Iceland is hot – Iceland is open “literally”
“Yes it’s pretty crazy. It smells like a big bonfire with some sulfur added to it. Very warm indeed, and so windy that the coffee blew from my coffee cup. A bit of a cough, but we are still alive. The hike was two hours up about three mountains”....
Iceland 2021 – When you can travel again safely
You want to come to Iceland when you can travel again? New flights open up possibilities – but you will need a local to navigate. Despite a flareup of COVID in recent days, Iceland has had a relatively charmed ride through the Pandemic – and the island...
Iceland 2021 – Covid does not take the beauty away
It´s been a long time now. A long time since we have travelled the world. Iceland, which has seen incredible increases in tourism since the financial crisis in 2008, is currently facing 10% unemployment because of collapse in the tourism business since the outbreak of...
Peaceful Iceland – and its appeal to the 2021 traveler
When people mention Iceland, the first things that generally come to mind are mountains, volcanos, geysers and breathtakingly stunning landscapes. Oh, they’re all included in the price of a plane ticket (assuming you can rent a car, a guide or take a tour that will...
Happy New Travel Year 2021
This has been a weird year to say the least. Everything we have taken for granted has been put on hold: such as hugging each other or shaking hands, traveling or meeting up with all of our family and friends at once. Some places have been hit very hard and are still...
That is what Iceland does to you – Northern lights and autumn leaves – By Helga Stína
It´s on. Autumn and its sister, the Lady Aurora Borealis. My husband “likes my craziness,” he says. Even when I drag him out into the night to chase the Northern Lights or for a walk during the day in pouring rain and misery. I guess that is how Iceland affects...
The only way is up – Keep dreaming – Start planning – By Helga Stína
I guess many of you, like me are wondering if this covid situation will ever end. Will there ever be a covid free world again. Many things have come to a standstill and the travel industry is one of those things. But what is there to do? There are many aspects on how...
Iceland and Eurovision – A decades long love story
Oh well. My home country Iceland continues to amaze me and perhaps it is quite extraordinary how it somehow manages to stay in the discussion as one of the most important places to visit in the world. In the past months we have been experiencing an extraordinary...
Why Iceland is perfect for the social distancing vacation – By Helga Stina
I have been working for and with fantastic people for many years now who all have had in common the dream to visit my home country of Iceland. People are different and have different needs. Some people love exploring cities, street art, restaurants, cafés, museums,...
Iceland is open – Are you ready? By Mike Klein and Helga Stina
This week, Iceland’s prime minister,, Katrin Jakobsdottir, announced that the island nation will be accepting visitors from 15 June, setting up an unusual tourist season at a time when much of the world is slowly emerging from lockdown. With Covid-19 nearly...
Keep dreaming – Iceland is ready for another comeback
This nation of mine has managed to surprise me through the years. Let me take a couple of examples. Cod wars – Iceland has fought a few wars. The Cod wars against the Brits. We won. Here are some more information on the subject. The economical crisis in 2008...
What’s next for travel? Possibilities in the challenges
“Never let a serious crisis go to waste. And what I mean by that it’s an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before.” (Rahm Emanuel). I know many of us are wondering “where to next”? How is travelling going to look like?...
My Role Model
Today is the birthday of one of my biggest role model in life. Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, who served as president of Iceland from 1980 to 1996. Vigdís ís 90 years old today. When Vigdís became president I was 8 years old. I was staying on the country side with my mother...
The “looking forward to” is an option – By Helga Stina
Many of us are in shock due to this horrible virus attacking us all around the world. It´s an unprecedented situation and we are all trying to figure out how to function in this changed world. This is of course devastating and challenging in many ways for various...
Listen to the locals please – An interview with Hrútur Ærson The Sheep
With only 350,000 human residents, some people think Iceland lacks a diversity of opinion. But at Iceland Unwrapped, we have what it takes to seek out local expertise where it can be found. For a thoroughly different perspective, we interviewed Hrútur Ærson,...
