ICELANDIC TOURIST BOARD                                                                         DATELINE APRIL 2009

At a time when other travel destinations are bemoaning a drop in visitation, Iceland is actually doing pretty well, thank you. One reason is that the country is ready to make travel as affordable as possible, not only with lower airfares and great package deals as you can read below (act fast: deadline is April 5), but with an exchange rate that’s the best in years.

Your money still goes further these days in Iceland. The scenery is still drop dead gorgeous (you can’t take a bad photograph, no way, not possible), the food is the freshest, most natural on earth, and as the days get warmer in May and June, there will be no excuse to sleep when you visit.

SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE?
FLY TO ICELAND DIRECT

Speaking of sleeplessness, Icelandair announces new scheduled service between Seattle and Reykjavik, beginning July 22. The airline will offer four flights a week departing Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) at 4:30 p.m., arriving in Reykjavik at 6:45 a.m. the following morning.

Travelers leaving from Seattle will save $130 per person on all packages departing between July 23 and August 10, 2009.

Flights on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays will connect with Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm and London, offering up to 4 hours faster connection times from Seattle to Scandinavia than possible through other European hubs. Flights to Helsinki, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and Paris will also be available via Reykjavik. Connecting flights returning via Reykjavik arrive in Seattle at 5:45 p.m., just in time for dinner at home or easy connections throughout North America.

Read the rest of Icelandair’s announcement here.

Additional information about Icelandair, fares, and packages is available at www.icelandair.com or by calling (877) I-FLY-ICE.

HEAD TO ICELAND FORE GOLF

Playing golf in Iceland is an adventure you’ll remember for a lifetime. The country is famed for its midnight golf tournaments, including the well-known Arctic Open in Akureyri, June 25-27 (www.arcticopen.is). Sweeping mountains and majestic ocean views characterize Icelandic golf courses, which follow the contours of the naturally dramatic landscape, a popular trend in golf course design today.

A new Web site has been launched by Golf Iceland, in cooperation with the country’s golf courses and travel industry companies. It contains information about all the golf courses in Iceland along with tour operators such as airlines, hotels, car rentals, coach operators, restaurants, sightseeing, and weather forecasts. You can also find information on how to book tee times. Many visitors add Iceland to their itinerary when traveling to or from Europe, especially with Icelandair packages that allow you to plan a stopover at no increase in airfare.

Iceland fore golf: now you have somewhere else to go with those funny green pants of yours. (For more information: www.golficeland.org).

WHAT�S UP WITH THAT BIG CHURCH ?

As Reykjavík’s tallest building, That Big Church (also known as Hallgrímskirkja, but don’t try to pronounce that by yourself) is a convenient landmark for tourists finding their way around Reykjavík.

Looking for Kaffibarinn? Just walk down from That Big Church and turn right. What about the main square? Walk down from That Big Church and turn left. Going to Thingvellir? Walk down from That Big Church, turn right and walk for about 36 hours. (Okay, so it doesn’t work with everything).

From an architectural standpoint That Big Church is a bit more problematic. With the general hodge-podge of styles, we’d like to call it postmodern but the only problem there is that it was designed in the 1930s, several years before some guy in France invented postmodernism. Not content with being a huge signpost and a bit of an architectural oddity, That Big Church is also an actual place of worship. But don’t let that stop you from going there.

They have some nice choirs, and if you appreciate very big and extremely loud things we’re sure you’ll like the church organ, which looks like the assembled tailpipes of about 50 muscle cars, and can sound like someone is trying to wake up the dead. Plus it’s remote controlled.

