Men's Journal

Best for Hiking and Soaking

Base Camp: Reykjavík
Iceland has long been a pipe dream for those traveling on a budget — until last fall, when economic meltdown left the nation with $200,000 of debt for every citizen. Take advantage of Iceland’s half-off sale at the Hotel Reykjavík Centrum, within walking distance of the city’s bustling bars and harbor, complete with a glass-enclosed, ninth-century Viking archaeological site ($150; hotelcentrum.is). To get a feel for the world’s northernmost capital, meet dirty joke–prone Jonas Thorsteinsson for his free daily walking tours (meet at Adalstraeti 2 by 1 pm, goecco.com), and join the line of locals at the red Baejarins Bestu street cart for lamb hot dogs with mustard, remoulade, and fried onions ($3). Be sure to leave time for a visit to the Blue Lagoon, the famous pool of milky blue water set in crags of volcanic rock ($50 for bus and entry; re.is).

Excursion 1: Thorsmork Nature Reserve
Named for the god of thunder, this park, surrounded by glaciers and peaks, requires four-wheel drive to navigate boulder-strewn roads and swollen rivers. The best bet is a chauffeured trip with Iceland Excursions: Hike through a mossy gorge to a cave with a waterfall ($130; grayline.is). If you can’t bear to leave, camp or rent a cabin (from $7; hostel.is), or get a bit of luxury — and a hot tub under the northern lights — at the four-star Hotel Ranga ($200; hotelranga.is).

Excursion 2: Vatnajökull National Park
It’s tough to find any spot on Earth that feels this far from home. Founded in 2008, Europe’s biggest national park, a full 11 percent of Iceland, is five hours from Reykjavík (stop at the black-sand beaches of Reynisfjara on the drive). Hike an hour to Svartifoss, a waterfall whose basalt pillars resemble a pipe organ, then to the Skaftafellsjökull glacier (rent crampons on-site). The Hotel Skaftafell is a bit basic, but boosted by delicious lamb and a bar that looks out to glacier-capped mountains ($140; hotelskaftafell.is).

Can’t Get It At Home: Brennivín
Affectionately dubbed Black Death by Icelanders, this aquavit-like 75-proof schnapps is flavored with cumin.

Read Before You Go: Independent People by Halldor Laxness.
This tale of a stubborn sheep farmer won Laxness a Nobel.

This article is part of our See The World — at 50% Off package.