Reykjavík Grapevine - sep. 2019, Blaðsíða 6

The Reykjavík G
rapevine
Best of Iceland 2019
6
It’s a strange quirk of travel that ticking off
a visit to a long-anticipated destination can
leave you with many more items on your
wish list. This goes doubly for Iceland.
You might find yourself finally setting out
to see some far-flung site with nothing
ahead of you but the open road; but along
the way, a curious sign will catch your eye
for a small town, an unfamiliar viewpoint
or an obscure fjord.
“Maybe on the way back,” you’ll think.
But as you continue, this mental list will
grow too big to remember.
That’s because the more you travel
around Iceland, the more your eyes are
opened to the amount of noteworthy places
there are to see. Every turn untaken be-
comes an unresolved question. And that’s
when it’ll hit you: you’ve become addicted
to Iceland.
Of course, I’m speaking from a position
of privilege: as someone who lives here,
jumping in a car to go and explore is easy.
But we hope that even for the most sea-
soned traveller in Iceland, this guide will
throw up some new wishlist destinations.
For visitors to Iceland, time can be tight-
er—and that’s when this guide can come in
especially handy. Our expert panels from
all over Iceland have distilled their local
knowledge into this magazine with the aim
of helping you discover the very Best of
Iceland.
So go forth and enjoy. Bear in mind that
as the high season winds up, it’s worth
checking opening times, as some winners
are open in the summer only. If it’s a par-
ticularly wild spot you’re headed to, check
road.is and safetravel.is to make sure the
way ahead is clear. Also, be sure to down-
load our new Best Of App to have access
to all this info on the go! Most of all, be
safe, and have fun.
John Rogers, Best Of Iceland Editor
AN INTRODUCTION
Warning: Iceland Can Be Addictive
BEST OF
ICELAND 2019
Autumn 2019 Edition by
Hafnarstræti 15
101 Reykjavík
www.grapevine.is
Published by Fröken ehf.
Printed by Ísafold
in 25,000 copies.
Member of the Icelandic
Travel Industry
Association
www.saf.is
PUBLISHER
Hilmar Steinn Grétarsson
hilmar@grapevine.is
+354 540 3601
publisher@grapevine.is
BEST OF EDITOR
John Rogers
john@grapevine.is
GRAPEVINE EDITOR
IN CHIEF
Valur Grettisson
valur@grapevine.is
ART DIRECTOR
Sveinbjörn Pálsson
sveinbjorn@grapevine.is
PHOTO EDITOR
Art Bicnick
art@grapevine.is
BEST OF THE NORTH
WRITTEN & COMPILED BY
a rawlings
BEST OF THE SOUTH
WRITTEN & COMPILED BY
John Rogers
BEST OF THE EAST
WRITTEN & COMPILED BY
Rex Beckett
BEST OF THE WEST
WRITTEN & COMPILED BY
Catharine Fulton
BEST OF THE WESTFJORDS
WRITTEN & COMPILED BY
Hannah Jane Cohen
COPY EDITOR
Catharine Fulton

EDITORIAL
+354 540 3600
editor@grapevine.is
ADVERTISING
+354 540 3604
+354 540 3610
ads@grapevine.is
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
a rawlings
Felix Robertson
CONTRIBUTING
PHOTOGRAPHERS
a rawlings
Art Bicnick
Axel Sig
John Rogers
Nanna Dís
Timothée Lambrecq
MAPS SUPPLIED BY
Borgarmynd
www.borgarmynd.com
PANELLISTS
SOUTH
Marteinn Thórsson
Marta Jónsson
Thor Sigurbjörnsson
Timothée Lambrecq
WEST
Jenna Gottleib
Elín Elísabet
Melina Rathjen
Laureen Burlat
WESTFJORDS
Kristján Freyr Halldórsson
Marta Guðrún
Jóhannesdóttir
Isobel Grad
Matthildur Helgadóttir
Jónudóttir
Aron Ingi Guðmundsson
Julie Gasiglia
NORTH
Erlendur Bogason
Jón Bjarki Magnússon
Juan Camilo Román
Estrada
Lara Hoffman
Sævör Erlendsdóttir
EAST
Stefán Bogi Sveinsson
Tinna Guðmundsdóttir
Vinny Vamos
SALES DIRECTORS
Aðalsteinn Jörundsson
adalsteinn@grapevine.is
Helgi Þór Harðarson
helgi@grapevine.is
DISTRIBUTION
distribution@grapevine.is
Best of Iceland by The
Reykjavík Grapevine is
published by Fröken ltd.
Nothing in this magazine
may be reproduced in
whole or in part without
the written permission of
the publishers. The Best
of Iceland is distributed
around Reykjavík.
No articles in the
Reykjavík Grapevine are
paid-for articles. The
opinions expressed are
the writers’ own, not the
advertisers’.
BEST OF ICELAND EMBLEM
Siggi Odds
siggiodds.com
COVER PHOTO
Art Bicnick
In this issue
ʚ The green circle: an eco-tourism day in the south P12
ʚ The all-new Reykjanes awards P20
ʚ The witches of the west: a magical shop in Snæfellsnes P26
ʚ The best of the wild Westfjords P34
ʚ All that glitters: is The Diamond Circle Iceland’s best road trip? P42
ʚ The must-see spots of the north P44
ʚ Sirkus is back in town, and other spots to look out for P49
ʚ The best bathings spots, hikes and road trips P52
South 10
West & Westfjords 24
North 40
East 48
Browse the tours we’ve recommended at
Pre-booking is required. Book online at bluelagoon.com