- 13 hours ago
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:00We're exploring Iceland's highlights for a short visit,
00:16its capital city, Reykjavik, and the unforgettable day trip
00:20deep into Iceland's majestic nature.
00:22It's called the Golden Circle.
00:25Reykjavik feels laid-back and easygoing.
00:28It's chill in more ways than one,
00:31with a landmark church,
00:33a scrappy history,
00:35and a determined cultural life.
00:38We'll soak with the locals in the neighborhood thermal pool.
00:42Then, venturing into Iceland's dramatic interior,
00:45driving the famous Golden Circle,
00:47we'll see the gorge where Europe meets America,
00:51thrill under the original geyser,
00:55and feel the spray of a thunderous waterfall.
01:00Iceland, the size of Virginia,
01:02with less than half a million residents,
01:04sits in the North Atlantic,
01:06just below the Arctic Circle.
01:08From Reykjavik, the northernmost capital on Earth,
01:11we'll loop inland on the scenic Golden Circle.
01:17Reykjavik, by far the biggest city in the country,
01:20is still small.
01:22It's about the size of Berkeley or Fargo.
01:24With a hardscrabble heritage and a vibrant culture,
01:27today it offers a tourist-friendly mix of old and new.
01:33While short on world-class sights,
01:35Reykjavik certainly has an urban vitality,
01:38with plenty of restaurants and shopping
01:40to keep visitors entertained.
01:42It's unexpectedly cosmopolitan,
01:45with an artistic, bohemian flair.
01:48And it's blustery.
01:50Iceland can be cold even in summer.
01:53This is a typical day in July.
01:56And so is this.
01:58If you don't like the weather, just wait a few minutes.
02:03Reykjavik's neighborhoods are enlivened by street art.
02:06A blank wall will just get tagged with graffiti anyway,
02:09so instead, homeowners hire talented street artists
02:13to create colorful murals.
02:21It seems every street leads to Hallgrim's Church,
02:24crowning a hill in the town center.
02:34Designed by Iceland's state architect in the 1930s,
02:37the church represents the national style.
02:40Stark and utilitarian, yet beautiful,
02:42it evokes the island's volcanic landscape.
02:46Stair-stepped gables echo Iceland's basalt cliffs.
02:54The interior is Lutheran, serene and austere.
02:58The glass is clear, not stained.
03:02And the altar is a simple table.
03:09An elevator whisks visitors to the top of the tower
03:12for panoramic views over all of Reykjavik.
03:17Two out of every three Icelanders
03:19lives within sight of this steeple.
03:21In front of the church stands a statue of Leif Eriksson.
03:30Born here in Iceland, this Viking explorer is believed
03:33to be the first European to set foot in the Americas,
03:36about five centuries before Christopher Columbus.
03:43The modern sculpture, called the Sea Voyager,
03:45is an homage to those Scandinavian adventurers
03:48who, beginning in the ninth century,
03:50loaded up their ships,
03:52set sail into an uncharted ocean,
03:55and brought civilization to this uninhabited island.
04:02Iceland, so harsh and desolate,
04:04steaming with volcanoes,
04:06was settled over a thousand years ago
04:08by early Norse farmers.
04:12Imagine the original Icelanders,
04:14hardy folk, eking out a living
04:17on remote farms, living in isolation.
04:20They chronicled their lives in the sagas,
04:23a blending of historical records,
04:26tall tales, and legends.
04:29From the age of the Vikings, the country grew slowly.
04:38By the mid-1700s, all of Iceland
04:40still only had about 50,000 people,
04:43and Reykjavik was just a big farm.
04:46As trade, mostly fishing, increased,
04:48and towns began to form,
04:50Reykjavik emerged as the capital city.
04:54The National Museum collects artifacts
04:56from these early days of Iceland.
04:58A society made of wood doesn't leave much behind.
05:05But a few exquisite items,
05:07like these ornamental horns,
05:09and these whalebone carvings, survive.
05:17Pagan Iceland converted to Christianity
05:19in about the year 1000.
05:22Until relatively modern times,
05:25Icelandic settlers lived in rustic cottages,
05:27and rustic cottages.
