It’s hip to be square.
Every city has a centre; a hub around which all activities seem to spin. Austurvöllur has served as Reykjavík’s heart since the first settler, Ingólfur Arnarson, established his farm just around the corner (two doors down from the strip club… next to the Subway restaurant).
Called the “east field” in honour of where Arnarson’s […]
Category Archives: iceland
You’re Never Too Sexy for Us
Doing our part to preserve Iceland’s well-deserved reputation.
Everyone knows that Iceland is blessed with a ruggedly stunning landscape, a pristine ecosystem, and a population hot enough to make a camel sweat. So why fight it?
While some airlines (no names) have recently asked their passengers to cover up their assets, we say, “shake what yo mamma gave ya!” You’re on vacation, […]
Autumn Icebreaker
Get ‘em while it’s above-freezing! One-way tickets to Iceland
from all over Europe starting at ₤45!
Think the year is winding down? Think again! With outragious festivals, endless nature, and a nightlife that knows no season, Iceland is the place to be this autumn.
Travel Period:
1 October to 30 November 2007
Booking Period:
19 to 21 September 2007 (noon GMT both days)
One-way fares, […]
How To Get a Date with
an Icelander
Oh dear. Exotic, good-looking, and notoriously aloof — dating an Icelander can be a traumatic experience. Our best advice is to…
Something for September: The “There’s More?!” Edition
If you were looking for a rest from the seemingly endless list of cool stuff to do in Iceland this month… uh, sorry.
The concert build-up to Airwaves continues this month with the stylings of Nora Jones, Chris Cornell, Franz Ferdinand, and more. Fair warning: our last editor actaully overdosed on live music once - vomited in […]
Cultural Learnings of Iceland, Part 4: Appelsín
You won’t find any apples in it. You won’t find any oranges in it either, for that matter. Just lots of chemicals and a healthy helping of national pride.
Most nations have their own version of Fanta; Britain has Tango, France has Orangina, and Iceland’s Appelsín is our version of a sticky orange drink. However, because it’s Icelandic it […]
Steamy Little Secret
Psst. Read any good blogs lately (other than this one, of course)? We have. Alda Kalda writes ‘The Iceland Weather Report’ (which gives you far more than the weather), and will be helping us out in upcoming months.* We like her, and we think you will too.
The small town of Laugarvatn is home to one of the best-kept secrets […]
August In-Depth: Reykjavík Marathon/Culture Night
A bunch of running, concerts, a whispering world record, fireworks, and free waffles. What more could you want?
If there is one thing that Icelanders know, it’s celebration. Iceland is the kind of place where people throw a party because they find soap that matches their towels.
So imagine what can happen when you hold an internationally renowned marathon and a country’s largest […]
August In-Depth: Gay Pride Weekend
On 11 August, Iceland comes way, way out of the closet.
Gay Pride weekend has grown to become one of the most anticipated festivals of the year. At this Saturday’s parade, kids sporting rainbow flags and face paint will be as common as drag queens and women in plaid. Páll Óskar, Iceland’s reigning Queen, will croon to the crowd of […]
Believe It or Not!
This Icebreaker is no mystery…
So, you want us to believe that flights to Iceland start at £46?
It’s true. Prices are available from noon GMT on 8 August - 10 August. Prices, tax and all, are from:
€67
£46
DKK 500
SEK 625
NOK 565
Oh, I get it. There are only a few seats at the good rates.
No, there are 2990 seats […]
August In-Depth: Þjóðhátíð
It’s easy to pronounce with a mouth full of beer.
The tiny island of Heimaey in Iceland’s 18-island Westman Island chain erupts on the first weekend in August as thousands come to drink, sing, and burn stuff.
The yearly festival started in 1874 when weather kept the islanders from going ashore to celebrate Iceland’s independence from Denmark. It has grown steadily to […]
Something for August: The Closet Door is Half Open Edition
A roundup of things to do in Reykjavík and beyond this August, as prepared by your fab-u-lous editors.
This 3-6 August, the Westman Islands is the unlikely scene of the earth’s wildest annual party. It’s also where 93% of all Icelanders were conceived. Bring protection (from the weather).
The Reykjavík Gay Pride Festival sashays its way into town 9-12 August. […]
Who’s Your Daddy?
Unlike Prince, Björk actually has a last name -Guðmundsdóttir. But she’s not related to the Guðmundsdóttir who sold you your coffee or the one at your hotel desk. It’s just that their dads have the same first name. Get it?
