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Why break the bank when you can break the ice?

Piggy BankUntil midnight tomorrow: Iceland from €69, £55, DKK 530.

To Reykjavík:
from Berlin, Copenhagen, London (Gatwick + Stansted) and Warsaw

Prices from: €69, £55, DKK 530, one-way including taxes and fees

Fly: From today until 15 December 2009

Buy: Open for sale now until midnight tomorrow (or, if you prefer, 23.59 on Friday 20 November)

The small print: Limited availability, first come, first served. And remember to send your mother a post card

Click here to book

19 November 2009 – 6:12 | By valgeir | Posted in iceland | Comments (6)

Hipsters of the world start packing their Wayfarers for Iceland Airwaves, and this time we may give them the wristbands

HipsterIceland Express will give you and your BFF two magic wristbands for this year’s Iceland Airwaves, plus fly you in and put you up. You just have to give us a really good reason.

You remember Iceland Airwaves, right? The music festival where everyone stopped wearing trucker caps way before they became unfashionable? It’s been happening in Reykjavík in October for years now and everyone is awfully excited about it. To quote a close source, “aside from the great music, the whole city behaves like its Christmas, New Years, and your best friend’s wedding all rolled into one.”

This year there will be all sorts of really cool, alphabetically ordered Icelandic bands like Agent Fresco, Berndsen, Cliff Clavin, Dikta, Esja, FM Belfast, Gus Gus — you get it. (And by the way, we didn’t make up any of those names.)

There are probably also some really good foreign bands but we seem to have completely forgotten their names.

(A loveable Icelandic–music nerd friend of ours has a good preview of the whole thing here and here. And if you promise to cover the parts of the screen where they have the Icelandair ads, we’ll let you read all about the festival on the Airwaves Website.)

Anyway, they say it’s all sold out but our heroic marketing department actually got hold of two of those magic wristbands that will get you in anywhere.

So here’s the deal: We are going to give away those two Iceland Airwaves passes (valid for all concerts), along with return flights for two from London, Copenhagen or Berlin. And should you choose to sleep or take the occasional shower, we will Wayfarersprovide you with a place to do that too.

What you need to do is simply tell us why you want to come.

We’ll try to pick the one who has the cutest Facebook profile photo best reason and seems like he or she who would enjoy it the most.

Some hints: There are no hints. Just be, you know, like, honest. You can do that, right?

Got it? Okay, good. Now go to our Facebook page and tell us tell us all about it.

* The small print: If you’re in London or Copenhagen you can fly in on 14, 15 or 16 October, and back on 19 or 20 October. If you’re in Berlin you can fly in on 16 October and back on 19 October. You’ll be staying at one of the three very nice Center Hotels the whole time, but please, no flirting with the staff, okay? We’ll announce who wins on Monday 12 October, so you’ll have some time to pack, but no trucker caps, please.

8 October 2009 – 7:02 | By valgeir | Posted in iceland, icelandic music, iceland airwaves, Free flights to Iceland, hipsters | Comments (4)

Iceland Express goes to New York

blys-87-261.jpgOn this episode of IEX in the City, we offer some awfully cheap transatlantic flights to New York from London, Berlin, Copenhagen and 7 other European cities, all via Reykjavík.

Okay, listen to this: Starting next summer you can fly with Iceland Express without actually planning to spend time in Iceland.

(Not that we’d mind of course — you’re always welcome to stop by for a sip of Brennvín.)

But you see, that’s when we add New York to our list of destinations.

And that means you’ll be able to fly with Iceland Express to New York from Berlin, Copenhagen, London, Oslo, Aalborg, Gothenburg, Billund, Warsaw, Cracow and Luxembourg (and back) — with an optional quick stop in Reykjavík for a dip in the Blue Lagoon with your new best Icelandic friends.

iex-usa-badge-150x.jpgThe price of these transatlantic flights varies a bit depending on the airports, but the cheapest flights are all in the range of £163–250, €185–267, $261–390 and DKK 1384–2040. (Just remember that the earlier you book, the better price you get.

As we think we mentioned earlier, all of this just went on sale, so you really should book your next flight to New York now.

5 October 2009 – 11:04 | By valgeir | Posted in iceland | Comments (18)

Don’t worry, it’s just another Facebook quiz

In which we tell you all about the Fancy Iceland Express Quiz on Facebook. And yes, that’s the official name.

Quiz FacebookRemember the Fancy Iceland Express Quiz Thingy on Facebook that you probably didn’t participate in a while ago?

Well, we just selected a winner for the first round, and we’ve got some good news and some bad news.

The bad news is that it’s not you this time, but actually a really cool Danish guy called Rex. (Yes, seriously.)

But the good news is that you have until 5 October to answer the next round of questions and be in running for the next draw.

Also, you should know that 9 out of 10 dentists recommend that you also (pardon the expression) “fan us” on Facebook. That way you’ll be the first to know about special offers and changes in the marital statuses of our Revenue Management staff. (Plus we’ve been known to occasionally give free flights and stuff.)

Oh, and we almost forgot — if you’re interested in preparing for next months round of questions, you could do worse than read some of the (mostly accurate) stuff about Iceland we’ve written on this blog. Like this:

Now stop this nonsense and go to the Fancy Iceland Express Quiz Thingy on Facebook

P.S. That thing about the 9 out of 10 dentists? It isn’t actually true. It’s only 8 out of 10.

30 September 2009 – 4:36 | By valgeir | Posted in Facebook | Comments (1)

Special price for you my friend

HourglassWe interrupt this blog to tell you about the Highly-Unusual-and-Special-Limited-Time-Only Offer: Iceland from €69/£55, only today.

To Reykjavík from: Berlin, Copenhagen, London Gatwick, London Stansted and Warsaw.

Prices from: €69, £55, DKK 530, SEK 599, one-way including taxes and fees.

When to buy: Open for sale from 14 CET (that’s 1pm in the UK) until midnight tonight, Monday 21 September.

When to fly: From 1 October to 10 December 2009.

The small print: Limited availability; first come, first served; look into our eyes, look into our eyes …

First you click, then you book

21 September 2009 – 5:30 | By valgeir | Posted in cheap flights to iceland | Comments (9)

Come out, come out, wherever you are, to the Reykjavík International Film Festival

Are you in Reykjavík between 17 and 27 September? Internationally inclined? Like movies? And sort of festive? Well, then the Reykjavík International Film Festival is just the thing.

In this exciting and informative segment about the Reykjavík International Film Festival, we’d like you to meet Jón Agnar Ólason, their Marketing Guy, pictured here, looking a bit like an old-time movie star. Here’s Johnny!

Jón Agnar ÓlasonWe: So, the “Reykjavík International Film Festival” Um, Why?

Jón Agnar: Because it is Iceland’s biggest film festival and one of the more significant cultural events in Reykjavík’s annual calendar. With around 120 titles, numerous special events and unique screenings, this year’s festival promises to be the grandest yet.

Wow, that sounds like it came directly from your brochure. Do you get to meet any famous directors or film people this year?

Is two-time Academy Award winner for Best Director Milos Forman famous enough?

Can anyone ever be famous enough? Who is the most famous person to come to Iceland for the RIFF?

Again, Milos Forman comes to mind …

Merki KvikmyndahátíðarOkay we get it, you really like Milos Forman. Moving on, the festival logo is a puffin. What is the deep, metaphysical meaning of that?

We could say the puffin is essentially an Icelandic icon yet with international recognition, which is how we’d like the Festival to be seen. Or we could also say it’s just a cool looking bird, really.

Any Icelandic films being shown this year?

Plenty. Six feature length films and over 20 shorts, and not all of them are gloomy Scandinavian dramas with references to Bergman!

What is your favourite Icelandic movie of all time?

That would probably be the hilarious “Með allt á hreinu” (”On Top Of Everything”) from 1982 which is the Drive-In Movie of this year’s festival. You can see it on Tuesday 22 September on the campus of the University of Iceland.

What about the short film “Mamma veit hvað hún syngur” by our very own flight attendant slash auteur Barði Guðmundsson?

You mean the film about the dominating, daughter-in-law scaring mother and her timid boy in his twenties who harbours a life-altering secret? Ready for take-off towards the bright lights, I’d say!

Do you have time to see any of the movies? Or are you just running to get coffee for Milos Forman the whole time?

We aim to balance our movie-going with mandatory coffee-fetching!

Iceland Express is an official sponsor of Reykjavík International Film Festival, taking place in various warm and cozy Reykjavík cinemas from 17 to 27 September this year. So if you’ve always dreamt of meeting Milos Forman you know what to do.

15 September 2009 – 7:20 | By valgeir | Posted in iceland, Festivals, Reykjavík International Film Festival, Icelandic movies | Comments (1)

A funny thing happened on the way from London Stansted

Plan BRemember when we said we were leaving London Stansted for Gatwick? Well, guess what.

