Reykjavík Grapevine - sep. 2019, Side 30

The Reykjavík G
rapevine
Best of Iceland 2019
30 BEST OF ICELAND 2019
West
Go West, be all that you can be
Best Road Trip
Snæfellsnes
Snæfellsnes
Forget the Golden Circle, Snæfellsnes is
where it’s at. Oft referred to as “Iceland
in miniature,” this peninsula has it all:
mesmerizing lava formations, bird cliffs,
seals, picturesque old churches, twisted
remnants of a shipwreck, a shark muse-
um, street art—and the cherry on top is
Snæfellsjökull glacier. You can do it on a
day trip from Reykjavík, but a more lei-
surely drive is preferable. Bunk somewhere
for a night or two, and take your time.
Map square: A12-D11
Runners Up
Borgarfjörður
Borgarnes-Húsafell
Borgarfjörður makes for a great road trip.
Start at the Hraunfossar and Barnafoss wa-
terfalls; check out the museum in Reyk-
holt, and drop by Húsafell; catch the view
to Langjökull, then circle the Kalmanstunga
lava field, visiting the Víðgelmir lava tube;
end up at the Krauma spa, which is powered
by the Deildartunguhver hot spring. E13
The Waterfall Circle
Hvalfjörður-Akranes
The South has the Golden Circle, the North
has the Diamond Circle, but the West has
the Waterfall Circle. This route delivers
you to one stunning chute after another—
six, to be precise—while driving through
Hvalfjörður, Borgarfjörður, Borgarnes and
Akranes. Glymur is a four-hour round-trip
hike, so this could be a multi-day adven-
ture. E14-G13
Best Museum/Gallery
Library of Water
Bókhlöðustígur 17, Stykkishólmur
Vatnasafn—or The Library of Water—is an
eye-opening museum. Made by Roni Horn,
the main room is a display of glass cylin-
ders filled with meltwater from Iceland’s
glaciers. It’s fascinating how the colour of
each sample is unique, and sobering to
think that more than one of these samples
comes from a glacier that no longer exists.
Eventually, as the glaciers keep melting,
the samples in the museum could be all
that’s left of Iceland’s mighty ice giants.
D11
Runners Up
Borgarnes Museum
Bjarnarbraut 4-6, Borgarnes
“It’s a solid museum, whether you’re in-
terested in history, art or nature,” said the
panel. The artfully arranged Borgarnes Mu-
seum gives visitors an overview of the flora,
fauna, and history of the area, but it’s the
permanent childhood-themed exhibition
that’ll keep you engaged with its treasure
trove of hidden artefacts. E13
Eiríksstaðir Living Museum
Haukdalsvegur, Buðardalur
Eiríksstaðir is the farmstead of Erik the Red,
the birthplace of Leifur Eriksson, a.k.a. Leif
the Lucky, a.k.a. the first European in North
America. See where the legend was born
and learn about Icelandic farm life 1,000
years ago. “It’s one of the most historic
sites of Iceland,” noted the panel. F11
Best Bathing Spot
Krauma
Deildartunguhver, Reykholt
Asking for an Icelander’s favourite bathing
spot is sensitive business. One panellist
said their favourite is “somewhere I want
to keep a secret so it doesn’t get too busy.”
Still, several panellists sang the praises of
the Krauma spa, with one declaring it a
“10/10.” It’s a stark and stylish place featur-
ing steam rooms and hot pots powered by
the sulphurous water of Deildartunguhver.
Your muscles will thank you for visiting this
(literal) hotspot. B12
Runners Up
Borgarnes Pool
Þorsteinsgata 1, Borgarnes
Calling all families and the young at heart:
Borgarnes Pool has not one slide, but three.
That’s right: three slides! This swim palace
also boasts an indoor and outdoor pool,
hot pots and mountain views. As one pan-
ellist said, “it’s a no-brainer.” E13
Guðlaug
Langisandur, Akranes
These beachside hot pots are brand new,
and they’re an impressive piece of design.
Plus, they’re never crowded, so you can
soak your muscles in one of the geother-
mally heated pools and look across the
bay toward all the suckers in Reykjavík that
aren’t in Guðlaug. H13
Best Shop
Krambúðin Witch Shop
Búðir, Snæfellsnes
This fascinating store is a true one-off.
Tucked away in an unassuming cottage
next door to Hotel Búðir, you’ll recognise it
for the Icelandic stave stencilled onto the
wall. Step inside, and you’ll be entranced
by scores of runes, tinctures, charms, spell
kits, salves and more, all made from in-
gredients sourced from Icelandic nature.
The pair of witches who run the place will
no doubt be present, and they’re happy to
share some of their secrets. C12
Runners Up
Blómasetrið
Skúlagata 13, Borgarnes
This quaint plant and flower store is a love-
ly place to shop, and also to spend some
time—it doubles as a homely café. Get
a cup of coffee and cake, shuffle through
the various fortune-telling card decks,
and leave with a radiant peace lily or some
flowers for your home. E13
Leir 7
Aðalgata 20, Stykkishólmur
Located on the main strip of Stykkishól-
mur, Leir 7 sells eye-catching and unusual
ceramics. Run by Sigríður Erla Guðmunds-
dóttir, a graduate of the Icelandic Academy
of the Arts, everything in the store is made
from Icelandic clay; they’ll pack your pur-
chase carefully to get it home safely. D11
Krauma is a natural geothermal bath & spa at Deildartunguhver, Europe’s most powerful
hot spring. The cold water comes from Ok, Iceland’s smallest glacier.
+354 555 6066
www.krauma.is
Deildartunguhver, 320 Reykholt
EXPERIENCE NATURE FROM ITS CORE
Reykjavík
Borgarnes
Þingvellir
Krauma o“ers five relaxing natural geothermal
baths, a cold tub, two steambaths and a relaxation
room where you can rest by the fireplace.
At Krauma Restaurant you can enjoy Icelandic cuisine with
emphasis on fresh ingredients from local farms. Relax with
the spectacular view of Europe's most powerful hot spring.
Krauma is located at Deildartunguhver,
a 97 km (60 miles) drive from Reykjavík.
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