ICELANDIC TOURIST BOARD                                                                    DATELINE FEBRUARY 2008

 

Who loves ya, baby? We do, that�s who. How else can you explain all the free things we�re giving you this month? We�ll start off with our new, Visit Iceland 2008 brochure, then move on to Iceland � Your Natural Cruise Destination, the new guidebook also available for free download, and last � this is the big one - a free vacation for two to Iceland from Icelandair and Kelty. We know you love Iceland, read on the find out a few more reasons why.

ORDER YOUR FREE BROCHURE TODAY

The 2008 Visit Iceland brochure, 42 pages of beautiful images and great ideas for your trip to Iceland, is available now, delivered to your door for free. See stunning photos of glaciers, geothermal spas, waterfalls and vibrant Reykjavik with descriptions and hints on what to do on your Icelandic vacation. Order a copy by calling the Tourist Board 212 885 9700 or request it online at www.icelandtouristboard.com. You may also download the brochure at the website, but we think the images are best viewed in the their glossy glory as a booklet. Check it out today.

ICELANDAIR LAUNCHES SERVICE FROM TORONTO

 Good news for our Canadian subscribers - Icelandair has expanded its service from Canada to include service direct from Toronto beginning May 2. Five to seven flights per week will depart from Toronto and give passengers a direct flight to Iceland or continuing service to many European cities. Some more good news: flight time from Toronto to Iceland is a mere four-and-a-half hours. You�ll also soon be able to depart from Halifax (beginning April 21) in addition to service from Boston, New York-JFK, Minneapolis-St. Paul (seasonal), and Orlando Sanford. Connections through Icelandair�s hub in Reykjavik are available to more than 20 destinations in Scandinavia, Great Britain and Continental Europe. Additional information about fares and packages is available at www.icelandair.com.

HONEYMOON IN ICELAND

Why would a young couple travel from one world-class resort destination to honeymoon at another? That�s the question we posed to newlyweds Larry and Erika Hartenstein, residents of Jackson Hole, Wyo., who decided to trek to Iceland for their honeymoon last fall.

Erika tells Dateline, �I would say that it is our lifestyle that attracted us to travel in Iceland and we had a lot of great experiences there. We come from a place with a lot of natural beauty and Iceland still had us �wow-ed� and impressed. I know that we both really enjoyed the Icelandic Horses. We saw them several times and even had a gregarious pair come up to our car window to say hi!! The waterfalls in Iceland were overwhelming. (They are as prolific as wildlife in Wyoming). We were able to walk up to all of them and even managed to walk behind one of them.�

Erika continues, �I think however the most amazing experience was coming upon and then spending HOURS driving around the Vatnajokull. That glacier and all the geography surrounding it was just amazing. The sheer size of it was unbelievable and the dramatic landscape that it created was very impressive.

�The wild, rugged landscape was so strange and hauntingly beautiful and the culture was intriguing as well. We did visit The National Museum of Iceland to tie the trip up and �be travelers and not just tourists�.

Erika, we couldn�t have said it better ourselves. May you live happily ever after.

CRUISE CRUISE CRUISE

More and more Americans and Canadians are exploring the world by cruise ship every year, and Iceland has become one of the most popular cruise destinations in the Atlantic with over 160 stops each summer. In keeping with Iceland�s emergence as a hot port of call, Iceland � Your Natural Cruise Destination, the new guidebook on Icelandic cruise destinations, published bi-annually by Heimur Publishing and Cruise Iceland, has arrived and is available for free download.

�In the past 30 years or so, Iceland has become firmly established on the cruise map,� �g�st �g�stsson, chairman of Cruise Iceland said. �First as an ideal stopover for ships repositioning from the U.S. to Europe or vice versa and then also as a main transit call in its own right in the expanding North European market.�

Reykjavik received 77 cruise ship calls in summer 2007 and that number is set to rise with the impending completion of facilities at the country�s capital and biggest port, Reykjav�k. The 400-500 sq. m facility will include an information center, a caf�, parking for tourist buses, and special facilities for guides.

There is more to Iceland than Reykjav�k though: nearly a dozen ports around the country offer cruise facilities � each with their own special tours and activities, as well as unique photo opportunities. They include the Westman Islands, Grundarfj�rdur, �safj�rdur, Akureyri, H�sav�k, Seydisfj�rdur, Dj�pivogur and H�fn.

Cruise Iceland is an umbrella organization made up of 21 companies, including eight ports. To download the guide, log onto: http://cruiseiceland.com/

WIN A TRIP WITH KJELTY

Kelty, the outdoor company, is giving away a trip for two to Iceland, enlisting the help of Icelandair and one Kjelty Bakpakkurson, Icelandic Viking extraordinaire. Want to get to know Kjelty more? According to his MySpace page, this Viking bad boy likes travel, sailing (but not rowing). Discovering new lands. Meeting new people. Thunder and Lightning. Working out. Axes. Volcanos. Glaciers. Rowdy dinner parties. Finger food. Mead. Puffins. Kelty Sleeping Bags and Backpacks. Dislikes include Spanish explorers who take credit for things they didn't really do. Barbers. (For more information about Kjelty: www.myspace.com/kjeltytheviking. To enter the Kelty Adventure Sweepstakes 2008, log onto: http://kelty.com/kelty/sweepstakes.php).

