How To Use This E-Book
Getting Around the e-Book
This Pocket Guide e-book is designed to give you inspiration and planning advice for your visit to Iceland, and is also the perfect on-the-ground companion for your trip.
The guide begins with our selection of Top 10 Attractions, plus a Perfect Itinerary feature to help you plan unmissable experiences. The Introduction and History chapters paint a vivid cultural portrait of Iceland, and the Where to Go chapter gives a complete guide to all the sights worth visiting. You will find ideas for activities in the What to Do section, while the Eating Out chapter describes the local cuisine and gives listings of the best restaurants. The Travel Tips offer practical information to help you plan your trip. Finally, there are carefully selected hotel listings.
In the Table of Contents and throughout this e-book you will see hyperlinked references. Just tap a hyperlink once to skip to the section you would like to read. Practical information and listings are also hyperlinked, so as long as you have an external connection to the internet, you can tap a link to go directly to the website for more information.
Maps
All key attractions and sights in Iceland are numbered and cross-referenced to high-quality maps. Wherever you see the reference [map], tap once to go straight to the related map. You can also double-tap any map for a zoom view.
Images
Youll find lots of beautiful high-resolution images that capture the essence of Iceland. Simply double-tap an image to see it in full-screen.
About Insight Guides
Insight Guides have more than 40 years experience of publishing high-quality, visual travel guides. We produce 400 full-colour titles, in both print and digital form, covering more than 200 destinations across the globe, in a variety of formats to meet your different needs.
Insight Guides are written by local authors, whose expertise is evident in the extensive historical and cultural background features. Each destination is carefully researched by regional experts to ensure our guides provide the very latest information. All the reviews in Insight Guides are independent; we strive to maintain an impartial view. Our reviews are carefully selected to guide you to the best places to eat, go out and shop, so you can be confident that when we say a place is special, we really mean it.
2017 Apa Digital (CH) AG and Apa Publications (UK) Ltd
Table of Contents
Icelands Top 10 Attractions
Top Attraction #1
Getty Images
rsmrk
One of Icelands most dramatic wilderness areas. For more information, .
Top Attraction #2
Ming Tang-Evans/Apa Publications
Heimaey
A quintessential Icelandic fishing port with an attractive harbour. For more information, .
Top Attraction #3
Getty Images
Reykjavk.
Icelands vibrant capital has many cultural attractions. For more information, .
Top Attraction #4
iStock
Geysir
No visit is complete without seeing Icelands hot springs. For more information, .
Top Attraction #5
Shutterstock
Goafoss
Witness the power of these staggering falls. For more information, .
Top Attraction #6
Ming Tang-Evans/Apa Publications
Blue Lagoon
Bathe in the naturally heated, therapeutic waters. For more information, .
Top Attraction #7
Getty Images
Lake Mvatn
A bird-watchers paradise surrounded by volcanic peaks. For more information, .
Top Attraction #8
Getty Images
Northern Lights
The most breathtaking lightshow on earth. For more information, .
Top Attraction #9
iStock
Jkulsrln
This spectacular iceberg-studded lagoon is out of this world. For more information, .
Top Attraction #10
Shutterstock
Whale-watching
Spot one of these majestic creatures off Hsavik. For more information, .
A Perfect Day In Reykjavk
9.30am
Breakfast
Start the day with breakfast at your hotel or head to the retro-style caf, Gri Ktturinn, on Hverfisgata 16, for orange juice, pancakes with bacon and syrup and plenty of coffee refills.
11.00am
Shoreline stroll
Take a morning walk past the glittering Harpa concert hall to the harbour area. If you are tempted, you could take in a whale-watching trip from one of the boats moored here. Check out Icelandic pop art at the Hafnarhs gallery and admire Mt Esja across the bay.
12.30pm
Lobster stop
Stop for a bowl of lobster soup and a beer at Sgreifinn fish shack on Geirsgata 8.
1.30pm
Reykjavks heart
Take a walk through Austurvllur square, the citys traditional heart, where youll find the statue of Jn Sigursson, Parliament House and, adjacent, Reykjavks modest cathedral, the Dmkirkjan. Slip past the City Hall to see the abundant birdlife on Tjrnin pond.
2.00pm
Heritage walk
Walk down Reykjavks oldest street, Aalstrti, and look in at the citys most modern heritage museum, Reykjavk 8712 Settlement Exhibition, for some Icelandic history.
3.00pm
Retail therapy
Head to Reykjavks main shopping street, Laugavegur, for vintage clothes (Sptnik at 28b) and vinyl (Bad Taste at 28), along with exclusive, cutting edge fashion labels. Branching off diagonally, Sklavrustgur is lined with beautiful art and design shops.