Hidden gems of Iceland and Ireland
By: Chloe Jakiela
When travelling to new and unfamiliar destinations, people often want to know the main attractions of wherever it is that they are travelling to, whether they consider themselves tourists or not. Most people, when traveling to somewhere as iconic as Paris, France, for example, don’t want to leave before seeing the Eiffel Tower or visiting the Louvre. Almost anywhere in the world is iconic for something whether on a small scale or large. Both Iceland and Ireland are countries that have iconic travel destinations. Although tourist attractions are most often popular for good reasons, there are always hidden gems and less well known places to go in those destinations as well. The hidden gems of Iceland and Ireland, including nature reserves, alternate hot springs/pools, coffee shops, museums and restaurants, can make the experience of travelling to these places more unique. Not only will we have an awesome time visiting the well-known destinations for each country on the itinerary, but we can have an even greater time visiting less well known places as well! The following information details the hidden gems of these countries to provide mindful ideas of what to do during the free time of our trip.
While Iceland is known for being a place where it is possible for someone to see the Northern Lights, bathe in the famed Blue Lagoon and take in other various natural land spectacles, there are plenty of lesser known places to go in this country that are just as interesting. Similarly, Ireland is most popularly known for beautiful landscapes, along with striking architecture, the Blarney stone and numerous castles, while still having hidden gems that are worth visiting.
Iceland
Iceland has many alternatives to tourist attractions for little money, and often alternatives are free of cost (usually in terms of enjoying the interesting beauty of nature).
1) Reykjavik’s Quirky Shops
The first hidden gems I would like to introduce are quirky shops in Reykjavik. The 12 Tonar record shop and independent record label is a unique place to find interesting records and for musicians to regularly meet with the label. 12 Tonar welcomes new musical talents as well. It was founded in 1998 by owner and co-founder Larus Johannesson, and their childhood friend, Johannes Ágústsson. When creating 12 Tonar, these two wanted to focus on the needs and wants of customers; they have both Icelandic music and music from abroad, that people can listen to before purchasing (or just listening to for free), and they even make free espresso. According to an in-person interview I found online at “Digging In Iceland”, 12 Tonar describes their customer base as “very diverse, a lot of musicians, collectors, curious people, and more and more travelers looking for Icelandic music. All ages, all colors, all genders!” Ultimately, this hidden gem is a place for relaxation and insight into Iceland’s music scene. I believe it is worth visiting since most of us going on this trip probably do not know too much information about the music scene in Iceland. Personally, I love listening to music on vinyl and free coffee is always a plus. 12 Tónar, like a lot of independent record stores, will probably have an uncommon selection and in this case music choices unique to its location and label in Reykjavik.
2) Kolaportid Flea Market
Another hidden gem of Reykjavik is a flea market called Kolaportid. There people have the opportunity to purchase more affordable Icelandic clothing as well as authentic food and strange finds unique to the country. It is important to know that Kolaportid only accepts cash and is only open on weekends. We are travelling there on a weekend so if anyone would like to visit we can on Sunday if there happens to be free time. Kolaportid first opened in 1989 in a garage within the Reykjavik Central Bank in the center of the city. It later moved to the ground floor of Tryggvagötu Toll, still in the center of Reykjavik. Kolaportid is like most American flea markets only it is Icelandic and authentic to the country’s traditions and culture. This hidden gem is not necessarily at the top of my list to visit but it might be worthwhile to check out if anyone feels like strolling through an Icelandic flea market, and purchasing cheaper souvenirs. It could be cool to find something unexpected, which can often happen when sifting through flea markets.
3) Unique Coffee Shops
A third type of hidden gem in Iceland is the coffee shops; before I go into detail about specific cafes, I would like to provide a brief history on Iceland’s coffee culture. On November 16, 1703, coffee was first brought to Iceland according to the Nordic Coffee Culture blog. This site states that “Árni Magnússon – a scholar and collector of many highly valuable Nordic manuscripts – acquired a quarter of a pound of coffee from a friend.” The New Yorker sited this blog as well, and neither site has more information on that moment of coffee discovery in Iceland. According to the New Yorker, coffee was important to Iceland’s “sense of itself” by the mid-nineteenth century. The author of this article, Adam Gopnik, stated “One might even see the Icelandic coffee cult as one case of a too-little-touched-on aspect of the human comedy: our tactical amnesia about trade. We tend to abstract and accent the unpleasant or disconcerting aspects of trade while domesticating the bits that seem essential to us.” Essentially Gopnik is referencing the financial catastrophe of banks in 2008 where Icelandic banks over-loaned their money. So, although the commodity of coffee is pleasant and difficult to imagine living without, one must keep in mind that countries go through financial troubles at some point in their history, and that the trade of coffee is not reflected in the environment of a coffee shop. I have found a few coffee shops that exhibit respectable business.