05:30Existence may have been bleak,
05:32but families were tight-knit.
05:34Many Icelanders lived simple lives,
05:36much like this, until the early 20th century.
05:41Life was tied to the sea.
05:44Icelanders sailed in open boats,
05:47fished for cod,
05:48and hunted shark for their valuable liver oil.
05:53More and more, symbols like an official national costume
05:56and its own flag
05:57demonstrated a growing sense of national identity.
06:01Iceland remained part of Denmark through the 1800s.
06:05Iceland-born politician Jan Sigurdsson lobbied in Copenhagen
06:11for independence,
06:12which Denmark finally granted in 1918.
06:17Iceland's parliament, called the Allthing,
06:21may seem humble,
06:22but it represents a thousand-year journey in this society
06:25from rustic farmsteads
06:27to today's modern democratic nation.
06:34For locals, Parliament Square
06:36remains a place to make your voice heard,
06:40or to just hang out.
06:45Reykjavik still has a hard-working harbor,
06:48busy with both industrial vessels and sightseeing boats.
06:54And in just the last generation,
06:57boldly modern condos and office towers
06:59show how today's Iceland is charging into the future.
07:05And a fine example of that
07:07is the super-modern concert hall called Harpa.
07:12In the lobby, the sky reflects
07:14like you're inside a giant honeycombed prison.
07:17This extravagant use of space and glass
07:22put Iceland on the world's architectural map
07:24when it opened in 2011.
07:27Welcoming the public,
07:29a hit with locals and tourists,
07:31and busy with conferences and concerts,
07:34Harpa is the hub of the country's
07:36cultural and community activity.
07:42This island is proud of its homegrown artists,
07:45especially the sculptor Einar Janssen,
07:48who in the early 1900s was inspired by Rodin.
07:53A welcoming sculpture garden
07:55is filled with his bronze works.
07:59Inside the Einar Janssen Museum
08:01are the plaster originals.
08:04Janssen's works are intense and emotive.
08:07You'll see Viking warriors, bold explorers,
08:14protective women, and lots of drama.
08:20He blended elements of Christianity,
08:23Old Norse legend, Greek mythology,
08:27and his own belief that every person contains
08:30at least a kernel of goodness.
08:33A visit here reminds us that even small countries
08:36produce talented artists like Janssen
08:38worth getting to know.
08:41For a peek at the city's everyday charms
08:44and more insight into the culture,
08:46I'm joined by local tour guide Saga Friedrichsdottir,
08:49a Reykjavik native who loves showing off her hometown.
08:53Saga, I love Iceland, but this language is impossible for me.
08:58Oh, yeah.
08:59I mean, how can any tourist remember that?
09:01Oh, well, I mean, skólaverðu stígur.
09:04Skólaverðu stígur.
09:05Yeah, that's pretty hot, but you know,
09:07we're all speaking English also.
09:08Thank goodness.
09:10The street makes me happy.
09:12Very happy, very colorful,
09:14dedicated to gay pride,
09:16but also a reminder that Iceland is much for just equality
09:19and human rights.
09:22And this is always Rainbow Street.
09:24Nice.
09:25Yes.
09:26So in the summer, days are very long,
09:28but in the winter, what is it like in the winter?
09:30Well, cold and very, very dark,
09:33but we have these beautiful, colorful houses
09:37that really characterizes Reykjavík.
09:40They brighten up our days in winter,
09:42and also you notice we have a lot of corrugated iron
09:45that clothes these wooden houses,
09:48which was revolutionary material
09:50because it protected the houses
09:52from this crazy Icelandic weather.
09:55I'm sure, historically,
09:57this is a society that has dealt with hardships.
10:00Oh, yeah, for sure, definitely.
10:02But we have strong mentality,
10:03and there's actually a saying in Icelandic,
10:06Þetta rættast.
10:08Þetta rættast.
10:10Þetta rættast.
10:11And it basically just means it's gonna be fine.
10:13Don't worry about it.
10:14It's gonna work out.
10:16On weekends, the downtown flea market
10:18is a characteristic and mostly local shopping scene.
10:22This is really a fun place.
10:24And don't miss those famous Icelandic sweaters.