We interrupt this blog for a short message that is mostly of interest to people with clear preferences about their London airports. If this does not apply to you we suggest you avert your eyes and maybe read this instead.

A few months ago, we announced that we were moving airports in London, from Stansted to Gatwick.

Well, a few lot of people had what you might call “strong feelings” about that. (We certainly got more comments on that particular blog post than on any of the semi-funny and clever stuff we break our backs writing.)

Turns out — who would have guessed? — that there are a lot of people north of London who also like to go to Iceland.

So, to quote an old Icelandic saying that nobody quite understands anymore: “What do farmers do then?”

Well, our Dear Leaders listened and they felt your pain.

So first we decided to open a route from Birmingham to Iceland next summer. People seemed to like that.

And now we’ve decided to go back to flying to and from London Stansted, twice a week, starting on 2 November 2009.

Note that we’ll still fly to Iceland from London Gatwick every day, so this just comes as an extra.

Thank you for reading and remember: nobody loves you, or your money, more than Iceland Express.

15 September 2009 – 6:41 | By valgeir | Posted in cheap flights to iceland, london stansted, london gatwick | Comments (5)

Cultural Learnings of Iceland, Part 6: Brennivín

Brennvín labelThe official Icelandic national schnapps is not unlike Hobbes’ natural state of mankind: nasty, brutish and short.

Having a national beverage seems to be de rigeur for small countries who want to sell stuff to tourists maintain their cultural identity. Iceland is no exception.

The local tipple is called “Brennivín”, an ancient Icelandic word that translates as “we see a really bad headache in your future”.

The way the bottle’s label manages to clearly convey this exact prediction can either be attributed to a triumph of graphic design or the fact that the contents of the bottle used to be produced by those wacky and fun-loving guys over at the National Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

Brennivín í peysuBut should your lifestyle happen to be less morbid, depressive and/or unwholesome, just relax — you can now get the new and improved “cute version” with the bottle wearing an actual Icelandic sweater. (According to rumour, a Hello Kitty version is in the works.)

So what kind of person drinks Brennivín? Well, according to some guy who really likes freeze-framing Quentin Tarantino movies, Brennivín is what Kill Bill’s Budd uses to ease the pain. Apparently there also exists an outtake where Michael Madsen explains the subtleties of the drink to Darryl Hannah. (Time for the Icelandic Tourist Board to organize a break-in at QT’s editing room, we think.)

BrennivínIceland’s signature beverage may have fallen out of favour with the local drinking classes, but fear not. Our research shows that tourists seem to enjoy documenting its consumption.

Our recommendation: Some people like to pretend you have to be some kind of reality TV show contestant to drink Brennivín. It’s really not that bad. Just keep it as close to zero degrees Celsius as you can, and you’ll be fine. Drunk yes, but otherwise fine.

Read all about the other Cultural Learnings of Iceland to Make Benefit the World: Skyr, Kókómjólk, Lýsi, Appelsín and the mysterious case of the Blue Ópal.

19 August 2009 – 11:11 | By valgeir | Posted in iceland, drinking, products, icelandic sweaters, brennivin | Comments (3)

We interrupt this blog for an important message to the good people of Birmingham

GjallarhornIn which Iceland Express announces that it starts operating direct flights between Iceland and Birmingham in the summer of 2010.

A few people (okay, a lot of people) weren’t too happy when we moved our London base from Stansted to Gatwick.

So we decided to do something about that, and called up the nice people at Birmingham Airport. They were happy to hear from us and after a little chit-chat we decided to start direct flights between Birmingham and Reykjavík once a week in the summer of 2010.

So look around you — quick — and if you see anyone who looks like they’re from Birmingham or somewhere north of London, let them know.

Okay? Thanks.

19 August 2009 – 11:10 | By valgeir | Posted in iceland, cheap flights to iceland, london stansted, london gatwick | Comments (26)

Carry on Camping at Reykjavík Gay Pride

Reykjavík turns into Gaykjavík as Gay Pride comes to town on the second Saturday of August.

Iceland Express Glamour LogoIceland is famously liberal when it comes to driving on the other side of the street. (Nudge, nudge, know what we mean?) Gay marriage is simply so last year — we’ve already moved to gay couples arguing about how to fold the napkins at their adopted children’s wedding dinner.

Oh, and of course we’ve got a lesbian Prime Minister. (Relax guys, it’s not as exciting as it sounds.)

The annual Gay Pride festival usually takes place on the second weekend of August, and everyone agrees that it’s much more fun than the country’s actual National Day, celebrated a few weeks earlier. Clearly, the reason is that the Iceland Drag Queen is infinitely more attractive than the Mountain Lady.

The official festivities start with a very merry parade through town and end with a big outdoor concert. Last year, about 70,000 people showed up, and we hear that not all of them were actually gay!


As well as the big official events there are also lots of unofficial gatherings and parties where you are less likely to run into our mothers. One such event is the “Jocks and Underwear” party at the MSC Club, the heart of the Reykjavík leather scene. Dresscode is boots, leather, rubber, jeans, uniforms or sportsgear, and according to their website, the entrance to their new club house is through the back door. Who would have thought?

If you miss the Gay Pride weekend you can always come for the annual Bears on Ice weekend in September. And no, it’s not about ice hockey.

More Gay Pride: Official Site · Official Programme for Gay Pride 2009 (pdf)

Iceland Express in an official sponsor of Samtökin 78, the National Queer Organization.

7 August 2009 – 8:22 | By valgeir | Posted in gay pride, gay and lesbian, reykjavik gay pride | Comments (0)

Don’t fight them on the beaches

At least not on the Thermal Beach in Reykjavík.

BeachOf course we realise that people don’t come to Iceland for the beaches. The Blue Lagoon, maybe, but the beach? Hardly.

But should you find yourself on a warm summer’s day in Reykjavík with nothing better to do (and remember that the words “warm,” “summer” and “day” are all relative here), you could do worse than head to the totally pronounceable “Nauthólsvík Ylströnd,” a small thermal beach more or less in the city centre (see map).

As the Icelandic tourist board doesn’t get tired of telling you, Iceland has more geothermal energy than Donald Trump has bad hair days. It’s, like, all over the place. And back in the days, close to where the thermal beach is now, there used to be a little stream with geothermal water running towards the Atlantic ocean. Great for families during the day and skinny–dipping students at night.

Next thing you know, in 2000 somebody decides to set up a little man–made bay, buy some proper beach sand somewhere, and pump a lot of nice warm geothermal water into the freezing Atlantic seawater. And voilà, we have ourselves a beach.


The whole thing is quite popular with locals, and The Guardian has even called it Europe’s Best Exotic Beach. (Just remember: exotic doesn’t always mean you can take off your clothes.)

Related posts on this blog:
It came from the Blue Lagoon
Slimy Little Secret
Reykjavík Swimming Pools: The Naked Truth

2 July 2009 – 19:16 | By valgeir | Posted in wellness, reykjavik | Comments (3)

We think this might be the beginning of a beautiful friendship

fac-250x.jpgBecome our friend on Facebook and we might just fly you to Iceland for free.

Like everyone and their grandmother we’ve been on Facebook for ages — our Icelandic page now has about 9,000 fans. (Yeah okay, it doesn’t sound like much but given the population of Iceland it’s the equivalent of JetBlue having 9 million fans. We’re just saying.)

The only problem is — gee whiz — that there are only so many people in the world that understand Icelandic. And we really wouldn’t want to leave out all you people who only speak útlenska.

So this is the deal. If we get over 5,000 útlendingar (i.e. someone like you) as fans on our new English Facebook page before the end of this June, we’ll send one of them two return tickets to Iceland from any of our European airports. Plus they get at least two nights in a really rather fine hotel in the city centre for free. And a timid kiss from our marketing director (or another staff member of their their choice.)

Who says you can’t buy friends?

Click here to go to our Facebook page in English

18 June 2009 – 13:21 | By valgeir | Posted in Facebook, Competition, Free flights to Iceland | Comments (9)

Cultural Learnings of Iceland, Part 5: The Blue Ópal

Rarer than a disco remix by Sigur Rós, the Blue Ópal is an Icelandic candy that is no more. It has ceased to be. It has expired and gone to meet its maker.

Blár Ópal FinalAlong with its Red and Green cousins, the Blue Ópal was born in 1950, when its producer, Nói Sirius, got some fancy new machines to play with.

They also commissioned some uncommonly nice op–art inspired packaging which had Icelanders happily munching on the tasty liquorice tablets for more than 50 years.

