ICELANDIC TOURIST BOARD                                                                              DATELINE JUNE 2009

Follow the money: major tourist currencies such as the euro, British pound and U.S. dollar have gained value of around 40 to 70% against the krona over the last 12 months. This means that many products and services, and thus Reykjavík and Iceland as a destination, represents better value than ever before. Statistics are already showing this positive effect. A record 500,000 tourists visited Iceland in 2008 and numbers for 2009 look promising. The number of tourists visiting the official Reykjavík Tourist Information Office and tax refund sales have also increased dramatically in the last six months compared to the same period in 2007-08. Tourists are clearly taking advantage of the exchange rate, and with deals like these, it’s no wonder why. Read on …

GO WEST YOUNG MAN (AND WOMAN)

The door to your entry to the spectacularly stunning West Iceland region is West.is, where even the least Web-savvy can log on and find a vivid video showing some of the most awe-inspiring scenery on our entire island. “Close to the capital yet away from the bustle” is the catch phrase of the West. The area is home to the fjords of the spectacular Snaefellsnes coastline, amazing Borgarfjörður bay, and Dalir, home to Erik the Red and his son, Leif (Erikisson, natch).

Click here to see the video.

 

IS THAT REYK IN YOUR POCKET? OR ARE YOU JUST HAPPY TO SEE US?

A new interactive Reykjavík guide for mobile devices has been launched. Ymir Mobile and the City of Reykjavík launched Mobileguide, a free interactive guide to the Reykjavík Capital Area that is specifically designed for mobile devices. Mobileguide is aimed at tourists and Icelanders alike and offers a wide variety of services, from helping find your way through the city to discovering places of interest in and around Reykjavík. It even contains detailed street maps and routes and up-to-date schedules of the city’s bus lines.

Mobileguide is available for almost all mobile phones at no charge. To install the Mobileguide on your phone you simply have to open the link mobileguide.is/download in the browser of your phone. For further information and to download the application visit www.mobileguide.is.

TRAVEL THE WORLD AT THE HOTEL RANGA

Four-star country resort Hotel Rangá, only an hour from Reykjavík, in the Southern lowlands between Hella and Hvolsvöllur, is built in a log cabin style with exquisite woodwork throughout. It offers views of Mt. Hekla, the country’s famous volcano in the north (which was once believed to be the entrance to Hell), and close proximity to the river Rangá, accompanied by all the luxuries of the civilized world, including fine dining and a bar menu featuring a different martini for each day of the week.

But what really has visitors talking is the Ranga’s brand new World Pavilion which features seven suites, each built and decorated in a style inspired by the seven continents.

In the Antarctica suite (pictured at right), everything is black and white, luxurious and futuristic. Two penguins flank a Jacuzzi so you can channel Sir Ernest Shackleton while soaking in bubbles.

                                    To read the rest of the story, click here.

JÓHANN JÓHANNSSON TOURS U.S., SHOWCASES “FORDLÂNDIA” –
WIN A TRIP TO ICELAND AIRWAVES

An American magnate builds a doomed utopia in the depths of the Brazilian rainforest. A Victorian poetess laments the death of Pan. A pagan rocket scientist blows himself up in his Californian garage. A crippled German physicist draws up the equations that could make faster than light travel possible, unseen by the rest of the world.

Jóhann Jóhannsson’s spellbinding new album Fordlândia draws these tantalizing threads together, weaving a musical tapestry of hypnotic richness and surprising emotional depth. Jóhannsson makes stately, slow-building and hauntingly melodic music – frequently combining electronic processing with classical orchestrations – that has been bewitching listeners since 2002.

Fordlândia springs out of a diffuse set of influences and incorporates sections recorded with a 60-piece string orchestra in Prague. It is an intimate album, moving between heady, melting cadences and crystalline motifs with gorgeous, dreamlike logic.

Log onto www.IcelandNaturally.com for tour dates and a chance to win a free trip to Iceland Airwaves, Oct. 14-18, 2009. Just click on the flashing banner with Johann's name, scroll down, and enter your email address for a chance to win a trip to our beautiful, musical isle. It's that easy.

Jóhannsson tour dates include:

June 25 New York, Le Poisson Rouge
June 26 Cambridge, Mass., YMCA Theater
June 27 Philadelphia, St. Mary’s Hamilton Village Church at Penn
June 28 Pittsburgh, Andy Warhol Museum
June 29 Chicago, Lakeshore Theater
June 30 Minneapolis, Southern Theater

 

SEAFOOD DOESN’T GET ANY FRESHER

The Seatours Unique Adventure is a nature and bird watching tour on Breiðafjörður Bay in West Iceland. You sail around the numerous islands, exploring strangely shaped cliffs and navigating powerful tidal currents. You will also see countless birds, which will likely include puffins, eider ducks, shags, and, if lucky, the majestic white-tailed eagle.

The highlight of the tour is when a small net is cast overboard and shellfish delicacies are brought on board to allow all passengers the opportunity to taste delicious shellfish straight from the sea. Scallops don’t get fresher than this.

The 2 hr. 15 min. tours are scheduled between now and September 15 for a cost of about $46 for adults, less for youth. (For more information: http://seatours.is/Frontpage/Ourtours/UniqueAdventureTour/)

RUN TO ICELAND

Runners, and even those who like to plod along at their own pace, should pay a visit to Iceland this summer to experience a series of running events starting with the Midnight Run – the Run to the Sun – on June 23 in Reykjavik. Although the start time is 9 p.m., better wear your shades because the sun will be shining brightly. It begins and ends at the swimming pool Laugardalslaug. The race offers 3km, 5km and 10km routes to suit people of all running abilities.

