For every port we visit, our Cruise and Travel Director has prepared an in-depth presentation of the best places to see. He tries to give us his "Top Ten" things to see and do, although in some ports his list is smaller. Then the night before our visit, he has a "Q and A" to go over some of the practical details that independent travelers are interested in - Is there a hop on hop off bus? Is Uber available? How far is the walk from the pier into town?
For our visit to Djupivogur, Iceland, the first question asked was “Why do we stop here?” suggesting there was not much to do or see. He struggled a bit to come up with an answer, admitting that not every port will be equally exciting.
We think anyone asking that question is missing the whole point of a Grand Voyage. It’s not always about the museums or the cathedrals or historic buildings. Sometimes you just have to go out and look for the magic, and there is plenty of magic in this small community.
It starts when you get off the tender and there are three young boys selling little rocks that they have hand painted. We bought one from each of them. Then you walk up the residential street and find an unusual home, whose owner has an amazing collection of rocks, many on display in his front yard, back yard, and shed. It gives new meaning to the term Rock Garden. You can continue down the road to find an extensive bird sanctuary, with easily accessible bird blinds for your viewing pleasure.
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You eventually get to the airport runway, a long strip of land leading down to the ocean. We found out from a resident that it has not been used in at least 5 years and is basically there for emergencies. If you walk the runway to the end, you wind up on the most incredible black sand beach. The sand is like flour, so fine and pure. Wander among the unusual rock formations, walk the beach for a mile or more in either direction, or enjoy the snow-covered peaks in the distance. It is blissfully quiet, and the air feels so fresh and unpolluted.
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Tired of the beach? Try one of the trails that go off into the sand dunes and circle back to the town. Ready for a bite to eat? Stop at the Framtid Hotel for a beer and pizza with an Icelandic flair, enjoyed on their outside deck overlooking the water.
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Still have some energy? Hike up to the monument on the hill in the center of town, check out the lighthouse, or visit the famous sculpture with the 34 huge 3-foot-high granite eggs lined up on the shore, depicting the nesting birds of the area. Stop in the gift shop or the small museum near the tender.
These experiences are why we stop here, and we couldn’t think of a better way to spend a day.
Akureyri, Iceland
Day two in Iceland is in the much larger city of Akureyri. We had a busy day out of town with our Cruise Specialists guests on a tour called "Jewels of the North." Our drive started on the edge of Eyjafjörður, one of the longest fjords in Iceland. Our first stop was at "Godafoss Waterfall" or "Waterfall of the Gods." The Gods were in our favor today, as the weather was spectacular - hot by local standards, and clear and dry. The falls were impressive as always.
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We then visited the Namaskard geothermal area to walk among the boiling sulfur pits. It’s fascinating but smells awful! Our third stop of the day was the Dimmuborgir Lava Labyrinth, where we walked among the 200+ feet high arches and unique lava formations and caves.
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Lunch was at a local restaurant, where we enjoyed a soup buffet - three tasty local specialties with fresh bread and a Viking beer to wash it down. One final stop was at the Skútustadagrig pseudo craters. Formed from gas explosions 2,300 years ago, it’s another beautiful and unique landscape. So many natural wonders in a short day of touring, that there was no time to see the city of Akureyri on this trip.
Isafjordur, Iceland
We were then off to Isafjordur, a gem of a small city down another beautiful fjord. We’ve hiked here many times, rented bikes, and even had a rental car for one visit. Another spectacular weather day greeted us, confirming our plans to just go out and enjoy the scenery and the fresh air. Isafjordur sits between remarkably high mountains, which still have some snow at their peaks. But the local trails were open and mostly dry.
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Although we started out on a path we were familiar with, we found some new paths to explore. Our favorite sight today was the endless fields of Arctic or Alaskan Lupin flowers blooming all over. They grow wild on the hillsides, are a beautiful purple and even this early in the season, they were spectacular. What a joy to walk among them. They are all over the country, although a guide told us that they are not native, but started to expand after an explorer brought two teaspoons of seeds into the country.
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Winding our way back down to town after almost 11 miles of up and down the hillsides, we were in search of a place to get something to eat. We passed friends sitting outside at an inviting café and joined them for an excellent lunch of the local fish soup specialty. They served us a large bowl full of the creamy base, loaded with fish and shrimp, together with fresh bread and an excellent pesto. So good! The Viking beer was rather good too.
