Iceland Information Guide 2012

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Monday to Wednesday 10–18.30, Thursday 10–21, Friday 10–19, Saturday 10–18, Sunday 13–18

2012 - 2013

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ICELAND INFORMATION GUIDE

Reykjavík’s Largest Shopping Centre

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CONTENTS AND INDEX OF ADVERTISERS Page Alphabet Accommodation Art gallery, Ceramic Workshop Birdlife Blue Lagoon Car rental firms Cheese store Conversions, Clothing sizes Duvet store Distance in km – Drivng in Iceland Embassies of Iceland Flora of Iceland Furrier Gift – souvenirs and woollens Hotels and guesthouses Iceland Iceland – Southwest – South part Iceland – West – West Fjords Iceland – North part – East part Iceland – Westman Islands Icelandic names Icelandic food Icelandic horse and sheep Jewelry and watch maker Map of Iceland Map of Reykjavík center Map of Reykjavík Museums in Reykjavík National costumes Northern Lights Restaurants Transportation Taxi tours Tourist Information and Booking Office Swimming pools - Health Spa Travel facts Whale watching Websites in Iceland Weather and volcano in Iceland

12 33 36, 46 109, 111 51 44, 66 90 30, 69 4 67 19 105, 107 28 26, 34, 42, 46, 60, 68 11, 22, 25, 32, 39, 61 3, 4, 43, 45, 47, 49 51, 113 115, 117 119, 121 123 63 79, 81, 85, 87, 89, 91, 93 54, 55 20, 24, 38, 56, 71 6, 7 125 126, 127 52, 53 57 37 70 - 128 10, 14 16 48, 50, 64, 65 27, 29, 31, 33 58, 59 18 21, 23

Published annually by Útgáfa og hönnun, Úthlíð 8, 105 Reykjavík, Iceland, Tel. +354-553 5088/899 0778 e-mail: icelandinfo@internet.is, www.internet.is/icelandinfo Publisher/Editor: Erlendur Guðmundsson Advertising: Ingunn Stefánsdóttir Production manager: Ragnheiður Ingunn Ágústsdóttir Cover Photo: Northern lights, Kleifarvatn lake South West Iceland by Kristjan U. Kristjansson Other Photos: Gréta Gudjónsdóttir, Friðrik Jóelsson, Jóhann Águst Hansen Printing: Oddi hf. – 2012 – 28th year of publication

22:30 23:30 22:30

NOTES

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A message from the publisher of Iceland Information Guide Dear Visitor I would like to welcome you to Iceland, hoping that this publication will give you some idea about Iceland, its geography, history, culture and its people.

Iceland Information Guide is published annually by “Útgáfa og Hönnun” an independent publishing company, and this pocket guide is in the 28th year of publication, and it is aimed to help you make your stay in our country as pleasant, effective and rewarding as possible. In this pocket guide you will find addresses of Icelandic Embassies where you can obtain further information concerning Iceland.

In our pocket guide we print various travel information various travel facts, hints and things to see and do in Iceland.

We take pride in recommending our selected advertisers, such as hotels and shops that sell various Tax-free items.

It is my pleasure to recommend the variety of restaurants that advertise in our pocket guide as I have dined in the fast food restaurants and the ethnic restaurants: Icelandic, Indian, Mexican, Spanish, Italian, Asian etc. In reality you can expect to find good food and services in all these restaurants.

We publish some pages about Icelandic food, the flora of Iceland and the birdlife in our country.

Dear reader, Iceland is an experience not to be missed, the opportunity to see things you have never dreamed of, to see a land of striking contrasts where the elements of ice and fire are always present.

I wish you a pleasant stay in Iceland and hope it will leave you with memories to treasure for a livetime.

Erlendur Guðmundsson 2

Publisher

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The repu­blic of Iceland Just as Iceland was the last country in Europe to be physically born, it was also the last to be settled by man, by Vikings in the ninth century at the start of a great era of navigation and exploration which would take the Icelanders as far as the shores of the New World.

The settlers of Iceland brought with them the ancient Nordic language which has been preserved remarkably intact – and still very much alive – right up to the present day.

Iceland, a nation-state num­ber­ing over three hundred thousand people, has an import­ance that be­ars little relation to its size. This is most­ly due to its cultural herita­ge, especi­ally the medi­eval Sa­gas and Eddas.

Iceland’s greatest literary achievement describe the events leading up to and during the settlement period written down three hundred years later, to make the Icelanders the only people in Europe to have detailed historical records of their origin as a nation and its geograp­hical location as a stepp­ing sto­ne from Europe to the New World.

Iceland­ers pride themselv­es on the old­est ex­ist­ing parli­ament in the world, the Alt­hing, founded in 930 A.D., some sixty ye­ars af­t­er the country was first settled. Since 1944 Iceland has been a repu­blic with a pres­i­dent el­ect­ed for four ye­ars by plebiscite, a 63-mem­ber parli­ament which is el­ect­ed for four ye­ars from eight el­ect­oral districts, and a cabinet, led by the Prime Mini­st­er, which wi­elds the ex­ecuti­ve power. The standard of living is comparable to that of the other Nordic countries, with extensive social security, health services and free education at all levels.

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THE COUNTRY – GEOGRAPHY Iceland is one of the largest is­lands in the North Atl­ant­ic, lies between latitu­de 63°24’N and 66°33’N and between longitu­de 13°30’W and 24°32’W. Iceland has a total area of 103.000 sq km, or 39.756 sq. miles.

From north to south the greatest distance is about 300 km or 185 miles, from west to east about 500 km or 305 miles. The coast­line is 6000 km or 3700 miles and the shortest distance to other countries are 286 km or 180 miles to Green­land, 795 km or 495 miles to Scotland and 950 km or 590 miles to Norway.

The Arct­ic Circle touches the is­land of Gríms­ey off the north coast of Iceland.

Iceland stradd­les a submar­ine ridge conn­ect­ing Scotland with Green­land and has one of the Earth’s major geolog­ical faults – the midAtl­ant­ic rift – runn­ing through it.

Iceland is one of the most act­i­ve volcan­ic countries in the world, and ne­ar­ly all types of volcanoes formed on earth can be found in Iceland.

Geolog­ically Iceland is a very young country still in the progress of its formation. The app­e­ar­ance of the is­land of Surts­ey, cr­eated by submar­ine er­uption off the south coast 1963, is one example.

Ten ye­ars la­t­er, in 1973, the is­land of Heima­ey in the West­man Is­lands had a volcan­ic er­uption. The entire population of some 5200 were moved to the main­land in a matt­er of ho­urs luckily wit­hout any accidents occ­uring. Eart­hqu­akes are frequent in Iceland, but they are rar­ely harm­ful.

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1

BLUE LAGOON

2

ÁLAFOSS SHOP

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HOTEL KEFLAVÍK

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HOTEL EDDA HILTON REYKJAVÍK NORDICA

16 rental locations Reservation Tel.(354) 461 6000 Book on line: www.holdur.is

50 km

ON MAP NO 14

wE‘ll taKE yOu thErE! all thE mOst EXciting PlacEs in icEland

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MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT Iceland is a rough gem, a world in the making.

Probably nowhere else is it possible to see nature´s forces so actively at work. This fact hardly needs advertising now, as the volcanic eruption at Eyjafjallajökull has made the news worldwide for hurling up a massive ash cloud formed by the mix of hot lava and glacial ice.

Iceland´s many active volcanoes can cause trouble, but they are well monitored by scientists and civil protection authorities respond quickly to events to ensure safety. The Eyjafjallajökull eruption showed that the system works well, as people were quickly evacuated from areas of potential danger. Tourists can feel safe in Iceland, enjoying the awesome spectacles of nature´s power without being put in harm´s way.

Iceland is one of the most active volcanic spots on the planet, but even in between eruptions there is no shortage of great shows on play, courtesy of Mother Earth.

Visit Þingvellir, a World Heritage Site, where the land is ripped apart by tectonic forces, evidenced by a swarm of canyons. Visit the National Park at Snæfellsnes with its magnificent coastline, pounded by Atlantic waves and overlooked by the perfect snow-capped cone of Snæfellsjökull. Stop by Dettifoss in the North, Europe´s most powerful waterfall, or nearby Lake Mývatn with its rich bird life and warm natural baths. Go see colourful rhyolite mountains and vast lava plains in the desolate centre – or some of the world´s biggest bird cliffs in the Westfjords or the Westman Islands, vertical megacities of the avian world.

Or come visit the Vatnajökull National Park, Europe´s biggest and one of the newest. Covering over a tenth of Iceland, it is centered around the island´s biggest ice cap, which sits on top of its most active volcanic spot. Here is a microcosm of all the forces building and sculpting the Earth: Fire and ice, raging glacial rivers and steaming geothermal fields. Here is the longest row of volcanic craters on the planet and thriving remnants of Iceland´s once extensive birch forests.

We humans can look small in such a theatre of natural forces, but Iceland´s magnificent nature requires respect and good caretaking by authorities and visitors. The fragile vegetation of the highlands is easily damaged. Off-road driving is strictly forbidden and hikers should stay on footpaths as much as possible. Centuries of soil erosion are being countered by revegetation and afforestation. Nature conservation efforts are being strengthened, in part because a growth in tourism. It is the duty of authorities to protect the natural environment so we can enjoy it for generations to come – this we can only do in cooperation with visitors. Please enjoy our wealth of natural wonders and please help us conserving and improving our environment. Have a great stay in Iceland!

Svandís Svavarsdóttir, Minister for the Environment.

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ORGANIC LUXURY Astonishing Spa with warm indoor pool, sauna, steam bath and hot tub. Using exclusively Sóley Oganics products, naturally pure

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SIGNATURE TREATMENTS SÓLEY complete body scrub.

Massage 50 min. and 80 min.

SÓLEY Luxury Facial 2 hrs. ....and more

Mon. - Fri. 07:00 - 21:00* Sat. 08:00 - 20:00* Sun.12:00 - 18:00* *Last entry 30 minutes before the closing time.

Our spa is located near the city center. www.soleynaturaspa.is Hotel Reykjavik Natura tel. +354 444 4085 to book.

Iceland’s Premier Hotel Chain

ENNEMM / SÍA / NM50586

Your Gateway to Iceland

For information and bookings: www.icelandairhotels.com or by telephone: (+354) 444 4000.

Discover Iceland via 8 luxury hotels at convenient locations around the country.

REYKJAVÍK NATURA

REYKJAVÍK MARINA

in KEFLAVÍK

FLÚÐIR

KLAUSTUR

HÉRAÐ

AKUREYRI

HAMAR

ÁáÐðÉéÍ T THE ICELANDIC ALPHABET

Aa Áá Bb Dd Ðð Ee Éé Ff Gg Hh Ii Íí Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Oo Óó Pp Rr Ss Tt Uu Úú Vv Xx Yy Ýý Þþ Ææ Öö

The icelandic alphabet has several special characters not found in English:

ð - This letter is pronounced like th in the English word father.

It is called "eð". þ - No, this is not a p! This letter is pronounced like th in the English word think and is called "þorn". æ - is pronounced like the i in life.

ö - sounds similar to i in bird and shirt.

á - é - í - ó - ú - ý - The accent over the vowels does not mean they are stressed. The letters a and á represent different sounds, as do e and é, etc.: á sounds like ow in the English word how, é is pronounced like ye in yes, ó like the o in no, ú like ou in you, í and ý are pronounced alike and sound like ee in tree, while i and y both sounds like i in this. The letters au together sound like the vowel in the French feuille.

Try to pronounce some common Icelandic words; bók (book), þú (you), móðir (mother), bátur (boat), ís (ice), tré (tree), nýr (new), brauð (bread), öl (ale), sæti (seat), fiskur (fish), dyr (door).

ÝýÞþÆæÖö

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NORSE MYTHOLOGY The Norse people lived from about A.D. 200 to 700 in Scandinavia.

After A.D. 700, the Norse migrated in search of new lands, settling in parts of the British Isles, Iceland, Greenland and East into Russia. From this period on, the Norse are known as Vikings. The mythology of this region is grim, shadowed by long, sunless winters. But the darkness is laced with gleams of grandeur and sparks of humor. The myths depict a universe in which gods and giants battle among themselves in a cosmic conflict fated to end in the destruction of the world.

The Vikings idea of heaven was Valhalla, Warriors only. You had to die in battle ,to be escorted by beautiful female Valkyries to Valhalla. There you could clash in battle all day long, your cleft limbs and cleavagings miraculosly restored at the close of play. Then you spent all night carousing, feasting, getting roaring drunk and discussing the day’s fun.

A major source of information about Norse mythology is a book called the Poetic Edda, sometimes known as the Elder Edda. It consists of mythological and heroic poems, including Voluspa, an overview of Norse mythology from the creation to the final destructive battle of the world, called Ragnarok. The unknown author who compiled the Poetic Edda in Iceland around 1270 drew on materials dating from between 800 and 1100.

Around 1222, an Icelandic poet and chieftain named Snorri Sturluson wrote the Prose Edda, or Younger Edda, which interprets traditional Icelandic poetry for the audiences of Snorri’s time. Icelandic people maintained a strong interest in their heritage even after becoming Christian.

Norse mythology inspired the stirring poems and sagas that were written down during the late Middle Ages, and it has inspired more recent artists as well. German composer Richard Wagner used the legend of Sigurd as the basis for his cycle of four operas, known collectively as Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung).

Some modern writers of fantasy have drawn on Norse stories and creations such as elves and dwarfs in their work. The best known of these is J.R.R. Tolkien, whose Lord of the Rings features many themes from Norse mythology.

