Alda Sigmundsdóttir

Certified travel blogger

English

I’m Alda, an Icelandic-North American hybrid and the author of several books about Iceland, including the 'Little Books' series that many Iceland-aficionados know and love. I love to delve below the surface of things and to give people insight into Iceland's culture and its people. I have written about the Icelandic national character, the harsh lives of the Icelanders in the old days, the Icelandic language and how it reflects and is reflected in Icelandic culture, and Iceland's folk legends and how and where they originated. My latest book is called The Little Book of Tourists in Iceland, and it is chock-full of insights and tips to help all those who wish to tour Iceland safely, responsibly and in harmony with the locals. On this site I hope to share some tips and insights to help you gain a better understanding of the Icelanders, and the best practices for touring Iceland.

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A culinary revelation in a most surprising location

Alda Sigmundsdóttir

A culinary revelation in a most surprising location

I have had some pretty fantastic meals in Iceland. There are many excellent restaurants here, and of course some of the ingredients you get in Iceland are remarkable for their quality and freshness - in particular the fish and the lamb. Yet the restaurant at Hótel Varmahlíð had not been on my radar as one of the best restaurants in Iceland until we dined there on the last night of our ring road trip ... and were completely awed by the experience. We had spent the day on a boat cruise on Skagafjörður fjord, so by the time we got to the hotel we were pretty hungry. Consequently, on inspecting t

Alda Sigmundsdóttir

Trippin’ in East Iceland

We just spent the last two days in East Iceland - an area I had never visited before, but had wanted to check out for a very long time. I wasn’t disappointed. Of course two days is not very long to get a feel for a whole region, but here are four sights or places in East Iceland that really made a deep impression on me in the brief time I was there. ÖXI Driving north from Höfn to Egilsstaðir, just past Djúpivogur we came to a fork in the road, with one sign pointing to Egilsstaðir, and another sign right near it also pointing to Egilsstaðir, but indicating a considerably longer distance. Aft

Alda Sigmundsdóttir

Exquisite South Iceland

So, on leaving Þakgil we drove due east, but not before heading briefly into Vík again to take care of some business. And of course to snap some more photos with gorgeous scenery in the background. South Iceland is so exquisitely beautiful. I was reminded of this as we came upon one amazing sight after another ... ... Before finally arriving at our next night stop, this time at the farm Brunnhóll. We had been told that there were some really good hiking routes in the area that were slightly off the beaten track. Indeed, we had not been misinformed. Practically across the road fr

Þakgil: a beautiful hidden gem in south Iceland

Alda Sigmundsdóttir

Þakgil: a beautiful hidden gem in south Iceland

We're on the road again, this time bringing you tips for things to see and places to stay on the Ring Road. We're travelling counter-clockwise, starting in Vík, and ending in Varmahlíð. The first night of our ring road tour we were scheduled to stay at a place called Þakgil (pronounced “thak-gil”), near Vík, on the southern coast. We knew very little about it, except had been told that it was well sheltered from the wind. This was a HUGE plus, since we left Reykjavík in a storm and weren’t particularly relishing having this be our weather for the rest of the day (or week). Having left Reykja

Alda Sigmundsdóttir

The necro pants revisited

A while back I wrote a post about our visit to the Museum of Sorcery and Witchcraft, on the West Fjords, and posted a picture of their famous necro pants. I failed to elaborate on the necro pants legend in that post, but alluded to the fact that I would do so later. So here it comes. First of all: there is a reason why the Museum of Sorcery and Witchcraft is on the West Fjords. It’s because this was the site of Iceland’s witch hunts in the old days. The folks up there were a bit, shall we say, heavy on the paranoia. “They travelled to some pretty dark places, metaphysically speaking. For

On the enchanting, sometimes terrifying beauty of the West Fjords

Alda Sigmundsdóttir

On the enchanting, sometimes terrifying beauty of the West Fjords

If you have ever travelled to the West Fjords of Iceland you will know that it is an unbelievably beautiful region, partly because it is so unspoiled. It is unspoiled largely because it is so remote, because the roads aren't great in many places, and because the terrain is such that you have to drive vast distances to get where you want to go, along seemingly endless coastlines of fjords that cut deep into the landscape. Often those roads take you up on heaths or mountain passes that are not for the faint of heart ... I don't know for how much of our trip we were driving along roads that were

Day two: sublime pool, dramatic Djúpavík and a factory that defies all logic

Alda Sigmundsdóttir

Day two: sublime pool, dramatic Djúpavík and a factory that defies all logic

Day 2 of our superexcellent West Fjords adventure: We woke up to the sound of birdsong in our lovely, compact cottage in Trékyllisvík. Got up and went for a run along the gravel road (the roads are pretty rudimentary around here), after which we drove the short distance to Krossnes for the express purpose of visiting the pool. That's because the Krossneslaug pool is AWESOME. It sits right on the shoreline, and when the tide is in and there is a wind the waves crash right over it. I was there once before, back in 1998 or thereabouts, and at that time the road was far worse than it is today a

Day one of our West Fjords tour: necro pants, scary landscapes and idyllic pastures

Alda Sigmundsdóttir

Day one of our West Fjords tour: necro pants, scary landscapes and idyllic pastures

Day 1 - Thursday, June 12 Our plan was to leave Reykjavík early-ish to get to Strandir, on the West Fjords, as soon as possible. However, since we had to stop to pick up some booze necessary provisions on the way out, it was actually 12.30 pm by the time we were on our way. We drove more or less without stopping (excepting a short stop in Borgarfjörður to drop off some books at the Settlement Centre) all the way to Hólmavík, on the eastern part of the West Fjords. There we stopped at the Museum of Sorcery and Witchcraft a) because we were dying to see the necro pants b) because we wanted to

Alda Sigmundsdóttir

It's off to the West Fjords

Well as the Germans say, "tomorrow it is so far" - meaning it the time has come for Yours Truly to take off on a road trip to the wonderful West Fjords to drop off books and generally have a marvellous time. If you have not yet explored the West Fjords you are missing out on an incredible experience. They are the most sparsely populated area in Iceland (the population has drifted southward for various reasons, mostly economic - more on that later, perhaps) and also the area with the most imposing mountains and dramatic landscapes. Geologically they are also the oldest part of the country.