But a while ago, shortly after the European Union, for some unfathomable reason, banned the use of an innocent–sounding substance called chloroform in food (erm yes, that chloroform), Nói Sirius mysteriously stopped producing the Blue Ópal. Hmm. Anyway, almost 10,000 people on Facebook are now demanding its return, consequences be damned. Join them at your own risk.

Meanwhile, you can still get Red and Green Ópal in Icelandic stores. At least until the EU says otherwise.

Read all about the other Cultural Learnings of Iceland to Make Benefit the World: Skyr, Kókómjólk, Lýsi and Appelsín

16 June 2009 – 7:47 | By valgeir | Posted in iceland, food, products | Comments (3)

Cheap and Chic Reykjavík Restaurants: Segurmo at Boston

Introducing a nice restaurant in Reykjavík where you can eat without actually breaking the bank.

SegurmoBoston (Laugavegur 28, first floor, tel +354 517 7816) is what happened when Sirkus finally died. Owned by the same fiftysomething blondes and frequented by pretty much the same crowd (and now, occasionally, their children), it sort of looks and feels like a slightly raunchier version of that Gucci advert by David Lynch with the Blondie song.

After running a serious drinking establishment for many years, they finally figured out that people also need to eat. So they installed a proper kitchen upstairs, and what’s more, Björk’s old private chef (and, somewhat worryingly, an occasional drummer for the band Singapore Sling) made himself welcome there. (Which might actually be the big story here. What is she eating now?)

Anyway, the restaurant itself is called Segurmo, the meaning of which neither we nor they are entirely clear about, but we can all agree that it sounds kind of cool. The menu is short, the prices are low and the food is pure comfort. Every week they offer three or four very reasonably priced courses (meat, fish, vegetarian, vulcan) and if you’re lucky their plokkfiskur with rúgbrauð and smjör will be on duty. Try it.

Oh, and by the way, if you know any other cheap and chic restaurants in Reykjavík you know where the comments are.

Previously on our User’s Guide to Reykjavík Restaurants: The Vegetarian Edition and The Heavy Breakfast Edition

Liked this post? Try these:
Kaffibarinn: Less coffee, more bar
Mývatn: Lake of Midges

19 May 2009 – 12:47 | By valgeir | Posted in iceland, drinking, food, eating, restaurants, segurmo, boston | Comments (3)

Icelandic Music 101: Sprengjuhöllin

Need more Icelandic indiepop for the masses? Read on and get a lovely free mp3 download from Sprengjuhöllin.

SprengjuhöllinSprengjuhöllin is Iceland’s answer to [insert the name of your favourite arty and melancholy but strangely fun folk rock band here].

They’ve already played in Texas, New York and some place called “Canada,” and when this is written they are in fact sitting in one of our planes, on their way to Berlin where they’re starting their German mini-tour.

According to our resident expert in eligible young men, the guys from Sprengjuhöllin are “extremely good looking and funny, plus some of them were debate–team nerds, and one has even grown up to be a decent stand–up comic.”

They also have an “ö” in their name, which always helps.

Download Worry Till Spring by Sprengjuhöllin (mp3, 7MB)
(Just right-click and “Save as…”)

The song is Worry Till Spring, which they say is a “heartbreaking folk song about obsessive love.” In the original Icelandic version it was one of the most popular songs locally back in 2007. One lovable Icelandic–music nerd says this new version “proves that Sprengjuhöllin’s catchy, melodic pop songs translate into English more easily than their name.”

If you like it, you can buy the whole album on Amazon.

More Sprengjuhöllin: Official Website | Myspace | Facebook | Twitter

Previously on Icelandic Music 101: FM Belfast, Ghostigital, Gus Gus, Jeff Who?, Amiina and Múm.

12 May 2009 – 8:02 | By valgeir | Posted in iceland, icelandic music, Icelandic bands, Sprengjuhöllin | Comments (0)

It came from the Blue Lagoon

Indigenous creatures with white stuff on their faces, sloshing around in hot sulphuric water filled with minerals, silica and algae? No, it’s not the plot of an old horror movie. It’s just the Blue Lagoon.

shecamefromthebluelagoon1.jpgThe Blue Lagoon is a rather large amorphous body of water in an Icelandic lava field in the middle of nowhere, usually full of pretty hot geothermal water and people like you.

But it hasn’t always been so. Like a lot of interesting things, the Blue Lagoon happened by accident in the seventies.

Around the time ABBA were reversing the second B in their logo, a gleaming new geothermal plant right out of a Ridley Scott movie began pumping surplus water all over the place, creating a steaming pool of bluish liquid in the middle of a lava field in the southern peninsula of Iceland.

Later, in the early 80s, people started bathing in the lagoon and doing silly things like shooting music videos. The official story is that it (the bathing, not the music videos) helped with psoriasis but we think it was mostly it a cool place to go skinny dipping after hours. Also, the chemicals in the water did things to your hair that people liked back then.


Fast-forward to 2009 and what started as the unintended by-product of a geothermal electricity plant is now one of the most visited tourist attractions in Iceland. The New York Times’ calls it “the mother of all baths” and it’s even on the paper’s top 44 list of places to visit in 2009.

It even has its own line of cosmetics! Just like Britney Spears!

The Blue Lagoon is open daily all year and it’s actually rather conveniently located between the airport where you land and Reykjavík. (It takes about 30 minutes to get there from the city — just follow the smoke.) If you don’t have a car, there are plenty of people willing so separate you from your money by getting you there via bus. Try these for example. Oh, and if you figure out how the locker system works, please drop us a line.

More Blue Lagoon: Official Site | Wikipedia | Google Maps | YouTube | New York Times

Related posts on this blog:
Geysir: What goes up must come down
Mývatn: Lake of Midges
Glymur: Falling for you
Reykjavík Swimming Pools: The Naked Truth

28 April 2009 – 15:36 | By valgeir | Posted in iceland, Blue Lagoon | Comments (5)

Really nice foreign people who like Iceland: Mark Ollard

Meet Mark Ollard, a busy and important Londoner who really, really, really likes Icelandic music (except maybe Páll Óskar). He also thinks Mugison isn’t cute.

In the first of our series of interviews with Really Nice Foreign People Who Really Like Iceland, we talk to the lovely Mark Ollard. Mark writes a rather good “music blog that thinks it’s Icelandic” called Iceblah. He claims he’s been coming to Iceland Airwaves since 2004 but he still doesn’t know who Kitty von Sometime is. We investigated.

Mark OllardWe: Hey Mark. Why are you so obsessed with Icelandic music? Are you weird or something?

Mark: Well, I realise this is slightly ridiculous. I went to Iceland for the first time on holiday with my father in 1988 when I was 13 or 14, because I loved the Sugarcubes. We stayed there for a week, did the Golden Circle and all the usual things and I just loved it. I thought it was so clean and beautiful. When I got back to the UK I wrote to an Icelandic newspaper, asking for pen pals, and about 50 people wrote back.

Wow, this must have been before we had TV on Thurdays.

Without doubt! I ended up writing to this Icelandic girl — who I’m still friends with, by the way — who started sending me lots of cassettes with Icelandic music. Stuff like Nýdönsk and Síðan skein sól and something called Reptile, I think.

Yikes.

Yes. Anyway, I’d been amassing Icelandic CDs for years until I finally decided to go back with my best friend on my 30th birthday in June 2004 and then back again in October for Iceland Airwaves. After that I knew I’d be going back every year.

And you still don’t know who Kitty von Sometime is?

Nope, sorry. Is she famous?

Sigh. So what is it about Icelandic music that you like so much?

I’m not sure. I mean there isn’t really an Iceland sound, I think. Just take people like Mugison, Reykjavík!, My Summer as a Salvation Soldier and Retro Stefson. All incredibly different. And the highlight of the final night of last Airwaves, Fjallabræður — 30 guys, a proper karlakór from the West Fjords, performing with a real rock guitar — so unusual and suprising and amazing. They made this incredible noise.


And I’ve never understood how this tiny country can produce 10 or 15 really good bands at any one time. How does it happen? I mean, the Icelandic musical output is better than Germany’s. In England, people could name at least two Icelandic bands, but probably no German ones. I’m from Sutton, which has the same population as Iceland and there’s nothing…

We get it. You really don’t like German bands. But what are your favourite Icelandic bands at the moment?

Well, I like most Icelandic bands, except maybe Páll Óskar, I’m not so into that pure pop sound. The last CD I bought was by Sin Fang Bous which is actually the solo project of the lead singer of Seabear.

Let’s talk about Airwaves. You’re a veteran, share some points for the newbies.

Airwaves is hard work but I’m getting better at it. The first time I was there, I went home at midnight, just about the time when everyone was getting ready for the night. The busiest time on Laugavegur is 4 in the morning. Coming from London, where everything closes at 11 or 12, that’s really strange.