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VIKING-AGE The word Viking is a collective designation of Nordic peoples, Danes, Swedes, Norwegians and Icelanders, who ranged abroad during a period of dynamic Scandinavian expansion in the Middle Ages, from about AD 800 to 1100. Called the Viking Age, the period has long been popularly associated with unbridled piracy, when freebooters came swarming out of the northlands in their predatory long ships to burn and pillage their way across civilized Europe. This, however, is now recognized as a gross simplification. Modern scholarship emphasizes the achievements of the Viking Age in terms of Scandinavian art and craftsmanship, marine technology, exploration, and the development of commerce, the Vikings as traders, not raiders.

In 2001 archaeological remains were excavated in Aðalstræti, which turned out to be the oldest relics of human habitation in Reykjavík, from before AD 871 ± 2. The finds included a hall or longhouse, which is now preserved in its original location as the focal point of the exhibition about life in Viking-Age Reykjavík.

The exhibition aims to provide insight into the enviroment of the Reykjavík farm at the time of the first settlers. Exhibits include artefacts from archaeological excavations in central Reykjavík.

The construction of Viking-Age buildings is explained using multimedia technology. Computer technology is used to give an impression of what life was like in the hall.

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WE CREATE MEMORIES

NO

BOOKIN G CHARGE

SEE WHAT ICELAND HAS TO OFFE R

- ALL KINDS OF TOURS -

LOW CAR RENTAL PRICES - ALWAYS GOOD OFFERS Trip

Booking Office & Tourist Information Laugavegur 54, Reykjavík Tel. +354 433 8747 Mobile +354 861 5229 trip@trip.is

www.trip.is

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he Coat of Arms of the Republic of Iceland An old story embodied in The Seal of Iceland

This story is embodied in The Seal of Iceland, where the Dragon represents the Eastern part, the Bird the Northern part, the Bull represents the Western part and the Rock Giant the Southern part.

The four Guardians of Iceland, are described in an old tale telling of a magician who was sent by King Harold Gormsson of Denmark to investigate the country prior to invasion.

The magician swam to Iceland in the form of a whale, and when he reached the country he saw that all hills and mountains were full of spirits, large and small.

He came to Vopnafjörður (Fjord of Weapons) on the East coast and a huge dragon approached him, accompanied by reptiles, worms and lizards.

He then swam north to Eyjafjörður (Fjord of Isles) and was approached there by a bird so huge, that the wings touched the mountains on each side of the valley. The bird was accompanied by numerous other birds of all sizes, large and small.

He went west and south and came to Breiðafjörður (Wide Fjord), where he was approached by a huge bull which waded into the sea and made loud noises, the bull was accompanied by by a large number of spirits.

He went from there and south of Reykjanes (Smoke Peninsula) and wanted to take land at Víkarsskeið (The Sands of Vikar), but was approached by a huge rock giant whose head was higher than the mountains and carried a large iron staff, and he was accompanied by a host of other giants. Then the magician went east along the south coast, where he could find no landing places. Thus the intentions of the King of the Danes came to naught due to the efforts of the Guardian Spirits of Iceland.

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USEFUL WEBSITES IN ICELAND Ministry for Foreign Affairs MFA Overseas Business Service Government Offices of Iceland

www.vur.is www.government.is

Parliament of Iceland

www.althingi.is

Statistics Iceland

www.statice.is

Directorate of Customs Directorate of Immigration Supreme Court A Gateway to Iceland Permanent Mission of Iceland to the United Nations

www.tollur.is www.utl.is www.haestirettur.is www.iceland.is www.iceland.org/un/nyc

Permanent Mission of Iceland to the International Organizations in Geneva

www.iceland.org/efta

Icelandic Delegation to NATO

www.iceland.org/nato

Central Bank of Iceland

www.sedlabanki.is

Trade Council of Iceland

www.icetrade.is

Invest in Iceland Agency Iceland Chamber of Commerce Iceland Stock Exchange Federation of Icelandic Industries Information Centre of the Ministry of Fisheries

www.invest.is www.chamber.is www.vi.is www.si.is www.fisheries.is

National Energy Authority

www.os.is

Icelandic Federation of Labour

www.asi.is

Confederation of Icelandic Employers CultureNet Iceland Icelandic Literature SagaNet Reykjavik Arts Festival National Museum of Iceland Icelandic National Gallery Reykjavik Art Museum National and University Library of Iceland Iceland Symphony Orchestra Icelandic Film Centre

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www.mfa.is

www.sa.is www.menning.is www.bokmenntir.is www.sagnanet.is www.artfest.is www.natmus.is www.listasafn.is www.reykjavik.is/listasafn www.bok.hi.is www.sinfonia.is www.icelandicfilmcentre.is

University of Iceland

www.hi.is

Iceland Academy of the Arts

www.lhi.is

Marine Research Institute

www.hafro.is

Icelandic Research Council

www.rannis.is

Icelandic Fisheries Laboratories Icelandic Tourist Board Iceland Naturally

www.rfisk.is www.icetourist.is www.icelandnaturally.com

AUSTRIA Botschaft von Island Naglergasse 2/3/8 AT-1010 Wien Austria Tel: (1) 533 2771 Fax: (1) 533 2774 emb.vienna@mfa.is

NORWAY Islands Ambassade Stortingsgata 30 NO-0244 Oslo 1 Norge Tel: 2323 7530 Fax: 2283 0704 emb.oslo@mfa.is

BELGIUM Ambassade d’Islande Rond Point R. Schuman 11 BE-1040 Bruxelles Tel: 238 5000 Fax: 230 6938 emb.brussel@mfa.is

RUSSIAN FEDERATION Skatertny pereulok 34 Bld 4 115127 Moscow RU-121069 Moskva Tel: 956 7604 Fax: 956 7612 icemb.moscow@utn.stjr.is www.islandia.ru

DENMARK Islands Ambassade Strandgade 89 1401 København Tel: 3318 1050 Fax: 3318 1059 icemb.coph@utn.stjr.is FAROE ISLANDS Consulate General of Iceland Gongin 5, Torshavn Tel: (298 ) 308 100 Fax: (298) 308 109 icecon.torshavn@ utn.stjr.is FINLAND Islands Ambassad Pohjoisesplanadi 27C Fin-00100 Helsinki Tel: (9) 612 2460 Fax: (9) 6122 4620 www.islanti.fi Icemb.helskinki@utn.stjr.is FRANCE Ambassade d’Islande 52 ave. Victor Hugo FR-75116 Paris Tel. (1) 4417 3285 Fax (1) 4067 9996 icemb.paris@utn.stjr.is GERMANY Isländische Botschaft Rauchstrasse 1 DE-10787 Berlin Tel: (30) 5050 4000 Fax: (30) 5050 4300 www.botschaft-island.de infoberlin@mfa.is

SWEDEN Islands Ambassad Kommendörsgatan 35 SE-114 58 Stockholm Sverige Tel: (8) 442 8300 Fax: (8) 660 7423 icemb.stock@utn.stjr.is www.iceland.is/se SWITZERLAND Permanet Mission of Iceland Ave Blanc 49 6th floor cp 86, CH 1211 Geneva Tel: 22 716 1700 Fax: 22 716 1707 UNITED KINGDOM Embassy of Iceland 2AHans Street, London SW1X OJE United Kingdom Tel: (20) 7259 3999 Fax: (20) 7245 9649 emb.london@mfa.is www.iceland.is/uk UNITED STATES Embassy of Iceland House of Sweden 2900 k street NW #509 Washington D.C. 20007-1704 Tel: (202) 265 6653 Fax: (202) 265 6656 icemb.wash@utn.stjr.is www.iceland.is/us

Consulate General of Iceland 800 Third Ave 36th. fl.

New York, N.Y. 10022 U.S.A. Tel: 646 282 9360 Fax: 646 282 9369 icecon.ny@mfa.is

EMBASSIES

ICELANDIC EMBASSIES IN EUROPE, NORTH AMERICA AND ASIA

CANADA Embassy of Iceland 360 Albert Street Suite 710 Ottawa, Ontario ON K1R 7x7 Tel: (613) 482 1944 Fax: (613) 482 1945 icemb.ottawa@utn.stjr.is Consulate General of Iceland One Wellington Crescent Suite 100 Winnipeg Manitoba R3M 3Z2 Tel: (204) 284 1535 icecon.winnepeg@utn.stjr.is CHINA Embassy of Iceland Landmark Tower 1, #802 8 North Dongsanhuan Road Bei Lu 100004 Tel.: (10) 6590 7795 Fax: (10) 6590 7801 icemb.beijing@utn.stjr.is INDIA Embassy of Iceland 10 Munirka Marg. Vasant Vihar New Delhi 110057 Tel.: 91 11435 30300 Fax: 91 11424 03001 emb.newdehli@mfa.is JAPAN Embassy of Iceland 4-18-26 Takanawa, Minato-ku JP-108 0074 Tokyo Tel: (3) 3447 1944 Fax: (3) 3447 1945 icemb.tokyo@utn.stjr.is

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ON CENTER MAP NO 7

THE WEATHER IN ICELAND Iceland enjoys a much milder climate than its name and location adjacent to the Arctic circle would imply.

A branch of the Gulf Stream flows along the southern and the western coast greatly moderating the climate.

In coastal areas the monthly average temperatures range from approximately -5°C to 15°C, with temperatures varying around 0°C ± 5°C in wintertime and 10°C ± 5°C in summertime. The winter temperatures are approximately 15°C warmer than in other areas located at the same latitude (63-67°N), and the summertime average temperatures are approximately 5°C lower.

Due to the Gulf Stream, mild Atlantic air is brought in contact with colder Arctic air resulting in a climate that is marked by frequent changes in weather and storminess. Furthermore this leads to more rainfall in the southern and western part than in the northern part of the island.

The summer tourist season is from late May to early September. During the first half of this period the sun stays above the horizon for almost 24 hours and the interplay of light and shadows on mountains, lava fields and glaciers yield an ever changing landscape. However, even during the middle of summer the sky is frequently cloudy or overcast and the sunshine does not warm the air much. Hence, during daytime, the air is usually cool (“refreshing” is the local euphemism) and cold during nighttime. Also, by the coast the inhabited area, summertime warming is often capped by sea-breeze, resulting in temperatures around 12°C. The winter season is the abode of long nights, and severe winter storms.

However, the silence of the frozen expanse and the dance of the Aurora Borealis on a clear night sky draws an increasing number of tourists.

During summertime tourists should bring a windbreaker, rainwear, a thick pullover (wool or fleece) and sturdy walking shoes. Travelers who are camping or heading into the interior will need warm underwear and socks, rubber boots and a warm sleeping bag.

During wintertime tourist should bring warm clothing, warm coat, mittens etc.

Iceland has many swimming pools, usually with geothermally heated water.

Hence, in either season a visitor should bring a swim suit.

On the web-site of the Icelandic Meteorlogical Office (www.vedur.is) information about weatherforecast, cloud forecast, climate, seismic acitivity, hydrology and avalanche can be found among many other things. Information about temperature (= hiti in icelandic) distribution over Iceland can be found on: http://vedur.is/vedur/vedurfar/kort/manadarmedalhiti/ And information about precipitation (= úrkoma in icelandic) distribution is found at: http://vedur.is/vedur/vedurfar/kort/medalurkoma_arsins/.

Have a nice stay in Iceland, with regards from the Icelandic Meteorological Office

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LOCATED NO 3 ON MAP PAGE 6

Hotel Keflavik is a first rate four star hotel, located in the center of Keflavík town only five minutes drive from Keflavík airport. The hotel offers free transport to or from the airport

Hotel Keflavik

Vatnsnesvegur 12, 230 Reykjanesbær Tel.: 00 354 420-7000 • Fax: 00 354 420-7002

www.hotelkeflavik.is

Jóhann Ágúst Hansen

THE ERUPTIONS AT THE EYJAFJALLAJÖKULL VOLCANIC SYSTEM IN 2010 AND IN GRÍMSVÖTN 2011 Volcanic eruptions occur in Iceland every 3-4 years, with over 50% occurring within glaciers. The eruption in Grímsvötn in Vatnajökull glacier 21-28 May 2011 (see location on map page 7) produced 20 times more ash than the Eyjafjallajökull eruption in 2010 (see location on map page 6). However, the impact on air traffic was small compared to the extensive impact on transAtlantic and European air traffic during the Eyjafjallajökull eruption.

The Eyjafjallajökull volcanic system in South Iceland erupted twice in spring 2010, first on the flank of the volcano and then at the summit. The flank eruption was located on Fimmvörðuháls, an approximately 2 km wide pass of ice-free land between Eyjafjallajökull ice cap and the neighbouring Katla volcano with its overlying Mýrdalsjökull ice cap. Lava flowed north into two gullies, on either side of Heljarkambur ridge, blocking the popular Fimmvörðuháls hiking trail which leads to the outdoor area Þórsmörk. The eruption lasted from 20 March to 12 April. On 14 April 2010, another much bigger eruption began at the summit of the volcano. It was preceded by intense earthquake activity at shallow depth beneath the ice-topped crater of the volcano.

Sub-glacial eruptions progress into explosive eruptions when lava comes in contact with ice, causing at the same time melt water flow. The Eyjafjallajökull volcanic system has erupted three times before in historical time, i.e. in the last 1100 years, ca. 920, 1612 and 1821-23.

The Grímsvötn volcano erupts regularly, the last time in 2004.

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ON CENTER MAP NO 12

ON MAP NO 19

A cozy place to stay, Hótel Frón is located on Reykjavík’s main downtown shopping street.

This four floor, hotel, with elevator, provides its guests with a selection of 90 rooms and apartments.

All rooms have a bathroom, minibar, telephone, television and a safe.

All apartments have kitchen facilities, a refrigerator, and a cooking stove.

The hotel offers a remote internet connection and facilities for meetings.

