Image: larigan – Patricia Hamilton via Getty
This is part two of a two-part series. Read part one here.
If you want to return home from Reykjavik with a hand-knit specialty, there is a state-supported craft shop in the middle of Reykjavík’s center with beautiful goods. Otherwise, enterprising knitters sell their wares on pop-up tables in town, but on rainy days they’re scarce.
Reykjavík is a museum town – there are no less than six significant ones, including several contemporary art museums. The Settlement Exhibition, drawn from recent excavations, explores the early settlement of Iceland in the late 9th century. And then there’s the Penis Museum (not a typo), aka the Icelandic Phallological Museum, which chronicles the mammalian phallic world of Iceland. It’s serious, interdisciplinary science. See, there’s something for everyone.
For local information, I ♥ Reykjavik is home base. Founder and Reykjavík native Au∂ur started by giving charming, informative walking tours of Reykjavík. I fell under her spell on such a tour in 2014. Her enterprise has grown into a one-stop Icelandic tour hub including combo tours that maximize a short stay in this spectacular country. Her blog is entertaining and loaded with information. Au∂ur epitomizes the youthful energy and optimism that animates Iceland. Her walking tour is a great overview of this capital city: surprising artistic expression of graffiti bedecked houses, a swing through Reykjavík’s ‘must see’ spots, shopping tips and yes, coffee.
Like other places around the globe dominated by millennial culture, Reykjavík prides itself in its coffee and its music scene. While Reykjavík isn’t big, the hotels, clubs and restaurants are close together and the noisy buzz can extend into the wee hours.
If quietude is a must, get out of the fray at the very modern Hilton Nordica. It’s corporate-world efficient with a complimentary breakfast and five minutes to the city center with frequent free shuttle service. I recommend it as a solo traveler: predictable, familiar, and it has a welcoming bar for a nightcap. It’s a good place to soothe your disjointed circadian rhythm.
If you have the time, don’t miss the Golden Circle tours, which highlight Iceland’s ‘top three’ tourist destinations – a waterfall, a geothermal geyser and a breathtaking national park (or so I’m told). These are offered by various companies, including the aforementioned combo tour with Au∂ur.
Iceland is such an easy destination from North America, either as a stand-alone trip (about the same flight time as a transcontinental flight and only three hours from the UK) or as a stop-over to or from Europe, as I did.
My last day here was devoted to the Blue Lagoon, a natural, geothermal pool-turned-spa run by the Icelandic government. The Lagoon has a fascinating history – its therapeutic waters were discovered by accident. I booked the premium package and it was well worth the upgrade. I slipped in a massage, too.
I enjoyed a delightful lunch of Icelandic lamb (among other choices) in the dining room LAVA, with a lovely wine and view of the pool before heading on to the airport and the flight home. I arrived at JFK feeling human, which isn’t common after a long-haul flight.
The Blue Lagoon is undergoing expansion to include a luxury hotel scheduled to open in late 2017. That will change its day-tripper vibe, but the good news is that it can be a layover destination in itself.
Finally, Icelanders struck me as at peace with themselves and the wider world. It’s a quality we don’t see enough of if you ask me. Maybe this is their secret: Iceland’s culture of pools. If you go to Iceland or are even thinking about it, I heartily recommend the Lonely Planet Guide. It’s all you need to know to go.
This blog originally appeared on 3 Score & More.
Jane Trombley is founder of 3 Score & More, a blog launched to inspire travel and discovery among curious women 60+. As part of the ‘three score and more’ demographic, she is no stranger to life’s reset button. After careers in advertising, communication, and a very rewarding stint in adventure travel, she is following her heart and encouraging others to do the same. Jane is based in the Hudson Valley, New York, USA.