ON THE WATER(FALLS) FRONT

Not planning a visit to Iceland to see one of the country�s 10,000 waterfalls? Well, Iceland will come to you, sort of. Four man-made waterfalls, 90 to 120 feet high, will punctuate New York�s waterfront for three months starting in mid-July. The creation of the Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson, the project is a collaboration between the city and the Public Art Fund, the nonprofit organization that presents art around the city. The waterfalls have been designed to be environmentally friendly and will be in New York Harbor at Pier 35 in Lower Manhattan, at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge and between Piers 4 and 5 in Brooklyn and at Governors Island. �Throughout history we have always taken water for granted,� said Eliasson from his Berlin studio. �Now people can engage in the physical nature of something as epic as a waterfall.� (For more information: www.publicartfund.org).

They Said It

�Iceland is the worst country in the world if you�re a travel writer. Every river, every valley, every rock has a history to it. � The best scuba diving I�ve done in the world is in Iceland. The water is so clear, I took the regulator out of my mouth and drank. You can�t do that diving anywhere else.�


� Andrew Evans, author of the Bradt Travel Guide Iceland (2008)

�If you�ve been wanting to see the fjords, waterfalls and hot springs of Iceland ... then check out a self-driven itinerary called Iceland on a Budget. The nine-day trip, which was put together by the travel company Iceland Experience (www.iceland-experience.com; click on Independent Tours), includes a rental car, lodging in guesthouses with shared baths and daily breakfasts.

�The itinerary is a circuit around the island, starting and ending in Reykjavik. It includes the Snaefellsnes peninsula; Akureyri and Husavik on the north coast; the Lake Myvatn area, above right; the Geysir area; Skaftafell National Park; Thingvellir National Park; and, if time allows, the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa.

�The package ($1,439 a person, excluding airfare) includes detailed directions and an economy-sized vehicle. It is available from June through August.�

� Hilary Howard, New York Times, Feb. 3, 2008

�Los Angeles has smog, whereas Reykjavik is a poster child for urban cleanliness. Even if smog did foul Reykjavik�s air the city would still have the wherewithal to spell it in that cool Nordic way, with the two dots over the �o� (sm�g), that makes every word, regardless of meaning, look like a sweet smelling pastry overloaded with white frosting.�

� Stand-up comedian Jeff Wozer (www.jeffwozer.com)

�The wilds of Iceland have captured my imagination since I was a child. The country�s exotic name instantly filled my head with scenes of frozen landscapes and long-bearded Vikings. These were the salt-of-the-earth explorers, brazen enough to chisel out an existence where no one else would. There, they survived the island�s mountainous terrain and glaciers and suffered the most inhospitable weather. To this day, the island smacks of myth, legend and lore�mysticism and eternal secrets.�

� Jordan Campbell, WEND Magazine, Winter 2008


Travel Deals of the Month

Save 10% With 1800FlyEurope

Take advantage of this great package from 1800FlyEurope today. Depart from Boston, New York, Minneapolis, or Orlando on Icelandair to Reykjavik, choose a three-day Economy, Compact, Midsize or 4x4 rental car, book and pay for this package before February 29, and receive a10% discount on the land portion of this offer. 1800FlyEurope also offers an extensive collection of hotels, which you can add to your package at any point. Flights are valid for departures now through June 14 and August 24 through October 31. Add-ons can be applied for travel June 15 through August 24. Call 1-800-Fly-Europe (1-800-359-3876) today to talk to a trip package specialist, or log onto www.1800flyeurope.com for more information.


Iceland Party Weekend

Hit the Ice Bar, a bar made of� well, ice of course, and then join the �runtur,� Iceland�s weekend version of a street party. Be prepared to meet an international cast of characters and leave with enough wild stories to fill your very own saga. It�s a no-holds-barred weekend, brought to you by Europe�s �it� party destination. Departures: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday through Oct 31. From $929* per person based on double occupancy. Log onto http://www.icelandair.com/home/packages/product/store65/item14651/ for more information.

Taste of Iceland

Come and savor scrumptious cuisine at your choice of some of Reykjavik�s best restaurants. Iceland is renowned for fresh seafood, organic lamb, rich cheeses and decadent chocolate. If your mouth is not watering yet, just wait until you see what Iceland's chefs have in store for you - your table is waiting. Choose from:

Einar Ben Restaurant

Historic elegance best describes Einar Ben, a superb restaurant featuring exquisite lamb and seafood selections. The restaurant is located in the historical home of Einar Benediktsson, the poet who helped Iceland obtain independence from Denmark in the 19th century.

Vox Bistro

The Bistro, a section of the Hilton Reykjavik Nordica's Vox Restaurant, specializes in light and delicious Scandinavian fare served in a relaxed atmosphere. Meals are based on creations from an award winning member of the Icelandic Culinary team. Departures: Through Oct 31 (Minneapolis departures not available now through Mar. 10. From $729* per person based on double occupancy, log onto http://www.icelandair.com/home/packages/lifestyle/detail/store65/item146088/ for more information.


*Prices quoted are exclusive of applicable taxes and official charges by destination of approximately $100-$180, per person including the Sept. 11th Security Fee of $2.50 per U.S. enplanement.

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