I’d definitely recommend the 12 Tónar the record store, Kaffifélagið where my friend Hildur works, and Prikið. They’re really good. And a hot dog at 3 in the morning. And the Airwaves chillout at the Blue Lagoon, if you haven’t been there before. I don’t do it any more, but you should do it at least once.

What is the biggest cliché about Icelandic music?

That it’s so “cute” — okay, some bands are quiet, gentle and quirky — but loads of stuff isn’t. I mean you can hardly call Mugison cute!

The next big thing?

Let’s see. FM Belfast have a great sound and some real momentum after Airwaves 2009. Reykjavík! are a deceptively tuneful band and a lot cleverer than they first appear. Great live band — huge spectacle. Also I don’t understand why Jeff Who? aren’t huge. I mean, they already sound like a successful indie band and have a commercial, popular sound. Maybe they can’t be bothered? Hjaltalín seem to be getting known in Europe now and Sprengjuhöllin in the U.S — they are really nice guys.

What about your blog?

IceblahYes, Iceblah is sort of my hobby, but it got quite a bit of publicity at Airwaves last year. I interviewed about 24 bands before the festival started. It get quite a bit of traffic now and I usually get a few emails every week from people. I love that.

What does your girlfriend think of all this?

She’s getting used to it. She came with me to Iceland last time. We’re getting married this summer and Ára bátur by Sigurrós will be played in the church.

Are you going to cry?

Yes, and my best man will cry as well.

What about your girlfriend?

Oh, she won’t be there.

15 April 2009 – 7:09 | By valgeir | Posted in reykjavik, music, icelandic music, Icelandic bands, jeff who?, iceland airwaves, 12 tónar, mugison, prikið, My Summer as a Salvation Soldier, Retro Stefson | Comments (2)

It’s our birthday again. Guess who gets the presents.

PresentsTo Iceland from 46 pounds, 59 euros or DKK 449.

Where: To Iceland (and back if you must) from Copenhagen, London, Berlin and Warsaw.

Fly: Before the end of March.

Buy: On sale now! Offer must end at noon GMT on Wednesday 4 March.

How much: from £46, €59, DKK 449 one-way including taxes and fees.

The small print: Limited number of seats available at these prices, so be quick. (And we’re six, thanks for asking.)

Quick, click here to book this thing.

2 March 2009 – 11:08 | By valgeir | Posted in cheap flights to iceland | Comments (0)

Iceland Express is going south. South to London Gatwick, that is.

Airport guyOn 1 May 2009, we move our London base from Stansted to Gatwick.

It’s been a great six years at London Stansted. But on 1 May 2009 Iceland Express moves its London operations to Gatwick airport.

The reason is partly operational — our sister company Astraeus is based there — and partly passengerial (and yes, we know that’s not a real word).

Basically, what it means is that our passengers will be a little bit closer to central London. The Gatwick Express takes around 30 minutes to Victoria Station, about 15 minutes less than the Stansted Express takes to Liverpool Street. And if anyone is using London as a stepping stone on the way to or from Iceland there are lots and lots of good connections at Gatwick.

We think it’s a smart move. What about you? Comments are open — tell us what you think.

1 March 2009 – 21:06 | By valgeir | Posted in london stansted, london gatwick | Comments (79)

Architecture in Reykjavík:* That Big Church Edition

To the locals it’s Hallgrímskirkja. To you folks it’s usually “That Big Church”.

Hallgrímskirkja

As Reykjavík’s tallest building, That Big Church (also known as Hallgrímskirkja, but don’t try to pronounce that by yourself) is a convenient landmark for tourists finding their way around Reykjavík.

Looking for Kaffibarinn? Oh, just walk down from That Big Church and turn right. What about the main square? Walk down from That Big Church and turn left. Going to Thingvellir? Walk down from That Big Church, turn right and walk for about 36 hours. (Okay, so it doesn’t work with everything.)

From an architectural standpoint That Big Church is a bit more problematic. With the general hodge-podge of styles, we’d like to call it postmodern but the only problem there is that it was designed in 1930s, several years before some guy in France invented postmodernism. So do comment if you have any better or more amusing theories. (That includes you, Ylva Brännström.)

Hallgrímskirkja in the mistNot content with being a huge signpost and a bit of an architectural oddity, That Big Church is also an actual place of worship. But don’t let that stop you from going there.

The have some nice choirs, and if you appreciate very big and extremely loud things we’re sure you’ll like the church organ, which looks like the assembled tailpipes of about 50 muscle cars, and can sound like someone is trying to wake up the dead. Plus it’s remote controlled.

Don’t forget to go up in the tower. (Yes, there is an elevator.) It’s a good place to look at all those cute brightly coloured roofs. You also get a nice surprise every 15 minutes or so. We’re not giving anything away, but let’s just say that this surprise might even wake you up in the morning if your hotel is close by.

(Psst. Want to see it in person? Get your cheap flight to Reykjavík with Iceland Express)

More Hallgrímskirkja: Wikipedia | Flickr | Google Maps | Choir in action | 43 places

*With apologies to these guys

26 January 2009 – 12:24 | By valgeir | Posted in iceland, reykjavik, buildings, churches, hallgrímskirkja | Comments (3)

A User’s Guide to Reykjavík Restaurants: The Heavy Breakfast Edition

Like the smell of bacon in the morning? Here are three places to go to for a robust breakfast in Reykjavík.

Eggs and bacon for breakfast in ReykjavikGrái kötturinn on Hverfisgata 16a is a small basement place (café would obviously not be the right word here) opposite the Culture House. It’s run by Hulda Hákon and Jón Óskar who like all proper artists used to live in New York, and missed the vigorous American breakfast when they moved back home. You can connect the dots from there: the sumptuous pancakes come with bacon and syrup, and the coffee is guaranteed to wake up the dead — which, given that they open very early on weekends, some of their stay-up-late clients may actually resemble. Pictures on Flickr

Prikið on Bankastræti 12 is also a serious contender in the cholesterol competition, with a menu that the chefs at Grái kötturinn must take as a particularly sincere form of flattery, and warm 50s interior that basically calls for a portion of eggs, bacon and a filter-free cigarette. Open on weekdays from 8 in the morning till 1 after midnight, Prikið doubles (or should that be triples?) as a pretty good bar-slash-club on weekends, staying open until 5.30 in the morning. So do give them a break if they don’t open till 12 on Saturdays and Sundays. Pictures on Flickr | Website

Hamborgarabúllan (literally, “the Hamburger Joint”) at Geirsgata 1 may admittedly not be recommended by nine out of ten doctors as a breakfast establishment, but we can verify that under certain circumstances their offerings can be most beneficial. Trust us on this. Pictures on Flickr | Website

Previously on our User’s Guide to Reykjavík Restaurants: The Vegetarian Edition

15 January 2009 – 14:33 | By valgeir | Posted in iceland, reykjavik, eating, restaurants, breakfast, gráikötturinn, prikið, hamborgarabúllan | Comments (3)

Jól: It’s Christmas, but not as you know it

Bad SantaSeven things that make Christmas in Iceland a little different.

1. The Jólasveinn is the Icelandic version of Father Christmas. But not really. First of all, there are thirteen of them (we guess you could call them Brothers Christmas). And they come to town one by one on the days before Christmas to do things the other guy would never do — like lick your cutlery, peek through windows, harass your sheep, eat your skyr, steal your candles and smoked sausages, and probably fondle your wife.

Known in English as “Yule Lads” (possibly the lamest gang name in history), the jólasveinar have mellowed out a bit over the years — they even seem to have signed some sort of sponsorship contract with the Coca-Cola Company. But it’s still pretty disturbing when you think about it. More on our Bad Santas.

2. “The Shoe.” Starting 13 days before Christmas, children put a shoe in their window at night. If they have misbehaved that day, they get a potato, but if they’ve been good, they get something that requires batteries. Think of it as a jólasveinar-managed performance-related rewards system.

3. Jólakötturinn, the Christmas cat, apparently makes bad things happen to you (i.e. eats you) if you don’t buy yourself some new clothes for Christmas. Sounds to us like the fashion industry’s marketing ploys are getting increasingly desperate.

4. Skötuveisla usually happens on Þorláksmessa, the 23rd of December. It involves a surprising number of seemingly normal people eating what is known as “kæst Skata”, which tastes about as good as it sounds. More about putrid fish for beginners.

5. Christmas Eve is the really big day. No putrid fish, just nice stuff to eat and then the presents. Oh, and we drink this stuff.

6. Jólaboð are the parties that pretty much fill up the period from Christmas Day to New Year’s Eve, where you get to meet the members of your family that you’ve managed to avoid the rest of the year.

7. New Year’s Eve is when we shoot up fireworks. A lot of them.

So, do you feel up for it? Click here to book a flight to Iceland for Christmas.

