REYKJAVIK NOW A UNESCO CITY OF LITERATURE!

The City of Reykjavik has received the prestigious designation as a UNESCO City of Literature. This is an exciting development for Iceland’s capital city which enjoys a respected literary culture rich in ancient medieval literature including the Sagas, the Edda and the Book of Icelanders. Reykjavik is the fifth city in the world to receive the title which will be officially launched at the Reykjavik International Literary Festival in September which is part of a series of events and projects designed to further enhance literary life in the city, including establishing a Center for literature. Read more at www.VisitReykjavik.is

ICELAND'S REYKA VODKA WINS AT 2011 WINE & SPIRITS COMPETITION

Iceland’s small batch Reyka Vodka has bested all others to win the Vodka Trophy at the annual International Wine and Spirits Competition in London, the premier competition of its kind in the world.  The award is a testament to this small batch vodka which is filtered over lava rocks using Iceland’s pure water and produced in the small coastal town of Borgarnes, Iceland. The impressive Vodka trophy, awarded after a rigorous series of blind tastings by the world’s leading spirits experts, reflects the exceptional quality of this unique spirit. Reyka has recently launched the “Breakthrough at Airwaves” contest, which will give three American bands the opportunity to play at the world famous Iceland Airwaves music festival. Read more at www.Reyka.is.

NEW REYKJAVIK HOTEL OPENINGS

Hotel Klettur
The newly opened Hotel Klettur is a welcome addition to the beautiful downtown Reykjavik area. The three star property has 86 rooms, meeting facilities and a hotel bar with a fantastic selection of Icelandic beers. Hotel Klettur also has a sense of whimsy! On the first floor there is a rock breaking through the wall where one can imagine that this was done to keep elves in the rock happy, as is often the practice in Iceland.  Read more at www.hotelklettur.is

KEX Hostel
Housed in an old biscuit factory in downtown Reykjavik and furnished with salvaged materials and found objects from various places, KEX is an organic concept blending a vintage industrial feel with an eclectic, contemporary edge. There are a variety of dorms and rooms for up to 138 guests along with a café and bar, lounge area, heated outdoor patio, tourist information desk, laundry room, old school gym, guest kitchens, meeting room, and free Wi-Fi. Read more at www.kexhostel.is

HOT DEALS & NEW OFFERS

HOT Deal from Icelandair: Iceland Stopover Special with YOUR FIRST NIGHT FREE!

Icelandair allows all passengers the opportunity to Stopover in Iceland en-route to over 20 destinations in Europe. Now for a short time, Icelandair Hotels is giving you your FIRST NIGHT FREE at the newly renovated Reykjavik Natura Hotel. Details at www.icelandair.us.

HOT Deal from Iceland Excursions: 35% Discount on Popular Combo-Tour Reykjavik Sightseeing & Blue Lagoon

Iceland Excursions offers their popular combination tour, the Reykjavík Sightseeing and Blue Lagoon, now with a 35% discount. Departure dates are available all weekdays from August 9, 2011 until April 30, 2012. This offer is available for a limited time so book before September 10th! Details at www.icelandexcursions.is

HOT Deal from Gate 1 Travel: 9-Day Iceland Classic Tour Reduced by $280 Per Person

This all-inclusive escorted package visits some of Iceland’s must-see-sights like the Blue Lagoon, Geysir Geothermal Area and colorful Skaftafell National Park as well as off-the-beaten-path activities like a boat ride on an eerie glacial lagoon and a visit to Iceland’s famous “shark man” for a taste of Iceland’s Viking delicacy. Enter code ICE280 to receive $280 off per person! Details at www.Gate1Travel.com

ICELAND IN THE MEDIA

Jake Gyllenhaal - Man Vs. Wild in Iceland on the Discovery Channel: “This may be the coolest place I've ever been.”

ABC News - Unique Vacation Deals by Karen Schaler:  “For a cool place to go for a unique spa vacation go to Iceland. Iceland is this volcanic island in the middle of the Atlantic and because it’s a volcanic island and it’s got these geothermal waters bubbling up and they’ve got this wonderful thing called the Blue Lagoon.” Read More

USA Today  - Demystifying Travel to Iceland by Rick Seaney: "In the mood for a dramatically different destination that's just far enough and not too expensive? Consider Iceland." Read More

The New York Times  - In Iceland, a Home that Pays Homage to the Motherland by Elisa Mala: "Even in Reykjavik, the cosmopolitan capital of Iceland, there’s no escape from the elements. Beyond sleek towers overlooking the harbor is the hint of mountains, their outlines hazy in the glow of the midnight sun. On the clearest July day, glaciers float on the horizon." Read More

Trip Atlas - Travel Gear: 66 NORTH Keeps You Warm by Sarah Sekula: "When you decide to trek through Iceland, one of the world’s most extreme climates, I highly recommend outfitting yourself like an Icelander. In that regard, when I climbed Hvannadalshnúkur, Iceland’s highest peak, in May I made sure to bundle up in a 66°NORTH jacket." Read More
 

 

SPIN Magazine  - Bjork Ponders Existence on New Song "Cosmogony" by Nate Brennan: "Björk delivers a haunting and mysterious ballad, peppered with horns, a subsonic pitter-pattering beat, and other symphonic sounds. The spare, minimal instrumentation allows Björk's voice to take center stage, as she unspools her own understanding of how the universe came to be." Read More

Meetings Net - On Location: Iceland by Megan Row: "Affordable. Accessible. Exotic. These probably are not the first words that one associates with Iceland. Yet for meeting planners, these are three of the most significant qualities of this North Atlantic destination." Read More

The Florida Times - 10 Things You Didn't Know About Bananas by Heather Lovejoy. "The banana plant is a tropical species, but Iceland has so much geothermic energy that greenhouses (and homes) can be heated with it. Thanks to all its volcanos, Iceland has enough free heat to produce a significant amount of bananas to distribute within the country." Read More

New York Magazine - Björk and Michel Gondry Take a Trip to Outer Space by Amos Barshad: "Crystalline, the first single from Biophilia, is a classic bit of anthemic Björk histrionics, complete with a machine-gun drum breakdown that'll knock your head back." Read More

Premium Traveler - Reykjavik Rises by Mat Robinson: "In addition to its cultural cache, Iceland is an underrated food center as well. Reykjavik is one of the world’s premiere places for seafood and lamb and is also known for such local delicacies as skyr (a yogurt-like dish), Brennivin (caraway-flavored liquor), hakari (fermented shark) and the Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur hot dog stand, where you can order a world-famous snack named for one of their thousands of guests—President Bill Clinton." Read More

Billboard Magazine - Bjork: The Billboard Cover Story by Jason Lipshutz: "After selling 3.1 million U.S. copies of her first six solo albums, the Icelandic musician is ready to move beyond the CD, and even the MP3, and peer into the future."  Read More

The Los Angeles Times  - Bear Grylls talks about manning up with Jake Gyllenhaal for 'Man vs. Wild': Why did you choose to take him to Iceland? Were you looking for a location that might be easier for him to handle? "I thought Iceland would be good because there's lots to do. I was like, The weather will be cool and it should be pretty mellow. We'll do a bit of climbing, and we'll just kind of jump into it.'" Read More

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