ON MAP NO 25

JANUS woolen underwear is made of the finest Merino wool wich is soft and comfortable!

Visit our stores in Reykjavík or Akureyri !

www.janus.no

Hafnarstræti 99-101 Akureyri tel. 461-3006

Air­line fares are subject to con­stant change, so check with the air­lines or your tra­vel agent for the best fare when you plan a visit to Iceland.

In addition to normal one-way and re­turn fares a num­ber of attract­i­ve excursion and family fares are availa­ble, as well as group fares for vari­ous sizes of groups. Air fares also differ between sea­sons. For full details of fares and services contact your local tra­vel agent or any air­line office.

TRAVEL FACTS

HOW TO GET TO ICELAND BY AIR

The following companies operate flights to Iceland, Icelandair, Iceland Express, Air Iceland, WOW Air, Air Greenland, Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa, Air Berlin, Niki Luftfahrt, SAS, Hamburg International, German Wings, Transavia France, Finnair, Delta Airlines, Edelweiss Air, Travel Service from the foll­owing cities: AMST­ER­DAM

FREDRICHSAFEN

OR­LANDO

BERGEN

HALIFAX

PARIS

GLAS­GOW

BARCELONA

HANNOVER

BERLIN

HELSINKI

BOSTON

MADRID

BUDAPEST

MANCHESTER

COLONE

MIL­AN

COPEN­HAGEN

MUNICH

DORTMUND

NEW YORK

DÜSSELDORF

NUUK

FRANK­FURT

PRAQUE

SEATTLE

STAVANGER

LONDON

BREMEN

OSLO

STUTTGART

STOCK­HOLM TORONTO VIENNA

ZURICH

APP­ROX­IMA­TE FLYING TIMES FROM SEVER­AL CITIES Amst­er­dam Copen­hagen Frank­furt London Hamburg Paris New York Nars­ar­su­aq Or­lando Zurich

Reykja­vík Reykja­vík Reykja­vík Reykja­vík Reykja­vík Reykja­vík Reykja­vík Reykja­vík Reykja­vík Ak­ur­eyri

3 ho­urs 3 ho­urs 3 ho­urs 3 ho­urs 3 ho­urs 3 ho­urs 5 ho­urs 2 ho­urs 7 ho­urs 3 ho­urs

15 min.

20 min.

45 min.

5 min.

15 min.

25 min 30 min.

30 min.

10 min.

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ON MAP NO 23

Skólavörðustígur 38 Tel.: 551 1121 - Fax 551 1355 eggert@furrier.is

LIST OF SCHENGEN COUNTRIES: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Ger­many, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. The standardized Schengen visa will be valid for travelling to all the Schengen States. Thus, a special visa for visiting Iceland Will not be necessary.

TRAVEL FACTS

BEFORE YOU GO

Iceland embassies no longer issue visas. On the occasion when Iceland is the main destination, it is possible to apply for visa in the embassies of other Schengen States, in over 100 places in the world, which issue visas on behalf of Iceland.

Citicens of following States are exempted from visa obligation when entering Iceland for stay up to three months (in total in the Schengen area): Valid from March 25th 2001, Andorra, Argentina, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Croatia, The Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Holy See, Honduras, Hong Kong,*** Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao,**** Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, New-Zealand, Panama, Paraguay, Portugal, Poland, San Marino, S-Korea, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela.

ARRIVAL IN ICELAND

DUTY-FREE ALLOWANCES: The duty-free store at Keflavík Airport is open to coincide with flight departures and arrivals. Tourists may bring the following duty-free goods into Iceland: 1) 1 litre of spirits (up to 47% alcohol content). 2) 1.5 liters of wine (up to 21% alcohol content.) or 6 litres of beer 3) 3 liters of wine and 4) 200 cigarettes or 250 gr. of other tobacco products.

AIRPORT TRANSPORTATION / BUSES: Flybus Arrivals Operated all year daily from Keflavik Airport to Reykjavik in connection with all arriving flights. The Flybus brings passengers to Reykjavik Excursions and the Flybus terminal at BSÍ, near to the capital´s center. From there passengers are brought to some of the major hotels and guesthouses in Reykjavik.

Flybus departure Operated all year daily from the BSÍ Bus Terminal to Keflavik Airport in connection with all departing flights. A free pick-up service is available from some of the major hotels and gueasthouses in Reykjavík.

Duration: 40 - 50 minutes. The fare apx 13 EUR AIRPORT TRANSPORTATION / TAXIS: Taxis are always waiting at the rank outside the arrival hall. Cab fare to Reykjavík for 4-passenger taxi is equivalent to approximately apx. 90 EUR. Reykjavík taxis offer the same price for the drive from Reykjavík to Keflavík airport.

29

USEFUL CONVERSIONS Imperial Equivalents Length 1 inch 1 foot = 12 inches 1 yard = 3 feet 1 furlong = 220 yards 1 mile = 1760 yards = 1.6093 km 1 nautical mile = 6080 feet 1 centimetre (cm) = 10 millimeters 1 metre = 100 cm 1 kilometre (km) = 1000 m

= 2.5400 cm = 0.3048 m = 0.9144 m = 201.17 m = 1.8532 km = 0.3937 in = 1.0936 yard = 0.6214 mile

Surface or area 1 sq cm (cm2) = 100mm2 = 0.1550sq in 1 sq metre (m2) = 10.000 cm2 = 1.960 sq yd 1 are (a) = 100 m2 = 119.60 sq yds 1 hectare (ha) = 100 are = 2.4711 acres 1 sq km (km2) = 100 hectares = 0.3861 sq miles 1 sq inch = 6.4516 cm2 1 sq foot = 114. sq inches = 0.0929 m2 1 sq yard = 9 sq feet = 0.8361 m2 1 acre = 4048 sq yards = 4046.86 m2 1 sq mile = 640 acres = 259.0 hectares Capacity 1 cu cm (cm3) 1cu metre (m3) = 1000 dm3 1 litre = 1 dm3 1 hectolitre = 100 litres cu inch cu foot = 1728 cu inches cu yard = 27 cu feet pint = 4 gills quart = 2 pints gallon = 8 pints Weight Avaoirdupois 1 ounce 1 pound 1 stone 1 hundredweight 1 ton

= 0.0610 cu in = 1.3080 cu yd = 1.7598 pint = 2.7497 bushels = 16.387 cm3 = 0.0283 m3 = 0.07646 m3 = 0.5683 litre = 1.1365 litre = 4.5461 litres

= 437.5 grains = 28.35 gm = 16 ounces = 0.4536 kg = 14 pounds = 6.6503 kg = 112 pounds = 50.802 kg = 20 cwt = 1.0161 tonne

Temperature

30

32 40

50

60 70

75

85 95 105 140 175 212

ËšF

0

10

15 20

25

30 35

ËšC

5

40

60

80 100

Avera­ge Tempera­t­ure and Precipita­tion 1961–1990 PLACE

Reykja­ vík Stykk­is­hólm­ur Ak­ur­eyri Teig­ar­horn Kirkju­bæj­ar­klaust­ur West­man Is­lands

Tempera­t­ure C JAN JULY -0.5 -1.3 -2.2 -0.3 -0.4 1.3

10.6 9.9 10.5 8.8 11.2 9.6

TRAVEL FACTS

CLIMA­TE Thanks to the Gulf Str­eam, Iceland enjoys a cool tempera­te oce­an clima­te: cool in sum­mer and rather mild in wint­er. However, the we­ather is very un­pred­ict­a­ble and tourists should be prepared for the unex­pect­ed.

Precipita­tion mm JAN JULY 75.7 67.5 55.5 129.0 145 158.3

51.8 42.1 33.0 83.8 120.0 94.9

CLOT­HING When tra­vell­ing in Iceland you should bring along light-weight woollens, a swea­t­er or car­dig­an, a rain­proof (water-proof) coat and sturdy walking shoes. Also bring your swimm­ing suit. Tra­vell­ers who are camp­ing or hea­d­ing into the int­er­ior will need warm und­erwe­ar and socks, rubber boots and a warm sleep­ing-bag.

MIDNIGHT SUN During sum­mer the nights are bright in all of Iceland. In the month of June the sun never fully sets in the north. There are even speci­ al exc­ursions to the is­land of Gríms­ey on the Arct­ic Circle where you can ex­perience the midnight sun, that is to say if it is not clou­dy! Keep in mind, however, that the sun at midnight is not as warm as midday, so bring along a swea­t­er.

RELIGION The esta­bl­is­hed religion in Iceland is Luther­an. There are many Luther­an churches in Iceland and services usu­ally held ev­ery Sunday at 11:00 or 14:00. There is also a Cat­holic church in Reykja­vík, and a num­ber of churches for other groups. Holy Mass in Eng­lish is of­fer­ed in the Rom­an Cat­holic Cathedral ev­ery Sunday at 20:00.

LANUGA­GE Iceland­ic is a Teuton­ic langu­age of the Nor­dic group. It is beli­ eved to have changed little from the orig­inal ton­gue spo­ken by the Nor­se settlers. Eng­lish and Dan­ish are widely spo­ken and und­er­stood.

Iceland­ic has two lett­ers of its own: þ/Þ pronounced like th in „thing“ and ð/Ð pronounced like th in „them“.

DIN­ING Restaurants in Iceland of­fer a wide vari­ety of dis­hes, rang­ing from Iceland­ic seafood and mounta­in lamb to Indi­an or Japenese cuisine. There are also places that of­fer pizza, hamburgers and other less ex­pensi­ve dis­hes. The avera­ge cost of Iceland­ic meals (wit­hout wine or liquor) is as foll­ ows: Break­fast EUR 10-20, lunch EUR 15-25, dinn­er EUR 30-40 .

TIPP­ING Service and VAT are in­vari­ably inclu­ded in prices in Iceland.

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ON MAP NO 20

A modern hotel with all hotels facilities in central ReykjavĂ­k. All rooms with bath, TV, radio telephone and free wireless Internet access.

Excellent service and reasonable prices with breakfast included. A conference room and a restaurant on the groundfloor.

Brautarholt 29, 105 ReykjavĂ­k, Iceland Tel: +354 568 0777 Fax: +354 568 9747 info@hotelorkin.is www.hotelorkin.is

Icelandic Tourist Board Iceland Lækjargata 3, Gimli - IS-101 Reykjavik Iceland. Tel: (+354) 535-5500 Fax: (+354) 535-5501 Email: info@icetourist.is / www.icetourist.is

Icelandic Tourist Board USA 655 Third Avenue, New York, NY.100017 USA, Tel: 212 885 9700 Fax: 212 885 9710 Email: usa@intertourist.is / www.icelandtouristboard.com Icelandic Tourist Board Germany City Centre, Frankfurter Str. 181 D-63263, Neu-Isenburg, Germany

Tel: (6102) 25 4484 Fax: (6102) 25 4570 Email: info@icetourist.de / www.icetourist.de

HOTELS AND GUESTHOUSES

There are hotels and guesthouses to suit all tastes and budgets, from the most luxurious in Reykjavík, to the simple and sufficient throughout the country. Several travel agencies and airlines have special accommodation offers which can only be purchased outside Iceland. Children’s discounts are also widely available. Contact your booking office for further information. The Icelandic Hotel and Restaurant Association publishes a yearly brochure with a list of all major hotels and guesthouses in Iceland.

Contact their office at Hafnarstræti 20, IS-101 Reykjavík, tel.: +354-511 8000

ICELANDAIR HOTELS

Icelandair operates eight first-class hotels around the country under the name ICELANDAIR HOTELS. www.icehotels.is Icelandair also runs the EDDA Summer Hotel Chain. Both bed and breakfast and sleeping-bag accommodation are offered in the EDDA hotels. www.edda.is

ACCOMMODATION IN ICELAND

TOURIST INFORMATION

FARMHOUSE ACCOMMODATION

Icelandic Farm Holidays is a chain of farmhouses around Iceland offering accommodation and various activities to travellers in their homes, guesthouses, country-hotels and cottages.For a new brochure or booking, contact Icelandic Farm Holidays, Síðumúla 2, IS 108 Reykjavík, Iceland, tel: +354 5702700, e-mail: ifh@farmholidays.is Webside: www.farmholidays.is.

YOUTH AND FAMILY HOSTELS

There are various youth and family hostels around Iceland and all people are welcome regardless of age. Almost all hostels have family rooms (rooms with 2 to 4 beds). A few hostels are open all year, others operate in summer only. For further information contact the Icelandic Youth Hostels Association, Sundlaugavegur 34, IS-105 Reykjavík; tel.: +354-553 8110, fax: +354-588 9201. Homepage: www.hostel.is, E-mail: info@hostel.is.

CAMPING

There are approx. 130 campsites in Iceland. Camping grounds are normally open from the beginning of June until the end of August or middle of September depending on location.

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ON MAP NO 19 26

Blu 34

TRAVEL FACTS TO­URS Iceland of­fers a great vari­ety of to­urs, some cover­ing large parts of the country, others small ar­e­as at a time. There are tra­ditional to­urs as well as to­urs quite differ­ent from what you have ex­perienced el­sewhere. There are nat­ure to­urs with strik­ing landscapes, young lava fields, ro­ar­ing wa­ter­falls and majest­ic glaci­al ice-caps. Tra­vell­ing into the un­in­habited int­er­ior of Iceland is limited to the months of July and Aug­ust, except for some speci­ally organ­ized wint­er to­urs (see sect­ion on open­ing of the mounta­in tracks).

Wint­er to­urs in Iceland are un­for­getta­ble: there is ski­ing for both beg­inn­ers and the ex­perienced, ice-climb­ing and ice-fis­hing. In addition, there are org­an­ized day to­urs, and week­end and holi­day to­urs all year round with Iceland­ic to­uring clubs where the emp­has­is is on hik­ing.