More Christmas in Iceland: Something for December | The Yule Page | Reykjavík | The Food Museum | Icelandic Embassy in Washinton | Louder than Swahili

17 December 2008 – 11:06 | By valgeir | Posted in iceland, Christmas in Iceland | Comments (1)

A User’s Guide to Reykjavík Restaurants: The Vegetarian Edition

reykjavik-vegetarian-restaurantsIn this first instalment of our guide to Reykjavík eating we explain how being a vegetarian in Iceland is not so much a lifestyle as a constant struggle.

Abandon hope all ye vegetarians who enter here isn’t actually a sign in the arrivals hall, but until a few years ago it would have been a pretty accurate description of the state of veggie eating in Reykjavík.

Asking for a vegetarian dish in a regular restaurant is still more than likely to result in a well, we have a salad, and if you tell people you’re a vegan they’ll probably tell you that they don’t really watch Star Trek.

(This might seem terribly unsophisticated, but once you’ve spent a few days here, you’ll admit that given the weather conditions it’s maybe not surprising that local farmers who wished remain employed focused on meat and weird dairy products rather than spinach and radicchio.)

But things are looking up (not least thanks to the rapidly increasing number of indigenous tree-huggers) and here is our list of the only best vegetarian restaurants in town.

  • Á næstu grösum is the oldest veggie place in Reykjavík. (The name means literally “On the next grasses,” which has nothing to do with anything illegal.) There is a friendly kind of Scandinavian feeling here on the first floor at the corner of Laugavegur and Trendy Wendy Klapparstígur (close to Gallery Gel, Rósenberg bar and where Sirkus Bar used to be). They have different themes throughout the week, with Tuesdays dedicated to the oh–so–fashionable raw food movement, and Indian Fridays with freshly baked naan to die for. And the staff obviously cares: not only do they know what vegan means, but there’s a wider selection of desserts at this place than at the other ones — and what’s better than a guilt–free chocolate cake? Laugavegur 20b, 101 Reykjavík | Link
  • Garðurinn is another hidden gem on Klapparstígur, just a bit farther up the street (right between Á næstu grösum and that church you all like so much). The name means The Garden, although their official English name is “Ecstasy’s Heart-Garden”. Right–ho. While it’s maybe not as busy or as designed as the other three, it has a younger and what seems like a more earnest crowd. Maybe it’s the ecstasy part that attracts them. Klapparstígur 37, 101 Reykjavík
  • Grænn kostur is the place you go to be seen when you’ve told people you’re on a diet. Celebrities also like to go there when they’ve been giving interviews about their healthy new lifestyles. Basically a fast food place, this somewhat hard–to–find outfit offers various lovely pies and pizzas, as well as soup of the day. (Bonus feature due to some of the owner’s allergy issues: no sugar, yeast, or white wheat.) With few dishes to choose from, the service is quick and efficient. They have a two–for–one special on Sundays and the portions are biiiiiiig. Skólavörðustígur 8b (on the parking lot park side) | Link
  • Maður lifandi, man alive. Yup, that’s what the name means. Not only a restaurant, this is a serious life–improvement establishment where you find people who don’t just come for the excellent food, but for a hard–core lifestyle change. Dishes here are free of lactose, gluten, yeast and humour (just kidding). And in addition to the most extravagant salad bar in town they offer lectures and courses on how to improve your life, listen to your body, laugh while doing yoga, and be generally healthier and happier. Remember to say hi from us. Borgartún 24, 105 Reykjavík | Link

Know more than we do about vegetarian places in Reykjavík? Add your insight to the comments.

6 December 2008 – 15:10 | By Margrét | Posted in iceland, reykjavik, eating, restaurants, vegetarian | Comments (3)

Iceland stays in the picture

Iceland is looking pretty good at the moment. At least in these photos.

Our old friend Helga Kvam still makes Iceland look like a million krónas dollars. For a sample of some of her nicest Iceland pictures, just click on the slideshow below or see the fullscreen version here.


And hey — if seeing this makes you want to see more of Iceland, you know how to get there. Just saying.

More Iceland photos: Iceland by Rebekka | Helga Kvam was here | New York Times: Iceland’s Ring Road

Update: If you’re in Germany should check out the film Island 63° 66° N by Stefan Erdmann: "Eine phantastische Reise durch ein phantastisches Land."

30 October 2008 – 10:02 | By valgeir | Posted in iceland, nature, Helga Kvam, photography | Comments (7)

In Iceland, we’re suddenly feeling so cheap

The Icelandic krona’s loss is your gain as coming to Iceland has never been less expensive than now.

Icelandic KronaIn the past few weeks the Icelandic króna (a.k.a. “funny money”) has been going through a Keith Richards-scale hangover and looking increasingly like the love child of Amy Winehouse and Pete Doherty.

But every cloud has a silver lining and what all this means for you is that Reykjavík has never been cheaper to visit.

The price of a day tour of the Golden Circle is down to around £45/€57, entry to the Blue Lagoon is £12/€16, and (entirely unrelated) a pack of Durex PleasureMax Warming condoms is down to £7/€9.

Even the price of beer in a Reykjavík bar has reached the level where you could potentially afford to buy us one. (Just kidding.)

In short, now would be a good time to spread the wealth and book a cheap flight, an Icelandic day-tour or even an old-fashioned (not really) package tour.

More on how cheap we are here: Seven Things to Do in Iceland (Why You Should Go Right Now!)

23 October 2008 – 10:03 | By valgeir | Posted in iceland, cheap flights to iceland, Icelandic Krona | Comments (3)

Icelandic Music 101:
FM Belfast

Imagine a Teenage Ninja Turtle having an affair with 2 Unlimited while MC Hammer and Scooter watch from the wardrobe.

One of Reykjavík’s most popular electo bands, FM Belfast throws together samples from all manner of 80s and 90s hits to form a fast-paced barrage of unexpectedly introspective dance music. The boy-girl-boy trio is also famous for an interesting line in cover versions and nerds experts may spot tracks from Rage Against The Machine and Technotronic creeping into their set.


All of which we fear will be included on their new as yet untitled album — out soon! — making us want to pump up some jam and wear neon leggings again. Blast!

More FM Belfast: Myspace | Dancenova | Last.fm | Flickr | YouTube

Previously on Icelandic Music 101: Ghostigital, GusGus, Jeff Who?, Amiina, and múm.

5 August 2008 – 10:22 | By Ben | Posted in iceland, icelandic music, Icelandic bands | Comments (0)

Something for August: The Party Time, Excellent Edition

Colourful people jumping aroundA round-up of things to do in Iceland this August, as prepared by your festively inclined editors.

1-4 August: Verslunarmannahelgi. The wildest and most unpronounceable party in the universe Iceland is Þjóðhátíð, in the Westman Islands. Thousands flock to the tiny island of Heimaey to drink, dance, sing, and “get to know each other.”  It’s no coincidence that most Icelanders have their birthdays in April. Naked Twister anyone?

7-10 August: Reykjavik Gay Pride.  It’s the time to frock up, put on some red lippy and flutter those fake eyelashes.  Oh, and ladies are also welcome of course. It’ll be like Eurovision all over again!

23 August: Reykjavik Marathon and Culture Night. Men and women panting, sweating and wearing tight clothing? Yep, we’re talking about the internationally renowned Reykjavík Marathon of course.  All that running should get the blood pumping for Culture Night, a smorgasbord of pick-and-mix amusements that include art, music, dance, theatre, et cetera. And the best bit? It’s free!

26-30 August: Reykjavik Jazz Festival. The best of the burgeoning Nordic jazz scene, where there’ll be lots of trumpets, saxophones and other instruments that make lots of noise.

28-31 August: Tango Festival. Sexy, sassy and seductive. Oh and we hear there’ll be dancing too.  If the Funky Chicken Dance doesn’t score any dates on a Saturday night out, then maybe a little tango will help spice things up.

31 July 2008 – 13:58 | By Iris | Posted in drinking, music, events, Reykjavík Jazz Festival, Festivals, gay pride, Reykjavík Culture Night | Comments (1)

A Series of Unfortunate Icelandic Animals, Part One: The Wolf Fish

StonebiterIn the first installment of this important new series, we take a closer look at the piscatorial world’s answer to Keith Richards.

Also known as the Atlantic Catfish, Sea Wolf, Wolf Eel and Anarhichas lupus (which, funnily enough, were all names for lesser known 80s hair metal groups), the Wolf Fish looks its seen a thousand badly-behaved boozy world tours and has the scars and dodgy teeth to prove it.

A larger specimen would happily would eat your hand for dinner before downing a few rocks as an digestif — its Icelandic name Steinbítur translates as ‘stone biter’ — due to some incredibly powerful jaws and a set of fangs that would put Ronaldinho’s vampire double (pictured here) to shame.

