One of B&amp;R’s 2025 Limited Edition trips will take travellers to <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/trip/scheduled/iceland-faroe-islands-hiking" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Iceland and the Faroe Islands</a> for an adventure in the North Atlantic unlike any other. Experience Designer <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/who-we-are/meet-the-designers/orsolya-kako" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Orsolya Kako</a>, who crafted the trip that is equal parts active and community based, shares her thoughts on what makes Faroe Islands so special, what to expect on the hikes and one of her favourite experiences B&amp;R travellers will enjoy.&nbsp;How did the Faroe Islands get on your radar?﻿The Faroe Islands have a close connection with Iceland, a country I’ve helped travellers explore for over 10 years. At the back of my mind, I've always been curious about what the Faroe Islands were like, because I've heard so many stories about the islands—almost mythical stories—because it's so far in the middle of the Atlantic, even more so than Iceland.&nbsp;&nbsp;

What were your first impressions the first time you went?&nbsp;I was so struck by the purity of the country. The landscape is still relatively untouched. There are roads connecting settlements and towns, and ferry lines connecting all the islands, but not much else. And in a way, it's this amazing open slate. I was really struck by the stark nature, similar to what we find in Iceland in some places—barren, treeless, dramatic instances of land rising out of the ocean, many sheep. It is really a beautiful thing to me. I find it so inspiring to see these almost barren landscapes and to learn how people live off the land like that.&nbsp;And not just survive, but thrive, right?&nbsp;It was amazing to learn about, culturally, all the things they do that bind their community together. Learning about knitting clubs, book clubs and heimablídni—the tradition of hosting others in your home for dinner—as ways they stay connected. There are other, more practical ways too, through farming practices, like trading and selling meat to each other, for instance. They wear beautiful hand-knit sweaters and they know who knit each one. To me, it's a beautiful way of life.

This is a hiking trip. Can you talk a little bit about the routes that people will walk?&nbsp;The Faroese say every island has its own unique views and landscapes and with our guide's help, they will be pointing out the differences on every route. It could be the direction of the sunrise and sunset and the way the light strikes our paths. Sometimes it could be the vistas of the different islands and the history in those areas.&nbsp;&nbsp;From a more logistical standpoint, we are walking on single-track sheep paths. These are ancient paths that the sheep create—they automatically go towards the easiest route. And we’ll pass a lot of farms and waterfalls that make up the bucolic landscape of the Faroes.&nbsp;Are there any moments that you’re especially excited for our travellers to experience?&nbsp;We will have a meal at a farmhouse with the farmer whose family trained the staff at Ræst, one of two Michelin-starred restaurants in the small country’s capital, Tórshavn,&nbsp;about fermentation. We will be invited to do a farm tour and see where the sheep roam in the spring and where they go up in the summertime to higher ground. We'll learn about the free-range grazing that their sheep do, and then be invited into their barn to see where the rams are kept and learn about their importance. And then you're invited into their home, a beautiful farmhouse passed down generations to the current farmer. We’ll have a beautiful connective meal together from their garden, from their sheep, and talk about life in the Faroe Islands. Being in their home is like being in a living museum. It’s a real glimpse into life in the Faroes.