Reykjavík Excursion offer a wide variety of quality day tours all year, spanning from a two and a half hours sightseeing of the city to whole day tours.

Reykjavík Excursion offer passengers close contact with the many sides of Iceland, its nature, history, culture and daily life.

Elding Sea Adventrues Company, tel: +354 555 3565 offers daily very interesting whale watching and sea angling tours from Reykjavík old Harbour.

TAX-FREE SHOPP­ING A refund of the local Value Add­ed Tax is availa­ble to for­eign visitors in Iceland. The refund will result in a red­uct­ion of up to 15% of the retail price, provided depart­ure from Iceland is wit­hin 3 months af­te ­r the purchase is made. The purchase am­ount must be no less than ISK 4,000 (VAT inclu­ded) per sales receipt, and all goods (except woollens) must be packed in sealed bags or containers).

HEALTH INS­URANCE Cit­izens of Scand­in­av­ia and the U.K. are co­ver­ed by national health ins­urance. Cit­izens of other countries are advised to cover themselv­es with health ins­urance while tra­vell­ing.

VACCINATIONS If arri­v­ing in Iceland from an in­fect­ion-free nation as det­ermined by the World Health Org­an­ization, no vaccinations are required.

EL­ECT­RIC CUR­RENT The el­ect­ric cur­rent in Iceland is 220 volts, 50 HZ AC. Ple­a­se note that the prongs on el­ect­rical equip­ment you bring with you may be differ­ent from our stand­ards. It is advisa­ble to check before us­ing such equip­ment.

35

ON MAP NO 22

T

Gréta Guðjónsdóttir

THE NORTHERN LIGHTS The Northern Lights, also known as the Aurora Borealis, occur at height of 100 km (62 miles) and take the form of a curtain fluttering in the wind, or points of light emitting from a single spot. The phenomenon is a fascinating spectacle, caused by electrical impulses entering the atmosphere from the sun and being guided by magnetic fields. When the particles meet molecules in the atmosphere the Northern Lights are formed and their colour is determined by the type of molecules. Incidentally, every occurrance of Northern Lights is ´answered´ a fraction of a second later, by Southern Lights over the Antarctic. In Greenland it was once believed that the Northern Lights were caused by the souls of the dead playing ball with walrus skulls. According to legend, if you whistled at the Northern Lights, they came closer before they finally made off with you. However, if you barked like a dog you could repel them. Feel free to bark!

The Northern Lights appear all year round, but can only be observed under a clear, dark night sky. In practice this means that the Northern Lights are most impressive in the autumn months, but they can also be seen in March and they ´disappear´ in the light summer nights.

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ON MAP NO 18

Travel is more than just A to B. Travel should open new doors for you.

Step into a world of excitement. The Hilton Reykjavik Nordica welcomes you to stylish rooms, the trendy VOX Restaurant and the city’s most exclusive health club NordicaSpa, all just a step away from city center.

To start your journey, travel to hilton.com Hilton Reykjavik Nordica, Sudurlandsbraut 2, 108 Reykjavik, Iceland, Tel: +354 444 5000, Fax: +354 444 5001, E-mail: info.reykjaviknordica@hilton.com

ENNEMM / SĂ?A / NM50586

ON MAP NO 2

REYKJA­VÍK THE WESTERN­MOST AND THE NORTHERN­MOST CAPI­TAL IN THE WORLD

40

This dou­ble hono­ur of extend­ing the limits of ci­vi­lization rests with Ingólf­ur Arn­ar­son, with a help­ing hand from the gods. He esta­bl­is­hed the first permanent settlem­ent in Iceland in 874, and named the site Reykja­vík – Smokey Bay – not a refer­ence to fog, but to the steam from geothermal springs which heat the city today.

The city is built on the shor­es of a shelt­er­ed in­let off the vast Faxa Bay. It’s full of sur­prises and contrasts with its busy harbo­ur and the impos­ing peaceful­ness of Mt. Esja across the wa­ter. Take a walk through the city centre and see the charm­ing blend of old and new where peaceful grassy slopes and ponds teem­ing with bird life are only a sto­ne’s throw from the city’s banks and business offices.

This northernmost capital of the world is a buzzing cultural city where cosmopolitan currents meet traditional trends. Reykjavík held the title European City of Culture in the year 2000; a welcome recognition of the energetic and colourful cultural life of Reykjavík. Reykjavík Art Museum,consisting of three excellent museums, Reykjavík Municipal Museum at Árbær, Reykjavík Museum of Photographs, City Archives and Library, jointly housed in Grófarhús in Tryggvagata – are all good choices if you want to spend a day enjoying the city’s culture.

But Reykjavík is not only an ultra modern city – its roots date back more than 1100 years. Recent archaeological discoveries have located a ruin of a farm from the 10th century right in the city center. It can be seen on an exhibit about the Settlement time called Reykjavík 871±2 in Aðalstræti 16.

Reykjavík has the best of both worlds; the qualities of a modern, forwardlooking society are complemented by a close connection to the beautiful and unspoilt nature in the city’s vicinity. Whether one is in the mood for a spot of midnight golf, horse trekking or salmon fishing – there is no need to leave the city as all these choices and much more are within one’s reach. And the good news for those looking for unbridled fun and an unforgettable night out – the famous Reykjavík nightlife certainly lives up to its reputation.

The clean energy, safety and general good quality of life give both Reykjavík’s inhabitants and guests a treasured sense of wellness and contentment.

Reykjavík’s plentiful sources of green energy ensure clean air, unpolluted water and fresh food. Fish, seafood and lamb – traditional Icelandic ingredients are imaginatively prepared by Reykjavík’s high quality restaurants that offer cuisine from all four corners of the world. The geothermal baths in Reykjavík are not to be missed either by anyone visiting our friendly city. One of the best ways to meet the people of Reykjavík is to visit one of the seven baths, as going to the thermal pools is very much a way of life for Icelanders. Another geothermal gem is a manmade beach with warm water in Nauthólsvík – only 15 minutes walk from the city centre.

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ON CENTER MAP NO 12

SINCE 1901 Pure Icelandic woolens. Traditional Icelandic silver.

Great variety of souvenirs.

ALL PROFITS GO TO CHARITY.

The Thorvaldsensbazar was opened in June 1901. It is run by the charity foundation Thorvaldsenssociety (est.1875).

The society´s members have through the years served as voluntary workers in the Bazar. In the earlier times it became a boom to many households to sell their homemade items in the Bazar ( wood & wollens). But in later years the Bazar is run in the customery way. All profits are used for beneficiary work, mainly for sick children.

THORVALDSENS BAZAR AUSTURSTRÆTI 4 Tel.: 551 3509

email: thorvaldsens@isl.is www.thorvaldsens.is

H

HI­STORY The country may have been settled by some Christ­i­an monks from Ireland al­r­ea­dy in 700 A.D. The first Iceland­ic settler is said to be the Norweg­i­an, Ingólf­ur Arn­ar­son, who came to the country in 874. He res­ided where the capi­tal is now, and gave it the name Reykjavík. Half a cent­ury la­t­er, or in 930, the Iceland­ic parli­ament in anci­ent times, ”Alt­hingi“ was founded, which is consider­ed the old­est parli­ament in the world. The meet­ings were held at the beauti­ful place, Thing­vell­ir, located at Iceland’s big­gest lake, Lake of Thingvell­ir, 50 km from Reykja­vík. Thing­vell­ir is now a national park.

The Norweg­i­an people who settled in Iceland were he­athen. In the year 1000, through an act of law, Christ­i­anity was adopted.

Such an ev­ent has not happ­ened in any other country in the world.

Late in the 14th cent­ury the Dan­ish king came to power in Iceland. The Iceland­ers could never submit to the Dan­ish authority and struggled firmly to rega­in their independence. In 1918 Iceland became a sovereign state with the same king as Den­mark. On the 17th of June, 1944, the Repu­blic of Iceland was founded and, Iceland­ers got their comp­lete independence aga­in. Since then, that day has been Iceland’s national day.

43

Explore Iceland on your own terms.

With so much to see and do, why not rent a car and hit the road in comfort and style with Budget? +354 562 6060

www.budget.is

H

HOT SPRINGS – SOLFATARAS Iceland is richer in hot springs and sol­fat­aras or natural heat than any other country in the world. Two main types of thermal ar­e­as are ”high-tempera­t­ure fields“, tota­l­ing 14 ar­e­as located in the new volc­an­ic medi­an zone. They are charact­er­ized by steam ho­les and mud pools, and the aston­is­hing magnitu­de of colour that they project. ”Low tempera­t­ure fields“ are the other kind of ar­e­as charact­er­ized by hot springs found all over Iceland tot­all­ing 800 in num­ber.

The wa­ter in these springs reaches the surface with the tempera­t­ure close to boil­ing point and some of these springs are geysers. The most famous being the Great Geys­ir in Hauka­dal­ur in South Iceland, from which the international word geys­ir is derived. The natural hot wa­ter is now widely used to heat hou­ses and green­hou­ses in Iceland.

The wa­ter from hot springs is used to heat hou­ses (more than 75% of the population now enjoys this type of heat­ing in their homes). Over 10 hect­ares of green­hou­ses are heated in the same way all­owing many types of vegeta­bles and flowers to be grown in commerci­al qu­an­tities.

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ON CENTER MAP NO 5

EACH PIECE IS ONE OF A KIND

KERAMIK – STUDIO – GALLERÍ VESTURGATA 5 – TEL./FAX 552 6036 kogga@vortex.is www.kogga.is

R

RIVERS AND LAKES Rivers are nu­mer­ous and relati­vely volu­minous, but none of them is naviga­ble due to swift cur­rents. The largest are tur­bid glaci­al rivers. Cle­ar-wa­ter rivers are harnessed for hydro-el­ect­ric power prod­uct­ion and abound in salmon, which are caught in great num­bers. Charact­er­ist­ic of the yout­h­ful landscape are the many im­pressi­ve wa­ter­falls, the most not­ed being Gull­foss (32 metres), Detti­foss (44 metres), the largest in Europe and Skóga­foss (60 metres). There are countless lakes in Iceland, many of them rich in trout and char, the big­gest being Thing­valla­vatn (83 squ­are kilo­metres). There are also many rivers in Iceland rich in salmon.

The famous smoked North Atlantic salmon delicatessen, is available in supermarkets and Islandica store at Keflavik International airport.

47

ON MAP NO 4

Enjoy

a relaxing holiday at Laugar Spa Situated in Laugardalur, the Laugar Spa offers a center of wellness for your whole family.

Feel seven heavens, enjoy our health spa and ensure your body and soul feel the best.

Laugar´s outdoor and indoor thermal pools, beauty and massage clinic, unique fitness center combined with luxury spa will help you breeze into a wonderful and relaxing holiday.

Laugar opening hours: Monday - Friday 06:00 - 23:30 Saturday 08:00 - 22:00 Sunday 08:00 - 20:00

Laugar - Sundlaugarvegur 30a - Tel +354 553 0000 - www.laugarspa.is - laugar@worldclass.is

G

Breiða­merk­ur­jök­ull forms part of the Vatna­jök­ull, largest icecap in Europe.

The glaci­er has for­med a lagoon, on which Icebergs and floes can be seen.

GLACI­ERS AND ICE-CAPS The glaci­ers are one of the most dist­inct­i­ve and excit­ing feat­ures of Iceland’s scenery. Almost all types of glaci­er are found in Iceland, ranging from small cirque glaci­ers to extensi­ve icecaps. By far the largest of the glaci­ers is the Vatna­jök­ull in the south-east with an area of 8.400 squ­are kilometres and reaching thickness of 1.000 metres.

One of the small­er glaci­ers, the cone-shaped Snæ­fells­jök­ull (made famous by Jules Vern­e in his “Jo­ur­n­ey to the Centre of the Earth“), may be seen across the bay from Reykja­vík and af­fords a fascinat­ing sight at sundown.

Taxi station Hreyfill on page 14 offer a well approved sightseeing private trips to this part of Iceland.

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LOCATED NO 1 ON MAP PAGE 6

Free aperitif with LAVA's lunch buffet or when ordered from evening menu

Lunch buffet at restaurant LAVA at Blue Lagoon Icelandic tasting experience

www.bluelagoon.com

LOCATED NO 1 ON MAP PAGE 6

T

THE SOUT­HWEST HIDDEN POWER - Blue Lagoon For the visitor who arri­ves by air, this area will give the first im­pression of Iceland. Af­te ­ r customs forma­lities and out on the open road he will be con­ fronted with a rugged moon­like landscape. Lava fields stretch out to distant mounta­in ridges. There are no trees, no rivers, no val­leys. Volcan­ic act­i­vity for­ med this peninsula and act­i­vity is evident in fissures spout­ing steam and in the rich potenti­al being realised at the Svarts­engi geothermal power station with its un­ique technology. At Svartsengi the famous Blue Lagoon is located, Iceland’s most unique and popular attraction, located only 40 minutes from Reykjavík and 20 minutes from Keflavík International Airport.

Blue Lagoon offers spa treatments and massages that take place both indoor and in the lagoon itself, based on the geothermal seawater’s active ingredients: minerals, silica and algae. Guests bathing in the milky waters of the lagoon have easy access to the famous white silica mud, an essential part of the spa experience. The Exclusive Bath & Lounge is an option for guests looking for more privacy. This novelty features private changing rooms, a modernly designed lounge with a fireplace and a reserved indoor lagoon. Light refreshments are served and certain dishes from Lava Restaurant can be ordered.

Lagoon Bar serves guests bathing in the lagoon and offers light refreshments.

