I spent most of the last 2 weeks traveling with friends and family in Iceland and the Faroe Islands. This included a day in Reykjavik, a cruise around the islands, and then a half day of driving to a few specific places. I had a wonderful time, and I thought I would begin a short series of posts with a top 10 list of superlatives.
Best Savory Food: There are lots of hot dog stands in Iceland, and I was pleasantly surprised by the number of vegetarian and vegan options. I really liked the combination of sauces (which are placed under the hot dog instead of on top to make it less messy) and the crunchy fried bits.
Close runner-ups were fresh sourdough with hummus from Brauð Og co in Faxafen in Reykjavik, the french fries at Oy Brewery in Torshavn, and the tomato soup at Friðheimar.
Best Sweet Food: Among many tasty treats was the hot cocoa at the Paname Cafe in Torshavn, Faroe Islands. I don’t have a photo of it, so instead here is a photo of our group at the Oy Brewery in the same town.
Most Relaxing Place: We went to two hot spring spas, and I think the more relaxing of the two for me was Vok Baths, which had 3 different pools of differing temperatures and a lake for quick cold plunges. Blue Lagoon was also surreal with its opaque milky water, but on a sunny day it felt like more of a poolside club than a place to relax.
Best Animal: I have to go with the thousands of puffins we saw in the wild on a tiny island near Akureyri. These remarkable animals can fly, swim, and dig, and they do all this while looking absolutely adorable.
Close runner-ups were the Icelandic horses and the kitty cats.
Most Charming Place: Torshavn in the Faroe Islands is an incredibly charming seaside town filled with grass-roofed houses, cafes, a lush city park, and rolling farmland hills.
Best Disc Golf Course: I was only able to play on two courses, both of which were good for different reasons. The rambling, long-grass course in Akureyri was a fun challenge, and the secluded city park course in Isafjordur was better maintained, albeit easier.
Best Waterfall: Iceland is full of picturesque waterfalls, and the one we saw up close was Dynjandi, near Isafjordur.
Best Stroll: We didn’t have much time for it, but I loved walking around Seyðisfjörður, a tiny bayside town with a waterfall, a disc golf course, and a variety of small cafes and restaurants.
Best Weather: On the final evening of the cruise we were treated to a prolonged, stunning sunset as the ship sailed west.
Best Hangout: On the final day of the trip I had the pleasure of meeting some delightful Icelandic gamers over coffee and bread. I’m also really grateful for all the people I traveled with–they were wonderful.
