The Mini Rough Guide to Iceland (Travel Guide eBook)

By Rough Guides

This pocket-sized guide is a convenient, quick-reference companion to discovering what to do, what to see and how to get around Iceland. It covers top attractions like the magical capital city of Reykjavik, whale-watching off Húsavik and the spellbinding blue lagoon, as well as hidden gems, including the verdant island of Heimaey, the dramatic wilderness of Thórsmörk and the staggering power of the Goðafoss waterfall. This will save you time, and enhance your exploration of this fascinating country. This title has been fully updated post-COVID-19.

This Mini Rough Guide to Iceland covers: Reykjavik, the Blue Lagoon, the Golden Circle, the West Coast, the West Fjords, the Westman Islands, the South Coast and the North Coast .

In this travel guide you will find:

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EVERY TYPE OF TRAVELLER
Experiences selected for every kind of trip to Iceland, from cultural explorations to family activities in child-friendly places.

TOP TEN ATTRACTIONS
Covers the destination's top ten attractions not to miss, including Heimaey, Reykjavik, Geysire and a Perfect Day/Tour itinerary suggestions.

COMPACT FORMAT
Compact, concise, and packed with essential information, with a sharp design and colour-coded sections, this is the perfect on-the-move companion when you're exploring  Iceland.

HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL INSIGHTS
Includes an insightful overview of landscape, history and culture.

WHAT TO DO
Detailed description of entertainment, shopping, nightlife, festivals and events, and children's activities.

PRACTICAL MAPS
Handy colour maps on the inside cover flaps will help you find your way around.

PRACTICAL TRAVEL INFORMATION
Practical information on eating out, including a handy glossary and detailed restaurant listings, as well as a comprehensive A-Z of travel tips on everything from getting around to health and tourist information.

STRIKING PICTURES
Inspirational colour photography throughout.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Insight Guides
• Release date: Apr 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9781839052408

Rough Guides

Rough Guides are written by expert authors who are passionate about both writing and travel. They have detailed knowledge of the areas they write about--having either traveled extensively or lived there--and their expertise shines through on every page. It's priceless information, delivered with wit and insight, providing the down-to-earth, honest read that is the hallmark of Rough Guides.

Book preview

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How To Use This E-Book

Getting Around the e-Book

This Rough Guide Mini e-book is designed to inspire you and help you plan for your visit to Iceland, and is also the perfect on-the-ground companion for your trip.

The guide begins with our selection of Highlights, plus a Perfect Itinerary feature to help you plan an unforgettable trip. The Introduction and History and Culture chapters give the lowdown on Iceland, past and present, while the Out and About chapter is a comprehensive guide to all the best sights. You will find ideas for getting active in Things to Do, while the Food and Drink chapter introduces you to the local cuisine and gives listings of our favourite restaurants by area. Travel Essentials offers just that; practical information to help you plan your trip. Finally, Where to Stay provides a special selection of hotels for every budget. In the Table of Contents and throughout this e-book you will see hyperlinked references. Just tap a hyperlink once to skip to the section you would like to read. Practical information and listings are also hyperlinked, so as long as you have an external connection to the internet, you can tap a link to go directly to the website for more information.

Maps

All key attractions and sights in Iceland are numbered and cross-referenced to high-quality maps. Wherever you see the reference [map], tap once to go straight to the related map. You can also double-tap any map for a zoom view.

Images

You’ll find lots of beautiful high-resolution images that capture the essence of Iceland. Simply double-tap an image to see it in full-screen.

About Rough Guides

Published in 1982, the first Rough Guide – to Greece – was created by Mark Ellingham and a small group of friends who couldn’t find a guidebook to meet their needs. Combining a contemporary, journalistic style with a thoroughly practical approach to travellers’ needs, the immediate success of the book spawned a series that rapidly covered dozens of destinations. These days, Rough Guides include recommendations from budget to luxury and cover more than 120 destinations worldwide, all regularly updated by our team of ever curious, roaming writers. These Rough Guide Minis may be small, but they are packed with information and inspiration and offer amazing value for money.