On the second floor a relaxing area awaits guests with comfortable seats and beautiful view of the Blue Lagoon.

Lava Restaurant offers a unique icelandic dining experience. It is built into the cliff so it features a natural lava wall, adding to its uniqueness. The meals are delicious, inventive and the menu ranges from light dishes to gourmet meals.

Blue Lagoon skin care products are based on a unique blend of Blue Lagoon geothermal seawater active ingredients: minerals, silica, and algae. Blue Lagoon skin care products are available at our shops located at the Blue Lagoon, Keflavík International Airport, Laugarvegur 15 in Reykjavík city center, and at the online shop www.bluelagoon.com

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ON CENTER MAP NO 21

The Settlement exhibition ReykjavĂ­k 871Âą2 is in the heart of Reykjavik.

The exhibition is based on the archaeological excavation of Viking Age ruins and findings from the other excavations in the city centre. The Settlement exhibition is located in Reykjavik old centre, on the corner of Adalstraeti. The exhibition is open daily from 10 - 17

T

54

THE ICELANDIC SHEEP When Viking settlers first arrived in Iceland in AD 874, they brought with them two breeds of domestic livestock, the Icelandic Horse and Icelandic Sheep. In time, both would have almost as much impact on the history and development of the country as man himself.

From the very beginning, Icelanders have found themselves engaged in a relentless struggle to come to terms with the rugged environment in which they live. While the horse served for transport and labour, sheep were the key to the nation´s survival, providing generations of Icelanders not only with food but also with wool as protection from the biting cold of the harsh northern climate.

Without sheep, Iceland would have been uninhabitable.

Although the medieval sagas may have been inspired by deeds of heroism and feats of bravery, they also tell of the activities around which daily life revolved, among them shearing, spinning and carding - skills and crafts which became traditions and altered little through the ages.

As a breed, the Iceland Sheep is unique - the purity of the strain has been protected by centuries of isolation and of isolation and a total absence of contact with others. By the same token, the wool it produces has no counterpart anywhere.

Evolving over 1.100 years of exposure to the sub-Arctic climate, Icelandic wool has a distinctive combination of inner and outer fibres. The outer fibres are long, glossy, tough and water-resistant, while the inner ones are fine, soft and insulating, providing a high resistance to cold.

T

THE ICELANDIC HORSE The history of the Icelandic horse can be traced all the way back to the settlement of the country in the late 9th century. When the Vikings brought with them their horses. Clearly the horse was the catalyst that allowed the settlement of Iceland to go forward and prosper. Since no other breed of horse has ever been imported to Iceland, this special animal is a pure-bred "Viking-Horse".

For centuries the horse was the only means of transportation in Iceland, as well as being the most important working animal in the days before machinery. The horse was used for everything. They worked tilling the farmlands from dawn to dusk and provided transportation between the farms as they were settled. They went on scouting expeditions into this new territory in search of everything from water to grazing areas. Strong and sure footed, the Icelandic horse adjusted and adapted to this new land certainly as fast and most likely faster than the new settlers.

Viking battles were fought on horseback and the animal quickly adjusted to any situation that was presented to it. Is it any wonder that many of the slain Vikings warriors of the many battles in earlier times were often buried with their horses as a sign of honor and respect?

The Icelandic horse has many characteristics unique unto itself.

Perhaps the most noticeable would be its intermediate size and the mane of shaggy hair. The five gaits of the horse are also one of the special features that sets it apart from all other horses. These gaits are the "fetgangur" the walk or step, the "brokk" or trot, the "tรถlt", which is a faster type of walk, the "skeiรฐ" or the pace and the "stรถkk", or gallop.

Today there are around 80.000 horses in Iceland, and around 100.000 Icelandic horses abroad, most in Europe but also a growing number in the United States and Canada. Growing popularity of the Icelandic horse has made horse breeding and exporting a valuable business, boosting agriculture and industry in many areas.

55

ON MAP NO 16

I

ICELANDIC NATIONAL COSTUME Þjóðbúningurinn is the collective native term for the Icelandic National costumes.

The national costume has enjoyed various levels of popularity since the term was coined in Iceland in the 19th century, during the fight for independence.

Women’s costume The following types of costume are all recognized as Icelandic National costumes. However both the kyrtill and skautbúningur were designed in the 18th century from scratch as ceremonial costumes, while the faldbúningur, peysuföt and the upphlutur are traditional daily wear of Icelandic women in olden times.

The Faldbúningur is an older type of costume worn by women in since at least the 17th century and well into the 19th. In its most recongnized form it incorporated a hat decorated with a curved sheet-like ornament prodruding into the air and exists in two variants.

The Peysuföt are black woolen clothes commonly worn by women in the 18-19th century. They usually consisted of a twill skirt and a jacket of fine knitted woolen yearn with a black tail cap. It is believed that this costume was invented when women, desiring simpler working clothes than the faldbúningur.

The Upphlutur is a woman’s costume, consisting of bodice that can be coloured in bright colours such as red or blue, but often black. Its headpiece is a tail cap. The costume is basically the undergarment of the faldbúningur.

The Kyrtill was designed to look like Viking-age costumes. It however incorporates a hat similar to the one on the skautbúningur.

The Skautbúningur was conceived as a modernized variation of the faldbúningur, which had fallen out of use by the middle of the 19th century. It incorporates a complicated hat inspired by the ones traditionally used with the faldbúningur.

Men’s costume Mens costume exists in three radically different versions. It is the only direct descendant of traditional daily wear of Icelandic men, while the other two were designed from the start as ceremonial costume.

The one considered most traditional consists of woolen breeches or trousers, a usually double buttoned vest and a double buttoned jacket called treyja.

Sometimes a peysa with a single row of buttons is used in lieu of the vest and treyja. On the head is a tail cap. This costume was usually black, navy blue or dark green, although the vest, which was usually brighter was sometimes red.

It is identical to the clothing Icelandic men commonly wore from the 17th until the 19th century.

57

ON CENTER MAP NO 30

Make it’s El sure Makeding! it’s El sure ding!

Call us on +354 555 3565 or visit www.elding.is Call us on +354 555 3565

ELDING WHALE WATCHING ELDING WHALE WATCHING from Reykjavík from Take partReykjavík in an adventure at sea with an unforgettable trip

into the world of whales and sea birds all year round.

Take part in an adventure at sea with an unforgettable trip into the world of whales and sea birds all yearOther round. adventures at sea Elding Whale Watching schedule – all year round EL-01 / EL-02 / EL-03

Elding –Aug all year Jan-MarWhale Apr Watching May Junschedule Jul Septround Oct-Dec EL-01 / EL-029:00 / EL-03

9:00

9:00 9:00 10:00 10:00 Jan-Mar 13:00 Apr 13:00 May 13:00 Jun 13:00 Jul 13:00 9:00 9:00 9:00 14:00 9:00 14:00 17:00* 10:00 17:00 10:00 17:00 13:00 13:00 13:00 13:00 20:30** 13:00 20:30 14:00 14:00 * From 15 May 17:00* to 15 September 17:00 17:00 ** From 15 June to 15 August 20:30** 20:30

9:00 9:00 10:00 Aug 13:00 Sept 13:00 Oct-Dec 13:00 9:00 14:00 9:00 10:00 17:00 17:00* 13:00 20:30** 13:00 13:00 14:00 17:00 17:00* 20:30**

Puffin Watching

Other atand sea 15 May -adventures 15 August at 9:30 15:00 Puffin Watching Angling 15Sea May - 15 August at 9:30 and 15:00 1 May - 30 September at 11:00 Sea Angling 1 May - 30 September at 11:00

* From 15 May to 15 September ** From 15 June to 15 August Environmental Award Icelandic Tourist Board

Environmental Award Icelandic Tourist Board

www.elding.is www.elding.is

Tour Operator

Authorised by Icelandic Tourist Board

Tour Operator

Authorised by Icelandic Tourist Board

ENNEMM / SÍA / NM51115 ENNEMM / SÍA / NM51115

or visit www.elding.is

Whales are the largest members of the animal kingdom and at the same time one of the most mysterious. Little is known about these majestic creatures and their behaviour. Due to excessive whaling, many species of whales were on the brink of extinction late in the 20th century, and despite a worldwide ban on whaling, many of the species are still regarded as very endangered.

One of those is the Blue Whale, but according to estimates there are only 10–15.000 animals existing worldwide. Here are a few points about some of the whales we are likely to see in Iceland Whale Watching Cruises: The Blue Whale is the largest creature that has ever lived on this planet, usually 24–27 meters long and up to 190 tons.This is also one of the rarest animals, as according to estimates, there are only a few thousand Blue Whales existing in the World. The waters of the coast of Iceland are among the best in the world to watch these magnificent animals.

WHALE WATCHING IN ICELAND

The Whale

The Fin Whale is the second largest whale, usually 18–22 meters long and weighing up to 80 tons. This whale is fairly common far out to sea, but is not frequently close to the shore.

The Humpback Whales are famous for their spectacular aerial displays, and can often be seen jumping, slapping the water with the tail and flipper-slapping.

They are usually 12–15 meters long and weigh 25–30 tons, The Humpback Whales are also famous for their singing, which is the most complex and beautiful in the animal kingdom.

The Sperm Whale is the largest of all the toothed whales, up to 16 meters long and weighing up to 50 tons. They live in deep waters and are believed to dive deeper and longer than any other animal.

The Dolphins are the smallest and most common of the whales. They are frequently seen on whale watching tours all around the country. They are often entertaining to watch, leaping high into the air.

The Orca Whale is frequently seen in the Icelandic waters all around the country.

These whales have the reputation of being aggressive and dangerous as their other name ”killer whales“ reflects. They can be up to 10 meters long and weigh up to 9 tonnes.

The Minke Whale is

the most common whale in the seas around Iceland.They are up to 10 meters long and can weigh up to 10 tonnes.

59

ON MAP NO 18

Happy smiling Headwear Skólavörðustígur 18, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland hufur@mmedia.is - Tel. +354 552 6466 Online shop: www.hufursemhlaeja.is

BROSANDI ALLAN HRINGINN

ENNEMM / SÍA / NM50586

HÓTEL EDDA

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Pantaðu allan hringinn á www.hoteledda.is eða í síma 444 4000.

T

TRY IT YOURSELF! What would your name be if you followed the Icelandic tradition?

What would your father’s and mother’s names be? Just for fun, try completing the form for your family members.

This is done in the following manner: 1. First, fill in the blanks at the top with the names of your paternal and maternal grandparents.

2. Then write your father’s and mother’s names, with their patronymics, as they would be if you followed the Icelandic tradition, in the blanks below. Whose son and daughter are your parents?

3. In the blank space at the bottom of the page you add your name, in the Icelandic fashion. Whose son or daughter are you?

FATHER’S FATHER:

MOTHER’S FATHER:

FATHER’S MOTHER:

MOTHER’S MOTHER:

FATHER:

MOTHER:

MY NAME ACCORDING TO THE ICELANDIC CUSTOM:

I

ICELANDIC NAMES Most Icelanders still follow the ancient tradition of deriving their last name from the first name of their father.

If a man is called Leifur Eiríksson his name is Leifur and he is Eiríksson (the son of a man called Eiríkur). A woman called Þórdís Haraldsdóttir has the personal name Þórdís and is Haraldsdóttir (i.e. Harald´s daughter).

If Þórdís Haraldsdóttir marries Leifur Eiríksson she does not become Eiríksson, like her husband. She continues to be Þórdís Haraldsdóttir.

If Þórdís and Leifur have a son, he would have Leifsson as a last name, and their daughter would have Leifsdóttir as her last name.

We have to keep in mind that Eiríksson, Leifsson and Haraldsdóttir are not really names as such, but patronymics, which refer to their fathers. For this reason Icelanders always have to be referred to by their given names. The patronymic is never used alone.

Icelanders say for example, the President of Iceland, Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, or even President ÓIafur Ragnar but never President Grímsson. There is a limited number of Icelanders who do have family names.

63

REYKJAVIK THERMAL POOLS There is no better way to recharge your mind and body then to visit one of reykjavík’s outdoor swimming pools

www.itr.is ı tel.: 411 5000

– have a refreshing swim or simply lounge in the warm waters and relax.

ON MAP NO 27

Vík Sel­foss Rvík

Akranes

Akureyri

Blönduós

Borgarnes

Breiðdalsvík

Akureyri

Eg­ilsstað­ir

Höfn

220

91

49

Borg­ar- Ísa­nes fjörður 38

422

353

617

493

561

432

389

315

567

1336*

265

512

416

287

244

170

423

145

410

657

246

117

74

1336

384

315

580

519*

430*

560*

617*

662

915

347

82

166

Búðardalur

326

197

154

80

304

281

546

599*

Djúpivogur

585

456

412

339

591

44

309

555

368*

497*

554*

614

979

411

146

103

511*

640*

698*

580

832

265

1336

247

525*

654*

668

594

846

279

14

261

542*

671*

702

628

881

313

48

278

513

384

341

267

116

468

733

786*

229

99

52

118

502

433

698

501*

357

228

185

111

416

389

654

630*

176

71

125

184

569

499

687*

449*

Hallormsstaður

515*

644*

680

606

858

291

26

251

93

36

94

153

537

468

604*

366*

Hólmavík

445

316

273

199

224

344

609

718*

652

523

480

406

659

91

220

467

370

239

197

123

376

203

468

642*

80

49

106

166

550

481

591*

273*

402*

459*

519*

902

512

247

Dalvík

Egilsstaðir Eiðar

Eskifjörður

Flókalundur Grindavík

Grundarfjörður Gullfoss Hella

Húsavík

Hvammstangi Hvolsvöllur

Höfn í Hornafirði Ísafjörður

353* 1346

630

500

457

384

1973*

567

832

922*

Keflavík

226

97

48

116

500

431

696

499*

71

201

258

318

702

633

440*

201*

Laugarvatn

169

39

93

153

538

468

680*

441*

Kirkjubæjarklaustur Ólafsvík

367

239

195

121

443

416

681

640*

Reykjahlíð v/Mývatn

660*

531

488

414

667

99

165

412

255

126

84

43

387

318

583

528*

Sauðárkrókur

492

362

319

246

498

119

384

631

129

1336

57

117

500

432

640*

402*

681

607

859

292

27

274 136

Reykholt um Stafholtst.

