Lonely Planet Iceland (Paperback)

by Joe Bindloss (Author), Paul Handing (Author) "Reykjavik has a growing reputation as a hang-out for the young and hip, and it's justly famous for its nightlife..." (more)
Key Phrases: geothermal swimming pool, putrid shark meat, hotel keflavik, Ring Road, Blue Lagoon, East Iceland (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
...for the adventurous traveler who wants to live like a native.' --Real Simple Magazine, June 2005
--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Description
Catch the midnight sun, sleep under the northern lights, dance all night in Reykjavik's coolest clubs or chill out in a hot spring - Iceland is equal parts polar adventure and urban sophistication. Your own adventure starts right here, with this inspiring and fully updated guide.

* RUN THE RUNTUR - Reykjavik's cafes, bars and clubs revealed and reviewed
* GET OUT, GET ABOUT - whether your idea of bliss is dogsledding across the snowy plains, watching whales in the Atlantic or soaking in a spa, we've got every activity covered
* DISCOVER THE LAND OF FIRE & ICE - where to experience volcanoes, geysers and glaciers first hand, with comprehensive geographical coverage
* UNRAVEL THE MYTHS - sections on Iceland's rich history, folklore and literature explain the country's strong independent spirit
* SLUMBER IN STYLE - accommodation options to suit all, from stylish urban digs to remote farmhouse B&Bs

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Product Details

• Paperback: 328 pages
• Publisher: Lonely Planet Publications; 5 edition (May 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1741040760
• ISBN-13: 978-1741040760
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #544,297 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best of the bunch., July 25, 2007

By	T. L. Throop (Austin, TX USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Lonely Planet Iceland (Paperback)

Prior to my latest trip to Iceland I purchased a vast array of travel guides: The Rough Guide to Iceland; Insight Guides Iceland; Globetrotter Travel Guide; and Travellers Iceland (Thomas Cook). All of these titles are good and each provided some unique insights. However, when it was time to head to Iceland, and luggage space was at a premium, the only book I took with me was Lonely Planet Iceland. Quite frankly, I can't think of any other praise that would convey so much. Minimal b.s. and concise descriptions, this is as good as it gets. Essential. Highly recommended.

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Lacks detail and helpful tips, March 22, 2005

By	Blah (New York, New York) - See all my reviews

This is not one of Lonely Planet's best guides. There is suprisingly little information. For example, the book mentions that there are a few companies that give day tours from Rekyavik but doesnt tell you anything about how they compare in price or services. basically, everything in the guide and more can be found at the tourist information center in Rekyavik, which luckily is run very well. I found this really disappointing since Iceland is very expensive and I was hoping to keep down costs (in reality this is almost impossible, even eating at the grocery store I was spending 10 dollars a meal for bread and cheese) Furthermore, Iceland is a very small country and it would have been very easy to have given a lot more details.

As with any tour book some of the info is out of date. some of the museums and businesses were closed including the Icelandic Phallogical Museum. It also seemed that this book was written for the high season in the summer months. I went in March and found the information on the offseason limited and sometimes inaccurate. I usually trust Lonely Planet but in this case I would have tried one of the other guide book companies or simply visit the tourist center when you get there.

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars For Iceland-YES, For Greenland or Faeroes-NO!, June 7, 2007

By	Getshark - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lonely Planet Iceland (Paperback)

We've been waiting for 1.5 months for this book to arrive. Despite delayed publication it arrived yesterday - 5 days before we leave for a month-long trip to Iceland and Greenland. To keep others from being equally misled by Amazon's sub-title "Lonely Planet Iceland, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands") I'm writing to notify all that this book has a combined total of TWO (count 'em!) pages on Greenland and the Faeroe Islands. This is solely an ICELAND guide book (and probably a very good one). Amazon needs to remove reference to Greenland and the Faeroes in the title as this is very misleading. Lonely Planet has a 2004 edition on "Greenland and the Arctic" which we will be forced to rely on, despite its dated information, for the Greenland segment of our trip.