Reykjavík Grapevine - ágú. 2019, Blaðsíða 8

The Reykjavík G
rapevine
Best of Iceland 2019
8
Summer is here in Iceland, and while
that doesn’t always mean blue skies and
picnics, it does mean that all the high peaks
and distant corners of the countryside are
opening up again for travel.
It’s also the time we call upon some
well-travelled friends, wanderlusting con-
tributors and in-the-know locals to form
the independent panels who help us make
an all-new Best of Iceland magazine for
2019.
Compiling this guide is a thrilling and
educational exercise each year. For such a
sparsely populated country, Iceland has a
seemingly endless variety of glorious hikes,
remote geothermal viewpoints, Highland
road trips and hidden gems for adventur-
ous travellers to discover. There’s also a
multitude of newly-opened bars, cafés, res-
taurants and hotels that have been quietly
germinating over the winter. We’ve tried
many of them out—and revisited some old
favourites—to make sure that this magazine
is fresh and on-point.
We were busy during the cold season too.
Our recently launched Go Travel booking
website, made in partnership with some
of Iceland’s top tour providers, brings you
a curated selection of our very favour-
ite trips, from ATV, snowmobiling and
snorkelling adventures to relaxed whale
watching excursions and stunning gla-
cier hikes. Visit gotravel.grapevine.is in
the knowledge that every trip is tried and
tested, and every booking helps fund our
journalism. Also, look out for our flag-
ship publication, The Reykjavík Grape-
vine, and sister mag Best of Reykjavík.
Most of all, be safe out there, respect the
nature around you—don’t throw cigarette
butts, pick moss, drive off-road, etcetera—
and have fun. We hope you enjoy reading
the Best of Iceland 2019 as much as we
enjoyed making it.
John Rogers, Editor
AN INTRODUCTION
Break Out The Sunscreen
BEST OF
ICELAND 2019
Summer 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
Angela 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
Sam Daniels
Hannah Jane Cohen
CONTRIBUTING
PHOTOGRAPHERS
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 A heavenly hiking getaway at Kerlingarfjöll Mountain Resort P14
ʚ The all-new Reykjanes awards P22
ʚ A dramatic lightning storm in Snæfellsnes P26
ʚ The best of the wild Westfjords P34
ʚ Húsavík is Iceland’s whale watching capital P42
ʚ The must-see spots of the north P44
ʚ Six spots to look out for in the wild East P49
ʚ The best bathings spots, hikes and road trips P52
South 12
West & Westfjords 24
North 40
East 48
Browse the tours we’ve recommended at
go.grapevine.is
Pre-booking is required. Book online at bluelagoon.com