Get an RV rental in Iceland to explore this hidden gem
There are lots of great reasons to explore Iceland and most of those reasons are very well known; the Northern Lights, otherworldly landscapes, and plenty of geothermal activity. But as is always the case with most destinations, there are hidden gems waiting to be discovered as well. One of those hidden gems is Flóki Studios, a fully equipped recording studio on the edge of the arctic circle. As Iceland has produced many world class musical acts, from Björk to Sigur Rós, a musical pilgrimage is a great reason to visit. Find out more about Flóki Studios and how to get there as we plot a trip from Reykjavik to Haganesvik in an RV.
Picking up your RV rental
International visitors will most likely land at Keflavik Airport, which is just under an hour's drive from Reykjavik. You can get a campervan rental in both locations, depending on where you want to start your trip. For the purposes of this article, we're starting in Reykjavik.
Reykjavik RV rental
In Reykjavik, you can rent an RV from companies like Geysr, Go Campers, Hertz and Rent Easy. Compare prices and book the perfect vehicle on our Reykjavik Motorhome Rental page.
Getting your music fix in Reykjavik
As we're driving to a recording studio, it's only fitting that we start absorbing some local musical culture in Reykjavik. Once you've picked up your RV and have settled into one of the local campsites, you can start your musical exploration at some of these venues:
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Húrra Bar & Concert Venue - A popular venue for local bands and DJs. You can expect all kinds of different genres and a generous happy hour.
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Iceland Airwaves Music Festival - If you happen to be in Reykjavik at the right time, you can attend the Airwaves Music Festival, hosted at myriad venues around the capital. In the past, the festival has featured Björk, Robyn, Toro Y Moi, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and many more.
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Kaffibarinn - Once partly owned by Damon Albarn of Blur and Gorillaz fame, Kaffibarinn is an intimate venue playing host to live music most nights of the week. Expect to line up.
Driving north
Iceland's famous Ring Road makes it easy to navigate your way north, to our eventual destination of Haganesvik. When driving the Ring Road in a campervan, Iceland is easy to explore. From Reykjavik, you'll be travelling clockwise on the Ring Road, up the West side of the country. This route is less scenic than the counter-clockwise route, unless you detour to Snæfellsnes peninsula.
What to see along the way
We highly recommend you take the time to explore Snæfellsnes peninsula, which is home to Snaefellsjokull National Park. This will extend your driving time, as you can technically go direct to Haganesvik in about 5 hours. But if you skip the peninsula, you'll miss out on glaciers, wild coastal scenery and Snaefellsjokull volcano, a 700,000 year old marvel standing at nearly 4,800 feet tall. If it's the right time of year, you'll also be able to soak in the Northern Lights, one of the most popular reasons to discover Iceland. There are various accommodation options on the peninsula, or you could take a guided tour for the day.
Leaving the Ring Road
Leaving the peninsula and continuing north, you'll eventually reach Blönduós. This is where you'll leave the Ring Road. The town itself has a textile museum and has easy access to Hrútey Island, which has abundant wildlife and is accessible by foot.
When you are ready to leave Blönduós, you will be driving inland, then north along the coast via Hofsós. The drive to Haganesvik is less that 2 hours, depending on how many stops you make to enjoy the scenery.
Arriving at Flóki Studios
When you approach Haganesvik in your campervan rental, you'll notice the sparce landscape and towering snow capped mountains. You really are in an isolated part of the world. Flóki Studios sits at the top of a strip of land, with the ocean on one side and Hópsvatn Lagoon on the other.
About Flóki Studios
Named after the bold Viking Flóki, the studio is the brainchild of Jay Sweet, Chad Pike and Chris Funk. The aim of the studio is to "share the inspiration, soul, and the energy of Iceland", as per their website. This manifests in the welcoming studio that brings together world class recording equipment with an inviting living space designed to make artists feel at home. Recordings artists aren't confined to the studio either. Depending on the time of year, you can enjoy surfing, hiking, mountain biking and more. There is even a hot tub and sauna onsite. Flóki Studios offers a truly unique experience to those lucky enough to record here.
Flóki Studios artists
Flóki Studios has played host to a range of music artists from a variety of genres, including:
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Celestine Manno
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Selcouth Quartet
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Oteil Burbridge
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George Porter Jr. (The Meters)
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Naya Rockers
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And more
Where to stay near Flóki Studios
If you're wanting a break from the camper for a night, you can stay at Deplar Farm, a few minutes from the studio itself. This accommodation has 13 en suite bedrooms, a sauna, heated pool, games room and a band loft. Rates are by no means cheap, but you'll get what you paid for.
There is an RV campground back in Hofsós, with facilities including electricity and waste disposal. It's about a 30 minute drive away from Haganesvik. Siglufjörður Camping Ground is approximately 30 minutes away in the other direction and is another option for parking up your RV rental for the night.
Leaving Haganesvik and Flóki Studios
When your time in Haganesvik comes to an end, you have a range of options for what to do next. if you have the time, we recommend reconnecting with the Ring Road and exploring the rest of Iceland. You'll want to allow at least a week to complete the trip. if you want to include the highly renowned Golden Circle, definitely add on a couple of days. To get back to the Ring Road, you can either head directly south, or go east via Ólafsfjörður and Dalvik
Renting an RV in Iceland with Motorhome Republic
Motorhome Republic makes it easy to rent RVs or motorhomes in Iceland. All you have to do is enter your travel dates and hit search. You'll get presented with a list of vehicles from various Icelandic campervan rental companies to compare, including their features, pick up location and price. You can also read the companies terms and conditions which covers things like whether unlimited mileage is included and whether you need an international driver's license. Iceland is built for campervans and Motorhome Republic is built to get you the best price on your rental.
Written By: Gareth Meade