There are some interesting tours offered here: a cruise to Vigur Island to see the puffins and other local birds; a whale watching cruise; a trip to the Arctic Fox research center to learn about Iceland’s only native mammal; or a visit to Dynjandi Waterfall, known to some as the most beautiful. We’ve always just loved staying in town and enjoying the scenery and the hiking opportunities!
Our Captain just told us that the temperatures we have been experiencing are record breaking - not seen in this area since the 1960’s. We are loving it!
Reykjavik, Iceland
Reykjavik, the Capital of Iceland is a clean and modern city and is apparently expanding rapidly. We saw construction all over town during our two-day visit.
Our first day was a long and very rewarding day of touring with our Cruise Specialists guests. We ventured out to see the “Golden Circle and Icelandic Horses.” We certainly hit all the important spots. In order, we visited:
1- Thingvellir National Park - considered a sacred place where in 930 AD the Vikings formed the oldest parliament in the world. We had a guided walking tour through the site.
2- Gullfoss, the Golden Waterfall - where the Hvítá river drops 96 feet into two falls - an awesome sight.
3- The Geyser Geothermal Area - where the Geyser Strokkur erupts to possibly 90 feet high every 10 minutes or so to the delight of the anxious crowds.
4- The Geysir Glíma Restaurant - served a filling lunch of fresh and delicious Icelandic salmon, salad, potatoes, and an exceptional soup. Chocolate covered macaroons were an unexpected but excellent dessert.
5- Faxi Waterfall - a small but beautiful hidden gem in the countryside.
6- Friðheimar - a private stables and farm for a show with the remarkable Icelandic horses. We saw a performance displaying their ability to use 5 different gaits, the only breed with that skill. We also visited the stables to get up close with these beautiful and friendly animals.
7- Kerið Volcanic Crater - part of a group of volcanic hills thought to be created about 6,000 years ago.
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About 9 hours later, we returned exhausted but happy to have seen so much. Some of our guests continued back into the city on the shuttle to experience Reykjavik at night.
Early the next morning, our captain advised us of a deteriorating weather condition affecting our crossing over to Greenland. As a result, we would be staying another night in Reykjavik to try and miss the worst of it.
So, on day two, we ventured out into the city on another glorious and relatively warm day, glad to not have to watch the clock, since we will be staying the night.
We took the shuttle to the unique Harpa Concert Hall, built downtown over the water. From there, we started a large walking loop around the outer edge of the city. We wandered through the old wharf area to a beautiful and almost deserted promenade that runs for several miles out to the end of land.
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Then we turned into the city and wandered downtown, our destination being the Hallgrímskirkja – an iconic church. At 244 feet tall, it is the largest church in Iceland and towering above the city center, is the best-known symbol of the city. It also has a magnificent pipe organ with 5,275 pipes, which we were privileged to hear being played when we entered. It is a stunning building in its simplicity. Not far from there is Rainbow Street, painted in bold stripes to celebrate diversity, it is a popular gathering place and was super busy when we were there.
Looking for a place to try more Icelandic food, we happened upon a café with outdoor seating and an authentic looking menu. Continuing our “beer with everything in Iceland” pattern, we paired it with yummy bowls of fish soup and a unique fish tapa that was served on brown bread and was just perfect.
The gift shop down the street was our final stop before we decided to bypass the Shuttle and walk the 2.5 miles back to the ship. It was long but the weather was too good and the waterfront promenade, with interesting sculptures all the way back, too inviting to ignore. It turned out to be our longest walking day of the Voyage at 12.5 miles.
There was so much we didn’t see in our two days this time in Reykjavik - like the Blue Lagoon or the Pearl or any of the many Viking history exhibits. Iceland remains one of our favorite destinations, with something for every type of traveler. We will always be happy to visit here. We hope to drive the Ring Road on an extended visit one day.
Fondly,
Wendy and Steve
Continue Reading:
A Bon Voyage! | Costa Rica & Panama | Ecuador and Northern Peru | Wendy's Adventures in Peru | Steve's Adventure in Machu Picchu | Arica and San Antonio, Chile | Robinson Crusoe & Southern Chile | More Chile & Argentina | Antarctica | Falkland Islands | Montevideo & Punta del Este | Brazil | The Amazon | Salvation Islands | Arriving in Africa | Canary Islands & Morocco | Gibraltar and Barcelona | Spain & Portugal | France, Belgium and The Netherlands | Scotland and Norway | More Norway | Iceland | Greenland | Canada & New England | Voyage Summary
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