There’s never been a better time to explore the Faroe Islands

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Around The World

<h2>Travel with Personal and Community Impact</h2>
Experience Designer: <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/experts/christine-tucker/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Christine Tucker</a>
During this year&#8217;s slow down in travel, our Africa Expert, Christine Tucker, shifted her focus to strengthening relationships with our local partners in order to offer our travellers even more meaningful connections with the places they visit. She&#8217;s also been working on ways she can ensure as much money as possible stays in local communities on future trips.
One such way Christine has tackled this is through an initiative she&#8217;s started outside of B&amp;R with her business partner, Gadi Habumugisha, called Two Fires. Together, they&#8217;ve created a social enterprise for East African creatives to provide photography services for corporate and NGO sectors in Rwanda. A portion of the agency&#8217;s profits will be donated to funding a gallery being constructed in Musanze, the hub Gorilla-viewing tourism in Rwanda, to further bond travellers with where they&#8217;re visiting. You can <a href="https://www.twofirescreativegroup.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">learn more about Christine and Gabi&#8217;s project here</a>. 
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-47878" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/TravelTips2021Rwanda.jpg" alt="" width="752" height="470" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/TravelTips2021Rwanda.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/TravelTips2021Rwanda-250x156.jpg 250w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/TravelTips2021Rwanda-480x300.jpg 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/TravelTips2021Rwanda-768x480.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 752px) 100vw, 752px" />
Africa has started to welcome visitors back across its borders. Almost all of the eastern side of the continent is now open, including countries like Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania. Nowhere in the world has endured challenges from the loss of tourism quite like the African continent. So If you&#8217;re looking for your next trip to make a lasting impact—not only on you but on the destination you visit—then Africa&#8217;s the place to consider. 
With all 2020 bookings moved to 2021, in addition to everything that was already booked for 2021, space is tight, so start planning now if you&#8217;re looking ahead to 2022. Christine has colleagues who have seen first-hand how Africa has taken impressive measures to ensure the safety of their guests, with new protocols and rigorous attention to detail.
<h2>A Rise in Domestic Travel </h2>
Experience Designer: <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/experts/annik-boulva/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Annik Boulva</a>
Based in Utah, Annik has been our go-to resource for trips to the American Southwest for over a decade. However, doubling as our expert for our most popular regions in France, the United States often took the backburner as travellers preferred to venture across the Atlantic rather than explore their own backyard. 
But because of travel restrictions imposed by the European Union, that wasn&#8217;t possible in 2020. This meant more Americans opted to explore their home country instead.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-47871" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/TravelTips2021Utah-960x576.jpg" alt="" width="752" height="451" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/TravelTips2021Utah.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/TravelTips2021Utah-480x288.jpg 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/TravelTips2021Utah-768x461.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 752px) 100vw, 752px" />
Recently, Annik orchestrated a family stay at the <a href="https://aubergeresorts.com/bluesky/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lodge at Blue Sky</a>, a luxury private ranch in the mountains of Utah, outside Salt Lake City. The group took over the property for a secluded vacation in the heart of nature. 
Guided by her expertise, Annik helped facilitate daily excursions and activities for the family and acted as a personal concierge and liaison between the travellers and the property, ensuring important details like babysitters, dinner reservations and tweaking events to make them suitable for children were all taken care of. 
Annik is now looking at more ways of showing Americans a new side of their home country, such as a private houseboat charter on Lake Powell or luxury camping on the secluded North Rim of the Grand Canyon.
<h2>Travel Tips: Things to keep in mind when planning your next trip</h2>
Meticulous planning under the current global circumstances is more important than ever. Relying on spontaneity is not really an option with most things requiring an advanced booking. The upside, however, is that there is bound to be fewer people, allowing for a potentially crowd-free holiday. Here are a few of our tips to consider for your next trip.
Get started earlier than you think you should
With everything from 2020 being postponed, there’s a pent-up demand for future travel. Hot times for travel like the Holiday Season of 2021 and even 2022 are already filling up. 
Consider back up options
Something to be mindful of when you plan early is that unpredictable changes can occur. New regulations could have destinations closing their borders or implementing a quarantine at the last minute, so you&#8217;ll want to be flexible when it comes to the possibility of going somewhere new.
We saw this happen this year with a self-guided trip to Burgundy switching to Puglia after the UK imposed quarantine restrictions for citizens returning from France. Our team jumped into action by rebooking all their events just a week before departure.
Remember the finer details
With many new measures in place to ensure social distancing, you’ll have to be diligent about booking everything from a dinner reservation to an elliptical at the gym and time at the pool. (Or, let us be diligent about the details for you!)
Book with confidence
From your airline tickets to your in-destination activities, booking services with flexible cancellation policies and updated terms of service to ensure your safety is a top priority. <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/what-to-expect-travel-with-br/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Take a look at this page</a> for more information on how we&#8217;ve responded to COVID-19, and for any other questions, <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/contact-us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">don&#8217;t hesitate to get in touch</a>.

