Iceland

01 Jul (Wed) CX255 HKG 00:35 LHR 06:20 0 12:45

LHR - Reykjavik (KEF)
ICELANDAIR
FI0451
Departs: Wed 01 Jul 09 13:00
Arrives: Wed 01 Jul 09 15:00
travel time: 03 hrs 00 mins

stay at CenterHotel Thingholt 7/1, 7/2, 7/3

Reykjavik (KEF) - LHR
ICELANDAIR
FI0454
Departs: Sat 04 Jul 09 16:10
Arrives: Sat 04 Jul 09 20:10
http://www.gordonramsay.com/yorkandalbany
(dinner confirmed, room not yet)

fly out 05 Jul 12:35

websites to check out re: iceland
http://www.cntraveller.co.uk/Guides/Iceland/Reykjavik/default.aspx
and frommers guide

where to eat

7/1 Einar Ben
(confirmed)
Veltusundi 1
Reykjavik
354/511-5090

Newcomer Einar Gustavsson has updated the menu at this classic restaurant JUST OFF Reykjavik's main square. Named after the poet and entrepreneur who started Iceland's first daily newspaper, and located in the house where he worked (built in 1908), Einar Ben exudes a sense of history. Gustavsson uses mostly Icelandic ingredients and focuses on SEAFOOD and game, infusing dishes with mountain herbs.

We loved: Walnut-crusted reindeer with rösti potato and morel sauce.

7/2 Domo

(confirmed)
Ingholtsstraeti 5
Reykjavik
354/552-5588

Renowned local chef Ragnar Ómarsson serves his delicate French-Asian inventions in Domo's moodily lit dining room and at the long communal table in the bar. The basement is the city's hippest new venue for jazz, blues and local bands.

We loved: Fried scallops with ginger and Thai basil.

7/3 Fish Market
(booked on website ... should be confirmed... reconfirm when arrive)
Adalstræti 12
Reykjavik
354/578-8877

Menus are bound in salmon skin at chef Hrefna Sætran's new seafood restaurant, in an old wooden house next to the site of one of Iceland's first settlements. Sætran trained at the prestigious Seafood Cellar, and she transforms the freshest local ingredients with Asian-inflected combinations.

We loved: Deep-fried monkfish with Chinese spinach.

from CN09
9 Geirsgata

Tel: 354-561-1111

Despite the unremarkable concrete facade, Orange, in Reykjavík's old harbor, is packed with playful surprises. A slushie machine dispenses potent neon cocktails named for Iceland's glaciers; a mason jar holding a deer and goose terrine appears amid a cloud of dry ice; and the coconut-crusted prawns arrive via a helium-filled balloon. Presiding over this fun-through-dining experience is 29-year-old chef Thorarinn Eggertsson. He deftly incorporates aspects of molecular gastronomy into a menu heavy on locally sourced ingredients like gray duck, reindeer, and salted cod.
Tip: The "Let's Go Crazy" tasting menu is the best way to experience Eggertsson's mad genius (entrées, $32–$46).

2008 Go List
Baldursgata 14
Reykjavik
011-354/552-3939

Only in Iceland would smoked puffin, pâté of guillemot (a type of sea bird) and whale sashimi be staples at a family-run restaurant in a quiet residential area. 3 Frakkar offers some of the most delicious renditions of local specialties, in a dining room with a pleasingly homey vibe and walls lined with mounted fish and stuffed ram's heads.

We loved: Minke whale pepper steak in pepper sauce

year 2004 recommendation
Vox Restaurant
This popular newcomer serves Continental dishes with a regional twist, such as puffin breasts with foie gras. DINNER FOR TWO $250. 2 SUDURLANDSBRAUT, REYKJAVIK; 011-354/444-5050; www.vox.is

B5
Bankastræti 5, Reykjavik (00 354 552 9600). B5 has a (possibly ironic) disco-ball hanging from the ceiling - about the only item in the place that isn't taupe and made of leather. Relax in the deepest seats ever and enjoy an excellent hot chocolate, just what you need after you've been trawling the shops.

KAFFI SOLON
Bankastræti 7a, Reykjavik (00 354 562 3232; www.solon.is). Buzzy, stylish Kaffi Sólon will take you through the day, from brunch to the early hours (hence the sound system in the corner).

SÆGREIFINN
Geirsgata 8, Reykjavik (00 354 553 1500; www.saegreifinn.is). For a purely Icelandic experience, have lunch at what can only be described as a shack down at the old port. Sægreifinn specialises in lobster soup and fish kebabs. The soup, made to a secret recipe using a sort of local crayfish, is sensational. You can also try a brochette of very fresh scallops or, if you are feeling brave, whale meat. (Whale-watching and whale-catching ships sit incongruously side by side here.)

