Iceland

Iceland – the road to Akureyri, with reindeer meat on the way

It was getting ready to be a long day, another few hundred kilometers to drive…. We are moving towards the Myvatn region, and on the way there are more waterfalls and rivers and mountains to cross.

For today, one of the big highlights was lunch at the Icelandic bar, where they serve a little different food than what we’ve tasted so far (yes, finally something other than soups, burgers and pizza!).

Table of contents

The road to Akureyri

This day was dedicated to covering the route from the eastern fjords to Akureyri, or more precisely, to an overnight stay near this village.

At the hostel where we were staying we had a continental breakfast (it was getting poorer with each passing day…) and hit the road. We deliberately had a modest breakfast, because around 12 we planned to go to lunch, where we wanted to try as many local dishes as possible.

Initially we planned to do some more shopping at Bonus, but it turned out that it was open from 11 so we immediately drove towards Lake Lagarfljót. First we drove through a picturesque valley until we reached a lake and drove along it until we reached the Hengifoss waterfall.

It is the second highest waterfall in Iceland (about 120 meters). Just off the 933 road there is a parking lot where you can leave your car and approach the waterfall.

The road is quite steep at times and takes about 40 minutes one way. We walked almost the entire route and although we could hear the waterfall exactly, we were not able to see it in all its glory due to the weather :(

Typical Icelandic dishes

We then went to a nearby pub – Klausturkaffi, which we were recommended to try more traditional Icelandic food. Also, we can strongly recommend it to you!

In addition to the restaurant, there is also a museum and a hotel. Starting at 12 o’clock, dishes are served buffet-style, where you pay per person and can eat and drink to your heart’s content. Yes, drinks, coffee and tea are also included, which is rare.

Based on our previous experience, we wanted to be as early as possible so as not to wait long in line (we had already waited for tables in Iceland). Fortunately, it turned out that this place is not that popular at all, and there were about 4 people in the room besides us.

Inside it was very cozy, there were elongated benches, tablecloths, napkins and pillows. Immediately after we entered, the hostess began laying out all the dishes on a small table.

There were both appetizers, main courses and desserts. Everything described in English, freshly prepared using local ingredients.

Of particular note are reindeer meatballs, lamb stew, freshly baked bread and fresh vegetables.

Soups, salads and other side dishes were also available.

The hostess was smug, and whenever something disappeared she immediately added new dishes.

We paid 2950 kroner per person for dinner, which may seem like a hefty sum, but considering that we are in one of the more expensive countries, and in earlier diners we paid about 1500-2000 kroner for a burger alone, it turns out that it is not too expensive at all ;) Especially since the food was delicious, and we left so full that we didn’t eat anything until the evening! :)

Variable weather in Iceland

The road continued through fog, and it also rained every now and then. This prevented us from admiring the surrounding hills. We continued driving towards Myvatn.

On the way we stopped at one of the few gas stations along the road – here we discovered Icelandic car washes, which are open to the public. Anyone can drive up and scrub the car, and there is plenty to clean, especially if you drive off paved roads :)