IanTheAdventurer
11 Sep 2009 07:19PM
Iceland is incredible! I went last summer, before the crash of their economy. Therefore, I\'m not sure how it\'s changed. At the time, though, it was the cleanest, safest city I\'ve ever visited. It\'s absolutely beautiful.
I stayed at Reykjavik City Hostel- definitely the best place in town. It\'s not exactly centralized, but the bus to downtown stops right outside, and it only takes about 15-20 minutes to walk to downtown- one can even do it along The Atlantic (bring a good jacket and maybe some thin gloves, even in the summer). The accommodations are definitely worth the walk though. The staff is incredibly helpful and nice and the establishment is big with plentiful amenities. They even help set up excursions and rent cars!
The Golden Circle is a must (Geysir, Gullfoss, etc.). There are also some great caving and diving excursions to Thingvellir, and some breathtaking horseback treks in Hafnafjorthur. If you have the time, rent a car and drive The Ring Road around the entire country (I\'ve heard it can be done in 24hrs, but best to be savoured). Other than Reykjavik, I caught one of many daily flights from the domestic airport to Akureyri, which, although smaller, has some of the best Saturday nightlife I\'ve experienced in my travels (there\'s a surprising multi-story club across from the Vinbuth). You can also catch a flight to Kulusuk, Greenland, which was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It was chilly in July, so be prepared. Reykjavik, on the whole, can be done on foot no problem- quite pleasurably, in fact. Be sure to get an early start to your day, though, as most museums and Hallgrimskirkja close mid-afternoon.
As for language, one can get by without knowing Icelandic, as Icelanders study English, Danish and Icelandic from year one of school. However, I found it very beneficial to have at least a basic, workable knowledge of it. It got me out of a couple of jams- and it\'s just courteous. I used \"Teach Yourself Icelandic\"- a book and 2-disc set. It\'s not even $20 on Amazon.
As a final note- when you get there, be sure to get in the line just inside the exit door of the airport, and buy a shuttle pass a.s.a.p. The line gets long fast, and it\'s the easiest, least expensive way to get to town from the airport. Let me know if you need any more, specific advice. Have an amazing time!