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<h2><a href="http://www.iceland.is/the-big-picture/nature-environment/volcanoes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Volcanoes</a></h2>
<img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-31193 size-medium alignright" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Things-to-do-in-Iceland-Volcano-erupting-480x300.jpg" alt="Iceland volcano " width="480" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Things-to-do-in-Iceland-Volcano-erupting-480x300.jpg 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Things-to-do-in-Iceland-Volcano-erupting-250x156.jpg 250w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Things-to-do-in-Iceland-Volcano-erupting-768x480.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Things-to-do-in-Iceland-Volcano-erupting.jpg 800w" sizes="(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px" />
Iceland is one of the most active volcanic countries in the world.
There are about 200 post-glacial volcanoes, at least 30 of which have erupted since the country was settled in the 9th century.
Nearly every type of volcanic activity is represented in Iceland, the most common being fissure eruptions. One of these occurred in 1783, when the Lakagígar, with about 100 separate craters, erupted to create the largest lava flow ever recorded (covering 565 km² (351 mi.²).
The gases and ash from this eruption poisoned the grasslands, wreaking tremendous havoc on the countryside. The resulting damage to the farmland brought widespread famine to Iceland, resulting in the starvation deaths of almost ten thousand people.
Shield volcanoes of the Hawaiian type, like Skjaldbreiður near Þingvellir, are also numerous, but the only one active in historical times was the new Surtsey volcano.
Almost all the cone volcanoes of the Fuji type are ice-covered, the largest of them being Öræfajökull (2,119 m/6,952 ft.), Eyjafjallajökull (1,666 m/5,465 ft.), and Snæfellsjökull (1,446 m/4,809 ft.). Craters created by volcanic explosions are also quite common.
<h3>Mount Hekla</h3>
Hekla is the third most-active volcano in Iceland after Grímsvötn and Katla (the volcanoes under the enormous Vatnajökull and Myrdálsjökull glaciers).
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-31188 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Things-to-do-in-Iceland-Hekla.jpg" alt="Things-to-do-in-Iceland-Hekla" width="1280" height="800" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Things-to-do-in-Iceland-Hekla.jpg 1280w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Things-to-do-in-Iceland-Hekla-250x156.jpg 250w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Things-to-do-in-Iceland-Hekla-480x300.jpg 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Things-to-do-in-Iceland-Hekla-768x480.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Things-to-do-in-Iceland-Hekla-960x600.jpg 960w" sizes="(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px" />
It has erupted 18 times in recorded history, and it is the only ridge-shaped stratovolcano in Iceland where eruptions occur along the same fissure.
The volcano is also unique in the composition of its magma: while most volcanoes in Iceland produce basalt, Hekla spews magma with a higher than usual silica content.
High-silica magma that cools at the surface produces a fine-grained rock called rhyolite, rather than low-silica magmas that produce fine-grained basalt.
This accounts for the unusually colourful landscape in the rocks of the Hekla highlands and in Landmannalaugar.
Among the numerous eruptions since the end of the last Ice Age, some have blanketed all of Iceland in a pale pumice stone (the last of these eruptions having happened about 900 BC).
<figure id="attachment_31190" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-31190" style="width: 400px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-31190 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Things-to-do-in-Iceland-Hekla-Eruption.jpg" alt="Things-to-do-in-Iceland-Hekla-Eruption" width="400" height="300" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-31190" class="wp-caption-text">Hekla erupting in 1980</figcaption></figure>
The first eruption in historical times was the devastating eruption of 1104, which covered half of Iceland in pumice rock, either killing or forcing a number of inhabitants to flee as the eruption covered farms in the area.
A common Hekla eruption begins with an enormous explosive event, followed by the opening of a fissure and a very spectacular curtain of fire as magma is boiled and extruded. The fissure phase can last days, after which the activity is confined to a single vent spewing torrents of lava.
The amount of lava produced since historical times out of Hekla alone is enough to build a one-metre wide, 1.6-metre-tall wall around the whole coast of Iceland.
Technically, Hekla erupts about once a century, but the frequent eruptions in the 20th century—in 1947, 1970, 1980, and 1991—have led most Icelanders to tell you that Hekla erupts every 10 years.
It last erupted on February 26, 2000; farmers in the area will tell you that the groundwater is drying up, a sure sign that Hekla is due to erupt again soon.
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<h3><a href="https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Th%C3%B3rsm%C3%B6rk/@63.6806243,-19.6227024,11z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x48d725ff920d87fd:0x6e1edf07d32d66bb!8m2!3d63.68072!4d-19.482622!5m1!1e4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Thórsmörk (Þórsmörk)</a></h3>
<img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-31208 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Things-to-do-in-Iceland-THÓRSMÖRK.jpg" alt="Things-to-do-in-Iceland-THÓRSMÖRK" width="400" height="400" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Things-to-do-in-Iceland-THÓRSMÖRK.jpg 400w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Things-to-do-in-Iceland-THÓRSMÖRK-300x300.jpg 300w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Things-to-do-in-Iceland-THÓRSMÖRK-150x150.jpg 150w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" />Thórsmörk, or Þórsmörk (“Thór’s forest”), is named after the Norse god Þórr (Thor), the god of thunder and probably the dearest of the Norse pagan gods to Icelanders.
It is known as one of the most beautiful and lush places in Iceland, with the combined action of rivers, glaciers, winds and volcanic activity sculpting the rock into mountains and canyons covered with birches, willows and wildflowers.
The land and has been classified as a nature reserve since 1920. Thórsmörk is as forested a place as you’ll ever find in Iceland; its downy birch trees can grow as tall as nine metres (30 feet) tall.
Still, locals joke that if you get lost in the Icelandic forest, just stand up and you’ll find your way out!
Thórsmörk is squeezed between the rivers Krossá and Markar, and framed to the north, east and south by the neighbouring glaciers Tindfjallajökull, Mýrdalsjökull and Eyjafjallajökull.
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<h3><a href="http://wikitravel.org/en/Landmannalaugar" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Landmannalaugar</a></h3>
<h3>Hiking Nirvana</h3>
Thanks to the artistic creativity of Mount Hekla, Landmannalaugar has become one of the most popular tourist attractions in Iceland.  This area is trekking and hiking heaven!
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-31210 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Things-to-do-in-Iceland-Landmannalaugar.jpg" alt="Things-to-do-in-Iceland-Landmannalaugar" width="1200" height="600" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Things-to-do-in-Iceland-Landmannalaugar.jpg 1200w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Things-to-do-in-Iceland-Landmannalaugar-480x240.jpg 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Things-to-do-in-Iceland-Landmannalaugar-768x384.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Things-to-do-in-Iceland-Landmannalaugar-960x480.jpg 960w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" />
The landscape is truly exotic—a rugged and colourful land of huge geological variety that features warm springs, fumaroles and boiling mud pools.  
Rhyolite is the predominant rock feature in the area—one of more than 700 types of igneous rock formed by cooled magma, it comes from relatively low-temperature magma that has erupted explosively and cooled rapidly.  
Being made up of quartz and mica, it looks a little glassy and is not normally known for its vibrant hues; however, the Landmannalaugar’s geothermal chemistry has cooked the rocks into an infinite variety of subtle colours and variations, making it a visual feast for photographers.
The combination of scenic splendour and a true mountain wilderness environment has led to the formation of a number of mountain trails in the area, deservedly earning Landmannalaugar the title of best hiking area in the country.