© 2022 Apa Digital (CH) AG and Apa Publications (UK) Ltd

Table of Contents

10 Things Not To Miss

A Perfect Day In Reykjavík

Overview

Underground Drama

Pollution-Free Land

High Standard Of Living

Reykjavík

Hot Springs and Outdoor Baths

History and Culture

The First Settlers

The First Parliament

From Pagans To Christians

Civil War and Black Death

The Reformation

War and Peace

Out and About

Reykjavík

Hallgrímskirkja and Vicinity

Central Shopping Area

The Government District

The Harbour Area

Western Reykjavík

Eastern Reykjavík

Viðey and Lundey

The Outskirts

The Blue Lagoon

The Golden Circle

Þingvellir

Skálholt

Geysir

Gullfoss

The West Coast

Akranes

Borgarnes

Reykholt and Vicinity

The Snæfellsnes Peninsula

The West Fjords

Ísafjörður and Around

The Westman Islands

Heimaey

The South Coast

Þórsmörk

Skógar

Vík

Vatnajökull

Jökulsárlón

Höfn

The North Coast

Akureyri

Eyjafjörður

West of Akureyri

Húsavík

Lakes, volcanoes, canyons and falls

Lake Mývatn

Námafjall and Krafla

Jökulsárgljúfur

Eastern Iceland

Egilsstaðir

Lögurinn and Snæfell

The Eastfjords

The Interior

Askja and Herðubreið

The Sprengisandur Route

The Kjölur Route

Things To Do

Outdoor Activities

Walking and Hiking

Horse Riding

Fishing

Birdwatching

Ice-Climbing and Glacier Walks

Snow Sports

White-Water Rafting

Swimming

Whale-Watching

Cycling

Golf

Shopping

Nightlife

Activities For Children

Food and Drink

Traditional Foods

What To Drink

Menu Reader

Where To Eat

Reykjavík

South and Southeast

East and Northeast

West and Northwest

A–Z Travel Tips

A

Accommodation

Airports

B

Bicycle Rental

Budgeting for Your Trip

C

Camping

Car Hire

Climate

Clothing

Crime and Safety

D

Driving

E

Electricity

Embassies and Consulates

Emergencies

G

Gay and Lesbian Travellers

Getting There

Guides and Tours

H

Health and Medical Care

L

Language

M

Maps

Media

Money

O

Opening Times

P

Police

Post Offices

Public Holidays

T

Telephones

Time Zones

Tipping

Toilets

Tourist Information

Transport

V

Visas and Entry Requirements

W

Websites and Internet Access

Y

Youth Hostels

Where To Stay

Reykjavík

South and Southeast

East and Northeast

West and Northwest

10 THINGS NOT TO MISS

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1. Þórsmörk

One of Iceland’s most dramatic wilderness areas. For more information, click here.

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2. Heimaey

A quintessential Icelandic fishing port with an attractive harbour. For more information, click here.

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3. Reykjavík.

Iceland’s vibrant capital has many cultural attractions. For more information, click here.

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4. Geysir

No visit is complete without seeing Iceland’s hot springs. For more information, click here.

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5. Goðafoss

Witness the power of these staggering falls. For more information, click here.

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6. Blue Lagoon

Bathe in the naturally heated, therapeutic waters. For more information, click here.

Ming Tang-Evans/Apa Publications

7. Lake Mývatn

A bird-watcher’s paradise surrounded by volcanic peaks. For more information, click here.

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8. Northern Lights

The most breathtaking lightshow on earth. For more information, click here.

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9. Jökulsárlón

This spectacular iceberg-studded lagoon is out of this world. For more information, click here.

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10. Whale-watching

Spot one of these majestic creatures off Húsavik. For more information, click here.

A Perfect Day IN REYKJAVÍK

9.30am

Breakfast. Start the day with breakfast at your hotel or head to the retro-style café, Grái Kötturinn, on Hverfisgata 16a, for orange juice, pancakes with bacon and syrup and a tasty coffee.

11.00am

Shoreline stroll. Take a morning walk past the glittering Harpa concert hall to the harbour area. If you are tempted, you could take in a whale-watching trip from one of the boats moored here. Check out Icelandic pop art at the Hafnarhús gallery and admire Mt Esja across the bay.

12.30pm

Lobster stop. Stop for a bowl of lobster soup and a beer at Sægreifinn fish shack on Geirsgata 8.

1.30pm

Reykjavík’s heart. Take a walk through Austurvöllur square, the city’s traditional heart, where you’ll find the statue of Jón Sigurðsson, Parliament House and, adjacent, Reykjavík’s modest cathedral, the Dómkirkjan. Slip past the City Hall to see the abundant birdlife on Tjörnin pond.

2.00pm

Heritage walk. Walk down Reykjavík’s oldest street, Aðalstræti, and look in at the city’s most modern heritage museum, the Settlement Exhibition Reykjavík 871±2, for some Icelandic history.

3.00pm

Retail therapy. Head to Reykjavík’s main shopping street, Laugavegur, for exclusive, cutting edge fashion labels alongside vintage clothes (Spúútnik at 28b is particularly good for this). Branching off diagonally, Skólavörðustígur is lined with beautiful art and design shops. Further up, you will find the famous Bad Taste Record Shop (Hverfisgata 32).

5.00pm

Steam and soak. Time to recover from shopping and sightseeing at one of Reykjavík’s many geothermal pools. The most central is Sundhöllin, on Barónsstígur. The pool is indoor, with outdoor hot pots to relax and gossip in – the perfect way to get ready for the night ahead.

8.00pm

Fine dining. There are many excellent restaurants in the city centre. Two options for cosy fine dining are the Ostabúðin (Fiskislóð 26) and Dill (Laugavegur 59), a moodily lit and atmospheric first floor restaurant.

10.00pm

On the town. Austurstræti is a good place to start: grab a well-made cocktail at the Jungle Bar (no. 9, on the 2nd floor). Laugavegur and the surrounding streets are packed with iconic bars and clubs, such as Kaldi Bar (Laugavegur 20b) and Kaffibarinn (Bergstaðastræti 1). If you’re up for a pint and darts, just a few blocks away is Bastard Brew and Food (Vegamótastígur 4), with their own and other locally-brewed beers on tap. Grab a hotdog (pylsur) with mustard from an all-night food stand on the way back to your hotel.

Overview

Few places on earth can match the raw and intense beauty of Iceland. Both fiery and cold, forbidding and inviting, it is a place of dramatic contrasts, home to immense ice fields, bubbling mud pools, colossal waterfalls and hot springs. Although Iceland has a long, rich cultural history, it is the land itself, sculpted by the forces of nature into a unique, ever-changing landscape, that tells the country’s true story.

Underground Drama

In geological terms, Iceland is a mere baby, composed of some of the youngest rocks on earth and still being formed. Over the centuries, eruptions have spewed vast fields of lava across the island’s surface and projected choking clouds of ash high into the air, blocking out the sunlight and blighting crops. In 2010, the ash cloud from a volcanic eruption under Eyjafjallajökull glacier paralysed Europe’s air traffic for six days; and a flare-up under Grímsvötn the following year caused more travel chaos. Every day there are thousands of minor earthquakes and shocks, most of which are only detectable by seismologists.

Plates apart

Iceland straddles the North Atlantic Ridge where two of the tectonic plates making up the Earth’s surface are slowly drifting apart. The country is widening at a