In its strictest form, Iceland’s naming tradition is pretty straightforward. The surname is determined by taking the father’s first name, adding “son” to the end if it’s a […]
Welcome to Our ‘Hood: Skólavörðustígur
If Laugarvegur is Reykjavík’s High Street, then Skólavörðustígur is as close as Iceland gets to Portobello Road.
In this soon-to-be recurring feature, we’ll give you an insider’s look at places we live and like. If you need to find the closest hotel to the Blue Lagoon, get a guide book. If you want to see locals in their natural […]
Road Tripping
Driving around Iceland’s famous Ring Road might be like flicking through the pages of a geography book, but it’s not all wild and remote — along the way you’ll have to pass through a handful of towns. We’ll just call them “cities” for fun, ok?
Reykjavík, City of Fear
Population 190,000
Your starting point, and the only real […]
Something for July: The Summer Stupor Edition
A roundup of things to do in Reykjavík and beyond this July, as prepared by your not-quite-used-to-the-midnight-sun editors.
Bad Taste, the label that brought you Björk and Sigur Rós has opened a store and gallery downtown, featuring the exhibit ‘Lobster or Fame’. We’ll have the fame, lightly sautéed.
In case you missed them 30 years ago, Toto will play Iceland’s biggest venue 10 […]
Horse Sushi
The Icelandic pony horse gets rolled.
What do Slovenia and Iceland have in common? Not much, you might think… unless you are fortunate enough to chanced upon a dish of horse sashimi hidden amongst the California rolls at a downtown sushi joint. As it turns out, both nations are not-so-secret horse-eaters. The difference being Icelanders use […]
Summer Icebreaker
On sale now, roundtrip tickets to Iceland from seven European airports.
Ok, the only ice left is on the glaciers, but you can find great deals on flights from all over. Think you like summer? Try spending it in a place where you can get a tan at midnight.
Travel Period:
16 June to 31 August 2007
Booking Period:
15 to 19 June 2007
Round-trip prices, including taxes […]
GusGus and Us
As a proud supporter of the tour backing their new album “Forever,” Iceland Express has a quick talk with Biggi Veira of GusGus.
GusGus started in 1995 as a twelve-person experiment in sight, sound, and experience. Since then, the lineup has been streamlined and the focus has shifted to creating the kind of music that turns dance halls into writhing masses of human celebration.
One thing […]
Something for June: The Summer Solstice Edition
A roundup of things to do in Reykjavík this June, as prepared by your still-pasty-white editors.
The midnight sun is in full effect! At 3am you can go for a hike, window shop downtown, or take pictures of your friends naked. Bring the wide-angle lense.
Ok, maybe leave that last one to the professionals… Spencer Tunick displays some […]
Feed Your Airport Addiction!
Psst. Hey you. Yeah, the one locked up in your office. We’ve got what you need.
Need a shot of excitement? We’re adding flights to Iceland from all over Europe this summer to satisfy your craving for adventure. The first hit’s not free, but it’s damn close.
We’re adding lots of seats at our best fares […]
Get to Know Iceland’s Eurovision Entry
How do you follow-up the disaster of Sylvia Night? Glam Rock!
The walking hangover that is Sylvia Night has just started to die off, and what better way to cure it for good than some screaming rock?
As Eiríkur Hauksson took the stage for his third chance at Eurovision stardom (he was Iceland’s first entrant in 1986 and sang for Norway in 1991), Icelanders issued a collective pitiful groan. […]
Something for May: The More Artsy, Less Fartsy Edition
A roundup of things to do in Reykjavík this May, as prepared by your gastricly challenged culturally enlightened editors.
The Reykjavík Arts Festival takes over the capital May 10 to 26. It features hundreds of people that you’ve never heard of who have more talent than Robbie Williams. Oh right, there are mimes too, so, uh, the less said the better.
And you thought the rite of […]
May Special
Listen Up! Flights to Iceland starting at £47!
When was the last time you went to bed before the sun went down? Get to Iceland this May and see how much you can do when a day lasts for almost 18 hours.
Routes:
Fly to Reykjavík (KEF) from Berlin, Copenhagen, Frankfurt Hahn, Friedrichshafen, Gothenburg, London Stansted, Oslo, Paris, and […]
Lessons on Icelandic Nightlife, Part One: When to Go Out
Almost as complicated as it sounds…
Head downtown on a Tuesday night looking for some of that infamous Icelandic party spirit, and you will surely be disappointed. Not a broken bottle or twenty-meter queue in sight.