Selfoss

Seyðisfjörður

Skaftafell

Skógar, Eyjafjöllum Stykkishólmur Vík í Mýrdal

Vopnafjörður Þingvellir Þórshöfn

(*) via Skeiðarásand road.

538*

667*

141*

270*

327*

387*

771*

639

374

32

97

154

214

598

529

543*

305*

345

215

172

98

390

363

628

617*

129

187

246

630

561

511*

273*

665

622

548

800

233

173

420

1336 684*

DISTANCES IN KM

DISTANCES IN KM

174

45

49

95

479

410

675

447*

754*

672

629

555

808

240

243

490

67

www.alafoss.is

LOCATED NO 2 ON MAP PAGE 6

Álafoss Álafossvegur 23 Mosfellsbær C.a 16 km from Reykjavík on the road to Þingvellir Open: Mon. - Frid. 9:00 -18:00 Sat. 9:00 - 16:00

Tel: 566 6303 vellir

Þing

r

lsbæ

sfel

Mo G

olt

rafarh

ge - G

- Brid

vík Reykja

Since 1896

Wool & Souvernir Souvenir Shop www.alafoss.is alafoss@islandia.is

Design: Sjáaldur auga míns 2008

ogur rafarv

CLOTHING SIZES

½8

For older children sizes usually correspond with their ages

¾8

5

7 ¾ 8

¾8

5 7 ¾ 8

½8

69 69 Ameriacan British and Continental sizes are the same

ON CENTER MAP NO

7

PIZZA PRONTO

Delicious Italian oven- baked pizza at resonable price

PIZZA PRONTO BankastrĂŚti 14 tel. 517 5445

ON MAP NO 26

ON CENTER MAP NO 10

RESTAURANT RESTAURANT

ON CENTER MAP NO 21

Taste the the freshness freshness Taste of a a farmer’s farmer’s market market of

Housed in one of the city’s oldest buildings, Fish Housed in one of the city’s oldest buildings, Fish Market uses ingredients sourced directly from Market uses ingredients sourced directly from the nation’s best farms, lakes, and sea to create the nation’s best farms, lakes, and sea to create unforgettable Icelandic dishes with a modern twist. unforgettable Icelandic dishes with a modern twist.

GO LIST GO 20 LI08ST 2008

AÐALSTRÆTI 12 | +354 578 8877 | FISHMARKET.IS AÐALSTRÆTI 12 | +354 578 8877 | FISHMARKET.IS LUNCH WEEKDAYS 11:30 - 14:00 | EVENINGS 18:00 - 23:30 LUNCH WEEKDAYS 11:30 - 14:00 | EVENINGS 18:00 - 23:30

ON CENTER MAP NO 12

ON CENTER MAP NO 18

After years of study, strings of awards and having led kitchens After years of study, strings of awards and having led kitchens of some of Reykjavík’s most esteemed restaurants, Gústav still sees of some esteemed Gústav still him self of asReykjavík’s a kid frommost up north, withrestaurants, a life long passion for sees fish. him self as a kid from up north, with a life long passion for fish.

ON MAP NO 16

ON MAP NO 24

ÞRÍR FRAKKAR Café - Restaurant

Specialities: Fresh seafood and whale meat

Open daily for lunch and dinner except Sat./Sun. for dinner only Baldursgata 14 Reservations tel. 552 3939 Fax 561 3939 • frakkar@islandia.is www.3frakkar.com

LIST OF PRODUCTS

LISTE DE PRODUITS • WARENVERZEICHNIS • PRODUKTFÖRTECKNING

Icelandic Fish FISKUR:

FISH:

POISSON:

FISCH:

Ýsa (ný, nætursöltuð eða reykt) Þorskur Lúða (smálúða, stórlúða) Sandhverfa Skarkoli (rauðspretta) Karfi Skata (ný eða kæst)

Haddock (fresh, half-salted or smoked) Cod Halibut (small, large) Turbot Plaice Redfish Skate, ray (fresh or fermented and salted) Monkfish Saithe Catfish Ling Lumpfish Lumpfish (salted or half-dried) Herring Salt cod Salmon, wild, farmreared, (fresh, smoked and dill-cured) Trout Arctic Charr Eel Scallop Mussel Whelk Lobster Shrimp, (deep-water) prawn

Églefin (frais, demi-sel ou fumé) Cabillaud Flétan (petit, grand) Turbot Plie au carrelet Sébaste (Rascasse du Nord) Pocheteau gris (frais ou fermenté et salé) Lotte Colin, lieu noir Loup (de mer) Lingue Lompe Lompe (salée ou demi-séchée) Hareng Morue salée Saumon sauvage, d’élevage, (frais, fumé, mariné à l’aneth) Truite Omble Chevalier Anguille Coquille St. Jacques Moule Buccin Langoustine Crevette rouge

Schellfisch (Frisch leichtgesalzen oder geräuchert) Kabeljau, Dorsch Heilbutt (klein, groß) Steinbutt Scholle, Goldbutt Rotbarsch Rochen (frisch oder fermentiert) Angler Seelachs, Köhler Katfisch Leng Seehase Seehase (gesalzen oder halbtrocken) Hering Gesalzener Kabeljau Lachs, wild, gezüchtet, (frisch, geräuchtet, in Dill eingelegt) Forelle Seesaibling Aal Kamm-Muschel Miesmuschel Wellhornschnecke Hummer, Languste (Tiefsee)garnele

Skötuselur Ufsi Steinbítur Langa Rauðmagi Grásleppa (söltuð eða sigin) Síld Saltfiskur Lax, villtur, eldislax (nýr, reyktur og grafinn) Silungur Bleikja Áll Hörpuskel Kræklingur Beitukóngur Humar Rækja, úthafsrækja

78

F

ICELANDIC FOOD FISH The rich fishing grounds around Iceland are the country’s most valuable natural resource; marine products in fact account for 70% of the nation’s exports. Icelandic fish, caught in the fresh and unpolluted waters of the North Atlantic, has established a reputation for its superb quality and delicious taste world-wide.

Fish is the mainstay of the Icelandic diet, and fresh fish can be had all the year round. In Icelandic restaurants, one discovers the astonishing number of ways in which local chefs use fresh fish as the means for creating the most imaginative gourmet dishes. A special feature of Iceland are the many small fish shops, though many supermarkets also offer a wide selection of fresh fish. Wild salmon and trout can also be had over the summer months, due to the popularity of angling as a sport.

79

ON CENTER MAP NO 9

CAFE HAITI BISTRO is a friendly and warm little coffee house by the old Harbour in Reykjavík Soup of the day - light meals Quality coffee roasted on the premises Live Music on weekends

CAFE HAITI BISTRO by the Old Harbour Geirsgata 7b, 101 Reykjavík tel: 661 5621 / 588 8484 www.cafe-haiti.com Opening hours: 8.00 – 23.00

ON CENTER MAP NO 9

AUTHENTIC ICELANDIC FOOD Our award winning Icelandic chefs renowned for unique culinary handling of Icelandic seafood and meat

We welcome you to our romantic harbour-side restaurant The Harbour restaurant • Geirsgata 7c, 101 Reykjavík Tel. +354 511 2300 • www.hofnin.is

ON CENTER MAP NO 11

ON CENTER MAP NO 5

ON CENTER MAP NO 9

feast

ON MAP NO 25

Seafood & Steakhouse

Klappastíg 38 - 101 Reykjavík Tel. 565 1188 - Fax. 565 5130 Vesturgata 4 - 220 Hafnarfjörður Tel. 565 5522 - Fax. 565 5130 www.gamlavinhusid.is

F

ICELANDIC FOOD FRUITS & VEGETABLES Icelanders grow a lot of tasty garden vegetables, e.g. rhubarb, cabbage, cauliflower and potatoes, of which people here eat a lot. Vegetables and tropical fruits are also imported, making a wide choice all the year round. In the autumn, Icelanders like to gather wild berries, mainly crowberries and blueberries, which are eaten fresh and also used to make jams and juices, in particular the former. Geothermal energy is used to heat greenhouses, especially for the growing of cucumbers, tomatoes, green and red peppers, mushrooms and beautiful garden flowers.

The diet of Icelanders has undergone rapid changes in recent years. The consumption of fruit and vegetables has steadily risen in line with increased information about their nutritional value. The Iceland Nutrition Council keeps track of these developments and confirms that Icelanders now consume more than 32kg of fresh vegetables per inhabitant annually.

The figure for fresh fruit is nearly 45kg per person.

85

LIST OF PRODUCTS

LISTE DE PRODUITS • WARENVERZEICHNIS • PRODUKTFÖRTECKNING

Icelandic Meat KJÖT:

MEAT:

VIANDE:

FLEISCH:

LAMB NAUT SVÍN FOLALD HREINDÝR

LAMB BEEF PORK HORSEMEAT (FOAL) REINDEER

MOUTON (AGNEAU) BOEUF PORC CHEVAL (POULAIN) RENNE

LAMM RINDFLEISCH SCHWEIN FOHLEN RENTIER

Læri Lærissneiðar Hryggur Kótilettur/rifjur Frampartur Frampartsneiðar Hamborgarhryggur

Leg Slices of leg Saddle/rack Cutlets/chops Shoulder Shoulder slices Smoked saddle of pork

Gigot Tranches de gigot Selle/Échine Côtelettes Épaule Tranches d’épaule Selle de porc fumée

London lamb Kjötfars Kjöthakk Lundir Hryggvöðvi (filé) Smásteik (gúllas) Súpukjöt Afturhryggsneið (T-bein) Hamborgarar Rifjasteik Skinka Beikon (flesk) Saltkjöt Reykt kjöt Kálfasneið (schnitzel) Hangikjöt

Lightly smoked lamb Sausage meat (f. me atballs) Minced meat Tenderloin Fillet Boneless stewing meat Pot stew meat (with bones) T-bone steak Hamburgers Rib steak Ham Bacon Salted meat Smoked meat Veal schnitzel Smoked lamb

Mouton légèrement fumé Farce Viande hachée Filet Faux-filet Viande à ragoût Viande à soupe Côte de boeuf Steak haché Plat de côtes Jambon Lard fumé Petit salé Viande fumée Escalope de veau Viande de mouton fumée

Keule Keulenscheiben Rücken Koteletts Schulter Schulterscheiben Gerächerter Schweinerücken Leichtgeräuchertes Lamm Wurstfleisch Hackfleisch FIlet FIlet Gulaschfleisch Suppenfleisch T-bone Steak Hamburger Rippenbraten Schinken Geräuchertes Speck Salzfleisch Geräuchertes Fleisch Kalbsschnitzel Geräuchertes Lamm

HÁLF- OG FULLUNNIN KJÖTVARA Pylsur og bjúgu Niðursoðið kjöt

PREPARED MEAT PRODUCTS Sausages Canned meat

PRODUITS À BASE DE VIANDE Saucissesetsaucissons Viandes en conserves

FLEISCHPRODUKTE KJÖTTPROTUKTER Wurstwaren Fleischkonserven

M

ICELANDIC FOOD MEAT Iceland of­fers a fine vari­ety of meats: lamb, pork and beef, as well as a limited am­ount of hor­se meat and reindeer. Meat dis­play counters are alwa­ys well stocked with qu­ality fresh meat, handled by top class butchers. Shop refri­ger­ators and freez­ers carry a wide vari­ety of con­veni­ent­ly packa­ged meat prod­ucts.

Iceland has strict reg­ul­ations relat­ing to the hand­ling and stora­ge of meat and the use of hor­mo­nes is strict­ly for­bidden.

Due to the risk of contam­inations, the import of meat is prohi­bited. Sheep breed­ing in Iceland goes back to the time of settlem­ent, which ex­pla­ins the nation’s high consum­ption of lamb. In keep­ing with tra­dition, sheep are all­owed to graze freely in mounta­in ar­e­as over the sum­mer, feed­ing on the grass and wild herbs that give Iceland­ic lamb its dist­inct­i­ve fla­vo­ur.

87

LIST OF PRODUCTS

LISTE DE PRODUITS • WARENVERZEICHNIS • PRODUKTFÖRTECKNING

Icelandic Specialities

88

ÍSLENSKUR MATUR;

ICELANDIC SPECIALITIES:

SPÉCIALITÉS ISLANDISES:

ISLANDISCHE SPEZIALITUATEN:

Svið Sviðasulta Hangikjöt Blóðmör Lifrarpylsa Ýmis súrmatur (blóðmör/lifrarpylsa/ hrútspungar/bringukollar/selshreifar) Saltkjöt Flatkökur, flatbrauð Seytt rúgbrauð Hákarl Harðfiskur Skyr Ávaxtaskyr

Singed sheep heads Sheep-head jelly Smoked lamb Bloodpudding Liver pudding Various soured meats (bloodpudding/liver pudding/ram Testicles/ breast of lamb/seal flippers) Salted lamb Rye pancakes Cooked rye bread Greenland shark Dried fish See description Skyr with fruit

Têtes de mouton roussies Fromage de tête Viande de mouton fumée Boudin Boudin de foie Mets surs variés (boudin/ boudin de foie/testicules de bélier/poitrine de mouton/ nageoires de phoque Petit salé de mouton Galettes de seigle Pain de seigle cuit à la vapeaur Requin du groënland Poisson séché Voir description Skyr aux fruits

Gesengte Schafsköpfe Kopfsülze Geräuchertes Lamm Blutwurst Leberwurst Sauerspeisen (Blutwurst/ Leberwurst/Widderhoden/ Lammbrust/Robbenflossen) Gesalzenes Lamm Fladenbr. (Roggenpfannk.)