10:27I don't do a lot of shopping,
10:29but when it comes to the Nordic countries,
10:31I like a sweater.
10:33Oh, that's beautiful.
10:35Sassaga, this really feels like good wool.
10:37I mean, we consider it to be the best wool in the world.
10:40This is like Icelandic sheep.
10:42Proper Icelandic sheep wool, yes.
10:44Yeah.
10:45And what is it special?
10:46Because it feels a little special.
10:47Well, I guess because they've been roaming freely in Iceland
10:50since 874.
10:52They know how to deal with rough Icelandic weather,
10:55and they give us the perfect clothing for that.
10:59Oh, yeah.
11:00Do you think it's good?
11:01Yes.
11:02Very nice.
11:03Very nice.
11:04I like it because it feels it has history, you know?
11:06It's really good.
11:07You see the wool.
11:08Yeah.
11:09Wow.
11:10Oh, look at that.
11:11Yeah.
11:12You look like a local.
11:13I feel like a local.
11:15I can speak Icelandic.
11:16Yes.
11:18The flea market is also a place
11:20you can sample some unique tastes.
11:23As the early Icelanders settled this untamed island,
11:26they resorted to many hardship foods.
11:29So when we come to Iceland, everybody has to try the shark.
11:32They have to try the shark, definitely.
11:34I mean, this is the famous Greenland shark.
11:38This is shark.
11:39Fermented shark.
11:40Fermented shark, yeah.
11:41Because if you would eat the shark straight away,
11:44you know, when it's fresh, you would die, unfortunately.
11:46You would die?
11:47Yes.
11:48It is toxic in Iceland.
11:49So how did you ferment this?
11:50So you chop it in pieces,
11:52you bury it in the ground for some time,
11:53and then hang it up,
11:54and you get rid of the ammonia,
11:56or the urine, basically, which is the toxins.
11:58And I always think, like, how many tries did it take
12:01to figure out this method of, like,
12:04not getting killed by eating the shark?
12:07That just stokes my appetite.
12:08Right?
12:09Is it possible to try some?
12:10You have to try it.
12:11There are some pieces here.
12:12Good.
12:13There you go.
12:14I'm going to put this piece of shark down.
12:15And this is usually how it comes,
12:17like, in small pieces.
12:19So you're more than welcome to have a piece or two
12:21if you fancy it.
12:22Yeah.
12:23Give it a good chew.
12:27Wow.
12:29Now that is very fishy right now.
12:32Yes.
12:33Wait for the aftertaste.
12:34Yeah.
12:35My goodness.
12:36Now it's like it's just been swept over with ammonia.
12:40Right.
12:41And usually you're supposed to drink it
12:43with the black death schnapps.
12:45Ah, some akavit, some fire water.
12:47Yes.
12:48Please have some.
12:49Oh, baby, that is unforgettable.
12:51Yeah.
12:52Oh.
12:53But now you've tried the famous Icelandic shark.
12:54Oh, the aftertaste.
12:55I just feel like I've been in a gas station or something.
12:59One, two, three, go!
13:09Iceland is a volcanic island.
13:11It's formed at the rift,
13:12where the European and North American tectonic plates
13:14are pulling apart.
13:15That's why there's a chain of active volcanoes,
13:18hot springs, and steam vents like this
13:20cutting right through the center of the country.
13:23Visitors come to Iceland hoping to see a volcanic eruption.
13:27But big, dramatic eruptions
13:29that casual visitors can actually get up close to and see
13:32are very rare.
13:34But exploring this island does come with plenty of steamy serendipity.
13:44Like roadside attractions, bubbling mud holes gurgle with molten muck.
13:50Vents spew steam.
13:53And as the fog clears from your glasses,
13:56suddenly you're interested in geology.
14:00The entire island is shaped by lava from past eruptions.
14:04Dark, chunky lava rock blanketed by cushy moss
14:08covers much of Iceland's surface,
14:10giving the countryside a desolate, almost lunar feel.
14:17And the Icelanders have ingeniously harnessed
14:20their endless supply of green energy.
14:23Geothermal plants in the middle of nowhere are hard at work,
14:27boring deep into the Earth's crust,
14:29to tap into hot water.
