msackton

My wife and I are heading to Paris this Sept, and ended up on Iceland Air - which now has a "Iceland Stopover" program that allows up to a 7 day layover in Iceland at no extra cost. So we decided, why not?

We are leaving Paris on a Friday afternoon (Sept 19), getting to Iceland around 4pm on Friday, and then leaving for the States Sunday (Sept 21) evening (5pm).

We booked two nights at the Centerhotel Thingholt - anyone know anything about it? They had a 60% offer on their website, so we jumped (but could cancel). Budget for hotels would be up to $200/night.

Restaurant rec's would be much appreciated as well - my wife is vegetarian, but we prefer nice places that could accommodate that, rather than veggie restaurants.

Also, what should we do while there? I presume we'll spend our first afternoon just walking around Reykjavik, but what else is worth seeing? Don't mind a tour if that's the best way to get out of town, but prefer smaller, more independent style tours - not big buses if possible.

The Blue Lagoon looks like a possibility on our way back to the airport - the Iceland tourist board seems to recommend it pretty highly. Is it worthwhile?

basingstoke2

First, you will want to plan to get our of Reykjavik - not that it is not a small pleasant city it is, but Iceland's beauty lies in its countryside. The Golden Circle route is a good introduction to nearby sights and sites and there are plenty of tour companies of all sorts to choose from. The two times that I have done it, I just rented a car. The roads you will need are not hard to find. I didn't find Iceland at all difficult as far as driving directions, but be prepared for uninproved and gravel roads.

Know that Iceland is very expensive, particularly its restaurants. Is your wife vegan? If she will eat dairy, you may do ok. Veggies and fruits are especially expensive in Iceland since most are imported. Take a look at food markets as a restaurant alternative and picnic.

The Blue Lagoon is a place to experience, IMO there is not much to look at. If you don't plan to go in the water, I wouldn't bother. If you plan to go in the water, then go for it - it is an experience.

In Iceland it is not unusual to experience all 4 seasons in one day. Be prepared - it is part of the fun. You will likely find the Iceland experience unlike anything you have seen before in a very positive way. Have a great time.

zeppole

When I was is Iceland for a 48-hour layover during the first week of September, Hertz rent-a-car offered a kind of self-guided driving tour that you could take in a single day. The route made an arc, north of the city to Thingavellir, then up to the huge waterfall, over to the east coast, and back through the area of the blue lagoon. The car rental included a CD that was an audio guide and of course a map. If they still do it, you probably get a GPS now.

I followed the route, but didn't stop at every stop. Very luckily for me, the sun came out quite early in the drive and pretty much stayed out. I was rather fascinated Thingallivir, its history (it was used a political assembly point) and its natural features. In the sunlight it's very pretty. (Iceland's sheep pretty much denude the rest of the land, so the protected Thingavellir has flora.)

I also was impressed by the huge, thundering waterfall, which produces lots of rainbows when the sun is out. And I had a delicious dinner of lobster and potatoes on the west coast at a somewhat famous place that serves nothing but these small lobsters. I didn't stop at the Blue Lagoon, and I skipped other sights.

I really disliked Reykjavik, but others don't have my negative reactions to outposts. But even if you like Reykjavik, I think you'll want some kind of tour out of the city, and lots are offered, including whalewatching, which I might have done had it been offered.

There is a cafe facing the park lake in the center of Rejykavik that serves soup and breads and it was the best food I had in Reykjavik, but I otherwise only ate at the hotel.

zeppole

PS: I should say that this was several years ago, so that cafe in Reykjavik may be closed. Also, I meant to type that I might have gone whalewatching instead of driving myself around, but i'm not sorry I chose as I did, nor that I spent most of my time enjoying Thingavellir.

There is a very odd hotel right in the middle of the Thingavellir park. It serves lunch. If nothing else, a lunch up in Thingavellir might interest you, and no doubt there buses. You could go to the Blue Lagoon at night.

travelbunny

There is a very reasonable family run hotel..actually looks more like a motel near the Blue Lagoon. The food is wonderful. It is called the Northern Lights. You might book it for Sat pm. It would allow you to go to the Blue Lagoon Sunday am and then catch you plane in Rekjavik for your flight home...just be sure to arrive early enough on Saturday night to have dinner..it is a treat.

Jay_G

Just to chip in, I stayed at the Thingholt hotel earlier this year and if you're getting it at 60% of the usual price, it'll be a bargain.