But in spite of having looks that only Shane McGowan’s mum could love, this grey monstrosity is a much sought after sport fish. Caught in the deeper seas a few kilometres from Reykjavik, it apparently provides a worthy battle once hooked and attracts serious deep sea anglers (both of them) to holiday in Iceland on a regular basis.

A variety of lures, attractors, fishy baits (clam meat is a real winner) and bits of dead animal are used to tempt the beast from its cave — we use the same trick on our head of IT — but reports surrounding the use of inflatable life-sized ‘Miss Wolf Fish’ lures are unconfirmed at the time of writing.

More Wolf Fish: Flickr | YouTube | Wikipedia | Google Image Search | Khoi Vinh

Photo kindly provided by Daniel. Thanks Daniel, you’re a star in the face of the sky.

18 July 2008 – 16:27 | By Ben | Posted in animals, fish | Comments (2)

Five things to remember when visiting Iceland

pool.gif
Think you’re ready to take the plunge? Here’s your survival kit.

1. Bring a bathing suit. Iceland’s national sport is swimming. (”Swimming” here loosely defined as sitting in a hot tub talking.) There are about 200 swimming pools in Iceland, and you could say they’re the Icelandic equivalent of the English pub. Oh, and the hot pots are a great place to pick up gossip with the locals.

2. Bring batteries. To keep going and going and going. You’ll need stamina and durability to party like the locals. The bars and clubs in Reykjavik are kind of like Icelandic nature, wild and untamed (unless you hit the town before midnight, when you’ll find it similar in other ways — desolate and frigid). Hot spots include Kaffibarinn and for the “happy” folk, Q-Bar.

3. Learn some Icelandic. Just the most commonly used Icelandic phrases should do it…

  • “Kemur þú oft hingað?” (Translation: “So, do you come here often?”)
  • “Ég myndi kaupa handa þér drykk ef það væri ekki svona dýrt, getum við ekki bara farið beint heim til mín?” (Translation: “I’d like to buy you a drink but it’s so expensive, let’s just skip it and go straight back to my place”).

Click for some more Icelandic lessons.

4. Dress like a local. Why not leave the hiking boots and brightly colored raincoats in the hotel room when walking downtown Reykjavik? (Although it does make “spot the foreigner” so much more fun when you don’t). In order to blend in, you’ll definitely need a Lopapeysa (traditional Icelandic jumper). But like a true local, you’ll need to rip off the lopapeysa and bare those pasty-white arms once the temperature hits 10 degrees and a sun ray peeps out.

5. Bring a paper clip. Iceland is full of extremes. You know, the landscape (fire, ice, et cetera), the people (naughty, nice, et cetera), the weather (rain, shine, et cetera). You’ll need a paper clip to hold it all together. And maybe a flashlight wouldn’t be a bad idea either, especially in winter.

7 July 2008 – 10:24 | By Iris | Posted in iceland, nightlife, Bars in Iceland, clubs, swimming pools, icelandic sweaters | Comments (3)

Hidden People of the World Unite

Troll or elf, who cares?With all these elves, trolls and hidden people mucking about, the question isn’t only whether they exist, but also whether people actually believe they exist.

So do they or don’t they? No, we’re not talking about Santa Claus or The Tooth Fairy — we all know they’re for real — we’re talking about the Hidden People. You know, elves and trolls and things.

What are these things? Well, after some serious investigative journalism (not really) here’s what we’ve come up with:

While elves are usually benevolent creatures that live between heaven and earth, a few mean-spirited elves sometimes try to lure humans into their world by having them accept delicious food or gold bracelets.

Now, trolls on the other hand are hideous, greedy creatures who have been banished to the deep underworld. If they are caught above ground at daylight they turn into stone, which explains some of country’s unusual rock formations.

Spooky. Generally speaking though, a good rule of thumb is that the hidden people won’t harm you unless you disturb theim or interrupt their way of life (sort of like the Americans, actually).

So do Icelanders really belive this, or is it just something that’s good for selling trinkets to tourists? Well it’s not as if the design of new roads or building sites is changed to avoid disturbing the hidden people. Or that several organizations in Iceland have employed folklore researchers to determine the impact of construction projects on the hidden communities.

Um, actually, yes they do.

So forget Big Foot and Loch Ness, come and explore the world of the mystical beings or take courses in “elf studies” from the (somewhat disreputable) Icelandic Elf School. With your diploma in hand, you too can be employed by the government as a “consultant” dedicated to finding a harmonious existence with these mystical beings so that everyone can live happily ever after. The End.

More about The Hidden People: Iceland Tourist Board | Icelandic Wonders | Iceland Mythology | The Travel Rag

27 June 2008 – 13:34 | By Iris | Posted in iceland, hidden people, elves, trolls | Comments (2)

Viking Festival: Come If You Dare

Where's your sword?What’s big, burly and grunts a lot… (apart from your grandmother)? An Icelandic Viking of course! For those of you who missed the original Vikings the first time, the town of Hafnarfjörður has brought them back for a best-of reunion tour.

This year, the International Viking Festival takes over the town from 12-16 June. The festival demonstrates most aspects of Viking life and culture, including ships, “cuisine”, handcraft, storytelling, archery, games, music, and battle reenactments.

Before you get too excited, we’ve heard that they leave out all the best bits… you know, the burning, pillaging, slaughtering and stealing that the Vikings are most renowned for. Oh well, we guess it could still be fun (sigh).

The Festival is all about authenticity and re-creating Viking life in detail. We wonder, however, if their commitment to realism will include the full sensory effect. Given the primitive state of the sewage system, the tendency to keep farmyard animals in their bedrooms, and the number of un-refrigerated dead fish (and human carcasses) hanging around, one would imagine that the olfactory aspect would be an important element of the experience. And it would definitely help to build one’s appetite for that traditional Viking feast! Pass the blood sausage and a nose clip, please.

For all you wannabe maurauders out there, you might even be lucky enough to score a date with a beautiful Icelandic Viking woman! So what are you waiting for? Come along to the festival. Bring your sword, battle axe (no, not your wife) and get into the Viking spirit!

Viking Festival Info | Flickr Set

9 June 2008 – 14:12 | By Iris | Posted in iceland, Adventure in Iceland, Festivals | Comments (2)

Back to Nature for Björk and Sigur Rós

Break the ice, not the bank.Industrial magnates of the world beware. Icelandic elves artists are striking back.

Breaking news! Björk and Sigur Rós are not too thrilled at all about highly pollutant aluminum smelters being built left, right and center in Iceland.

The musical pair are dedicated to environmental issues and feel as if the Icelandic image of, you know, like purity and unspoilt nature and all, is being tarnished by the ever-increasing number of heavy-industry factories being built all around the country.

On 28 June, the divine duo will perform together at a free, open air concert in Reykjavík, in an attempt to raise awareness for the issue, and we want you to be there.

Travel From: London, Copenhagen, Paris, Stockholm, Frankfurt, Eindhoven, Friedrichshafen, Gothenburg, and Basel.

Travel Period:
25 June to 2 July 2008.

Booking Period:
Right Now - 9 June, 23:59 GMT.

Return fares, including taxes and charges, from:

  • ₤148
  • €195
  • DKK 1489
  • SEK 1828
  • ISK 20.170

Legal Stuff: Act fast - limited dates and seats.

UPDATE: SORRY, THE ICEBREAKER SALE IS FINISHED, BUT DO CHECK OUR EXTREMELY MODERATE REGULAR AIRFARES TO ICELAND. AFTER ALL, THE CONCERT IS FREE FOLKS!  

Ready to get your environmental groove on?
You’re missing out - Book Now!

More concert info: Björk | Sigur Rós | I Love Icelandic Music

In case you missed it the first time: Book a Seat!

6 June 2008 – 14:18 | By Erik | Posted in iceland, cheap flights to iceland | Comments (3)

Everybody Loves a Last Minute Deal

Tick TockQuick on the draw? We’ve got 1000 seats for ₤49 on sale until tomorrow night. Get clicking!

Seven airports, a bunch of low fares, one great destination!

Travel From: London, Copenhagen, Paris, Stockholm, Frankfurt, Eindhoven, and Basel

Travel Period:
1 June to 15 June 2008

Booking Period:
Right Now - 23:59 GMT, 30 May 2008

One-way fares, including taxes and charges, from:

  • ₤49
  • €60
  • DKK 470
  • SEK 580
  • ISK 6.990

Legal Stuff: Act fast because when they’re gone, they’re gone. Limited dates too, of course.

Still here?
You’re missing out - Book Now!

29 May 2008 – 15:15 | By Erik | Posted in iceland, cheap flights to iceland | Comments (5)

We Love Björk as Much as Everyone Else

Hi Bjork, I'm Bjork. Nice eyes.But we’re not going to make a fake video about her.

