november2011

88 SanDiegoMagazine.comNovember2011

Arrive

Icelandair, the national carrier, is

the only airline to off er international

fl ights to and from the U.S. year-round.

Be sure to take advantage of its free

stopover deal for travelers en route

between the U.S. and Europe. You’ll

feel like you’re getting a free trip to the

country. icelandair.com, 877-435-9423

Climb

Iceland is a fairly low-lying country—in

fact, the country’s tallest mountain,

Hvannadalshnúkur, stands only about

400 feet higher than Mt. Cuyamaca,

the second-tallest peak in San Diego

County. But it’s eminently climbable.

The best time to climb is late spring,

when the snows have stopped, but the

glacier cloaking the mountain, Vatna-

jökull, hasn’t yet developed treacherous

crevasses. Arrange a tour through

mountainguides.is

Drink

Reykjavik may have cultivated a rep as

prodigious drinking town, but there are

plenty of bars with a non-binge agenda.

Laundromat Cafe, located at Aus-

turstræti 9, is a bar-cum-coff ee house

that caters to a young and wholesome

crowd. There are washing machines

in the basement where folks can wash

their clothes while enjoying a pint of

Viking, the popular domestic lager.

Dine

A trendy activity for tourists and

erstwhile locals is to take a stroll down

to Reykjavik harbor and hit a fi sh shack

called Sægreifi nn, or “Sea Baron,” for

lobster chowder and fi sh kebabs within

hours of arriving in country. Be warned,

though: While the fare is light, it’s heavy

on moral relativism. Dolphin and whale

are on the menu. And if you think that

Icelanders are wringing their hands

over the whole sea-mammals-as-food

issue, think again. Iceland’s fl eet of

modern, black-hulled whalers sits

conspicuously in berths a few dozen

meters away.

Soak

One of Iceland’s most visited spots,

a luxe geothermal spa called Blue

Lagoon, sits a few miles off the road

from Kefl avik International Airport.

Patrons wade the turquoise waters,

warmed by shots of Brennivin, or

Icelandic schnapps, served poolside.

bluelagoon.com

Sleep

Try Fosshótel Lind, a minimalist but

cozy three-star hotel in Reykjavik. Cen-

trally located, the hotel is popular with

trekkers as there are other locations on

the island. Another clean and quirky one

is Hótel Frón, right on Laugarvegur, a

main street in Reykjavik. fosshotel.is;

hotelfron.is

Drive

Iceland’s Route 1,

or Ring Road, circles

the island, but unless you have a week

to drive the whole thing, stick to the

southern half. As a good two-day trip,

drive from Reykjavik to Jökulsárlón,

the famed lake made by a melting

glacier, seen in a couple of James Bond

fl icks. Along the way, stop at the black

sand beach at Vik, which features a

kaleidoscopic basalt cave, and Skóga-

foss, a majestic 200-. waterfall

that’s o en wreathed in a misty double

rainbow. Budget cars can be rented

from Arctic Car Rental in Kefl avik or

Reykjavik for about $60/day. arctic.is

// LARRY KNOWLES

trekking in iceland

This intriguing country is a dream for

hikers, climbers, and road-trippers—but

it’s small enough to conquer and still

make it back to Reykjavik for some pints

© LAYNE KENNEDY/CORBIS

Reykjavik

Blue Lagoon