A more draining proposition is the Laugavegur Ultra Marathon, which will take place along a well-known hiking route on July 18. The race takes in two of Iceland's many scenic areas - Landmannalaugar and Thorsmork – making this an impressive and enjoyable event for spectators. (http://www.marathon.is/index.php?option=com_content&view;=category&layout;=blog&id;=43&Itemid;=78⟨=en)

Iceland's warm weather running season come to a close on August 22 with the Reykjavik Marathon, which coincides with Culture Night, an evening of live music, street entertainment and fireworks (http://www.visitreykjavik.is/DesktopDefault.aspx/tabid-15/30_read-50/date-61/). The Marathon even includes a 1 km LazyTown run for children under age 9 (For more information: www.marathon.is).


HOW’S THAT AGAIN?

While nearly everyone you meet in Iceland speaks English, especially those under the age of 50, it’s always fun to learn a new language when you travel – even one spoken by an admittedly measly 320,000 people (which is sort of like Tampa having its own language).

What’s up with those funny letters, especially that “d” with a hat on it and a “p” that looks like it’s hanging off a pole. Here’s a handy pronunciation guide:
a = like a in father
e = like e in test
i, y = like i in little
u = like German ü in für or French u in tu
ö = like German ö in höher or French eu in neuf
æ sounds like eye
ð = like th in weather (voiced th)
þ = like th in thorn (unvoiced th)

Personally, we think there are only two phrases you need to know when going out on the town (spelled phonetically):

Ég heiti Joe (or whatever your first name is going to be that night)
Viltu dansa (“would you like to dance?”)

Of course after drinking like a fish, a little Spanish like “no mas, por favor” also might save your sorry self. For more linguistic advice, plus some handy phrases, log onto: http://goscandinavia.about.com/od/languagehelp/a/icephrases.htm

THEY SAID IT

“While you can plan the ultimate road trip by driving the country’s intensely scenic 830-mile Ring Road all in one fell swoop, I recommend zooming in on one area at a time. Start with a week in the southwestern region and you will not only see more dramatically diverse landscapes than many people see in a lifetime (glaciers, mountains, desolate highlands, fertile river valleys, volcanoes and lava fields), but you will leave the country with a list of places you’ll want to come back for. You can easily travel independently by car wherever you want to go in Iceland, or join the many organized day-trip tours that are offered. With one company, Iceland Excursions, you can be taken on all sorts of adventures from simple sightseeing expeditions to fissure diving and snorkeling trips.”

- Travel writer Susan Farewell, writing for Who’s Who in America, May 15, 2009 (http://www.whoswhoinamerica.com/travel-blog/farewell-travels-may.html)

“Iceland? The closest European land to North American shores is more like Halfpriceland these days. Its krona has plummeted against the dollar, bringing what was one of the most-expensive spots on Earth back down to affordable levels, and with travel deals ramping up for the summer season this is the best time in at least five years to take the short flight over to Reykjavik.

“Dynamic, emotional, and provocative, the landscape of Iceland begs for immersion, from the deep fjords in the northwest to the massive glaciers in the south. Exotic and seemingly a million miles away, it’s actually just six hours from the East Coast. The Kentucky-sized island is blessed with sea kayaking, trekking, hiking, mountain biking, ice climbing, and many other flavors of adrenaline, but the cool thing is that the Middle Earth topography and ethereal sub-arctic light make an adventure of just breathing the Icelandic air.”

- Steve Casimiro, freelance journalist http://www.theadventurelife.org/2009/05/adventure-next-door-iceland-has-never-been-so-cheap/

“Iceland is a country that every serious game fisher should visit at least once in their lifetime. Fishing amongst some of the most dramatic scenery in the world in crystal clear rivers in pristine condition is something you will never forget and once you’ve been it becomes addictive. Huge runs of salmon and grilse, sea trout and arctic char make Iceland the one destination not to be missed.”

- Fish & Fly Magazine, May 19, 2009


TRAVEL DEALS OF THE MONTH

Summer Super Saver Package

Prices continue to fall, and now travelers can save up to $450 off regular package prices with the Summer Saver available through August. Early birds may stay at the Fosshotel Sudurgata in early June and pay just $759* per person based on double occupancy.

The package includes round-trip airfare, two nights’ stay, Scandinavian buffet breakfast daily except arrival day, fuel surcharge and booking fee. Additional hotel nights are available for those looking for a longer stay.

Located on the University of Iceland campus, the Fosshotel Sudurgata is about a half-mile walk from Old Town Reykjavik. The neighborhood also includes the National Museum of Iceland, the Nordic House, the popular Vesturbaer geothermal pool, and a beautiful seacoast walking trail. Each of the 44 apartments includes a large bedroom with private bathroom, television, telephone, and balcony overlooking the sea or the Perlan (Pearl) restaurant.

For more information, click here.

Ring Rider Discount

Experience true Icelandic hospitality as you spend eight nights in the country traveling the Ring Road and overnighting in farm guesthouses along the way. The unique accommodations will provide a special glimpse into Icelandic country life and make for a fantastic and fun-filled family vacation.

Accommodations include farm guesthouses and farm hotels in double rooms with private bathrooms and breakfast daily except the day of arrival. The sights you can explore are too numerous to name, but may we be so bold as to suggest checking out Thingvellir National Park, Dyrholaey – where 400-foot cliffs teem with puffins and other seabirds, the East fjords with their dramatic mountains and quaint fishing villages, the world's most northerly Botanical Gardens in Akureyri, Grabok crater, and a leisurely soak at the famous Blue Lagoon to cap it all off? It’s all there for you.

Departures: May 1 – Sept. 30 from $1,999* per person based on double occupancy. For more information, click here.

*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:

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