Sometimes we stumble across things online that make us really wonder about the fate of humanity.

Then we leave Oprah.com.

But even the rest of the Net seems to be jammed with people stalking celebrities or taping themselves doing borderline illegal things with Mexican food. Or both.

We won’t claim that this video is funny, but at least it portrays Iceland’s most famous daughter doing something other than beating the crap out of a reporter.

20 May 2008 – 10:36 | By Erik | Posted in iceland, icelandic music | Comments (5)

Something for May: The Concerts are Coming Edition

A roundup of things to do in Iceland this May, as prepared by your ticket-holding editors.

  • Bob Dylan does his best John Lennon.Icelanders aren’t much for people who whine about what’s wrong in the world, but they sure are excited about Bob Dylan’s concert 26 May. Just like a woman.
  • Rite of Spring Festival returns 17-19 May. It’s like Airwaves for the folk, jazz, and world music scene, except people might actually remember it the following day.
  • Speaking of old-people music, John Fogerty will try to slip some non-Credence Clearwater Revival tunes by the crowd 21 May. It’ll give you a chance to grab a beer.
  • How about something for nothing? Only if you’re fast. There’s a free Midday Concert in Hafnarborg 1 May. Book now!
  • It’s never too early for a blunt. James Blunt visits the joint 12 June. Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em.

And hey - let’s be careful out there.

1 May 2008 – 9:02 | By Erik | Posted in iceland, Festivals, concerts | Comments (0)

The Little Gay Viking

Little Gay Viking? Maybe one out of three.There once was a little gay Viking. This friendly but misunderstood fellow spent all his time braiding horses’ manes and knitting colorful scarves. The village people liked him, until one day he got drunk on chocolate choo-choos at the summer festival and tried to kiss Thor, the blacksmith. Thor was really embarrassed and angry because he was more aroused than disgusted, so he locked him in a closet.

From that day on the little gay Viking, and all other little gay Vikings that came after him, had to hide their feelings or risk the consequences. But about 30 years ago a group formed to help. Samtökin 78 decided that all of the gay Vikings should be let out of the closet, and they somehow got the rest of the country (more or less) to agree.

These days the majority of Icelanders not only accept the lifestyle of their more fabulous countrymen and women, they even show up in droves every summer to celebrate their diversity with a Gay Pride parade.

So whether you’re a stromo, a judy, or a raging bear, Iceland has a special place for you - and we promise it won’t be in the closet.

Iceland’s gayest upcoming events:
17 May - Gay dance at Organ | 13-16 June - Leather Summit

Get the whole flaming story: Gayice

 

28 April 2008 – 14:45 | By Erik | Posted in iceland, events, concerts, clubs, life lessons, gay pride | Comments (3)

What to Name Your
Icelandic Baby

After that first blissful night in an Icelandic nightclub, the next thing you’ll want to do is have an Icelandic baby. This is perfectly understandable, but be warned: you’ll have to give it an Icelandic name. It’s the law.

Beautiful Icelandic Children

You might frown at a rule dictating what you may or may not name your child, muttering something about freedom of choice, but you’ll soon find the rules helpful. After all, the more interesting your child’s name, the more interesting you yourself appear to be, so naming your kid Aðalbjörg will give you all sorts of cool cache. Plus it will prove to your friends and family that you’re finally shacking up with an Icelander.

But some Icelandic names sound disappointingly English, so avoid “Jón”, “Davið”, “Anna”, “María” and “Nóvember” at all costs. Instead, how about “Snjólaukur” for a boy, or “Grettisgata” for a girl? Whatever you do, do not name your baby “Björk” — it’s just trying too hard.

Hopefully you already understand about the Icelandic last-name conventions, which dictate that boys take their father’s first name and stick a “son” on the end of it and girls have to do the same with “dóttir”. And if you’re really, truly traditional you’ll give your son both his father’s first name and last name as a special treat — which is how the world was blessed with the likes of Magnus Magnusson.

Magnus Magnusson

But try to be original: there are many beautiful Icelandic names to choose from - some more pronounceable than others. Luckily, nearly all Icelanders are given nicknames that are shortened, easier versions of their birth-names at some point, which means that no matter what you choose to name your child, it will inevitably be known as either Siggi or Sigga in the end anyway. So much for cool cache.

Don’t take our word for it: before naming your baby you’d be wise to look up Wikipedia’s full list of genuine Icelandic names for boys and girls. And you can check their meanings here. Good luck!

18 April 2008 – 14:32 | By Annie | Posted in iceland, life lessons | Comments (14)

Insert Your Own Bad Spring Pun Here

Book Now!We’re at it again!

Miss out on the concert giveaway last week? Have no fear - the Icebreaker’s here!

Travel From: London, Copenhagen, Berlin, Barcelona, and Alicante

Travel Period:
17 April - 14 May 2008

Booking Period:
16 April (noon GMT!) - midnight 17 April 2008

One-way fares, including taxes and charges, from:

  • ₤56
  • €70
  • 535 DKK
  • 669 SEK

Legal Stuff: Act fast because when they’re gone, they’re gone. Limited dates too, of course.

Still here?
Get your seat before this deal melts away. Book Now!

16 April 2008 – 8:49 | By Erik | Posted in iceland, cheap flights to iceland | Comments (0)

Follow the Light

The first 100 people to book this Icebreaker deal will get free concert tickets, but everyone gets return tickets for ₤154!

Quit playing with your mirror ball.The Þráður (Thread) music festival next weekend features some of Iceland’s hottest bands (see below), and we want to give you a free ticket. The first 100 people to book one of these special city break deals will walk in for free. That leaves lots of extra cash to buy the blonde at the end of the bar a drink.

*If you are one of the 100 lucky ticket winners you will pick up your pass at the venue (NASA).

Travel From: London, Copenhagen, and Berlin

Travel Period:
Depart 17 April, Return 21 April 2008

Booking Period:
Friom right now until 17 April 2008

Return fares, including taxes and charges, from*:

  • ₤154
  • €190
  • DKK 1430

* Be sure to choose the correct currency during booking for the deal!

Legal Stuff: Act fast because when they’re gone, they’re gone. Limited dates too, of course.

Still here?
Come get your groove on, Iceland style. Book Now!

Some of the Thread bands: Halfdís Huld | President Bongo of GusGus | Brain Police | XXX Rottweiler Hundur 

11 April 2008 – 18:43 | By Erik | Posted in iceland, DJs, concerts, GusGus, nasa, iceland socks | Comments (1)

Why Iceland Sucks Socks

You stink.Our new employees don’t sock around — they tell it like it is.

Need to say something to someone about Iceland but don’t dare do it in person? Let our new employees do your dirty work for you.

The Iceland Socks are a rag-tag bunch of loudmouth sock puppets with questionable taste in clothing. They seem to be traveling around Iceland and they’re not afraid to say what they think of it.

Or, to be more precise, they’re not afraid to say what you think of it.

Feed them some lines and cut a short film that doesn’t have to sound like it comes from the Icelandic Tourist Board. You can then send your masterpiece to a friend! Or a foe! Or the nearest film school!

Don’t sock around: Send a sock-o-gram now!

8 April 2008 – 7:31 | By Erik | Posted in iceland, nature, iceland socks | Comments (3)

Something for April: The Make Your Own Edition

A roundup of things to do in Iceland this month, as prepared by your always-ready-to-satisfy-themselves editors.

Get packing.As far as official events go, April is a dead month. Spring is in the air and nobody wants to commit to being anywhere, at any time (except, perhaps, the pool — let’s say Saturday at noon?). So here are some suggestions to keep you busy this month:

  • Traveller’s Day corresponds to the first day of summer on the Viking Calendar. Celebrate with cheap bus tours, fishing trips and family events. We like our Traveller’s Day like we like our women: warm and inexpensive.
  • Go see some glaciers and rocks and things. Ok, it’s a shameless plug, but we know a few tour operators who will gladly show you around. Get on the bus.
  • You can walk off your hangover (and the twelve hot dogs you ate yesterday) with a hike up Mount Esja. A 15 minute drive from the capital, Esja offers a relatively easy hike to the best views around.
  • Find your next mad crush. In case you haven’t heard, Icelanders are rather good looking. And smart. And they don’t expect you to have great manners. You just may have a chance.

And hey — let’s be careful out there!

3 April 2008 – 14:20 | By Erik | Posted in iceland, Adventure in Iceland, hiking | Comments (2)

Why Stop at the Showers?

Iceland: The least likely place on earth to perfect your all-over tan.

Come on Jude, save the spanking for later.Almost a year and a half ago we warned you about the nude bathing requirements at Reykjavík’s swimming pools. The inquiries from terrified travellers were overwhelming.

Do I really have to get, like, all the way undressed?

Are there any pools with private showers?

