Unique Icelandic Souvenirs: What to Buy at Keflavik Airport
A coffee table book of breathtaking Icelandic landscapes
If you’ve been wowed by the landscapes you’ve seen during your travels in Iceland but don’t have great photography skills, a book of colourful photographs taken by a pro might be just the thing to pop in your carry on. Perhaps you caught a fleeting glimpse of the aurora, or wonder what Skógafoss waterfall might have looked like in a different season? Maybe you enjoyed riding an Icelandic horse and want to be reminded of the fun you had. A coffee table book is a great way to show friends and family what they missed – and the ideal inspiration for planning your next visit.
Blue Lagoon skincare
Remember when you emerged from the Blue Lagoon and realised your skin felt soft and invigorated? The mineral-rich water and spa treatments might have felt like a one-off indulgence but in fact it’s really easy to recreate that feeling in your own home. The Blue Lagoon shop at Keflavik Airport stocks a range of products that make the ideal souvenir of your time there. Grab a tube of its signature mineral mask or some moisturising cream to keep your hands and body to counteract the drying effects of heat or cold. Blue Lagoon skincare also makes the perfect gift – if you can bear to give it away.
A bottle of Brennivin
Visit Keflavik Airport’s duty free to pick up a bottle of Brennivin to take home with you. Made from fermented grain or potato mash, it’s flavoured with caraway or dill to create a uniquely Icelandic spirit. Because of its strength, sometimes people refer to it as the “Black Death” as it’s so potent – a single bottle will last a long time as you won’t want to drink a lot at once. You may have tasted this strong spirit as an accompaniment to an Icelandic delicacy such as hákarl but on its own it’s still a super souvenir of your trip. Chill it and drink it as a shot or use it as a base ingredient to create an Iceland-themed cocktail.
Hugleikur Dagsson merch
Hugleikur Dagsson is a successful Icelandic artist known for his satirical comics and dark humour. While some of his more adult themes are designed to provoke a reaction, it’s hard not to embrace the sentiment of his collections that comment on Icelandic life, such as No Swimming In The Lava and Not Just Cold And Wet But Also Expensive. You can’t go wrong with a pair of socks that proclaim Yay from the top of a mountain peak or that celebrate Iceland’s connection to cats or whales. Guaranteed to put a smile on your face, whether you choose a T-shirt, pair of socks or a mug this is a souvenir that’s sure to be a talking point when you get back home.
Liquorice
To say that Icelanders love liquorice is probably an understatement. The obsession with lakkris, as the locals call it, most likely stems from a time when restrictions meant that sugar was hard to come by. There were no issues with importing liquorice so if you needed a sweet fix, then liquorice would be it. In the 20th century, the idea of combining lakkris with chocolate was embraced and today it remains one of the most popular ways of consuming liquorice. It’s hard to miss the yellow and red packaging of Sambó. This, alongside Icelandic brands of chocolate and sweets such as Omnom and Noi Sirius, are on sale at the duty free shop and in other airside stores. Just be warned this won’t be a long-lasting souvenir.
Clothing by 66°N
During your trip you’ll probably experience some extreme weather – Iceland’s famous for its changeable conditions and even in summer there’ll be a chance of a storm. Even if you don’t live somewhere cold or icy, local brand 66°N is well-suited to coping with the kind of weather Iceland throws at you. Clothing of this high quality will see you in good stead anywhere, so weather you opt for a cosy beanie hat, waterproof jacket or even a T-shirt, you know it’s going to wash and wear well for a long time. Each time you grab it from your wardrobe you’ll remember your Iceland trip and when you’re ready to come back, you’ll have the right clothing to bring with you.
Gifts for friends and family
At times we just want a little something that tells our friends and family they were on our minds while we were away. Icemart has a wide range of souvenirs that are easy on the wallet but make great gifts for those we hold dear. A fridge magnet, keyring or cuddly toy is light to carry, and a cute way of remembering Iceland’s puffins, sheep, Northern Lights or even the lopapeysa jumpers. If you’re looking for a practical item that will come in handy on the plane, you might also consider a neck pillow or lightweight fold-up bag. Similar souvenirs are on sale at Penninn Eymundsson, who also have a wide range of books and magazines that you can read to help you pass the time in-flight.
Icelandic design
Whether you’re keen to find a wool blanket, sheepskin rug or scented candle, take a look at the homewares stores at Keflavik Airport. For instance, you might have called in at the branch of Rammagerðin on Laugavegur while you were in Reykjavik but if you forgot – or regret a missed purchase – then you’ll be excited to learn that there’s a branch at the airport too. Epal’s another store worth checking out – not least because they boast that they’re the oldest design store in Iceland. No matter where you pick something up, the clean lines and simple colour palette of Nordic design means that it is unlikely to date, so why not bring something back to enhance the décor of your home?
Choosing the right souvenirs for you and your loved ones takes time, so it’s a good idea to arrive at the airport nice and early. Allow plenty of time for passing through security and completing immigration checks, but also to browse in the many stores that are airside before your flight’s called and you need to get to your gate. If you settle on your purchases more quickly than expected, there are plenty of cafés and restaurants where you can enjoy a coffee or something to eat, so there’s really no negative to getting to Keflavik well before take-off.