Eliza Reid became First Lady after moving to Iceland 20 years ago for love. Her favorite “chill” Icelandic weekend activities include public pools and Icelandic literature.
Rarely does someone migrate overseas and influence the country. Eliza Reid, a Canadian doctoral student at Oxford University, got a date with future Icelandic President Guðni Jóhannesson after winning a lottery. After vacations to the stunning island and an engagement, they moved permanently in 2003. First Lady Reid has since written her own prose, written for Icelandic tourism periodicals, and promoted Icelandic literature abroad to showcase Iceland’s harsh beauty and distinctive culture.
“The country has changed a lot in the last 20 years,” says Reid, a former UN Special Ambassador for Tourism and proficient Icelandic speaker. “When I first visited in 1999, it was significantly further away… but we’ve noticed an increase in visitors from Spain, Italy, and other countries because when they’re on vacation in August, they’d rather come to Iceland, where it’s 9C and it may rain.”
With July highs of 13C and a Viking history full with sagas and myths, Iceland is chilly. Reykjavík, the capital, hosts two-thirds of the island’s population, leading to a vibrant cultural scene and developing cuisine. Hot springs, geyser-and-volcano landscapes, and little settlements dot the area beyond the city.
“It’s a very family-friendly society,” states Reid, a mother of four. It’s secure. Wonderful setting for young children to grow up. Low pollution means pure air; youngsters go to school alone.”
Something Reid wants people to know about Iceland? “It’s closer than you think,” she adds.
1. Best base: Reykjavík or Akureyri
Reid deems it “overly ambitious” for tourists to base themselves in Iceland’s capital and see the nation in a weekend.
Tip
“Beware the weather,” says Reid. “Weather rules in Iceland. In winter, you must examine weather predictions and be ready to change your plans due to bad weather. Outdoor activities are popular, but they need weather attire.”
“It’s a bigger island than people might think,” she adds. “One of the tips I always give is not to try to do too much, geographically.”
Reid suggests choosing one base. “Reykjavík has the most infrastructure, the most restaurants, the most cultural offerings,” adds. Unfortunately, it has the most tourists. Iceland is recognized for its natural attractions, so seeing the countryside is great.”
While most passengers fly into Reykjavík, Reid also highlights winter flights from the UK to Akureyri, Iceland’s second city in the north. “It would be less busy than the capital area,” adds. Excellent skiing, Northern Lights, and whale viewing. Húsavík, an hour distant, is the most famous whale watching destination.
2. Public pools evoke everyday life best.
Reid believes the most Icelandic everyday activity is swimming at a local pool. “We have many outdoor geothermal swimming pools,” adds. “It’s a very authentic way to get to know the locals.”
Iceland has over 120 swimming pools, including 18 in Reid’s hometown of Reykjavík, each with unique features such as Árbaejarlaug Swimming Pool overlooking Elliðaárdalur Valley or Akureyri’s family-friendly Akureyrar Swimming Pool with the longest water slide in Iceland. Swimming pools in Iceland are 35C, “hot pots” are 44C, and saunas and steam rooms are common.
“It’s a soup of humanity there,” adds Reid. It’s the great equalizer. You may be seated next to a politician, preschool teacher, plumber, or tourist in a swimming suit. According to the notion, Parisians go to cafes to meet people. In the UK, you visit pubs. Iceland has a pool.”
Pool manners
“Quite a strict shower regimen,” Reid explains. You must wash naked before putting on your bathing suit since it’s gender segregated. We have little chlorine in the water.”
After bathing and changing, bathers may use the pools, but they must shower again after swimming. “Only after you’re dried off do you go back to the dry area and get dressed,” he explains. “It would be very bad form to walk from the shower to the locker when you’re dripping wet water all over the floor.”
3. Best cultural experience: Icelandic literature, music festivals, Fishermen’s Day
“Iceland is a really culturally rich country,” he explains. “Especially given the small population” of 382,000.
For music aficionados, the Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavík and Hof, its smaller counterpart in Akureyri, provide a variety of options. “There’s always music festivals, cultural festivals and museum nights that people can check out,” he explains.
Reid also supports Icelandic literature. “Reykjavík is a Unesco City of Literature,” she adds. across addition to the yearly Reykjavík International Literature Festival and literary walking tours, “poetry benches” with QR codes have been installed across the city to promote Icelandic poetry readings.
Reid recommends Fishermen’s Day, a first-weekend June celebration celebrating Iceland’s maritime culture with music, boat excursions, and fishing sports. “Especially in harbor towns,” adds Reid. “You can go to different harbours and sometimes – my kids always like this – they display huge crates of ice and fish that have been caught for kids to see what sea creatures look like; little sharks or things that have been trawled up in the nets.”
4. Best outdoor activity: Rekyjadalur hike and hot river
Iceland is famed for its volcanoes. “Of course, the tourist experience is going up on a glacier,” he explains. Walking on black-sand beaches. You may also go on boats and fish for “Viking sushi” (scallops and sea urchins) and eat it, or ride on an ATV into a volcano.”
Reid suggests outdoor swimming for a truly Icelandic experience. “There’s a town called Hveragerði which is a 45-minute drive from Reykjavík that has smoky valleys where you can walk up and just sit in a hot spring.”
The Reykjadalur Valley – supplied by the Hengill volcano – is loaded with steaming hot springs and mud pools that may be accessed by a fast 7km climb from the area’s car park, via the Djúpagilsfoss waterfall and the Djúpagil canyon. The “rotton egg” scent of sulphur in the water makes the sight smell before it’s seen, yet the experience is spectacular. “The water is a bit like a cocoon that envelops you,” he explains. “You don’t mind if your face is cold since you’re warm in the pure water. In the countryside, you perceive the oxygen-rich air.”
Unlike Iceland’s Blue Lagoon, these bathing locations aren’t tourist-friendly. “Just hiking,” Reid adds. “You change into swimming suits and sit in a stream. Use common sense. A defined process, but no admittance or employees.”
5. Best meal: farm-to-table lamb, fish, skyr
I don’t want to establish expectations,” says Reid. “But I’d imagine that [visitors] are very pleasantly surprised by the food.”
Tip
Reid advises drinking tap water. “World’s finest tap water. Fantastic. It comes from underground springs. Little care is given. No local buys bottled water ever.”
Iceland’s food culture has grown outside the city. “Twenty years ago, you couldn’t find nice food outside the city and now you can,” he adds. “There are places around the country that are getting Michelin recommendations.”
Farm-to-table has thrived in Iceland’s remoteness. “It fits Iceland well,” adds Reid. “We harvested fish sustainably. The langoustine is wonderful. Our free-range lamb is famous. Lamb is great for meat eaters.”
Icelandic cuisine such as plokkfiskur (white fish and potatoes casserole) and kjötsúpais (lamb, carrots, turnips soup) are traditional. “I usually get the fish of the day,” adds Reid. A dessert of skyr. Our local yoghurt-like cheese is Skyr. Rich in protein and fat-free.”
Pilsas, lamb-based Icelandic hot dogs, are casual snacks. “There’s hotdog stands, you can get them at gas stations,” he adds. Your options are mustard, ketchup, remoulade, chopped onions, or fried onions. Order one with everything or customize it.” Adds: “I get mine with mustard only and fried onions.”