I’m circumcised… will that be a problem?

It seems that most people who visit Iceland haven’t been naked in public since the nurse slapped on their first diaper.

But we fear that we may have created a monster. Apparently some of you are becoming so comfortable with yourselves that the establishment has been forced to act. Notices prohibiting women from doing any ”personal grooming” in the showers have sprung up on changing room walls, and now this story appears in an Icelandic newspaper.

The article describes the rising popularity of topless sunbathing at public pools in Iceland and notes that, in most cases, while airing your lady lumps may get the attention of the 14-year-old boys swimming nearby, the pool staff couldn’t care less. At least they won’t kick you out for it.

In a poll of our Iceland Express office, nobody reports noticing an increase in nipple slips at public pools (although our Content Editor excitedly claims to have seen Páll Óskar lose his bottoms on the water slide at Sundlaug Vesturbaejar).

But closet exhibitionists rejoice - the weather is warming up, the sun is shining, and the tourists are on their way.

26 March 2008 – 12:58 | By Erik | Posted in iceland, swimming pools, gymnophobia, nudity, laugardalslaug | Comments (2)

Most Boring Iceland Review Stories of the Month

Please pass the smelling salts.Iceland Review is a web news site and quarterly magazine specializing in all things Iceland.  As a resource for foreigners interested in the goings-on of daily Icelandic life, it is about as good as you can get (other than this page, of course).

But here’s the thing: There are only, like, 300,000 people here. There just isn’t that much news.

Hence, The Most Boring Iceland Review Stories of the Month:

Central Bank Contemplates Measures for the Banks
-They must be taking a break from all the sing-alongs and finger painting.

Business Opportunities in Development
-Business Opportunities took 2007 off.

Senior Citizens in Reykjavík Satisfied
-Perhaps by the new business opportunities.

Iceland May Minimize Trans Fats
-Just maybe. Better check back daily for updates!

Supplement your blogging with some of IR’s more interesting stories here.

 

19 March 2008 – 15:27 | By Erik | Posted in iceland, life lessons | Comments (0)

An Introduction to
Icelandic Mannerisms

Want to avoid feeling out-of-place in Reykjavik? Never mind eating sheep testicles in an attempt to fit in — here are the important everyday customs you’ll really need to become a true Friend of Iceland.

Never eat soup with your fingers

Take off your shoes
If you’re lucky enough to get invited into the home of a genuine Icelandic person (yes, it has been known to happen) make sure you take your shoes off at the door. Walking wet sludge all over their brand new parquet flooring is considered bad manners. And watch out - the same rule applies at some swimming pools, doctor’s offices, and other public areas.

Whatever you do, don’t say hello to anybody
Never say “hi” to anybody you recognise. Not even if they spent the whole of last night propping up the bar with you, relaying their life-story. People don’t greet each other here until after they’ve had at least two beers — then you’re free to hug / laugh / cry / get married, whatever.

Eat everything with your cutlery
Icelanders haven’t yet realised that burgers are served between two pieces of bread precisely so you don’t need to use a knife and fork to eat them.

Don’t be a push-over
Don’t feel offended if you get shoved to the floor in bars. It’s not that Icelanders are rude, it’s just that you’re in their way. We advise you to smile brightly and push right back. You might make a friend that won’t say “hi” later.

It's not a custom, they're just cold

Get naked
Icelanders are notoriously hygienic. You must shower naked before you swim, paying special attention to your special areas. If you’re not sure which parts we mean exactly, refer to the classic Naked Androgynous Diagram.

You seem to have right-of-way
Don’t be surprised when cars slow down to let you cross in front of them; even if you never wanted to cross in the first place. It just gives everybody a chance to get a better look at you.

No Icelandic word for ‘please’
Say takk a lot to make up for it.

7 March 2008 – 15:49 | By Annie | Posted in iceland, food, life lessons | Comments (3)

Something for March: The Bleeding Gums Edition

A roundup of things to do in Iceland this month, as prepared by your 8 Bar editors.

  • That sax will never make it through airport security.The Yardbirds don’t remember the 60’s, but you might. They join musicians from all over the world 18-21 March at the Reykjavík Blues Festival. Sad and happy at the same time. 
  • So you’ve seen Spamalot four times… wouldn’t it be nice to see the New York City Players in an homage to old western movies in Iceland? The International Festival of Theater runs 6-9 March. Who needs Monty Python?
  • Help March go out like lamb by adopting your very own Icelandic sheep. Really. Use her wool, choose her lover, and even eat her children. Better hurry before Angelina Jolie and Madonna snap them all up!

And hey - let’s be careful out there!

28 February 2008 – 12:41 | By Erik | Posted in iceland, Festivals, concerts | Comments (0)

Everyone Loves a Last Minute Deal

Tick TockQuick on the draw? We’ve got 1000 seats for ₤49. Get clicking!

Seven airports, a bunch of low fares, one great destination!

Travel From: London, Copenhagen, Paris, Stockholm, Frankfurt, Eindhoven, and Basel 

Travel Period:
1 June to 15 June 2008

Booking Period:
Right Now - 23:59 GMT, 30 May 2008

One-way fares, including taxes and charges, from:

  • ₤49
  • €60
  • DKK 470
  • SEK 580
  • ISK 6.990

Legal Stuff: Act fast because when they’re gone, they’re gone. Limited dates too, of course.

Still here?
You’re missing out -  Book Now!

27 February 2008 – 8:56 | By Erik | Posted in iceland, cheap flights to iceland | Comments (4)

We come from the land of the ice and snow…

…from the midnight sun where the hot springs blow. Led Zeppelin screamed these words and unknowingly became the first “Friends of Iceland”.

If you’re famous, have been to Iceland once, and have said anything positive about the country, you are qualified to be an Íslandsvinur - A Friend of Iceland. 

This honour is probably bestowed because we feel small in a global context and want to feel oh-so-glam, so we use that popular method employed by anyone feeling inferior – we namedrop.Kiefer, our friend with benefits When foreign friends are over we take them to Harrison Ford’s favourite Indian place, Ryan Philippe’s hang out hotel bar, and Damon Albarn’s does-he-still-own-it?-anyway-he-loves-it pub. And every girl you’ll meet here has received a drink or two from this or that chap. Especially this chap. –>

The first time celebs are here they might get some attention. But by the second and third time they’re here, they have gained the Friend of Iceland status and should be treated as a local celeb, i.e. coyly ignored except in queues outside the clubs. In this way, the celebs can get some privacy, and the Icelanders have something to blog about and tell their foreign friends.

We also like to spread our love of Iceland to all who visit. Even people that are here for work, like actors filming in Iceland, are said to have “fallen for Icelandic nature and leisure” simply because they spend their days off swimming, looking at Geysir, and going to clubs. If they buy an estate here it keeps the entire Icelandic nation happy for a month or so.Tarantino wearing Death itself

If the Íslandsvinur mentions that they were here in interviews it becomes headline news. Quentin Tarantino said horrible things about drunk Icelandic models on Conan O’Brian. However, he did like the snowmobile tour and he complimented Brennivín. This one was tricky, because of the drunken Icelandic women comments, but in the end his status as an Íslandsvinur remained because the girls he mentioned weren’t really supermodels (just regular Icelandic beauties) and he wore some Nonni Dead designs on various occasions after his visit. So it’s all good.

Oh, RobbieThere’s only one man that is an enemy of Iceland – Robbie Williams. When he stepped out of his private jet, and Icelandic news casters bombarded him with questions about what he knew about Iceland, as well as the infamous question How do you like Iceland? his security guards brutally pushed them aside. So Robbie criminally said absolutely nothing about the beauty of Iceland or its women, even though he had been in the country for about 12 minutes. Furthermore, he walked off stage after 20 minutes of playing because someone threw a water bottle on stage. A sworn enemy indeed.

If you are not sure how to keep your cool around international celebrities, go to this bar and learn from the best.

21 February 2008 – 9:38 | By Margrét | Posted in iceland, nightlife, 101, designers, sirkus | Comments (2)

Iceland’s Contribution to the Iraq War, Part II

The search for Iceland’s troop continues. Let’s hope the war keeps going until she can go back!

18 February 2008 – 12:16 | By Erik | Posted in iceland, Adventure in Iceland | Comments (0)

Iceland’s Contribution to the Iraq War, Part I

Iceland’s troop finds that her hand-knit wool sweaters are not appreciated in Baghdad.

15 February 2008 – 9:55 | By Erik | Posted in iceland, Adventure in Iceland, icelandic sweaters | Comments (2)

Get a Taste of Iceland

This is an appetiser, but you better believe that the main course is far more filling!

13 February 2008 – 11:41 | By Erik | Posted in iceland, Bars in Iceland, 101, shopping, swimming pools | Comments (0)