Don’t forget to go up in the tower. (Yes, there is an elevator.) It’s a good place to look at all those cute brightly colored roofs. You also get a nice surprise every 15 minutes or so. We’re not giving anything away, but let’s just say that this surprise might even wake you up in the morning if your hotel is close by. (See the choir in action here: http://video.google.co.uk/videosearch?q=mótettukór+hallgrímskirkju&emb=0&aq=f#)

 


TAKE A WALK

Vit Wagner, entertainment writer for the Toronto Star, says one of the smartest things he did during his recent trip to Reykjavik was line up for the free two-hour walking tour that sets out daily at 1 p.m. from the Tourist Information bureau near the harbor at the bottom of the main commercial street, Laugavegur. The GoEcco Reykjavik Free Walking Tour covers the main sights of the inner city. Leaving every day rain or shine from May 1 through Sept. 15, the tour walks through the history of the capital city, from its start as a muddy colonial village by the smoky bay to becoming a modern city in the north. The two-hour tour is the perfect introduction to the city. There’s also a Haunted Walk of Reykjavik at 8 p.m. every night. (For more information: www.goecco.com, +354 696 7474).
Click here: http://www.goecco.com/Index/goecco/ReykjavikTours/FREETourofReykjavik/)

JUNE EVENTS HELP CELEBRATE WARM WEATHER (FINALLY)

Iceland extends warm greetings to visitors in June with a series of popular events.

Bright Days in Hafnarfjordur, June 3-7

The Bright Days arts and culture festival promotes Hafnarfjordur as a vibrant, creative town, Iceland’s third-largest with a population of 25,000. Those are just the people. The town is said to host one of the richest elf and spirit populations you’ll find anywhere in the country. The lava, in particular, is said to be inhabited by over 20 types of dwarves, four kinds of gnomes and all sorts of elves. (www.hafnarfjordur.is)

Festival of the Sea, June 6-7

An important date in the Icelandic calendar, this festival commemorates the work and sacrifices of the nation’s fisherman and the riches of the oceans they trawl. A fun weekend for the whole family, all vessels return to harbor for the event and sailors try their hands at fun-to-watch strongman and rowing competitions.

Viking Festival, June 12-17

The Viking Village town of Hafnarfjordur, still recovering from the Bright Days event mentioned above, hosts a Viking Festival with costumes, musical instruments, jewelry and crafts. (www.fjorukrain.is)

National Day, June 17

This is Iceland’s version of Independence Day in the U.S., except without the fireworks since, well, it just doesn’t get dark enough that time of year. Celebrating the country’s independence since 1944, it includes colorful parades, street theater and lots of music and dancing.

 

THEY SAID IT

Conde Nast Traveler in March surveys three locals for tips on where to go in “Red-Hot Reykjavik.” On the list is Harrison Ford’s favorite Icelandic Indian restaurant, Austur Indiafelagid. For seafood, the story suggests Sjavarkjallarinn. Another local says the Einar Jonsson Museum’s sculpture garden is the perfect place to play Frisbee on a sunny day. Kronkron is called a colorful boutique clothing store that carries bright geometric dresses by fresh names like Bernard Wilhelm. For antique board games, photography books, and Viking-inspired jewelry, one local quoted by Conde Nast Traveler recommends the National Museum gift shop.

More media coverage for the country in March includes these gems:

“Iceland was one of the earliest victims of the worldwide banking collapse: Its currency sank like a rock, losing around 45 percent of its value — making this traditionally pricey Scandinavian destination newly affordable.

“Now is a great time to support local Reykjavik brands like 12 Tonar (http://www.12tonar.is), known as one of the best independent record labels in the world, or the Handknitting Association of Iceland's cooperative shops (http://www.handknit.is), which sell the work of 200 knitters. Look for a satellite boutique at the Hotel Saga (http://www.radisson.com/reykjavikic_saga).

“Of course, the country's top attractions are its natural ones: A rental car should be your main cost as you take in the geysers, waterfalls and hot springs of the famed Golden Circle. Icelandair (http://www.icelandair.com) is running frequent promotions, and hotel deals abound, like the chic 101 Hotel's (http://www.101hotel.is) offer of a free upgrade on any stay through the end of March.

– MSN.Com, March 17, 2009

“As the dollar gains strength in countries with weakened or collapsed economies, savvy travelers are going currency tripping, snapping up last-minute deals to beleaguered countries and planning long trips on the hunch that another currency will take a dive.

