Five Years from Fish Soup to Soft Leather
June 10th marked the official opening of Sútarinn, the last remaining Icelandic tannery and now economuseum. The museum guides guests through the tanning process from stripping the fat off translucent fish skins to adding finishing details to dried skins. The idea to start a museum came when visitors to the town of Sauðarkrókur got wind that Europe’s only fish leather tannery was operating nearby. Last year, Sútarinn received between four and five thousand visitors. It was then that they had to decide whether to open their doors completely or firmly shut the tannery to guests.
A Crazy Invention
Aided by IMPRA, a branch of the Icelandic Innovation Centre committed to aiding companies starting new projects and work developed by entrepreneurs and inventors, Sútarinn has grown from an experiment in the inventive search for new materials into a rapidly developing for-profit museum. While other tanneries struggled to compete with each other, Sútarinn opted for a new approach and began working with fish skins in 1989.

Eat At The Source
A visit to Iceland is not complete without a visit to the birthplace of the Icelandic lobster industry. Here, you can indulge in a feast of the finest Icelandic seafood at the Rauða húsið (Red House) restaurant, found in the picturesque seaside village of Eyrarbakki. In this beautiful red house, a short drive from Reykjavik, langoustines are served in a charming atmosphere amidst a rich and well-preserved history. Now a tranquil village, Eyrarbakki was once an important trading centre in Iceland. Many of its houses were built in the early 1900’s and the village maintains that turn-of-the-century charm and atmosphere. Iceland was late to discover this seafood delicacy. Lobster fishing was born off the shores of Eyrarbakki in 1954. In fact, it was not till then that the Langoustine was discovered to be not only edible, but delicious, too! Care is taken to maintain the sense of history within the restaurant. The red house boasts beautiful original wooden floorboards dating back to 1919. If you arrive by noon, a hearty bowl of langoustine soup or a light seafood salad sets you up for the day. Choose an evening of indulgence and you can savour the Catch of the Day, consisting of three different seafood dishes. Pair a bottle of fine wine with any of the menu’s offerings and cap it off with one of the Rauða húsið’s signature desserts. Serving a variety of delicious fish and meat dishes, the restaurant’s cuisine is a mix of international and Icelandic foods, all featuring local ingredients.

Iceland Awesome beauty awaits those willing to take the challenge
Enchanting wilderness
During the past few decades, highland excursions have become increasingly popular. Walking enthusiasts quaff the fresh mountain air, while others prefer drives along unmade trails in jeeps and other rough terrain vehicles. A third group likes to combine highland jeep tours with hiking. The highland scenery in Þingeyjarsýsla district is stark and diverse and offers visitors countless options.
Near and far highlands
The highlands may in fact be separated into two categories: the near highlands and the far highlands. The former term refers to the highland areas closest to populated districts. In this category, we find a large number of mountains that offer interesting trekking challenges. For example, the highland terrain west of Skjálfandi bay, jeep excursions to Flateyjardalur valley and walking tours from there into the Fjörður area, hiking terrain in Kinnarfjöll mountains, the Þeistareykir area, the mountains in the Mývatn area and the highland tract in the eastern part of Langanes point.

Elegance in Tranquility
Fine houses and a high-class restaurant characterise Grímsborgir A celebration, an event, a conference or simply a desire for a break from the norm - whatever the reason, finding the ideal location that projects the standard you seek can be quite a challenge. There are many options and countries to choose from. However, if you want something different that will be remembered, it really has to be exceptional. A trip to Iceland certainly fits that category, but if you want to impress or simply enjoy an elegant lifestyle whilst surrounded by spectacular but tranquil beauty, a stay in one of the towns or cities would not meet your desires - even in Iceland! A 45 minute car drive will take you out of all urban areas and into a natural wilderness of pristine beauty. To enjoy it would, until recently, have required a tent and sleeping bag, however. Not quite what you were after!