14:31And pipelines carry that superheated water
14:34through miles of countryside
14:36to heat and power Reykjavik and other communities.
14:43Despite the chill, houses are toasty.
14:46In fact, you'll notice many small windows propped open.
14:50Because that geothermal heat is so cheap,
14:52people don't even bother turning down the radiator.
14:55They just crack the window.
14:59The most enjoyable use for Iceland's hot water
15:02is its thermal pools.
15:04And the most famous spa is 45 minutes outside Reykjavik,
15:09the Blue Lagoon.
15:11Years ago, a geothermal plant began dumping its hot,
15:15mineral-rich wastewater into this lava landscape.
15:18Locals discovered it was a great place to take a dip.
15:21Developers then transformed it into a high-end spa.
15:25Today, Iceland's top tourist attraction
15:28is close to the airport
15:30and a popular first or last stop for visitors.
15:34The Blue Lagoon is a lavish spa,
15:37but it's extremely touristy,
15:39and you sure won't meet many Icelanders here.
15:41But the good news?
15:43You have plenty of alternatives
15:45that are just as relaxing.
15:47The community thermal pools.
15:55The Blue Lagoon is popular, but it's expensive.
15:59About ten times the cost of a pool like this.
16:01You can luxuriate in the Blue Lagoon,
16:04or you can soak with the locals in a neighborhood pool.
16:09The choice is yours.
16:11Today on Soakin' Local.
16:14Fed by natural thermal springs,
16:16the main pool is bathwater warm.
16:19Water slides, cascades, and kid zones
16:22keep locals entertained.
16:24This is where Icelanders meet up after work
16:27to connect with friends and family.
16:29I can't think of a better way to meet the locals.
16:34And for the ultimate in relaxation,
16:37100-degree hot pots simmer nearby.
16:40Soaking together is a great equalizer.
16:43Student, truck driver, doctor, and tourist,
16:46everybody's equal in the pool.
16:49Iceland is all about the great outdoors.
17:01But if the weather's bad, as it often is,
17:03several indoor sites here in Reykjavik
17:05offer a taste of the majesty of Iceland
17:07without leaving the capital city.
17:09At the edge of town is a one-stop way
17:12to experience this country's top natural wonders,
17:15at least virtually, under one roof, the pearl.
17:18Exhibits feature fiery volcanoes
17:22with majestic footage that gives a sense of awe.
17:26Birds perched precariously on towering cliffs.
17:30And a 300-foot-long ice cave.
17:34It's a primer on Icelandic nature,
17:37especially worthwhile for those without the time
17:40or money to see the real thing.
17:43The most elusive natural thrill
17:45is the aurora borealis.
17:48In summer, when it's too light to see these northern lights,
17:51you can step into the planetarium
17:53to get a sense of this fabled phenomenon.
17:56But, of course, there's nothing like experiencing the real thing.
18:00Remember, even if you come in the winter
18:02solely for the northern lights,
18:04there's no guarantees of seeing them.
18:06But if you do see those ethereal lights dancing in the sky,
18:10the experience will stay with you for the rest of your days.
18:16The weather's great, and from Reykjavik,
18:22we're making the classic 150-mile day trip loop,
18:26the Golden Circle.
18:28Within minutes, we're immersed in Iceland's
18:30iconic wide-open spaces
18:31and enjoying the dramatic scenery
18:33of this island's natural wonders.
18:36Today, we'll see gorges, waterfalls, geysers, and more,
18:41with epic views all along the way.
18:44By the way, most people do this as a day trip on a tour bus.
18:48But we're driving.
18:50Our first stop is Thingvellir.
18:53This national park is important to Icelanders for two reasons.
18:58First, at this gorge, you can see the rift
19:01that marks that slow separation of tectonic plates.
19:05Walking along this fissure in the Earth's crust,
19:08travelers sense this meeting of two continents,
19:11America on the left, Europe on the right.
19:15And second, Thingvellir, which means assembly planes,
19:19was the site of the original Althing,
19:22an annual gathering of early settlers.
19:28This is where the nation of Iceland was born.
