Viking Magazine - July 2022 - 26

Kermóafoss and other
smaller waterfalls, which
make for picturesque photo
backdrops. Lush green
lawns are ideal for picnics
in the spring or summer,
while snowy trails make for
approachable hiking.
For the curious,
to find them-but it's worth
it.
Along the way, travelers
Elliðaárdalur has more
to offer. Artists have been
invited to create striking
works across various
locations around this
urban canopy, including
naturalistic sculptures
made from scavenged
materials and huge metallic
mushrooms.
To make a day trip out
of the park, try visiting the
Árbær Open Air Museum,
which is dedicated to
featuring what living in
Iceland was like more than
a century ago, playing a
round at one of the area's
several golf courses, or
walk through the 100
meter-long indoor ice cave inside the Perlan museum.
While the nearby Ölgerðin brewery, the country's oldest
beer producer, having been founded in 1913, is primarily
a production facility, it hosts hour-long guided tours and
tastings of some of the most popular Icelandic beers and
spirits, including Gull and Brennivin.
A HIDDEN HOT SPRING OUTING
The iconic steaming waters of the Blue Lagoon are the
must-see destination for many visitors to Iceland, but far
fewer venture out to the country's other springs. And you
won't have to travel far to find it.
In south Iceland, just 40 minutes outside of Reykjavík,
the Reykjadalur Valley hot springs offer a similar
experience to the famous
lagoons but with a
fraction of the company.
While they're far from an
undiscovered attraction,
the town's hot springs are
separated from the main
road by an approximately
45-minute hike, so you'll
have to put in a little work
26
July 2022
DID YOU KNOW?
In Iceland, beer
and liquor are
exclusively sold by
its approximately 51
state-owned stores,
dubbed Vínbúðin, or
the " wine shop. "
will be treated by sights of
the Djúpagil canyon's long
waterfalls and steaming mud
pools. Horses are available
to ride along the rolling hills
as part
of prearranged
tours.
Once
found,
both
tourists
and
locals
will
likely be sitting inside the
steaming river, which gets
comfortably hot. A small
changing area is available
for bathers. Stay and relax
inside the slow-moving river
before heading back down
the trail.
For travelers making a
DID YOU
KNOW?
Reykjadalur
means
" steamy
valley " in
Icelandic.
weekend stop in Iceland,
the Reykjadalur Valley has
affordable guesthouses in the town of Hveragerði. Ölverk
Pizza & Brewery, one of the world's few geothermalpowered
breweries, hosts educational tours about how its
beer is produced. Peek inside the Garðplöntusalan Borg
greenhouse to see fresh Icelandic flowers. The free LÁ
Art Museum, open most days throughout the year, shows
modern and contemporary work from Icelandic artists.
A LONG WEEKEND IN AKUREYRI
Travelers making their way along the Ring Road will likely
be surprised by Akureyri, Iceland's largest city outside of
Reykjavík and its suburbs. Nestled among sweeping fjords
on the island's northern coast about a five-hour drive
out of the capital, this port town features the sushi bars,
international music festivals, contemporary art galleries,
and countless whale watching tours you'd expect in
Reykjavík, but with a fraction of the people.
Along the hills of Akureyri's midtown, you'll come
across a strange sight: trees. Anyone familiar with Iceland's
remarkably bare landscapes will no doubt appreciate the
Rowan tree collections of the Akureyri Botanical Garden,
founded in the 1950s as part one of the country's first
public parks. If a garden filled with trees doesn't sound
like a hidden gem, you'll look at it differently after driving
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Viking Magazine - July 2022

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