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<h3>The Island of Surtsey</h3>
In 1963, a series of volcanic eruptions below the surface of the ocean 19 kilometres (12 miles) from Heimaey resulted in the formation of a new island, Surtsey. As the magma fought its way out of the sea, huge clouds of steam, dust and ash were sent into the atmosphere, gradually forming a new land mass. Surtsey has eroded significantly since the eruptions ceased and is now only a third of its original size. Still, as an untouched nature reserve accessible only to scientists, it is proving a remarkable experiment in the formation of life in barren environments, telling a story of how the continents were formed and life on earth was born.
<h3>Puffins: The Clowns of the Sea</h3>
One of the other main attractions of the Westman Islands is that it is one of the best places to watch puffins. The name comes from its curious appearance, colourful bill and piebald plumage; these comical looking birds are actually very efficient predators, with sand eels forming the bulk of their diet. Unfortunately, speculation is that climate change has warmed the oceans of the area and driven the sand eels further north, resulting in an alarming decline in puffin numbers.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-27999 size-large" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Puffin-inset-photo-900x600.jpg" alt="Puffin-inset-photo" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Puffin-inset-photo-900x600.jpg 900w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Puffin-inset-photo-450x300.jpg 450w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Puffin-inset-photo.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /> 
The puffin belongs to the Auk family and is a pelagic sea bird, meaning they can be found in remote ocean environments as much as 100 kilometres (62 miles) off shore and only come to dry land to nest. Apart from a slight size difference, males and females look alike. They are monogamous and can live up to 25 years. Males do the bulk of the work when on land, but both share in the incubating responsibilities it takes for the 39-odd days for the chick to hatch.
They produce one egg a year and contrary to popular belief, young puffins are not abandoned by their parents. A unique occurrence every August on the Island is the “Great Pufflin Rescue,” when hundreds of hungry, young pufflings are attracted and disoriented by the lights of Heimaey and end up crashing into yards and streets. Locals gather the confused birds in boxes, keep them safe in their homes for the night and then all head out in a festive mood the next day in boats to toss the bewildered birds high into the sky and set them free.
This philanthropic activity is perhaps a sharp contrast to other puffin activities popular amongst Icelanders: puffin hunting with huge butterfly nets has been an important food source for decades and smoked puffin is an Icelandic culinary delight.