You see, most locals would consider going out during the week to be a complete waste of time, as they can’t stay up until 5am and spend the next day […]
Something for April: The Mostly Björk Edition
A roundup of things to do in Reykjavík this April, as prepared by your sprightly editors.
Björk, Iceland. Iceland, Björk. Perhaps you’ve met? The singer comes home to kick off the world tour backing her new CD Volta April 9th. Worth it just to see what she’ll wear.
Make your hangover feel like community service. Get to […]
Go Berserk
Scandinavian Icebreaker Update: On sale now, roundtrip tickets to Iceland from Denmark, Sweden and Norway starting at £122/€181.
The Viking invasion has begun, but this time you can skip all the murdering, pillaging, and scurvy.
Routes:
Roundtrip to Reykjavík (KEF) from Copenhagen, Oslo, Billund, Stockholm, and Gothenburg.
Travel Period:
15 May to 30 June 2007
Booking Period:
22 to 26 March 2007
Prices on round-trip flights, including taxes and charges from:
Copenhagen - DKK […]
March: Now One of Iceland’s Top 12 Months
A round-up of things to do in Reykjavík for the rest of March, as prepared by your thankful-to-be-out-of-the-clutch-of-winter’s-evil-darkness editors.
Five years between albums is just too long. Be there as dance music visionaries and all-around hipsters GusGus celebrate the release of their fourth album on the 24th at Nasa. You won’t be the coolest person in the […]
Kolaportið: The undercover market
A battlefield for bargain hunters
So, you want to know where all the old compilation albums and china tea sets went from your local charity shops? They can be found at the Kolaport flea market next to Reykjavik’s harbour.
Imagine a huge undercover car boot sale, dotted around with stalls that resemble the back of Delboy Trotter’s […]
Break the ice, not the bank
Icebreaker Update: On sale now, a special offer on return flights to Iceland from Copenhagen and London
Routes:
To Iceland and back, from Copenhagen and London Stansted.
Travel Period:
1 February to 31 May 2007
Booking Period:
1 to 8 15 February 2007
Prices on return flights, including taxes and charges:
From London for £150,
From Copenhagen for DKK 1,599.
Don’t forget:
Selected dates and limited […]
Something for the Weekend: The Foreign Influences Edition
A roundup of things to do in Reykjavík this weekend, prepared by your under-the easy-to-influence editors.
Tonight and tomorrow, The Good Company Theatre Group makes fun of Vikings and Jews at the Hafnarfjörður Theatre. Don’t worry, it’s probably all very politically correct.
For your weekly (and free) fix of origami, karate, haiku, manga, otaku, karaoke, and sake, […]
Silfra: Probably the closest you’ll get to space-walking
Warning: diving in Silfra will give you several moments of clarity.
Iceland may not be the first country to enter your mind when you think about snorkeling or scuba diving — as we’re sure you do, like, all the time. It’s cold and the underwater life hardly rates high on the Attenborough-scale.
Still, there are some remarkable […]
Hello. Is it you we’re looking for?
We interrupt our regularly scheduled programming to look for a new editor for our non-Icelandic websites.
The job involves the following:
Editing this blog
Writing our email newsletter in English
Writing and editing content for icelandexpress.com, including booking confirmations and reminder emails
Maintaining and overseeing translations for our other international sites in Danish, German, Swedish, and other languages
Occasional offline writing, […]
Something for the Weekend: The Fleeting Moments Edition
A roundup of things to do in Reykjavík this weekend, prepared by your now-you-see-them-now-you-don’t editors.
Right. “The world’s most exciting techno band,” Booka Shade, take the stage at Gaukur á Stöng Friday evening. Also on the bill: some people (we think) called Jack Schidt, Djuna Barnes, Miss Lori, Darren C, Hairdoctor and Fm Belfast. The guys […]
Cultural Learnings of Iceland, Part 3: Lýsi
There’s something fishy about the taste.
Are you getting enough PUFAs? If you take lýsi every day, you probably are. Lýsi is the Icelandic word for cod liver oil; and it’s extremely popular here in Iceland. PUFAs, on the other hand, are polyunsaturated fatty acids, and anything with a name that long and scientific-sounding just has […]
Something for the Weekend: Family Edition
A round-up of things to do in Reykjavík this weekend, as prepared by your family friendly editors
Wake up early Friday morning, since this will be the last day to see the McNaught Comet, visible between the horizon and the moon around twilight.
Too fab to just call it a sale, the concept/design store Kron Kron is […]
Special Offer on Flights with a Four-Year-Old
Iceland Express celebrates its fourth anniversary by offering lots and lots of seats to and from Iceland, from £45 / €65 / DKK 519, one-way, including taxes and charges.
