Nordic Staff Mobility Conference

Practical information

Arrival and airport transportation. The international airport is situated in the town of Keflavik, about 45 km. from Reykjavík. When you land in Iceland, there are Flybus city buses connected to every flight situated outside the terminal building that take you to the door of the hotel. Tickets can be obtained in three different ways; 1) by booking online on www.flybus.is making sure you book Flybus+ that takes you all the way to the hotel; 2) in the arrival hall at the airport, and 3) on board the Icelandic airlines flights. The price for the Flybus+ is ISK 3.000 or about 22 €. The trip to Reykjavík takes 40 minutes over a landscape of pure lava! When you go back, you can order a Flybus pick-up from, or close to, your hotel the night before departure. Taxis are also available outside the terminal at approx. 120 € for a small taxi.

Meeting venue. The conference will take place on the University of Iceland Campus, mainly in the new building for foreign languages studies, called Veröld – the House of Vigdís and adjacent workshop rooms.

Accommodation. Conference guests have all been pre-booked, for a special rate, at the RadissonBlu Hotel Saga during the meeting days. The hotel is situated on the campus of the University of Iceland, a short walk from the old centre of Reykjavík. You pay the hotel directly. Outside of meeting days, you are responsible for your own accommodation.

Climate and clothing. Due to its position in the middle of the North Atlantic current, Iceland enjoys a temperate climate with mild winters and rather cool summers. Regarding the weather in Iceland in May, you can expect almost anything, as the weather is very unpredictible; rain, sun, snow, wind, and temperatures between 5°-15° C. In order to be well prepared, we recommend to bring good shoes, a warm sweater and a good overcoat. And it is absolutely necessary to bring a swimsuit if you want to enjoy any of the numerous outdoor geothermal swimming pools and hot pots, or even try a natural geothermal spa like the Blue Lagoon.

Currency. The currency in Iceland is the Icelandic Krona, or Crown. The exchange rate for 1 Euro is now around 137 ISK. Please note that the exchange rate may fluctuate.

Time zone. Iceland is on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) all year and does not change into summer time. This means that in May, the time difference from Central European time (CET) is 2 hrs. earlier.

Daily and personal needs. There are two supermarkets at a walking distance from the RadissonBlu Hotel Saga for any personal needs. One is the local supermarket, open every day until 20:00 and the other one is open until 23:30 with less selection.

Food. Seafood, lamb and dairy... Icelandic cuisine is famous for its variety of fresh fish and seafood, caught the same day and is incredibly fresh. The typical meat is the Icelandic lamb, it has a very mild taste and is famous for being very tender. Sheep are free to roam around the country large part of the year, so the meat is wild and completely bio. Dairy products are also very good in Iceland, and come in great variety. The signature product is the non-fat protein-packed “Skyr”, which can best be described as cross between yogurt and curd.

Water. All water in the tap comes directly from natural resources, the cold water from abundant water sources and glaciers and the the hot water directly from geothermal sources. Water is not treated or filtered in any way, as it is naturally clean. No need to buy water, as it would just be a waste of money. You just open any cold water tap for clean, cold, untreated, natural water that comes from 300 years of filtrating through lava. The hot water tap has natural geothermal water, and you may notice slight volcanic sulphur smell. The longer you let the water run, the hotter it gets. And there is always enough! All water in Iceland comes from completely ample, renewable sources, and does not cost us anything, so enjoy!

Swimming pool and hotel spa. One of the numerous geothermal swimming pools in Reykjavik is just 3 minutes walk from your hotel, admission is very cheap, and a visit to the pool is a great way to mingle with the natives. If you forget your swimsuit or towel, you can rent both at the pool. Icelandic pools are more like spas, with numerous facilities, hot pots, from 37°C – 46°C, saunas, cold pots, etc., so make sure you can benefit from the healthy geothermal energy.

General information. If you are thinking about extending your stay or want to make use of any extra time, I can recommend many good excursions. It is not every day that you have a chance to visit a country like Iceland, with its wild nature, clear, clean air and abundance of water and natural forces. If you are interested in learning more about our beautiful, unique country before your visit, you can visit: www.iceland.is or: www.inspiredbyiceland.com