Vestmannaeyjar: Iceland's Westman Islands

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Insider's Guide to Reykjavik

<h3><a title="The Settlement Exhibition " href="https://reykjavikcitymuseum.is/the-settlement-exhibition" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Settlement Exhibition</a></h3>
A true piece of Viking history rests at the Settlement exhibition: a Viking-age longhouse from around 930 AD. Found during archaeological excavations in the centre of Reykjavík in 2001, the ruins of the longhouse and a part of a man-made structure, a turf wall, constitute the oldest archaeological findings in Reykjavik. Through multimedia presentations, the exhibition provides a sense of what life was like for the Viking people who lived in the era of the longhouse. <a title="The National Museum" href="http://www.thjodminjasafn.is" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> 
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<h3><a title="The National Museum" href="http://www.thjodminjasafn.is" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> The National Museum</a></h3>
For a little more history of this eclectic nation, the National Museum of Iceland’s permanent exhibition, Making of a Nation &#8211; Heritage and History in Iceland provide insight into the history of Iceland from the settlement to the present day. 
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-17393 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/NationalMuseum.jpg" alt="Things To Do in Reykjavik" width="625" height="207" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/NationalMuseum.jpg 625w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/NationalMuseum-320x105.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 625px) 100vw, 625px" />
<h3><a href="https://www.listasafn.is/english/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The National Gallery of Iceland</a></h3>
With an emphasis on 19th- and 20th-century Icelandic art,  the museum owns the most valuable collection of works by Icelandic artists in the country. The collection also includes an impressive array of works by internationally renowned artists such as Pablo Picasso, Edward Munch, Karel Appel, Hans Hartung, Victor Vasarely, Richard Serra and Richard Tuttle.
<h3><a title="Outdoor Geothermal Pool " href="https://visitorsguide.is/laugardalslaug-pool/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Laugardalslaug Outdoor Geothermal Swimming Pool</a></h3>
If you&#8217;re not quite ready for the full treatment of the Blue Lagoon, one of Reykjavik&#8217;s many outdoor geothermal pools provides a great way to unwind and mingle with the locals—the pools are warm and there are numerous hot tubs, saunas and steambaths.