Open for Sale:
From Wednesday 10 January, 13.00 CET (that’s 12 o’clock British Time).
Travel Period:
10 January to 30 March 2007.
Routes:
To Iceland and back, from Berlin, Copenhagen, Friedrichshafen and […]
And a happy new year to you, too
Did you just miss the biggest fireworks display in the world?
According to Iceland Review, Icelanders just blew up one thousands tons of fireworks this New Year’s Eve, worth about €16 million.
In case you missed it, check this out.
More fireworks videos here, here and here. Also lots of great fireworks photos on Flickr
Bad Santas
In which we celebrate the original Icelandic version of that jolly old Coke-drinking elf.
If countries get the Santa Claus they deserve, you might be forgiven for wondering what we in Iceland did to deserve ours.
While other countries have a jolly old Coke-sponsored fat guy with a penchant for gift giving and flying reindeers, we Icelanders […]
Price, price, baby
Icebreaker Update: Return flights to Iceland from Berlin, Copenhagen and London, from €199 / £139 / DDK 1,595
Hear ye, hear ye: Announcing a special Icebreaker offer on return flights with Iceland Express to Reykjavík from selected European cities.
Routes:
To Iceland and back, from Berlin Schönefeld, Copenhagen and London Stansted.
Travel Period:
5 January to 20 March 2007
Booking Period:
15 […]
Something for the Weekend: The Usual Suspects Edition
A round-up of things to do in Reykjavík this weekend, as prepared by your unusually suspicious editors.
Poetry might be dead, but somebody didn’t get the memo. The cool cats of Nýhil will be reading, like, poetry, between acts at Grand rokk tonight. The usual suspects are playing: Mr. Silla & Mongoose, Pétur Ben, Reykjavik! and […]
Wanted: Genuine Icelandic Grandmothers
There’s no point in wearing a traditional Icelandic jumper unless you can say, “What, this old thing? Oh, my genuine Icelandic grandmother knitted it for me years ago. Of course, I’ve had it since before they were in fashion.”
It may look like an unwanted Christmas gift to your foreign eye, but here in Iceland the […]
Special Offer: Lots of December Flights to Iceland
Iceland Express is offering 2.990 seats to and from Iceland, from €35, £25, or DKK 255, one-way, plus taxes and charges.
Open for Sale:
From Friday 1 December, 10.00 CET (that’s 9am British Time).
Travel Period:
1 to 30 December 2006.
Routes:
Between Iceland and Alicante, Berlin, Copenhagen, Frankfurt Hahn, and London.
Price:
€35, £25, or DKK 255, one-way, plus taxes and charges.
Remember:
Selected […]
Something for the Weekend: The Narcissistic Edition
A round-up of things to do in Reykjavík this weekend, prepared by your festive and slightly self-involved editors.
Headstart the weekend on Freaky Friday afternoon at Gallerí Gel, where hair is cut to beats spun by one of our very own, the super-fabulous DJ Kiki-Ow.
Later that evening, spend your hard-earned paychecks at Sirkus, where Curver plays […]
Reykjavík Swimming Pools: The Naked Truth
Making the most of the city’s abundant piping hot water, Reykjavik’s swimming pools are well worth a visit. Even if it means conquering your fear of nudity first.
Low levels of chlorine at all 16 of Reykjavik’s pools means there’s no nasty bleach-like smell while you bathe, but high levels of hygiene mean you have to […]
Something for the Weekend: The Local vs. Global Edition
A roundup of things to do in Reykjavík this weekend, prepared by your cosmopolitan editors.
Tonight, synchronize your watches as the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, complete with two male-choirs and one heroic bass, plays enough Wagner to make you want to invade Poland.
Balance the hormones Friday night at Café Cultura, where voluptious Icelandic women engage in Arabic […]
Gallerí Gel: The (Hair)doctor will see you now
These people can make you look cool, as long as you don’t interfere.
Wandering around 101 Reykjavík on Friday evenings, you are more than likely to come across a few shellshocked trendsetters with obscenely trendy, über half-a-haircut-mullet hairdos. They have most probably been to see the Hairdoctor Jón Atli (the most glamorous hairstylist since Warren Beatty) […]
Something for the Weekend: The Sugarcoated Edition
A roundup of things to do in Reykjavík this weekend, prepared by your sweet, yet sassy, editors.
For all you lovers of that big church on the hill, this weekend there are 20 years since it was opened. Photographs of the church throughout its 50+ year building process are on display. Nearer my God, to thee.
Thursday […]