SERVICES AND ENTERTAINMENT

RESTAURANTS

With its pristine nature, clean water and pollution-free atmosphere, Iceland in not just a place to feast your eyes on.  This fresh and refreshing environment also produces quality food that is the ultimate in good taste. Icelandic seafood is unrivalled for its quality - and you can sample its delights straight from the sea.  Restaurants offer a wide selection of fish harvested fresh from the ocean daily, salmon is available both wild and farmed, and the lobster is a treat you´ll wonder how you ever lived without.Highland lamb heads the list of favourite meats.  Lamb has a flavour reminiscent of game after grazing in the wild on highland pastures rich in herbs, and is hormone-free, reared on small environment-friendly farms. Seasonal delicacies include ptarmigan and reindeer (early winter), while range of seabirds are included among traditional foods now served up to exciting gourmet standards.  And don´t forget to round things off with a dessert of skyr (a type of curds), preferably served with fresh bilberries and cream. From the traditional menu, hangikjöt (smoked lamb) is the number one favourite among Icelanders and their visitors alike.  It´s served equally as a warm main dish or in cold buffets.  The truly brave at heart who are in Iceland in January and February will find a worthy challenge in the form of the ancient midwinter Þorrablót: pickled, sour meats and rotten shark are among the delights worh trying once a year. You´ll find ample opportunity to dine in style, not just in downtown Reykjavík but at restaurants in most main communities. And of course you don´t have to leave Icelandic gourmet cuisine behind you when your visit is over.  Foods such as salmon (especially graflax, cured with dill), lumpfish roe caviar and a variety of cheeses are among the most popular souvenirs.

Shopping is something of a national pastime in Iceland and eagerly shared with its visitors.  While the general price level is similar to the other Nordic countries, "smart" cosmopolitan buyers will love Iceland for its particularly competitive fashionwear and designer labels. The shops in Iceland are of international standard, and carry a wide variety of merchandise. Local specialities are woollen knitwear (for example sweaters, cardigans, hats and mittens), handmade ceramics, glassware and silver jewellery. Also available is a great variety of high-quality seafood.

TAX-FREE SHOPPING: 
A refund of local Value-Added Tax is available to visitors in Iceland. The refund will result in a reduction of up to 15% of the retail price, provided departure from Iceland is within 3 months after the purchase is made. The purchase amount must be no less than ISK 4,000 (VAT included) per sales receipt, and all goods (except woollens) need to be shown at customs if the total sales amount is more than ISK 40,000.
For information please contact:
Iceland Refund (Refund á Íslandi ehf.)
Bæjarhraun 8 · IS-220 Hafnarfjörður
Tel.: +354-564-6400 · Fax: +354-564-3600


BUSINESS/SHOPPING/BANKING HOURS:
Office hours are generally 09:00-17:00 and 08:00-16:00 during June, July and August. Shopping hours are Mon-Fri 09:00-18:00, Sat from 10:00 to 13:00/14:00/15:00 or 16:00. Some supermarkets are open to 23:00 seven days a week. Banking hours are Mon-Fri 09:15-16:00.

CURRENCY EXCHANGE:
The Icelandic monetary unitis the "króna." Coins are in denominations of 100 kr., 50 kr., 10kr., 5 kr. and 1 kr. Bank notes are in denominations of 5000 kr., 2000 kr.,1000 kr., and 500 kr. All Icelandic banks provide foreign exchange and are generally open on weekdays from 09:15 to 16:00.  

TRAVELLERS' CHEQUES, DEBIT and CREDIT CARDS: 
Are widely accepted in Iceland. The major cards in Iceland are EUROPAY/MASTERCARD and VISA. Cash can be obtained at every bank branch (over 170) as well as in all ATMs throughout the country.

POST OFFICES:
There are post offices located in all major communities in Iceland. General hours are: Mon-Fri 08:30-16:30. The post office in Grensásvegur 9 is open on Saturdays year round from 10:00-14:00. The post office in Þönglabakki 4 is open Mon-Fri from 10:00-18:00.

TELEPHONES:
Direct calls can be made to all parts of Iceland.The code into Iceland from overseas is +354 + seven-digit number. Direct long-distance calls can be made to Europe and the USA by dialling 00 plus the country code, and the telephone number you wish to reach.

MOBILE PHONES:

GSM: There are three GSM operators in Iceland: Iceland Telecom, Islandssimi and TAL. Together they cover most of Iceland including all towns and villages with over 200 inhabitants. These three telephone companies all sell pre-paid GSM phone cards and offer GSM/GPRS services. Pre-paid cards are available at petrol stations around the country. GSM phones may be rented from Iceland Telecom, Ármúli 27, Reykjavík.

 
NMT: Iceland Telecom´s NMT long-range mobile service covers most of Iceland, including the interior highlands, and is suitable for those who travel much in rural areas. NMT telephones can be rented from Iceland Telecom, Ármúli 27, Reykjavík.

For a mobile phone card you can choose the three service providers listed below. We do reccomend that you pruchase a pre paid card if you are not planning to stay for more than few weeks. See further information on the service probiders websites below.

www.vodafone.is
www.siminn.is
www.tal.is

 
CLUBS
The distinction between bars, clubs, pubs, cafés and dance halls is far from clear in Reykjavik. People say that the beer tastes so great in Iceland because the water is so clean.  While that may be a little of the infamous Icelandic bravado talking, it is certainly an undeniable fact that the beer is good. Beer was prohibited in Iceland until 1989, but since then pub culture has been making up for lost time! Bars and pubs are open quite late generally (until three or five in the morning) and it is not uncommon to spend all night on the town on Friday and Saturday nights. 

To list a few here are a few of the hot spots of the Icelandic night life.  Click on the bars name for further information.

11
City Centre

Amsterdam - nightclub
City Centre

Café Cultura
City Centre

Café Oliver
City Centre

Café Solon
City Centre

Café Victor
City Centre

Celtic Cross
City Centre

Hverfisbarinn
City Centre

Kaffibarinn
City Centre

Nasa
City Centre

Olver Glaesibaer
Reykjavík

Pravda
City Centre

Prikid
City Centre

Rex Bar Club
City Centre

Thorvaldsen bar
City Centre

Sirkus
City Centre

Vegamot
City Centre

SWIMMING
Swimming is very popular activity all year round in Iceland. Most towns and villages have outdoor or indoor swimming pools filled with water from natural hot springs. The temperature of the water in the pools is about 29 degrees Celsius. In many places there are also saunas, a jacuzzi, solariums and hot pots with temperatures ranging from 36 to 44 degrees Celsius.

BELOW IS THE CONTACT INFORMATION FOR SOME OF THE POOLS LOCATED WITHIN THE REYKJAVIK AREA.

Árbæjarlaug, Fylkisvegi - 110, Reykjavík - phone 567 3933.

Breiðholtslaug Austurbergi, 111, Reykjavík - phone 557 5547

Grafarvogslaug, Dalhúsum 112 Reykjavík - phone 510 4600

Kjalarneslaug, Klébergi, 270 Kjalarnesi - phone 566 6879.

Laugardalslaug, Laugardal, 104 Reykjavík - phone 553 4039

Sundhöllin Barnónsstíg, 101 Reykjavík - phone 551 4059.

Vesturbæjarlaug, Hofsvallagötu, 101 Reykjavík - phone 551 5004.