GRAI KOTTURINN
Hverfisgata 16a, Reykjavik (00 354 551 1544). 'The Grey Cat' is a cosy, dimly lit, book-lined café in an old townhouse. It only starts filling up with the breakfast crowd after 10am or so. Sit and read the Reykjavik Grapevine, the lively, English-language paper with entertainment listings, while you eat eggs, pancakes or bagels and drink good coffee (Icelanders take the latter very seriously).

RESTAURANTS

HUMARHUSID RESTAURANT
Amtmansstíg 1, Reykjavik (00 354 561 3303; www.humarhusid.is). Humarhúsid Restaurant strives for '90 per cent Icelandic cuisine' (including local lobster, horse, duck and smoked eel) and is highly rated.

LA PRIMAVERA
Austurstræti 9, Reykjavik (00 354 561 8555; www.laprimavera.is). La Primavera is Italian and very grown-up. The Italian-Icelandic fusion dish of tagliatelle with saffron, chorizo, pine nuts and salt cod (that's the Icelandic bit) worked beautifully. The chef trained with Jamie Oliver, who has eaten here and raved about it.

The basic components of an Iceland long weekend are Reykjavík, and excursions from Reykjavík; and more often than not, the Blue Lagoon spa. Every night of this itinerary is spent in Reykjavík. In high season, make sure to call a few days ahead for dinner reservations (and for in-water massages at the Blue Lagoon).

Day 1: Reykjavík

If you're out and about before 9am, head to Grái Kötturinn for pancakes, bacon, and strong Icelandic coffee. Begin the sightseeing stage at the Tourist Information Center, where you can pick up maps and brochures, and arrange tours and car rentals if necessary. Nearby are three compelling sites -- the 871±2 Settlement Museum, the City Cathedral (Dómkirkjan) in Austurvöllur Square, and the Harbor House Museum (Hafnarhús), dedicated to contemporary art. All three open at 10am; if you need to kill time until then, stroll over to Tjörnin Pond and gaze at the enormous 3-D map of Iceland inside Town Hall (Ráðhús).

On weekends, most of Reykjavík's finest restaurants are closed for lunch; two notable exceptions, both close to Austurvöllur Square, are Fjalakötturinn and Við Tjörnina. For a casual lunch, visit Sægreifinn for lobster soup and a seafood kabob. After lunch, head to the eastern half of the city center and survey Reykjavík's two main shopping streets, Laugavegur and Skólavörðustígur. Nearby is Culture House, with a wonderful exhibit of medieval manuscripts. To recharge, drop into the city's oldest cafe, Mokka Kaffi.

Skólavörðustígur leads uphill to Reykjavík's most iconic landmark, Hallgrímskirkja, where you can ascend the elevator for a panoramic view. Don't miss the Einar Jónsson Museum next door, dedicated to Iceland's most renowned sculptor; weekend hours are 2 to 5pm. From here it's a half-hour walk to the National Museum south of Tjörnin Pond. If you're too pooped, catch bus 14 to Laugardalslaug for a rejuvenating taste of Iceland's geothermal bathing culture, and ply your hot tub companions for travel advice. (Be prepared for the ubiquitous question "How do you like Iceland?")

Enjoy an unforgettable dinner at Sjávarkjallarinn (Seafood Cellar), followed by nightclub-hopping into the wee hours, and -- last but not least -- a 2am hot dog at Bæjarins Bestu with "everything on it."

Day 2: The Golden Circle

An enormous wealth of day excursions depart from Reykjavík, but the most popular is the "*Golden Circle*" tour to Tþingvellir, the historic rift valley where the Icelandic parliament first convened in 930; Geysir, the geothermal hot spot that lent its name to all geysers; and the majestic Gullfoss waterfall. Sign up for an 8-hour bus tour, or for more flexibility, rent a car.

Day 3: Hot Springs Tour

The bathable geothermal hot springs of Reyjkadalur Valley are tucked inside the scenic Mt. Hengill hiking area, near Hveragerði. !!! The most memorable way to reach Reyjkadalur is on horseback !!! Eldhestar offers a 9-hour tour from Reykjavík, with 5 or 6 hours in the saddle. (The small, manageable, good-natured Icelandic horse is great for beginners.) Alternatively, rent a car for the day and hike the route. The drive is less than an hour one-way, and the hike can be accomplished in as little as 2 1/2 hours round-trip. Don't forget your swimsuit.

