Well, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out why travel deals abound to this destination this time of year.
As I continue my series on affordable winter escapes I’m spotlighting Reykjavik. The Icelandic capital city excels at embracing cold weather by offering a host of outdoor festivals and fun activities during a time when most of us are looking for the nearest fireplace and cup of hot chocolate.
In Reykjavik family friendly events heat up in the winter months, most notably with Þrettándinn (or Twelfth Night) on January 6, which features Elfin-inspired dances, bonfires, and winter-inspired games for children.
A few weeks later, during the month of February, the city hosts the Winter Lights Festival, an annual celebration, which marks the beginning of the end of the brutally frigid temperatures. The entire city gets in on the action, with art galleries, cultural institutions, restaurants, and even sports teams scheduling events.
Also in February is the ever popular Food and Fun Festival. Towards the end of the month top chefs from throughout the city plan creative menus made exclusively from native Icelandic ingredients. There’s even a competition at the close of the festival where local chefs square off in a Supermarket Sweep meets Iron Chef-style speed-timed grocery store excursion for local ingredients and a contest to determine which chef creates the best three-course meal (fish, meat, and dessert) from their purchases.
If you can only brave so much of the city’s frigid temps you might consider purchasing a Reykjavik Tourist Card. With it you’ll get admission to a variety of museums, a number of thermal pools, and free city bus rides. You’ll also get free Internet access at the Tourist Information Centre in the old city. The card retails for about $20, though that amount fluctuates with the latest conversion rates.
Finally, another advantage of visiting Iceland during the winter (or anytime of year) is its close proximity to the U.S.—-compared to other European capitals. A flight from New York to Reykjavik is approximately six hours. Currently, a round-trip ticket from the Big Apple to Iceland will run you about $450 per person for late January travel.
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