit. Such is
the restaurant’s reputation that you
should book in advance. E6
Must-See Spot
Ásbyrgi
Just off Route 85
This forested, horseshoe-shaped can-
yon is at the northern end of Vatnajökull
National Park. It was carved by glacial
flooding several millennia ago, and it’s
at once breathtaking and ominous in
its magnitude. Drive down to the pond
in the crook of the canyon, beneath
towering cliffs, or turn off Route 85 and
walk to the tip of Eyjan, the “island” of
rock that was once the canyon’s north-
ern bank, if you’d rather hike in the vast
blanket of vegetation. I7
Runners Up
Arctic Henge
Raufarhöfn
This large-scale outdoor artwork start-
ed out as a hobby and was never fully
completed. Its huge pointed arches
now stand still against the sky of
Raufarhöfn, like a long forgotten Stone-
henge that is stunning, if not somewhat
puzzling. Make sure to drive along the
coast to get there and enjoy the vast-
ness of the ocean and the countryside
along the way. J5
Glaumbær
Skagafjörður
In this precious historical site near
the bay of Skagafjörður, rests the
farm of Glaumbær, where Þorfinnur
and Guðríður, the parents of the first
European born in North America, moved
to around the year 1007. “You can still
visit the farm and learn how people
used to live back then,” one panellist
said. “It’s almost surreal to see it all.” D8