Nordic Countries - One Day in Iceland

Hey folks,

I'm doing a quick stopover in Reykjavik next month and hoping for some suggestions on what to do with the one full day I have.

I'm not big on organized tours, but since time is so limited would definitely be open.

I arrive overnight from NY and figure I'll wander the city for the first day, spend the night and then the second day is wide open. I leave early the next morning.

So what would you do? Whale watching? Bus Tour? Helicopter / plane tour? (Anything reasonably priced?)

Any suggestions very welcome.

thanks!

-R

Wallow at the Blue Lagoon on the way in from the airport - depending on your flight's arrival time, then visit the city. Second day, the Golden Circle Tour should give you a good look at three of the main sites, and still get you back to the city in time for supper.

It's some years since I've been to Iceland, but I think your plan of wandering around Reykjavik on the first day is a sound one. There are plenty of bus tours for the second day. I think it's well worth seeing Geysir (theGeysir, after which all the other geysirs were named!) and some of the hot springs. This is included in the Golden Circle tour, which also takes in the waterfall Gullfoss and the Thingvellir parliament fields.

I also remember sitting among banana trees in tropical heat in a huge hothouse heated by the thermal waters: this was quite bizarre while looking out over the moon-like cold desert outside.

A Google search on something like "Iceland bus tours from Reykjavik" brings up lots of ideas.

Thanks guys.

Really looking forward to this.
Please keep any suggestions coming.

(Of course I can google bus tours, but I'll take a fellow FTers recommendations over a google search anytime.)

Also, looks like I'll be taking the FlyBus from the airport - unless I hear any strong recommendations in another direction?

Thanks again.

(Of course I can google bus tours, but I'll take a fellow FTers recommendations over a google search anytime.)
There are some FT threads with suggestions such as:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/scandinavia/873414-iceland-3.html

I searched! I swear!
:)

(I didn't realize there was a Scandanavia forum separate from Europe.)

Thanks.


There are some FT threads with suggestions such as:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/scandinavia/873414-iceland-3.html

You could always consider Eyjafjallajökull glacier, if it is still there by the time you go - although the views might not be as impressive as this! ;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwdOH9GayVw

I was in Iceland in March 2007 - not the best time weather-wise, but had a great time. Really interesting place, but was ungodly expensive at the time. Guess with the decline of their kronur, it won't be quite as bad now.

Anyway, yes, I would suggest the FlyBus. Very easy to find at KEF, very convenient, etc.

I went on an Icelandair package deal and was in KEF for 3 days. 1st day I just wandered around Reykjavik. It's pretty compact so that's easy enough to do. 2nd day I went on the Golden Circle tour. Definitely recommend that. Gives you a good lay of the land and you get to see the really cool geysers and other interesting sites.

On the last day, I took the Reykjavik Grand Excursion tour. Very interesting as well. Visited the big Lutheran cathedral in town and the Icelandic history museum.

Check out the company's website - www.re.is - and it gives a good detail of all their tours. Also, if you have time, a trip to the Blue Lagoon is worth it as well.

For tour companies, may I recommend the following from personal experience:

Reykjavik Excursions
Iceland Excursions
Iceland on Track (www.icelandontrack.is) who can tailor make excellent itineraries to suit your requirements and are both competent and professional on a very human scale.