Europe Archives - Six Bones

Packing for Iceland Airwaves – Her Packing List

September 23, 2014 By Katy Leave a Comment

I’ve written a brand-new packing list for super-cool women’s travel gear site Her Packing List, to help women going to Iceland Airwaves Music Festival pack for their epic musical adventure!

Autumn is upon us, which means that music fans from around the world will soon be flocking to Reykjavik for Iceland Airwaves Music Festival. Airwaves is one of my absolute favorite festivals, taking over the city for five days every October or November, and showcasing a ton of incredible Icelandic talent, as well as some awesome international acts. Not only is the festival great, but the location can’t be beat. Iceland is stunning, with Reykjavik as its cool, small-yet-cosmopolitain capital. I’ve gone to Airwaves twice, and have made some of my favorite travel memories at this festival.

One of the things that differentiates Airwaves from most other major music festivals is that it takes place in a chilly climate in late autumn, which means that you have to plan your packing very differently than you would for other music festivals, which are most often put on in spring or summer.

To read the rest, click here!

Six Free & Cheap Things to Do in Akureyri, Iceland

September 3, 2014 By Katy 4 Comments

Akureyri is Iceland’s second-largest city, and despite the large population jump (~150,ooo in Reykjavik to ~20,000 in Akureyri), the town has quite a lot to offer. Though many of the nearby attractions and activities, such as whale watching or a visit to the Myvatn spa, can tend to be quite pricey, there are still plenty of things to do for travelers on a budget. [Read more…]

Essential Travel Apps: 112 Iceland

August 25, 2014 By Katy Leave a Comment

For many visitors to Iceland, outdoor adventure is the main goal. And who could resist? With a million-and-one breathtaking places to explore, wild camping, and the ease and relative safety of hitchhiking, more and more people are looking to Iceland as a destination for some serious adventure.

There are many risks to this kind of travel. Iceland’s weather is fickle, unpredictable, and can turn severely bad at any moment. It can be easy to get lost seemingly-endless otherworldly landscape. There can be a pretty large distance between towns, and sometimes days-long gaps in traffic (even on the ring road), making it difficult to find help if something were to go wrong. [Read more…]

Getting a SIM card in Iceland

August 22, 2014 By Katy 2 Comments

Iceland has the highest rate of per capita mobile phone ownership in the world. This reflects in their incredible level of coverage: most towns and cities have 3G or 4G coverage, and even very remote areas, you’ll get at least a bar or two. For travelers in Iceland, this means that it’s very easy to stay connected. [Read more…]

Plus Size Leggings for Her Packing List

August 21, 2014 By Katy Leave a Comment

Next in my series about plus size travel gear for women’s site Her Packing List is a post about one of the most useful items of travel clothing: Leggings.

I love leggings. Oh MAN do I love leggings. Since I’m not much of a pants gal, I wear leggings almost every day, and not only do they help me keep my legs warm, but they also help prevent the dreaded “chub rub” on days where I do a lot of walking. They’re a female traveler necessity, as they’re light, compact, and dry pretty quickly.

There are two routes to go, price-wise. There are either super-cheap leggings, or pretty expensive technical leggings, unfortunately without much middle ground. I’ll give some examples of each, so you can find what works best for you!

To read more, click here!

Get Caffeinated: Four Awesome Coffee Shops in Reykjavik

July 24, 2014 By Katy Leave a Comment

Hailing from Seattle, finding a good coffee shop is pretty high on my list of priorities when I travel. Not just for my much-needed caffeine fix, but also for the great comfort and workspace that comes from a really good coffee shop. Though quite a small city, Reykjavik is certainly not lacking in cosmopolitan comforts, and coffee is no exception. Though there are many great shops to choose from, these are my favorite coffee spots in Reykjavik. [Read more…]

Tutl Records, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands

July 23, 2014 By Katy 3 Comments

To be entirely honest, the size and quality of the music scene in the Faroe Islands totally took me by surprise. At just under 20,000 people, Tórshavn is the world’s smallest capital. Despite the small population, there are dozens of bands and musical projects active in the Faroes, and at the center of it all is the prolific Tutl Records.

Tutl (Faroese for “whisper”) was founded by a Danish Jazz composer named Kristian Blak, and in the last 35+ years has put out hundreds of releases for 100 or so artists. The roster is mostly comprised of Faroese bands, but Tutl has released albums for bands from outside the Faroes as well: from Italy, Iceland, and Estonia, to name just a few. Their releases cover an impressive range of genres, from traditional Faroese ethnic music, to folk, metal, jazz, reggae, and many more. [Read more…]

Take Another Pylsa My Heart: Icelandic Hot Dogs

June 27, 2014 By Katy Leave a Comment

via Bæjarins Beztu’s Facebook Page

When you think of the “national food of Iceland”, you may be thinking of cod, skyr, or lamb…but you’d be wrong. Turns out, the ultimate Icelandic food is the pylsa, or hot dog.

Icelanders really, REALLY love hot dogs.

…and for good reason! Pylsur are fantastic and super cheap, maybe even the cheapest cooked food you can buy in Iceland. A pylsa comes with ketchup, raw onions, crispy onions, a sweet Icelandic mustard, and a remulade. You can make them at home (ingredients are widely available at grocery stores in Iceland…you may even want to bring some back with you for when the pylsa craving takes over at home. It will.), and they’re available at a lot of different places, but the very best hot dogs come from the famous Bæjarins Beztu stands, the most popular of which is right by the harbor, and conveniently located next to several downtown bars for optimal drunk munching. [Read more…]

Visiting a Legendary Ruin: Nólsoy, Faroe Islands

June 25, 2014 By Katy Leave a Comment

On my recent visit to Nólsoy, Faroe Islands, my favorite part of the day trip was the Prinsessutoftir, or “The Princess’s Ruin.” Just a 10-minute walk south of the village, the road runs right through these ruins, and they can be quite easy to miss if you’re not paying attention, but they are a must-see for any visitor to Nólsoy. [Read more…]

Day Trip: Nólsoy, Faroe Islands

June 23, 2014 By Katy 1 Comment

On my recent trip to the Faroe Islands, I spent a foggy Saturday afternoon wandering the beautiful island of Nólsoy. One of the easiest day trips from Tórshavn, Nólsoy is the closest neighboring island to the capital city. The ferry ride is only 30 minutes or so, and affords spectacular views of the capital and surrounding areas from the small boat. At only DKK 20 (about US $4) each way, it’s a great way to get out of the city and explore one of the Faroe Islands’ most picturesque villages. You can catch the ferry at the terminal in the harbor, and clear signage will point you to the right place. The schedule is available here. [Read more…]