Since there are a handful of coffee shops worth visiting in Reykjavik, and all for the appreciation of good coffee, I will discuss a few of them. To begin with, a coffee chain Reykjavik Roasters is a coffee shop that has the “best coffee in Iceland,” according to an online Icelandic Magazine. Although it might be more of a popular spot when it comes to coffee, it is probably worth checking out to experience authentic Icelandic coffee. Additionally, their first shop is a hot spot for travelers and locals alike, while their second shop is more hidden. This second location is in and is more minimalistic than the original location. It is considered by the online Icelandic Magazine to be a hot spot for “smart young professionals and local hipsters.” The main location is located by the Icelandic Academy for the Arts.
Another coffee shop in Iceland is, that is considered a gem although again not too hidden since Reykjavik is small, is called Cafe Floran located in the Reykjavik Botanical Garden, within Laugardalur valley. The Laugardalur valley is well known in Iceland because it is one of the most popular areas for recreational pastimes with hot springs, areas to play sports along with a petting zoo. The cafe itself has brunch, lunch and coffee. Its outdoor seating makes it a prime spot to enjoy the sun when the weather is nice and slow life down.
Lastly, Kaffitar, a chain like Reykjavik Roasters but still worth visiting because of the award-winning baristas, is another great Icelandic coffee shop. Unlike a lot of popular American coffee chains, such as Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts or Crazy Mocha, Kaffitar is made with an authentic, unautomated espresso/coffee machine. This company has been around since 1990, and claims that “passion is the driving force” in terms of the effort and energy that goes into making the coffee.” The biggest difference that I can judge between Kaffitar along with Reykjavik Roasters, both chains, and American coffee chains is that the coffee is made from scratch and more care is put into the practice. Additionally, Kaffitar practices direct trade according to the Nordic Coffee Culture Blog; “buyers can also choose to engage in a longer-term relationship with the coffee grower, offering guarantees that will make it possible for them to engage in more labour intensive practices without worrying about whether or not they would recoup their expenses.” I have found these Icelandic coffee chains to be more comparable to independent coffee places in the US, but will have to try their coffee to find out for sure.
4) Reykjavik Museum of Photography
This is the only museum in Iceland to exhibit strictly photos. The genres of photos are varied, including studio, family portraits, industrial, advertising, photojournalism, nature and landscape. The photos generally focus on Icelandic photography, but foreign work is exhibited as well. According to Visit Reykjavík, “The aim of the museum is to shape a unique vision and to be leading in its field. The museum preserves various photo collections from professional and amateur photographers, around 5 Million photographs from the period around 1870 to 2002.” I am interested in visiting this museum since photography is my preferred medium for communication, media and creating art. I also believe that visiting the Reykjavik Museum of Photography would be useful for our whole group of students whether they study photography at Point Park or not, because photography is a visual representation of history.
5) Esja Mountain Range
Lastly, in terms of a free experience in nature, the Esja Mountain range is a great place to go hiking right outside Reykjavik during our free time. Although this location is popular, it is a great place for amazing views and a chance to relax while still taking in the beauty of Iceland. I included this as a hidden gem because I have not heard of this mountain range before researching. I find it incredibly interesting that the Esja Mountain range was formed from multiple volcanic mountains and shaped by the Ice Age glaciers. At the top of the hiking trails, the summit, is a guest book that anyone can sign. On the official website of Mount Esja, there is a live web-camera as well as time lapse videos.
IRELAND
Next I am going to share some hidden gems of Ireland in the cities we will be visiting: Dublin, Belfast, Galway, and Bunratty.