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<a title="Frederik V" href="http://www.fridrikv.is/en/gallery/fridrik_v_laugavegi_60/" target="_blank"><img loading="lazy" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-17039" src="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Frederik.jpg" alt="Reykjavik Restaurants" width="320" height="212" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Frederik.jpg 320w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Frederik-124x82.jpg 124w" sizes="(max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px" />Fridrik V</a> 
An excellent small restaurant on Laugavegur, this small family-run operations features a chef’s choice menu. Fridrik is in the kitchen while his wife Arnrun manages the tables, and both have a long history as restauranteurs in Iceland.
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<a title="Gallery Restaurant" href="http://www.holt.is/english/meet/gallery-restaurant/" target="_blank"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright size-full wp-image-17043" src="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Gallery.jpg" alt="Reykjavik Restaurants" width="300" height="250" /></a> 
<a title="Gallery Restaurant" href="http://www.holt.is/english/meet/gallery-restaurant/" target="_blank">Gallery Restaurant at Hotel Holt</a> 
Arguably the best restaurant in Reykjavik, Hotel Holt&#8217;s somewhat formal Gallery Restaurant boasts the best collection of Icelandic art outside the National Museum, in addition to an excellent menu.
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<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-25443" src="http://stag.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Glo-new-blog.jpg" alt="Glo-new-blog" width="752" height="350" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Glo-new-blog.jpg 752w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Glo-new-blog-480x223.jpg 480w" sizes="(max-width: 752px) 100vw, 752px" /> 
<a href="http://www.glo.is/forsida" target="_blank">Glo </a> 
One of Iceland&#8217;s best vegetarian restaurants, Glo is the domain of chef Solla Eiríks, who was voted the best RAW Gourmet Chef and the best RAW Simple Chef in the Best of RAW awards 2011 &amp; 2012. At Glo she puts a heavy emphasis on fresh ingredients—the restaurant boasts that 50 percent of everything on offer is organic.
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<h3>Vital Stats</h3>
Years in Travel Business: 15 (including a long maternity break!) 
Years with B&amp;R: 5 
Countries/Regions of Expertise: Iceland, Morocco, Japan 
Countries visited: 24 
Countries lived in: South Korea, Japan and Canada 
Trips planned (estimate):  Dozens and dozens&#8230;
<h3>Q&amp;A with Orsolya Kako</h3>
Let&#8217;s start with your name—&#8221;Orsolya Kako&#8221; must get butchered a lot. What&#8217;s the worst bastardization you&#8217;ve come across? 
Well, this is an easy one. You know everyone pronounces my name as “Ursula” and that started in kindergarten when my teacher looked at my Hungarian name and said, “Well, I can’t pronounce that, so we’ll just go with &#8216;Ursula&#8217;” and that stuck to this day&#8230;  So, to answer your question, the worst bastardization is not even trying!
What’s your preferred method for immersing yourself in a country or region? 
When arriving in a new region, I love to just hit the sidewalk, walk and take in all the sights and sounds of the location, sit at a sidewalk café and just observe.
What&#8217;s the craziest thing you&#8217;ve done on trip? 
My first time in Iceland was during the summer of 2010 and was just a few months after the big eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull that stopped flight traffic over to Europe. We stopped to have a glimpse of our first glacier and we saw people with a guided tour of hikers with crampons going for a glacier hike. It looked so cool that we arranged one for the next day. It was so fun to put on crampons and dig into the ice—the ice was totally covered in soot from the recent eruption, so it looked like we were climbing on a black-sand beach. There were little streams where the glacier was melting that revealed the bluest blue of the glacier—so beautiful! We got up close to some pretty deep crevasses that showed us how massively deep the glaciers really are—amazing!
Let&#8217;s do some favourites: what&#8217;s your favourite trip you’ve ever taken? (I know, I know, but try to narrow it down to one!) 
Chile—I loved the diversity of the geography—from the driest desert in the world to the beauty of the <a title="Torres del Paine National Park " href="http://www.conaf.cl/parques/parque-nacional-torres-del-paine/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Torres del Paine National Park</a>.
Do you have a favourite hotel in the world? 
That’s as impossible as choosing my favourite child! Up there though, if pressed, are <a title="Abbaye de La Bussiere" href="http://www.abbaye-dela-bussiere.com/home.shtml" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Abbaye de la Bussiere</a> in Burgundy, <a title="Dar Ahlam" href="http://www.relaischateaux.com/en/search-book/hotel-restaurant/darahlam/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dar Ahlam</a> in Skoura and the <a title="Four Seasons Budapest " href="http://www.fourseasons.com/budapest/‎" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Four Seasons in Budapest</a>.
<figure id="attachment_51427" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-51427" style="width: 454px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-51427" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/DarAhlam5-454x300.jpeg" alt="Dar Ahlam" width="454" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/DarAhlam5-454x300.jpeg 454w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/DarAhlam5-907x600.jpeg 907w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/DarAhlam5-768x508.jpeg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/DarAhlam5-1536x1016.jpeg 1536w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/DarAhlam5.jpeg 1772w" sizes="(max-width: 454px) 100vw, 454px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-51427" class="wp-caption-text">Dar Ahlam</figcaption></figure>
Favourite bar/wine bar/watering hole in the world? 
A little hole in the wall that&#8217;s a 10-minute walk from my house in Toronto. We can pop out any time for a drink and run into a familiar face.
How about a favourite dish or restaurant? 
I&#8217;m tempted to say Thai street food from the food carts in Bangkok, but tapas from a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant in Barcelona is up there, too.
Of all the trips you&#8217;ve designed, do any moments or stories really jump out at you? 
Well, I had a couple who loved their <a title="Burgundy" href="http://www.butterfield.com/blog/france/burgundy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Burgundy </a>biking trip so much last year that they got engaged! So that&#8217;s high on the list.