Depending on your room, you might find it a little small, but well designed if you like the standard 'boutique' accoutrements.

It's well placed and the staff when we were there were incredibly friendly and helpful.

I'd definitely stay there again next time I go to Iceland.

Enjoy.

msackton

On restaurants: my wife eats dairy,cheese,eggs etc - just no meat or fish.

On cost: I realize it will be expensive. Would $100/pp be enough to eat on for 2 days, including one nice meal but no alcohol? (Breakfast is included @ our hotel) Too bad we aren't stopping on our way to Paris - maybe Iceland would make Paris feel cheap

On hotels: Sounds like we should stick with the Centerhotel Thingholt. Staying in 2 hotels (or staying out of the city) doesn't appeal.

On getting out of Reykjavik: Anyone want to recommend a tour? Or should we just rent a car for the day? If we do rent a car for the day, are we likely to have problems if it is a small car (a Yaris, say)?
(As noted, we aren't exactly tour people, but we had a great time on some _small_ tours to glaciers/etc in Alaska, and I wonder if Iceland is similar?)

On whale watching: There are lots of places in the world to go whale watching, is there anything that makes whale watching in Iceland unique? Or are we better off seeing the interior terrain?

We would definitely swim at a hot spring - is Blue Lagoon the best one? It seems pretty convenient even if it isn't the best - there are a number of combined airport-transfer Blue Lagoon buses that we could take Sunday morning.

annhig

Hi, msackton,

if you can wait three weeks or so before making any definite decisions, you wil be able to read my trip report hot off the press, as we are off to Iceland next Tuesday, returning Say 9th aug. [look out for "mum's been to Iceland" or some such other "cutely" named thread.

we're not actually stopping in Reykjavik but will be touring the western part of Iceland, starting off in the south, moving through the "golden Circle" and then going right up to the northwestern fjords, ending up with one night at the Northern Lights Hotel.

nothing we read about Reykjavik made us want to stay there, but you could certainly do a nice tour of the golden circle in a day, and perhaps do a whale watching trip on the sunday, followed by the pm at the Blue Lagoon.

I'll certainly have a better idea when we get back.

regards, ann

anda007

I have been creating a travelling web-site about Iceland. Please feel free to check it out and see if you get any good ideas: http://www.main-iceland.blogspot.com/
I hope you will have a really nice stay in Iceland!

Debs

Take a look at www.reykjavikexcursions.is for some tour ideas. We did both the city tour and Golden Circle tour on our trip a few years back - the Golden Circle tour was excellent as you're outside the city and into the natural beauty of Iceland - and as one poster so correctly said-you can experience 4 seasons all in one day!

Yes-Iceland IS expensive so be prepared for sticker shock (home to the worlds most expensive McDonalds I believe). The natural beauty of the island is spectacular and won't soon be forgotten. ENJOY!

annhig

Hi again, msackton,

well, we're back, though no trip report as yet, I'm afraid as I've had to go back to work, mostly to pay for the trip!!

"sticker shock" is definitely an apt phrase for iceland.

<<I have been creating a travelling web-site about Iceland. Please feel free to check it out and see if you get any good ideas: http://www.main-iceland.blogspot.com/
I hope you will have a really nice stay in Iceland!>>

Anda - i wish I'd found this before we went. it looks as if it could be a great help to anyone planning on a visit to Iceland.

Msackton - looking at your initial queries, we didn't stop in Reykjavik, but the position of the hotel you have found looks fine [Reykjavik isn't vey big anyway] and if it's affordable, go for it - the prices of accommodation in R'vik are pretty high - you can expect to pay about U$ 300 per night for a double room in a decent central hotel according to the Lonely Planet guide which we used and proved to be very accurate.

as for vegetarians, R'vik will be better than the rest of the country, which appears to exist mainly on lamb. We saw two veggie restaurants in the centre, and fresh fish was on offer everywhere.

hopefully I get round the the trip report within the next few days. in the meantime, if you've got any specific questions, just let me know.

regards, ann

Canada_V

hi msackton -
We are considering the same idea when we go to France in June. Just wanted to follow-up to see how your Iceland stopover went and whether you think it was worth it, or would you reccomend an additional 2 nights in Paris instead
thanks!

Jed

This is a 'hit and run' post. Ask a question and don't have the courtesy to answer when they come back. It happens too often.