Gekochtes Pumpernickel Haifisch Trockenfish Siehe Erklärung Skyr mit Früchten

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ICELANDIC FOOD TRADITIONAL ICELANDIC FOOD Iceland has age-old food traditions, associtated with the autumn slaughtering season and the limited possibilities for preserving the meat. Some of these traditions are still very much alive today. The unique „súrmatur“ or whey-pickled foods make up the so-called „thorramatur“, relished by Icelanders, especially in the period from January to March. „Seytt rúgbrauð“ (cooked rye bread), „harðfiskur“ (dried fish) and „slátur“ (blood pudding) are common fare, while „hangikjöt“ (smoked lamb) on „flatbrauð“ (rye pancakes) is delicious at any time.

Do try some of these national specialities when in Iceland!

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Welcome to the Gourmet and Cheese Store, Skólavörðurstígur 8, where the best of the contemporary blends deliciously with the best from the past.

• Great selection of Icelandic cheese • Taste the cheese and choose the best • Selection of international cheese • Catering services for all occasions • Accompaniments and sundries • Choice of cheese pies, soups at lunchtime • We do catering services for all occations Open: Mon. - Thu. 11:00 - 18:00, Fri. 10:00 - 18:30 and Sat .11:00 - 16:00

Seating on Lower Floor our Lunch offer Delicious Icelandic Dishes and Soups from 11:30 - 13:30

Skólavörðustígur 8 Tel: 562 - 2772 ostabudin@ostabudin.is www.ostabudin.is

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ICELANDIC FOOD CHEESE AND BUTTER The wide selection available is proof that cheese- and butter-making is now a well-established and thriving art in Iceland. Today there are over 89 types of cheese to be had, including Icelandic variations of many internationally famous cheeses. The rapid and very successful development of the past decades now mean that the nation’s cheeses are equal to, if not better than, foreign cheeses. Some Icelandic cheeses have gone on to win international acclaim. Icelandic butter and butter spreads come in various forms. In addition to butter there is the popular “Smjörvi“ and “Létt og laggott“, which has a mere 40% fat content (not suitable for frying). The success of Icelandic cheese and butter is due no doubt to the high quality standards and the fact that Icelandic milk is produced in a natural environment untouched by pollution.

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LIST OF PRODUCTS

LISTE DE PRODUITS • WARENVERZEICHNIS • PRODUKTFÖRTECKNING

Icelandic Birds

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FUGLAR:

BIRDS:

OISEAUX:

VÖGEL:

Rjúpa Lundi Reyktur lundi

Ptarmigan Puffin Smoked puffin

Perdrix des neiges Macareux Macareux fumé

Svartfugl Villigæs Aligæs Kalkúni Villiönd Aliönd Kjúklingur Kjúklingabringa/ur Kjúklingalæri Unghæna Unghani Hænuegg Svartfuglsegg Andaregg Gæsaregg

Guillemot Wild goose Farm-reared goose Turkey Wild duck Farm-reared duck Chicken Breast of chicken Leg of chicken Young hen/pullet Cockerel Hen’s eggs Sea-bird eggs Duck’s eggs Goose eggs

Guillemot Oie sauvage Oie domestique Dinde Canard sauvage Canard d’élevage Poulet Blanc de poulet Cuisse de poulet Poularde Coquelet Oeufs de poule Oeufs de guillemot Oeufs de canard Oeufs d’oie

Schneehuhn Papageientaucher Geräucherter Papageientaucher Alke Wildgans Mastgans Pute Wildente Mastente Hähnchen Hähnchenbrust Hähnchenkeule Junghuhn Junghahn Hühnereier Alkeneier Enteneier Gänseeier

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ICELANDIC FOOD BIRDS & EGGS Poultry farming is considerable in Iceland. The most common types of bird reared are chicken, duck and turkey. National consumption of poultry has been on the increase, no doubt the result of the rapid growth in number of fast-food and oriental restaurants. Over the centuries, Icelanders have acquired a taste for sea birds, in particular guillemot and puffin, which are caught on the steep cliff faces along the coasts.

In the spring the colourful eggs of these birds are collected for consumption. Slightly larger than a hen’s egg, they are considered a delicacy. Needless to say, your ordinary hen’s egg is available at any time of the year.

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THE BEST ORIGINAL CHICKEN OR BEEF NOODLE SOUP IN ICELAND Open daily 11.00 - 22.00

Skólavörðustíg 21a, 101 Reykjavík Phone: 551 3199

ON MAP NO 13

Grensรกsvegur 12, 108 Reykjavik Tel: +354 568 1919 www.tianmatur.is

Opening hour: Monday - Friday 11 - 22 Saturday - Sunday 17 - 22

ON MAP NO 1

Visitors_guide_augl_97x130.fmx 5/11/06 9:58 AM Page 1

ON CENTER MAP NO 9

RESTAURANTANDTAKEAWAY

AUTHENTIC THAI FOOD SINCE 2001

LIKE THAI FOOD? YOU’LL LOVE KRUA THAI HOME DELIVERY AVAILABLE! TRYGGVAGATA 14, DOWNTOWN REYKJAVÍK PHONE: 561 0039

www.kruathai.is

BÆJARLIND 14 - 16 KÓPAVOGUR PHONE: 552 2525

ON CENTER MAP NO 17

ON CENTER MAP NO 8

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Restaurant for over 30 years

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Icelandic Cuisine

C

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Bankastræti 2 - 101 Reykjavík - Tel. 551 4430 info@laekjarbrekka.is - laekjarbrekka.is

DUCT RE H PROH PU HEALTG IN T EICELAND N I W OF GRO NMENT dENVIRO seawee

Icelandoicmbu Royal .Dried k ata elp, K r Suga , Palmaria palm lica, e Duls of Ange d n le b , Tea sHerbald Iceland Mose. n ic Icelandic ju y r r Birch an e b ct.

Icela dic thprodu ilsandba o l a b r h e h al wit organic % natur Icelandic are 10t0ances. s t c u d bs pro All our no extra su kets, permar ld in Sud by Iceland o s e r a ducts s and InspireIceland Our pro ort, Store Healtht Keflavik Airp from a n award ceived daic Industries e r s a h mpanytion of Iceland Our coF an era The edfor innovativdeucts o r p l a orgin

ﾃ行lensk hollusta Skutahraun 7, 220 Hafnarfjordur, Iceland Tel: 571 2512 / 864 4755 / 822 0512 islenskhollusta@islenskhollusta.is

www.islenskhollusta.is

The Vegetation of Iceland The vegetation of Iceland is in many aspects more different from that of other countries of Europe than the flora. The nakedness of the country is a very striking feature and great areas may be characterized as deserts or semi-deserts. After the settlements the woods were cut for fuel and housing and heavy grazing, often overgrazing, by the livestock damaged the vegetation.

The only indigenous tree of importance is the Birch (Betula pubescens), represented by a subspecies. Here and there in the Birch woods, however, individuals of Rowan (Sorbus acuparia) are found scattered and Tea-leavedWillow (Salix phylicifolia) is common.

Due to the destruction of the woods large areas in the lowlands and on the lower parts of mountain slopes are covered with heath and grass vegetation of varius types. The grass vegataion often includes herb species with beautiful flowers like the Lady’s Bedstraw (Galium verum), the Alpine Cinquefoil (Potintilla crantzii), the Meadow Buttercup (Ranunculus acris), The White Clover (Trifolium repens) and the Autumnal Hawkbit (Leontodon autumnalis). Wood Cranisbill (Geranium sylvaticum), Angilica (Angilica archangelica), some species of Lady’s Mantle (Alchemilla),Dandelion (Taraxacum) and Hawkweed (Hieracium) are usually dominating and a number of other species are often found such as the Water Avens (Geum rivale), the Meadow –sweet (Filipendula ulmaria) and the Wilde Angelica (Angelica silvestris).

The costal vegetation is very variable in accordance with the heterogeneity of the substratum, ranging from clay to sand, pepples, boulders and rock walls. Some of the costal species of vascular plants are common around the coasts, like the Scurvy-grass (Cochlearia officinalis), the Sea Sandwort (Honkenya peploides) and the Northern Shore-wort (Mertensia maritima). The vegetation around hot springs and in and along the courses of the warm water flowing from them is very characteristic, as the Adder´s Tounge (Ophioglossum azoricum), the Red Shank (Polygonum persicaria), the Marsh Pennywort (Hydrocotyle vulgaris), the Water Speedwell (Veronica anagallis-aquatica ) and the Marsh Cudweed (Gnaphalium uliginosum) are in Iceland only found growing in warm soils and water. Iceland, situated on the boundary of the Arctic and the Boreal Regions, has extremely interesting phytogeographical position.

THE Vegetation of Iceland

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ON MAP NO 6

Open: Sun. - Thurs. 11:oo - 22:oo and Fri. - Sat. 11:oo - 23:oo

Daisies.

THE FLORA OF ICELAND

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Wood crane’s bill.

The flora of Iceland The flora of Iceland includes about 470 species of indigenous and naturalized species of vascular plants, including 37 species of vascular Cryptogams, 1 Gymnosperm, nearly 290 species of Dicotyledons and 145 species of Monocotyledons which is a rather high percentage like in many northern countries. The character of the Icelandic flora is distinctly North European or Scandinavian.

The western element of vascular plants in the Icelandic flora, or the group of species with their main area of distribution west of Iceland and not reaching the British isles or the European continent, is very small, comprising only 8 species. The eastern element in the flora, or the species with Eurasian area of distribution is about nine times as big as the western one. Far the biggest element in the Icelandic flora, however, is the circumpolar element.

Even if Iceland is often regarded as an Arctic country, it is situated practically entirely south of the Arctic Circle, and the climate is not an arctic one but a cold-tempered oceanic climate, Iceland being an island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. The paucity of species of the flora of Iceland is therefore no reliable reflection of the present climate of the country, but is mostly due to its isolation and accordingly limited possibilities of dispersal of plants from other countries during the relatively short time since the last Pleistocene glaciation.

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-BONE WHALE PUFFIN

RIBS WHALE

LAMB

RIB-EYE

T-BONE SEAFOOD

LAMB SURF’N TURF

ON MAP NO 26

FOIE GRAS LOBSTER

FOIE GRAS LOBSTER Laugavegur 53b • 101 Reykjavík • Tel.: 511 3350 • www.hereford.is

Violet.

THE FLORA OF ICELAND

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Cuckoo flower.

The flora of Iceland About half of these 470 species are regarded by most Icelandic botanists as survivors of at least that last glaciation. Plants of special interest to visitors from other European countries are those western species indigenous to Iceland but not found in the British isles nor on the European continent. Among the most conspicuous of these plants are the following species: The Arctic Fireweed, or River-beauty, (Epilobium latifolium), The Northern Green Orchid (Platanthera hyperborea), The Broad-leaved Willow (Salix callicarpaea) and the Lyngbye´s Sedge (Carex lyngbyei).

Plants of special interest to visitors from American countries, on the other hand, are consequently the European and Eurasian species of Iceland not found in the western hemisphere; some of them do reach as far west as western Greenland while others have their westernmost occurence in Iceland and only a few can be mentioned: The Birch (Betula pubescens), The Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) and The Angelica (Angelica archangelica).

On the whole, Iceland, situated as it is in the Atlantic Ocean between America and the European continent and on the boundary of the Arctic and the Boreal Regions, has an extremely interesting phytogeographical position.

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ICELANDIC Fish, Lamb & Chicken in original PAKISTANI curries, TANDOORI dishes, TANDOORI Nan breads, Kebabs, Samosas, Vegetarian specialities PUNJABI LUNCH & PUNJABI DINNER every day

PAKISTANI

TANDOORI & CURRY CUISINE  551 0292 WWW.SHALIMAR.IS

AUSTURSTRÆTI 4, 101 REYKJAVÍK

Ptarmigan.

BIRDLIFE IN ICELAND

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Black-tailed godwit.

Birdlife in Iceland For the bird-watcher Iceland has many attract­ions. Though, despite popular op­inion, not tru­ly Arct­ic, it has a fair sprinkling of birds which come into this category. Another inter­est­ing feat­ure is that Iceland is the western­most out­post of a num­ber of Old World bird species and the eastern­most of some New World ones. In all some 300 bird species have been seen in Iceland at one time or another, but of these only 73 have, up to recent­ly, been nest­ing reg­ul­ar­ly in the country.

Ten species have been recor­ded breed­ing ir­reg­ul­ar­ly.

There are 11 comm­on passa­ge migrants or wint­er visitors and a num­ber of reg­ul­ar drift migrants while the rema­in­ing species are accidentals. Bes­ide the excit­ing Arct­ic and Amer­ic­an species which can be obser­ved in Iceland it is not so much the num­ber of species as the indi­vi­du­al abund­ance and tameness of birds which makes Iceland a para­d­ise for bird-watchers.

This may be directly attributed to the fact that the size of the human population is only 290,000 whereas the total area of the country is 103,000 sq.km. This explains why so much of Iceland is still unaffected by human activities and also why the birds there have had greater chances of withstanding human competition than in more densely populated countries.The most celebrated of all Iceland­ic birds is the Iceland­ic falcon, which in for­mer times enjoyed a great reputa­tion am­ongst falconers. The huge white-tailed eagle was for­merly fair­ly comm­on, but now it has been red­uced to such an extent that gra­ve concern must be felt for its fut­ure.

