OTP’s Guide to Partying Your Ass Off in Reykjavik, Iceland
This misnamed hidden gem in the north Atlantic will surprise you on many levels – including all three of the mega-club Nasa. In the capital of Reykjavik, Icelanders pack the streets, bounce from bar to club and party well into the morning. So join OTP as we pop a cork in land of Björk and blaze through “The Land of Fire and Ice.”
If you show up dead sober to a club in Reykjavik, you’ll either stay that way or go broke trying to fix it. A simple local beer will run you upwards of $10, so pregame rituals are very common. Round up a few easy-to-find drinking buddies, some bottles of booze and a party pad to get pseudo-sauced. During the day, try to get friendly with some Icelanders to score an invite to one of their local lube-ups. Otherwise, start your own pregame party at the hostel. Grab a bottle of the local favorite Brennivín Icelandic schnapps, affectionately nicknamed “Black Death.” While it may taste like wheat grass mixed with turpentine, sobriety will quickly become a distant memory.
OTP Tip: Be sure to pick up booze at the duty free shop when you land at Keflavík airport. Otherwise, you’ll double down at liquor stores in town.
It’s getting close to midnight, so down one last shot, fight back your gag reflex and drag your buzz over to the crowds on Laugavegur. This street is lined with bars and clubs, and don’t be surprised if that quaint bistro where you had your fish stew lunch is now flashing strobe lights and spinning house music. It’s time to start your rúntur – Iceland’s word for a bar crawl. Whether celebrating 24 hours of daylight in the summer, or drinking off the long winter night blues, there are too many options to choose just one spot, so Icelanders spend weekend nights hopping from bar to bar until the last Viking Gold is poured at 5 am. Bar 11 is a decent ramp-up bar and prices are about as good as you’ll find. Iceland’s oldest bar Gaukur á Stong is always packed with people, character, and live music, and is your best bet during the tame weeknights. This godfather of Iceland bars is credited with getting the ban on beer lifted in 1989 by serving vodka-spiked non-alcoholic beer – thus exposing the hypocrisy of the law and forcing parliament prudes to finally get with the times. The three story club Nasa pumps disco, house and hosts most big name live acts that pass through Reykjavik. Thorvaldsen rivals Nasa in popularity, but if you’d like to party at either of these, show up before midnight to avoid wasting away in line. If you’re too late, or just can’t handle the big clubs, Vegamót is a well-kept club secret, but remember to dress to impress if you want to see the inside of any of these hotspots. A more diverse option is the “straight friendly gay bar”, Q Bar, which really does has something for everyone. Finally, if you’re feeling especially literal, check out the Ice Bar at the Kaffi Reykjavik, but be prepared for the novelty to run out in unison with your first drink.
Hot dogs, the unofficial national food of Iceland, are the lone exception to overpriced food in Reykjavik. This also makes them THE Icelandic drunk food. Dress your dog like a true Icelander with “the works” – sweet mustard, raw onion, fried onion and remolaði - a mayonnaise based relish. Hot dog stands line the drunk parade route, but jump in line at Bæjarins beztu pylsur and bite into what The Guardian declared the best hot dog in Europe. President Clinton once ordered a hot dog from here, although it’s still unclear whether the dog was eaten or used for other purposes.
AFTER PARTY
Dwell on the shenanigans of the Vikings and enjoy the hotness of the super race that has bred here for centuries. Don’t be intimidated by the Hitler’s wet dream’s worth of blond hair and blue eyes. Remember: here, YOU are the exotic one. If you haven’t found yourself some Icelan-dick or an Icelan-dame by closing time, follow the locals to the hot dog stand and have a dog after party at the main city square where you can make one last desperate “Hail Mary” pass at an Icelander.
Not long ago, you’d have better luck trying to pronounce the volcano Eyjafjallajökull than finding a decent party hostel in Reykjavik. That has changed recently with the emergence of a backpacker scene and a wave of new hostels in the city center. The stylish KEX hostel is your best option if you want to get rowdy. Dorm beds start at $20 per night and the onsite bar is open late, always buzzing and even entertains a local crowd. Kex is Icelandic for biscuit, as this building used to be a biscuit factory and, as a matter of fact, finding steaming hot goods is still quite rampant.
When you emerge the next day from your booze-induced coma, it won’t take long for the head throbbing to commence. To avoid a crash like the Iceland economy circa 2008, take a day trip to the Blue Lagoon, or make it a stop on your way to the airport. While you won’t find a naked teenage Brooke Shields swimming here, a day wading in the vast, milky-turquoise, 100 degree mineral pools is your recipe for rejuvenation. These lava pools are coated with silica mud which you can massage on your face, counteracting the silicon you were motor-boating last night.
Despite its misleading name, Iceland is actually green (and Greenland is actually ice). Don’t be ashamed if you misjudged this remote, almost-Arctic island. The Gulf Stream, Brennivín, and Icelanders are all waiting here to keep you warm. So exchange a bunch of your own green and join Reykjavik as it explodes like Geysir onto the international party scene.
One life is just not enough for this world.
Tweet This
Share on Facebook
Digg This
Save to delicious
Stumble it
RSS Feed
Reykjavik looks awesome! Having spent small fortunes on nights out in Oslo and Stockholm I think Reykjavik is next on my viking hitlist. Cheers