Hints Archives ⋆ Page 31 of 246 ⋆ The Passenger

July 5, 2023July 22, 2023

Gullfoss

The golden waterfall (‘Gullfoss‘) is a two-level waterfall northeast of Reykjavík and together with places like Þingvellir part of the so-called Golden Circle of Iceland. The waters of the Hvítá river are running over wide cascades and then falling into a gorge, creating a massive amount of spray. It is an amazing sight you can view from different angles: for sure from the top, but you can also take some steps down to the gorge and hike down a path to the cascades – then you’re directly at the center of action and in-between the two levels.

July 5, 2023July 22, 2023

Strokkur

Geysers are a wonderful natural phenomenon: water is heating up underground and every now and fountain of hot water is splashing out. Maybe the best place to see this on Iceland is the geyser Strokkur at Selfoss (not to be confused with the waterfall carrying the same name). It is very reliable and shooting out water every five to six minutes; a fountain that is 20 to 30 meters high. That is why there is always a large crowd surrounding the hot spring and waiting for the next eruption.

July 5, 2023July 22, 2023

Þingvellir

Northeast of Reykjavík you can find the Þingvellir national park, an area with wonderful nature and special in different ways. First of all, the Eurasian and the American plate drift apart there and form the Almannagjá (‘all men’) valley. You can hike between the high rocks and the Öxará river runs there, forming the beautiful waterfall Öxarárfoss. But this place was also always important in Icelandic history as the location of its ancient parliament, the Alþingi.

July 4, 2023July 23, 2023

Perlan

On a hill called Öskjuhlíð south of the city center of Reykjavík you can find Perlan (‘pearl’). It is a wonderful place especially for evening hours with nice views on the region (plus it is open until 10pm). Perlan is a double-usage facility: in first line it is a storage for hot water and the city is supplied from their. In 1991 six water storages made of aluminum and covered by a glas cupola were activated. In 2017 the second usage started in addition: it is now also a natural history museum.

July 4, 2023July 21, 2023

Hallgrímskirkja

One of the most important sights of Reykjavík is the Hallgrímskirkja church. It is a Protestant church in expressionist style, the building looks like a row of basalt columns with different height and therefore fits really well to the island. The 74.5 meters high tower is located on a hill close to the city center and you can buy a ticket to get by elevator to the top – giving you fantastic views on the capital city. The church was built from 1945 on and was finally finished in 1986.

July 4, 2023July 21, 2023

Norðurey Hotel City Garden

The Norðurey Hotel at Reykjavík is the perfect motel if you’re exploring Iceland by car and want to have a pitstop at the capital city. The check-in is fully automated, you’ll receive a five-digit code upfront to your stay by e-mail. This code opens the front door of the hotel as well as your hotel room. The region around the hotel is quiet and there are parking lots in front that might be already full if you arrive late; but than you’ll easily find space to park your car in the streets surrounding the hotel.

July 4, 2023July 23, 2023

Keflavíkurflugvöllur

Close to Reykjavík you can find two airports which might be a bit confusing: The Reykjavíkurflugvöllur (RKV) is very close to the city center and flights inside the country (as well es to Greenland and the Faroes) are operated from there. For most international flights the Keflavíkurflugvöllur (KEF) 50 kilometers afar is used. It is the most important airport of the country and it is the starting point for tourists and travelers on the island.

June 28, 2023June 30, 2023

Monet, Monet, Monet

Claude Monet is a famous French painter born at Paris in 1840. In the middle of his long career he became the founder of Impressionism, starting with his famous work Impression, soleil levant. It is an art style I like very much and to see the works of Monet you should typically visit Paris: at the Musée Marmottan Monet or the Musée de l’Orangerie for his water lilies (‘Les Nymphéas‘). But did you know that you can find the largest collection of his works outside France at the Museum Barberini of Potsdam, Germany?

June 27, 2023June 30, 2023

Schlachtensee

Berlin has a lot of water in rivers and lakes. The largest lake is the Müggelsee in the East, the one most often used for swimming is the famous Wannsee. Most often considered as the most beautiful lake is the Schlachtensee at Steglitz-Zehlendorf. It has a tubular shape and is often used for swimming due to its good water quality; but you can also have long hikes along its shore or use it for diving or stand-up paddling.

June 27, 2023September 8, 2023

Für dich soll‘s rote Rosen regnen

The Waldfriedhof Zehlendorf is a cemetery in a forest belonging to the city quarter Zehlendorf (now Nikolasee) of Berlin, Germany. It was created after World War II and is one of the cemeteries in Berlin where you can find the graves of celebrities which have a strong connection to the city. The cemetery still has the character of a forest and you can enjoy long walks in nice nature; while doing so you will find the graves of personalities like Jakob Kaiser, Paul Löbe, Walter Scheel and Otto Suhr.