Has it really already been a year since we went to Iceland?! Time really flies doesn’t it. It was an truly amazing trip and I can’t wait to go back and explore some more.
Recently I have been looking back through all the old photos and reminiscing about the whole experience. This inspired me to write about things we did so you can get some ideas for your own Icelandic adventures.
This time I wanted to tell you about our experience with the I Heart Reykjavik walking tour we had on our second day.
Quick Summary
Provider – I Heart Reykjavik
Price – 5500 ISK each (approx £40)
Format – Walking tour around the city
Would I recommend? Yep
Full Summary
What is I Heart Reykjavik?
I Heart Reykjavik is a lovely little blog that tells you everything you could possibly want to know about Iceland. Auður started the blog in 2011 and it has now grown into a thriving family business including a number of different tours and partnerships so that you can get the most out of your trip to Iceland. We even hired our car with them as I knew I could trust them to choose someone reliable. If you are travelling to Iceland, or want some ideas on whether it is for you, then this blog is a must see! Just bookmark it now… it will save you time in the future when you finally decide to go.
How does it work?
Organised in small groups (4 to 12 people) you are taken around the city on foot with one of the I Heart Reykjavik team. As you are guided through the streets you get to know the history of the place, in a very fun way, as well as all the main bars and coffee shops you should try. As food is a priority for any of our travels this was a particular highlight for us.
By the time you are finished, you will be brimming with ideas of places you want to explore, try a cold beer and eat a tasty dinner. What more could you ask for?
My thoughts
Our tour began by meeting Hrannar, the husband of Auður, by Hallgrímskirkja church at around 11 o’clock. We hadn’t taken any guided tours before, always preferring to find our own way, so weren’t very sure what to expect. Lucky for us there was absolutely nothing to worry about. Hrannar was really chatty and quickly put us all at ease before taking us to our first destination.
He was extremely knowledgeable about the local history but kept it really interested and fun so you didn’t feel like you were at a dusty lecture. I particularly like this approach. I also really liked the focus on places you needed to visit to get a good beer or a hot dog while you were exploring the city. As much as I like to know the history of the place I am always a lot more interested in where to pick up the best local grub. As the description on their website states, he is definitely an expert in beer, hot dogs and swimming pools. Which he puts to very good use here.
The tour in total is 2 hours but time will fly as you enjoy all the beautiful street art and stop at the local coffee shop to grab a cappuccino to warm up. We booked this as part of a combination with the whale watching tour which worked out perfectly as we had enough time at the end to go and grab a hot dog before setting sail. We also chose to take the tour at the start of the trip so that we would know our way around the city for the rest of the trip and have some good recommendations on where to go and this worked really well for us. It felt like we knew the city really well from the beginning, so we instantly felt at home. My fiancèe has frequently said that she has never been to a new place and felt so comfortable there and think this has a lot to do with being welcomed so graciously by Hrannar to their beautiful city.
If you are a big history buff and want to know every little detail then this tour probably won’t be for you, but for those wanting to get to know the place and the people, with some great recommendations for food, then you are onto a winner. They also offer private tours if you would prefer to cover more ground or spend more time chatting.
I couldn’t recommend the tour, and blog, enough and hope that they carry on to offer more tours and experiences in the future for when I eventually have enough time and money to go back.
If you want any more detail on our experiences head over to my diary post about the day in question.
What do you think? Would you consider a nice walking tour of Reykjavik if you venture to the land of Frost and Fire? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
Ciao for now!