Experts + Insiders: Orsolya Kako

Spotlight

Icelanders: A Historic, Nordic Cool

Trip Tales

<h2>Landmannalaugur</h2>
The southern highlands near the Volcano Hekla are justly famous for their hiking trails, which traverse a landscape so barren and otherworldly that it was the place where NASA sent its astronauts to prepare for landing on the moon. We rode our 4WD super-jeeps across the wind-swept plains, hiked past multi-coloured rhyolite mountains and forded streams swollen with unseasonable rains, finishing with a lavish picnic in the shelter of an ancient cave on the shores of a remote lake.
<h2>Westman Islands</h2>
This remote archipelago off the southern coast of Iceland is still in its infancy (the latest addition was the island of Surtsey, created in 1963 through volcanic eruption), and while most of the islands are uninhabited, the main island of Heimay has a bustling port town of more than 4,000 inhabitants. On January 23, 1973, the mountain of Eldfell suddenly and violently erupted, sending lava pouring through the streets of Heimay, forcing the evacuation of the islands and almost destroying the harbour. We hiked along the shoulder of the still smouldering volcano up into the caldera, where we dipped marshmallows in chocolate melted by the heat of an active vent, and then we walked atop the towering cliffs of the southern shore, where huge colonies of puffins and other seabirds nest in burrows throughout the summer. (Sadly, most had migrated to sea by the time we arrived).

Beverages

Cuisine

Regional Delicacies

<figure id="attachment_14167" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-14167" style="width: 200px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-14167 size-medium" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/400px-Brennivin2-213x320.jpg" alt="Hakarl and Brennivin" width="200" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/400px-Brennivin2-213x320.jpg 213w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/400px-Brennivin2.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-14167" class="wp-caption-text">Brennivin</figcaption></figure>
<h2>Brennivin</h2>
As Ramsay briefly mentioned in the clip above (before reaching for a bucket), hákarl is often served with brennivin, Iceland&#8217;s signature spirit. Brennivin is traditionally served cold and in a shot glass, but if you&#8217;re hoping it will wash away the taste of hákarl and return your mouth to a pleasant (or at least neutral) state, think again. Literally meaning &#8220;burning wine,&#8221; brennivin is an 80-proof liquor made from fermented grain or potato mash, similar to vodka, and flavoured with cumin, caraway, and angelica, among other things.
While neither hákarl nor brennivin are for the uninitiated, both are considered delicacies by those who have acquired the taste. (Though you may have trouble finding such people&#8230;)

iceland

Blog posts for 'iceland'