2020 – Your Travel Year – Is Iceland just a tick in the box? By Helga Stina
“That´s over and done with” is something an old friend of mine sometimes said about both good and bad things and events in his life. But is traveling something you should just get over and done with, to tick a box, to show off on social media? Is it time...
The national book flood – By Helga Stina
In Iceland we have two kinds of floods. We have normal floods when glacier rivers flood because of unease and geothermal activities under glaciers. This is something the Icelanders are used to being aware of and manage reactions very professionally. The other type of...
What happens when the power is out? By Helga Stina
Iceland is a land of extremes. The elements of nature impact everything in life there. Being raised in a place that sometimes makes it difficult to plan ahead, is a privilege. You might ask why that is the case, and it is because it teaches one to respect nature and...
Advent in Iceland – It´s about warmth, traditions and surviving the darkness – By Helga Stina
One of my favorite times of the year has arrived. Advent is something that warms my heart and gets me excited every year, wherever I am. When I was a kid, it always seemed to be snowing during this time of year. Everyone was busy getting ready for Christmas, baking,...
Is it a bad idea to visit Iceland in the winter?
It’s officially winter now on this side of the globe. In Europe we have moved the clock. In Iceland, the clock has stayed out, but the weather is starting to get tricky in some areas of the country. Time to relax and stay inside To survive the winter where you...
An autumn journey into wellness – By Helga Stina
Last week, I returned again to Iceland to visit some of my hospitality partners – and made yet another interesting discovery in the town of Hafnarfjordur, just outside Reykjavik. The town council has decided to use one of the most beautiful buildings in Iceland, a...
Four years of Unwrapping Iceland
It feels quite incredible that four years have passed since I founded what is now called Iceland Unwrapped, my Iceland travel planning business. Iceland Unwrapped offers unique travel experiences based on a personal approach, deep knowledge of the country‘s hidden...
It just might be good business – The opportunity of connecting and getting inspired in Iceland
Iceland is known to be a magical place. The nearness to nature, the warm-hearted people and the sense of isolation on this island far away from it all in the North Atlantic. But why is Iceland a good option for getting inspired? Why would you even consider going to...
Why time is so important in Iceland
I have just returned from my ever changing island after a fabulous work trip. I was exploring new places and meeting fantastic entrepreneurs in the areas that I recommend for my clients. It seems that there is never enough time while in Iceland. Many of my clients get...
Windy Wine tasting – By Brynja Bjarnadóttir
Have you ever dreamed of opening up a bottle of wine by the ocean? A friend of mine inspired me by writing down one hundred things she wanted to do or accomplish in her life. I followed her example and did the same. I started of with the most obvious things (like...
Iceland by the seasons: and why you need a travel planner for each
A season-by-season guide to planning an Iceland trip Iceland may be a small country with only 330,000 residents. But the combination of high tourist numbers and a difficult-to-navigate language makes local knowledge a valuable resource for a visitor who wants to get...
Have you ever dreamed of living through the book? By Helga Stina
Have you ever dreamed of reading Icelandic literature and getting the feeling and atmosphere of the book while in Iceland? Everyone has their way of relaxing and especially when traveling. For me the ideal vacation is a mix of some adventures and outdoor activities...
Berry picking, amazing sunsets and the calmness in the air – Have you ever dreamed of autumn in Iceland ?
I must admit that Autumn is my favorite season in Iceland. I like it because of the beautiful sunsets, the blue berry picking, and the calmness of it. I like it because it makes life calmer when everyone is getting ready to face the winter months ahead and this is the...
When is the boat picking us up? – By Brynja Bjarnadóttir
Have you ever dreamed of visiting a remote place , only reachable by sea in Iceland? Can you think of a remote little town in Iceland? Now think of an even smaller one and way more remote. That is Hesteyri. There are only few houses there, a run down whaling station...
Have you ever dreamed of seeing the Northern Lights dance?
Do you want to see the northern lights while staying in Iceland? For that you will need a bunch of luck and also a good forecast. The northern lights can vary a great deal. Sometimes they are barely noticeable, looking like a faint green veil on the sky. Other times...