Day 4: The Blue Lagoon

The Blue Lagoon spa -- built around a blue-green geothermal lake within a jet-black expanse of black lava -- is Iceland's most popular visitor destination. Sign up with tour company Tþingvallaleið for transportation to the lagoon on the way to the airport. Allow 2 hours at the lagoon, more if you plan on spa treatments or eating at the restaurant.

WHAT TO SEE
GALLERIES

Reykjavik has a wealth of public and private art spaces. Check the Reykjavik Grapevine (www.grapevine.is) for details of exhibitions.

MUSEUMS

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF ICELAND
Sudurgata 41, Reykjavik (00 354 530 2200; www.natmus.is). The National Museum of Iceland has a lively and imaginative permanent exhibition, 'Making of a Nation', which traces the country's history from the first settlement to the present.

THE CULTURE HOUSE
Hverfisgata 15, Reykjavik (00 354 545 1400; www.thjodmenning.is). In the 101 district is Þjóðmenning ('The Culture House'), a magical showcase for some of the splendour of Iceland's ancient past - sagas, Edda poems and other manuscripts - displayed in a series of dimly lit rooms.

The unique culture surrounding the hot, bubbling, pure waters of Iceland is worth visiting. The website www.visitreykjavik.is provides a handy guide to Icelandic bath etiquette and lists 16 thermal baths in Reykjavik alone.

BLUE LAGOON
240 Grindavík, Reykjavik (00 354 420 8800; www.bluelagoon.com). The tourists' favourite is the recently spruced-up Blue Lagoon, best visited on the way to or from the airport. The Blue Lagoon featured in the Spa Awards 2009

LAUGARDALSLAUG
Sundlaugarvegur, Reykjavik (00 354 411 5100). Laugardalslaug has the most extensive facilities, and the locals say it's the best.

plenty of adventures to be found in Iceland:

FISHING
Whether you are an experienced fisherman or a novice, the excitement of catching a fish will make sea angling in the cold waters off Iceland a rewarding activity. The most commonly caught fish on tours are cod, haddock, pollock and catfish, though if you're lucky you might land a giant halibut. All equipment is provided and the guides will help you reel in your catch. Regent Holidays (0845 277 3381; www.regent-iceland.com) organises three-hour sea-angling tours from Reykjavik.

GLACIER HIKING
Unsurprisingly, glaciers are a common feature of the country and Activities Abroad (01670 789991; www.activitiesaboard.com) offers hiking expeditions on the Sólheimajökull glacier in the south-west of Iceland. There's an ice wall on the glacier where you can try your hand at ice climbing, using axes and crampons.

HIKING
There are numerious treks that explore some of Iceland's most impressive landscapes, from the rugged coast to dramatic volcanic highlands. Exodus (0845 863 9600; www.exodus.co.uk) offers a week-long Iceland Volcano Hike, which passes through the southern region of Fjallabak. The route follows the Eldgjá volcanic fissure between Vatnajökull and Mýrdalsjökull icecaps, past craters, lava flows, lakes and canyons.

MIDNIGHT GOLF
For a surreal golfing experience, head to Akureyri Golf Club in the north of the island when the Arctic Open - a 36-hole international event - takes place. It is the only tournament in which play continues well after midnight: made possible by the fact that, in June and July, Iceland enjoys 24 hours of daylight every year. For more information visit www.arcticopen.is.

RIDING
Saddle up for a trek across Iceland's epic landscape and discover a new wild west from the back of the pony-sized Icelandic horses. 'Geysir and Gluffoss Special' is one of several riding holidays arranged by Discover The World (01737 218800; www.discover-the-world.co.uk). It lasts for five nights. To protect livestock from outside diseases, you cannot take riding equipment into Iceland, including boots and half-chaps, unless it has been sterilised, with a vet's certificate to prove it. to get round this you could buy a new pair of wellingtons for the trip which will be perfectly practical for riding through rivers.

RIVER RAFTING
Southern Iceland's rivers provide a thrilling way to explore the landscape; river-rafting tours, grades 2 to 3, are available for both experienced rafters and beginners. Discover The World (01737 218800; www.discover-the-world.co.uk) has a three-hour tour and a five-and-a-half-hour tour.

WHALE-WATCHING
Whales favour the cold waters of the North Atlantic surrounding Iceland, making the whale-watching ports great for spotting minke whales and occasionally humpback and orca, as well as white-beaked dolphins and harbour porpoises. Scantours (020 7554 3530; www.scantours.co.uk) organises a three-hour tour that leaves from Reykjavik harbour. You may find puffins, fulmars and gannets endeavouring to overtake your boat.