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ON MAP NO 19

Open: Mon. - Tue.: 11am - 6.30pm Wednesday: 11am - 5pm Thurs. - Fri.: 11am - 6.30pm Saturday: 12pm - 5pm Sunday: closed

Puffin.

BIRDLIFE IN ICELAND

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Artic tern.

Birdlife in Iceland

Two species of owl in­habit Iceland. The snowy owl, which is extrem­ely rare, was restrict­ed to certa­in wild parts of the central hig­hlands. The short-eared owl is found in low-lying moor­land and val­leys. The short-eared owl preys on field-mice and small birds, while the snowy owl, like the falcon, usu­ally preys on the pt­ar­mig­an, which is the country’s only gall­inaceous bird and also its most import­ant game bird.

The geese are repres­ented in Iceland by two comm­on nest­ing species and three passa­ge migrants one of which is a rare breeder.

Iceland has long been known as one of the major breed­ing haunts of wa­ter­fowl in Europe. The total num­ber of breed­ing ducks wit­hin limited area has been estimated to be somet­hing of the order of 20.000.

On the tower­ing birdcliffs, which are occupied by a mix­ed ass­embla­ge of colon­i­al sea­birds, the most import­ant species are the comm­on guillemot, Brünn­ich’s guillemot, the puffin, the razor­bill, the kitt­iwa­ke, and the fulm­ar. The puffin is, however, by no means strict­ly a cliff-breed­ing bird as it also forms huge colon­ies on lowlying grassy is­lands. It is one of the most comm­on Iceland­ic bird species with a population runn­ing into milli­ons.

The comm­on gull, the herr­ing gull, the less­er black-backed gull, and the black-hea­ded gull are new immigrants that have colon­ized Iceland in recent ye­ars, chi­efly af­t­er 1920.

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ON MAP NO 29

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CafĂŠ & Restaurant Laugavegur 73 101 Reykjavik 555-7373 www.73.is

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THE SOUTH – BLACK SAND AND GLACI­ERS Glaci­ers, lava fields, hot springs, black volcan­ic sands and fer­tile farm­land are all feat­ures of the varied landscape of South Iceland and there is a vast range of recr­eational opportunities in this reg­ion which stretches from the hot-spring town of Hvera­ gerði in the west to the Vatna­jök­ull glaci­er in the east.

Many of the classic tourist attract­ions are in South Iceland: Thing­vell­ir, the anci­ent site of the Iceland­ic parli­ament, the Alt­hing; the massi­ve Gull­foss wa­ter­fall on the Hvítá river; the Great Geys­ir hot spring area; Mount Hekla, one of the world’s most famous volcanoes, which has er­upted three times in recent ye­ars and the anci­ent bis­hopric at Skál­holt. The hot springs in Hvera­gerði and the green­hou­ses show inter­est­ing app­lications for geothermal heat.

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ON MAP NO 25

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THE WEST – A NEW WORLD TO DISCOVER Varied landscape, a range of geolog­ical formations and many opportunities for recr­eation charact­er­ize this area. It is of part­icul­ar inter­est to orni­t­h­o­log­ists, to hi­kers, pony­trekk­ers, those who want to get onto a glaci­er and to anglers for it has some of the country’s best salmon rivers. Is­lands in Iceland’s widest fjord, Breiða­fjörður, which is on the west coast, can be ex­plor­ed by boat trip from Stykkishólmur the largest town in the area. The Snæ­fells­nes glaci­er towers over the peninsula, and lava fields at the foot of the glaci­er tell us that long before the settlem­ent of Iceland there was a massi­ve er­uption und­er the ice cap. This still act­i­ve volcano was imm­ortalised in Jules Ver­ne’s novel Jo­ur­n­ey to the Centre of the Earth. Snjófell travel service operates a well approved sightseeing tour to Snæfellsnes glacier, including a snow scooter or snowmobil tour to the top of the glacier. From there you will enjoy a spectacular view. A unique experience. Overall clothing available.

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ON CENTER MAP NO 9

Tryggvagata, by the old Harbour in Reykjavík Center Tel.: 511 1118 www.fishandchips.is

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THE WEST FJORDS – RUG­GED BUT FRI­END­LY This is very rug­ged country and geolog­ically one of the old­est parts of Iceland. The peninsula’s uneven coast­line is cut by deep fjords bounded by precipitous cliffs where roads, if they ex­ist, are oft­en cut into the steep fjord slopes. The population here is main­ly con­fined to the fis­hing ports with many farms hav­ing been des­erted because of their inacessi­bility. Most of the landscape is compos­ed of cliffs and mounta­ins with very little soil, but on the mounta­in plateaux and in the val­leys the hardy Iceland­ic sheep find the grass and herbs that give the meat its dist­inct­i­ve fla­vo­ur. Fis­hing ports flourish because of their prox­imity to the rich fis­hing grounds off the nort­hwest coast. Comm­un­ications by sea and air are good and the stand­ard of liv­ing in these ports is very high. Ísa­fjörð­ur bears wit­ness to a strong cultural tra­dition. A modern hot­el, swimm­ing pool and restaurants are am­ong the excellent facilities availa­ble here.

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ON MAP NO 28

OPEN 11.30-22.00

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THE NORTH – RICH IN CONTRASTS Para­dox­ically one can oft­en ex­pect hig­her tempera­t­ures in the North in mid-sum­mer than in the South. It is a question of wind direct­ion. A north wind over the country means cle­ar we­ather in the South and a south wind means first rate weather in the North and there’s less rain up there.

There are also more extrem­es than in the South which usu­ally means more snow in the wint­er and ideal conditions for ski ent­husi­asts.

Ak­ur­eyri, the Capi­tal of the North, has a fer­tile hinter­land part­icul­ar­ly suited to dairy farm­ing, which along with sheep farm­ing, di­atomite mining and of cour­se the area’s import­ant fis­hing ports, has made this a hig­hly prosper­ous and well developed reg­ional comm­unity. There are excellent hot­els, top class restaurants, good comm­un­ications by road, air and sea, and other public services and facilities. Ak­ur­eyri is the centre for commerce and industry. It is also the cultural centre of­fer­ing drama, music, art, local hi­story museums, and ed­ucation at uni­versity level.The rug­ged north coast is indented by a series of broad fjords which are oft­en separated by tower­ing mounta­ins. Ice floes and solit­ary icebergs from Green­land can oft­en be seen here close to land in ear­ly sum­mer and there have been cases of pol­ar be­ars drift­ing as­hore.

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ON CENTER MAP NO 9

Seafood Grill Fiesta The Perfect Lobster soup “The New York Times”

THE BEST BUY IN TOWN “The Washington Post”

Opening Hours:

Summer 11.00 - 23.00 Winter 11.00 - 22.00

RESTAURANT A S p e cia l S e a P r o d u ct

BY THE OLD HARBOUR IN REYKJAVÍK CENTER Verbúð 8, Reykjavík City Harbor · Tel. 55 3 1500 · www.saegreifinn.is

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THE EAST – COAS­TAL SPLENDO­UR This is a mounta­in­ous area of relati­vely little volcan­ic act­i­vity with deep fjords separated by high mounta­in ridges. The scenery is dramat­ic with mounta­ins reaching all the way to the sea. The people of the fjord com­m­unities have relied on fis­hing and tra­d­ing throug­hout the cent­uries though there is fer­tile farm­land in the broad valley at Eg­ils­stað­ir, a town which has direct scheduled flights from Germany in the summer and can be reached by air from vari­ous parts of Iceland. You can also get here by sea on an international car ferry from Den­mark and The Faroes, which berths at Seyðis­fjörður, a port only 30 km away from Egilsstaðir.

The area’s popula­rity has led to a signi­ficant incr­e­a­se in accomm­odation and facilities in recent ye­ars. From Eg­ils­stað­ir one can dri­ve down to the in­habited fjords where there are thri­v­ing fis­hing comm­unities with modern services, camp­ing sites, comm­unity centres, hot­els and guest hou­ses.

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ON MAP NO 16

Scandinavian Smørrebrød & brasserie A delicious secret in the center of town.

Scandinavian offers a variety of dishes in a cozy atmosphere.

Our emphasis is on Icelandic and Nordic cuisine as well as selected specialties from continental Europe.

Open mon. - thurs. 11:00 - 22:00, fri. - sat. 11:00 - 23:00, sun. 12:00 - 22:00

Laugavegur 22a, 101 Reykjvaík Tel: +354 578-4888 info@scandinavian.is www.scandinavian.is

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THE WEST­MAN IS­LANDS The West­man Is­lands are situ­ated just off the south coast and the main is­land, Heima­ey, has a population of about 5,000.

No port in Iceland reg­isters big­ger catches than this one and the is­land is simply buzzing with life. Here, there are some tru­ly spectacul­ar sights. The is­land­ers have made their liv­ing from the sea from the days of the first settlers, the per­fect natural harbo­ur and tall cliffs ten­anted by multitudes of puffin, fulm­ar and guillemot being two import­ant fact­ors in this comm­unity’s prosperity. To this day local men hop ex­pert­ly from led­ge to led­ge collect­ing eggs, attached to a lifeline held by an anchor man at the top of the cliff. A boat trip round the is­lands with their sheer basalt cliffs and er­oded arches ris­ing out of the deep sea ex­pla­ins to the visitor why only one is­land is in­habited.

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Reastaurant Argentína / Duvet store Dún og fiður Hotel Hilton Shopping Center Kringlan Laugar Spa, World Class Keramik Gallerí Kogga / Restaurant Fiskfélagið Restaurant Hrói Höttur Pizza Pronto / Jewelry Design Metal Restaurant Lækjarbrekka Restaurant Sægreifinn / Café Haiti- Retaurant Höfnin / Restaurant Fish and Ships / Restaurant Tapas Húsið, Restaurant Jónmfrúin Café Paris Restaurant Shalimar / Restaurant Einar Ben / Thorvaldsens Bazar / Jewelry Design Óli Restaurant Tian Reykjavík Excursions Restaurant Caruso Scandinavian Restaurant / Restaurant Falcon / Jewelry Design Gullkistan Dubliener Bar Gourmet Store / Jewelry Design Anna María / Restaurant Sjávargrillið / Gift Store Húfur sem hlægja / Thai Restaurant Hotel Frón / Restaurant Kaffigarðurinn / The Handknitting Association Gift Store Hotel Örkin Restaurant Fish Market / Reykjavik City Museum Galleri Fold Eggert Furrier Restaurant Þrír Frakkar Janus búðin / Restaurant Gamla Vínhúsið Trip Touristinfo / J.S.Watchmaker / Restaurant Hereford / Restaurant Kitchen Nepal / The Handknitting Association Europ Car Rental Restaurant Askur Restaurant 73 Elding Whalewatching

REYKJVAÍK CENTER MAP 30

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ON MAP NO 26

Nepalese & Indian Restaurant

THE NORTHERN MOST NEPALESE-INDIAN RESTAURANT IN THE WORLD

We welcome you to our family restaurant.

Authentic to our roots. Executive Chef Deepak Panday Laugarvegur 60a, ReykjavĂ­k, tel. 517 7795, 578 7788 For our latest offers see our website www.kitchen-eldhus.is

ON CENTER MAP NO 15

CONTENTS AND INDEX OF ADVERTISERS Page Alphabet Accommodation Art gallery, Ceramic Workshop Birdlife Blue Lagoon Car rental firms Cheese store Conversions, Clothing sizes Duvet store Distance in km – Drivng in Iceland Embassies of Iceland Flora of Iceland Furrier Gift – souvenirs and woollens Hotels and guesthouses Iceland Iceland – Southwest – South part Iceland – West – West Fjords Iceland – North part – East part Iceland – Westman Islands Icelandic names Icelandic food Icelandic horse and sheep Jewelry and watch maker Map of Iceland Map of Reykjavík center Map of Reykjavík Museums in Reykjavík National costumes Northern Lights Restaurants Transportation Taxi tours Tourist Information and Booking Office Swimming pools - Health Spa Travel facts Whale watching Websites in Iceland Weather and volcano in Iceland

12 33 36, 46 109, 111 51 44, 66 90 30, 69 4 67 19 105, 107 28 26, 34, 42, 46, 60, 68 11, 22, 25, 32, 39, 61 3, 4, 43, 45, 47, 49 51, 113 115, 117 119, 121 123 63 79, 81, 85, 87, 89, 91, 93 54, 55 20, 24, 38, 56, 71 6, 7 125 126, 127 52, 53 57 37 70 - 128 10, 14 16 48, 50, 64, 65 27, 29, 31, 33 58, 59 18 21, 23

Published annually by Útgáfa og hönnun, Úthlíð 8, 105 Reykjavík, Iceland, Tel. +354-553 5088/899 0778 e-mail: icelandinfo@internet.is, www.internet.is/icelandinfo Publisher/Editor: Erlendur Guðmundsson Advertising: Ingunn Stefánsdóttir Production manager: Ragnheiður Ingunn Ágústsdóttir Cover Photo: Northern lights, Kleifarvatn lake South West Iceland by Kristjan U. Kristjansson Other Photos: Gréta Gudjónsdóttir, Friðrik Jóelsson, Jóhann Águst Hansen Printing: Oddi hf. – 2012 – 28th year of publication

22:30 23:30 22:30

ON MAP NO 3

Monday to Wednesday 10–18.30, Thursday 10–21, Friday 10–19, Saturday 10–18, Sunday 13–18

2012 - 2013

Claim your tax-free cash refund at our service desk for a refund of up to 15%

ICELAND INFORMATION GUIDE

Reykjavík’s Largest Shopping Centre