19:31A thousand years ago,
19:32chieftains from isolated farms
19:34all over the island traveled great distances
19:37to meet right here every summer
19:39and make important decisions.
19:41In an age when almost no one could read or write,
19:43each meeting began by reciting the memorized highlights
19:46from last year's gathering.
19:49History aside, Thingvellir is inviting for a nature walk.
19:53In this evocative spot, waterfalls tumble,
19:56and the river flows as geology does its slow-motion dance.
20:03Just up the road is a geological site actually called geyser.
20:09This geothermal field, colorful and steamy with scalding water,
20:14is home to the original geyser,
20:17which means gusher in Icelandic.
20:19The site is otherworldly, as pools bubble and steam fills the air,
20:26all with a whiff of silver.
20:28But the big show is the central geyser.
20:34Tourists line up, cameras poised with anticip...
20:38patient, ready to capture the moment.
20:42They wait, and wait, and wait.
20:46Sometimes they wait so long, the weather actually improves.
20:50And then, suddenly, with a gurgling belch, the geyser explodes,
20:55rocketing skyward and thrilling the crowd.
21:05As you drive the Golden Circle,
21:07remember to slow down and enjoy the scenery.
21:10And it's not just about the famous natural sites.
21:15Along the way, you'll see slices of Iceland's unique agriculture.
21:21With its efficient greenhouses,
21:24even with the lack of good topsoil and its difficult weather,
21:27Iceland grows plenty of tasty vegetables.
21:31The climate is harsh for conventional farming,
21:34but its expertise in greenhouse technology
21:37and in putting geothermal energy to good use
21:40yields an abundant harvest.
21:48For lunch, we're stopping at a working farm.
21:51It's clear that frugal farmers here
21:53are tapping into the tourist boom.
21:56This family now serves hungry sightseers.
21:59The soup bar is a budget standby.
22:03It's all you can slurp,
22:05with fresh-baked bread and a glass of water
22:08and a cup of coffee.
22:10You can finish with a farm-fresh dessert
22:13with a special twist.
22:15The cows actually watch the diners,
22:18enjoying ice cream made from their very own milk.
22:22For generations, this family has raised horses.
22:27Horse lovers know that Iceland's local breed is special.
22:30Small and sturdy,
22:32these were first brought over by Vikings
22:34in the settlement age a thousand years ago,
22:37chosen because they could fit inside the hold of a ship,
22:40yet they were strong enough to work hard once they arrived.
22:44Throughout the country, you'll see these wind-blown beauties.
22:47A long-established ban on importing other breeds
22:51means that today's Icelandic horses are purebred and unique.
22:56They also have a distinctive gait that thrills equestrians.
23:02The final stop on our Golden Circle Loop
23:17is one of the most impressive waterfalls
23:20in a country famed for waterfalls,
23:23Gullfoss, the Golden Falls.
23:26The churning glacial river plummets into a narrow gorge.
23:31Up close, the cauldron comes with a deafening roar.
23:36And even from high above,
23:38visitors feel the spray, wonderstruck.
23:41Gullfoss is one of those places Iceland specializes in,
23:45where you feel the raw power of nature.
23:49It's the perfect climax to a Golden Circle day.
23:54This remote island, with its mighty nature,
24:05tiny population, and gritty love of life,
24:08brings out the explorer in all of us.
24:11And I'm inspired by both its wild beauty and its people.
24:15I hope you've enjoyed our look at Iceland,
24:18its capital city, and its Golden Circle.
24:21Until next time, I'm Rick Steves. Keep on traveling.
24:26I'm Rick Steves. Keep on traveling.
24:28I'm Rick Steves.
24:29I'm Rick Steves. Keep on traveling.
24:33I'm Rick Steves. Keep on traveling.
24:35Oh, I'm Rick Steves.
24:38I'm Rick Steves. Keep on traveling.
24:40It's a town.
24:41Yeah, don't worry.
24:42That's a little weird.
24:45Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
24:46Until next time, I'm Rick Steves. Keep on traveling.
24:50All right, guys.
25:07Okay, bye-bye.
25:08Bye-bye.
25:11Bye-bye.
Be the first to comment