“In Iceland, where the krona has tumbled as much as 45 percent, there’s a deal at every doorstep. The redone grande dame Hotel Borg in Reykjavik, for example, was $417 a night last year. Now it’s $263.”

– Kevin Gray, The New York Times Travel Magazine, Spring 2009

“When the Vikings arrived in Iceland, their culinary concerns revolved around food preservation, not flavor. That led to distinct specialties — still enjoyed by Icelanders today — such as hrútspungar (ram's testicles pickled in whey) and hákarl (rotted shark meat that reeks of ammonia). Thankfully, the advent of refrigerators, along with abundant natural fisheries, has decreased dependence on such idiosyncratic fare, and visitors today will be able to peruse an Icelandic menu without too much trepidation.

“At the center of the country's restaurant scene is Sjávarkjallarinn (Seafood Cellar, www.sjavarkjallarinn.is). Housed in the capital Reykjavík's oldest underground storeroom, which served as a stable in the late 18th century, the restaurant is known for its fusion of Asian flavors (think kaffir lime, star anise and yuzu) with fresh Icelandic fish, served within hours of being caught.

“Other dishes, like a succulent barbecued lamb chop garnished with pecans and cèpes, benefit from Icelandic husbandry: the island's sheep spend their summers grazing freely in pristine mountain pastures.”

– William Lee Adams, Time Magazine, March 11, 2009

TRAVEL DEALS OF THE MONTH
ACT FAST: APRIL 5 DEADLINE

We always try to alert our readers about the very best in Iceland travel deals, but we have some extra-special offers in this month’s Dateline. Early birds take note: Icelandair is offering discounts of $200 per person off its Glaciers, Geysers and Waterfalls package for travel June through August for anyone who books by April 5, so act fast. This recession is good for something, right? Here are two more deals we thought you’d like to see.

The Iceland Stimulus Package

The Iceland Budget Getaway is now on sale for travel through May 2009. This great package includes roundtrip airfare from either Boston, New York-JFK or Minneapolis/St. Paul, two nights in Reykjavik at either the FossHotel Lind or FossHotel Baron, and Scandinavian breakfast each morning after arrival day.

The package also includes a Stimulus Voucher, which is good for a specially priced stimulus dinner at the Restaurant Reykjavik including free Ice Bar admission, free drinks with purchase of meals at other select restaurants, two for one Laugar Spa admission, and special discounts on meals, skin care products and a tour at the Blue Lagoon.

From $679* per person based on double occupancy. The special stimulus rates run through May. Click here for more info.

Spring Spa Getaway

Stress in the enemy of good health and a sense of well-being. It's time to slow down and get back into balance. Relax, revive and recharge your body and allow yourself to enjoy the spectacular nature Iceland has to offer. Stay at the comfortable, roomy Park Inn Island (pronounced Ees-land, the Icelandic name for Iceland) within walking distance of Laugar Spa and the Laugardalur swimming pool as well as the Botanical Gardens and the Asmundur Sveinsson sculpture museum.

This five-day package includes two spa trips, one to Laugar Spa on day three where you can experience six different saunas and steam rooms, each with its own aromatherapy and atmosphere, try out Jacuzzis with hot and cold subterranean sea water, and a relaxation room equipped with comfortable chairs and a centrally located fireplace. On day five, soak in the geothermal mineral waters of the Blue Lagoon before heading to your airport for your return flight. During your Blue Lagoon visit, you will be pampered with a relaxing ten-minute massage while you rest comfortably in the healing waters.
From $669* per person based on double occupancy. Departures through May 28.

Please note that departures over Easter week (April 5 - 9) will not get a Blue Lagoon massage but will instead get Blue Lagoon products to take home which are of equal value.

Click here for more info.

*Prices quoted are exclusive of applicable taxes and official charges by destination of approximately $100-$270, per person including the Sept. 11th Security Fee.

For Dateline readers who have not yet ordered their free 2009 Visit Iceland brochure, order here.

For information on other exciting activities in Iceland, be sure to visit:

To unsubscribe click here.