1) Dublin: The Moore Street Market
The Moore Street market, located in Dublin, although subjectively considered to be a tourist attraction too according to an About travel blog, has lots of produce, flowers, ethnic foods and a variety of shops at reasonably low prices. This market is open on various days including Saturday when we have free time, and is typically busy from 10am to 3pm. Additionally, the Moore Street market is historical; it is named after a family that lived during the sixteenth century. According to Architecture Ireland, “They were awarded the land of the abbey for services to the British Crown and in 1728 Henry Moore, the First Earl of Drogheda, founded Moore Street along with Drogheda Street (now O’Connell Street), Earl Street and Henry Street. I think it is really cool that the area of Moore Street Market existed in many forms of business before, during and after the Easter Rising of 1916 in Dublin. In the eighteenth century, the area of this market was the location of the first skin hospital in territories of the United Kingdom (the British Empire). Later, in the eighteenth century it became a business district and then in the twentieth century it finally became a market.
2) Belfast: Belfast Exposed
A second gem of Ireland, located in Belfast, is the “Belfast Exposed” photography gallery. According to the gallery’s website, it is “Northern Ireland’s principal gallery of contemporary photography, commissioning, publishing and showing work by local and international photographers. We undertake community engagement and photography projects across Northern Ireland in line with our socially engaged ethos of addressing exclusion, increasing access and creating opportunities for learning and training Contemporary Gallery.” Like the Reykjavik Museum of Photography, I think viewing visual histories of Ireland, in the form of a gallery of photos, would be beneficial to the whole group because it is an account of Ireland’s past and present life. I find it especially great that this gallery has artist talks, photography courses and a photography darkroom for printmaking through the traditional process of using negatives, darkroom paper and chemicals to make an image into a print.
3) Galway: The Electric Garden and Theatre
Ireland has a big pub scene, but I thought this space was a little more interesting and unique. There are four spaces that make up this spot as a whole: Electric Theatre, Factory, The Garden & The Glasshouse. According to their website the main area is a “bohemian ballroom for up to 800 people and with fantastic facilities for staging a variety of musical styles and performances – from evening cabaret to big room dance acts.” This place is a perfect place for musicians, performers, party goers and virtually anyone to dance, watch performances and socialize.
The Factory area of the Electric Garden seems to be a dedicated space for artists to create and grow together. According to their website, “In Factory we are committed to fostering the underground and providing a space for new ideas to grow, through an eclectic program of authentic experiences in music, art, film, food, and design. We are proud to support local emerging and established talent across the creative community from music to design, food to art ad everything in between.” As for the Glasshouse, it is a unique cocktail bar with a “simple, raw, organic and botanic” menu. Additionally, they “aim to be the first cocktail bar in the country to introduce a “Farm-to-Bar” ideology, sourcing the ingredients for our cocktails from local green markets, organic produce vendors and (their) own Rooftop Herb Garden.” Lastly the Garden is a quieter space to socialize upstairs, but there is still space for dancing as well. This spot has their own Facebook page and a photo album of the guests who are casually and for the most part classily dressed. The Electric Garden seems worth visiting because I have never heard of anything like it, or seen in terms of the photos they provided, and it is not the stereotypical pub.
4) Bunratty: Bunratty Folk Park
The last city we will be visiting in Ireland is Bunratty. Within the Bunratty Castle area is Bunratty Folk Park, an interesting area that I did not realize existed. This park is “a living reconstruction of the homes and environment of Ireland of over a century ago. Set on 26 acres, the impressive park features over 30 buildings in a ‘living’ village and rural setting. Within this village are buildings, homes, shops and businesses that were modeled to look and feel like times in 19th century Ireland, including a poor, one bedroom home to the large home of the Studdarts, who were the last people and family to live in the Bunratty Castle. There is also a Bunratty fairy village within the Folk Park, which natives may either believe or not believe the actual existence of fairies. The fairy village is a popular spot for children and anyone with a curious imagination.
Ultimately, in both Iceland and Ireland, there are places to visit that are off the path of tourist locations. Some of the places that I detailed were more “hidden” than others, but collectively all spots are unique and distinctive. It is important to visit less known places in cities with an abundance of tourist attractions, because those places are more likely to teach us (whether directly or indirectly) about the cultures and lifestyles of Iceland and Ireland. Of course, though, the tourist attractions can be equally historical and awesome, but we may learn even more than before at the “hidden gems” in both Reykjavik and those various cities within Ireland.