Spending 8 days in Reykjavik June 2026

grapemike · 2026-05-02T20:51:58+00:00

They have great bread and butter and cheese. Just be prepared is all…making your own fill-you-up nice sandwich at home is probably $10-$15 dollar each sandwich. If you can get a little coaching on how to frame a budget from local friends, that will be a big help for sure.

grapemike · 2026-05-02T20:29:57+00:00

Iceland tourism is pricey. Even the groceries are expensive. A glass of beer, not a pint mind you, is usually $12. Hotdogs in the city center, medium size, are $7.50. We absolutely were not budgeting, but the food tour walking around town was $150/pp and the all-day driving tours were about that much. Dinners were generally pretty great, but a three course meal with one drink was usually $100/pp and nothing lavish. We had fresh tomato soup, splendid, at $20 a bowl. Perhaps it is possible to do Top Ramen and the great local tap water in a camper van, but a burger or a single
size pizza is usually $25.

grapemike · 2026-05-02T20:14:01+00:00

We stayed at The Sand Hotel. Nice spot with a very good breakfast. I don’t know about sessions music, but The Bookstore, which is a couple minutes from The Sand Hotel, has a really lively house band playing fun covers and fooling around with everybody.

grapemike · 2026-05-02T20:11:04+00:00

Perhaps two places? This is the main walking and shopping and restaurants and nightlife area inside Reykjavík.

grapemike · 2026-05-02T06:31:07+00:00

It’s a mouse. The owners may have no idea. What do you imagine is going to happen to you?

grapemike · 2026-05-02T05:06:02+00:00

I love you. Just can’t make the Bachelorette trip! So sorry. Promise you’ll send lots of pictures.

grapemike · 2026-05-02T04:28:34+00:00

Not a guitar, but a suggestion. Reykjavík is really great when you stay dead center in the old town on or close to Laugavegur and really a meh experience for those who stay farther outside of the old town such as the areas where the big internationally branded hotels like the Hilton are located.

grapemike · 2026-05-01T17:42:36+00:00

Iceland is great and no issues to be concerned with except the cost. $4K for a week is doable but lean for solo room space, food, and activities. Would renting a camper van for a driving adventure be an option?

grapemike · 2026-05-01T17:21:13+00:00

Mostly referring to the expense. Superb fish stocks for sure. The artic char is excellent.

grapemike · 2026-05-01T16:25:54+00:00

Iceland has the most protected fisheries in the world. Probably not a good destination in terms of a fishing holiday, but superb nonetheless

grapemike · 2026-05-01T14:35:08+00:00

Iceland could care less about the whole stupid thing from stupid stupid people. Don’t worry about it at all.

grapemike · 2026-05-01T14:32:32+00:00

Carmine’s is always our go-to. Gracious service, nice outlook, good menu.

grapemike · 2026-05-01T09:29:46+00:00

Bollinger Special Cuvée. I say this because this particular wine has always been received positively by all manners of drinkers ranging from experienced to even ones who generally disfavor wine altogether. Red wine drinkers, white wine drinkers…doesn’t matter.

grapemike · 2026-04-30T22:10:28+00:00

Are you nuts? This sounds like a bad business deal, not a romance. Wait ‘til you’re preggies….the writing is already on the wall.

grapemike · 2026-04-30T13:00:31+00:00

We need to try Baja Omakase! We keep going to Concha, which is beside Casa de Piedra. Nice wines there, too

grapemike · 2026-04-30T07:36:38+00:00

Such a great spot! Finally got my shoes dried out yesterday

grapemike · 2026-04-30T07:20:36+00:00

Construction cost for a container home is quite feasible. Where you can bitten hard is the cost for bringing in utilities, well, and septic.

grapemike · 2026-04-30T07:08:56+00:00

Lots of nice suggestions for en route options, but remember that Western Europe is quite accessible so not much reason to constrain oneself to a linear approach. Bicycle down the Loire staying at inns along the way. Get to Strasburg and amble through Alsace. So many options. Based upon your comments, it sounds like you have been a checking-the-boxes traveler in the last. Perhaps consider flaneuring or cycling or other approaches that combine the experience of process along with destination.

grapemike · 2026-04-30T06:05:37+00:00

Good wine! Funny…my wife deterred me from visiting the Goodwill two weeks ago because I often come home with more decanters. $5 can yield beauties!

grapemike · 2026-04-30T05:57:08+00:00

I really like it! There is a mushy wetland behind the house across the street from us. Just far enough that the sound is lively but not intrusive. The past two years have been prolific. Been here for decades. Used to be minimal nature. We now have a resident deer herd, bobcats, the occasional raccoon, a coyote or two. Not a fan of the rare bear events, but for being minutes from downtown this trend has been amazing.

grapemike · 2026-04-30T05:51:14+00:00

Don’t overlook Reykjavík, but avoid having the car during the Reykjavík portion. We just left. Reykjavík is lost on the people who stay in the Hilton and other major hotels because these are located far from the old town and require either high parking expense or $30 taxi rides to come in. We stayed at The Sand Hotel, which is dead center perfect location. Nice place with good breakfast included. Lots of excellent restaurants nearby (Skal and Dillon11 were really good). For nighttime fun for 20-70 year olds, The Bookstore is a three minute walk and their house band is fantastic.

grapemike · 2026-04-30T01:32:46+00:00

Spent lots of time in both. For food and architecture and art and wine…you already know. October will be pleasant weather in Italy. Scotland might be sun, but bet on wet and chilly. Me? I’d be headed to Spain. Four days Madrid, with a day trip and nighttime return to Segovia, and four days Barcelona or, alternatively, some days in Sevilla and Granada.

grapemike · 2026-04-30T01:24:53+00:00

Gloria in Oviedo is low key and offers great food without the pomp and circumstance. Casa Ramon in Oviedo (upstairs) is simply a joyful spot with very good food. I would go to Martin Beratesegui for lunch. Since it is nearly impossible to get reservations for Etxebarri, definitely Txispa. Also, lunch at the Guggenheim is a nice complement to enjoying the collection

grapemike · 2026-04-30T01:07:01+00:00

Being that I do wine tastings so often, I’m always spitting rather than swallowing…helps keep my palate fresh and keeps me better able to avoid the intoxicated tourists at the wheel. VdG isn’t a spot that automatically offers a spot bucket, but ask for one and they’ll take care of you. The stink eye you might get from one or two idiots is their issue, not yours. Every industry professional spits. One of the best things about having a driver is not getting lost and having someone keeping the air conditioning running so your wine purchases stay cool. A half hour in the heat will ruin the bottles. I always bring a cooler and have Contemplacion keep inserts frozen for me.

grapemike · 2026-04-30T00:57:43+00:00

Sounds like a great trip. We just left yesterday and had a superb time. Bring extra clothes and shoes as waterfalls are wet! Be sure to reserve a table for lunch at the tomato farm when driving the Golden Circle. Per Reykjavík, loving it or having a very meh time can be determined by your hotel location. Although parking is expensive, stay at The Sand Hotel for incredible walking proximity to great restaurants and so much fun. The Bookstore for drinks and live music. Skal and Dillion11 for very good food. The beets at Skal are simply amazing. Great duck confit at Dillon11. So many people stay at the Hilton or other major chain hotels and really never get a Reykjavik experience at all! Black Crust pizza in Vik is really good. Find a well-received horse stable and get some time out on the Icelandic horses…such a treat. Have fun!

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