Magical Iceland - Food & Wine Tours

Magical Iceland - Food & Wine Tours

Magical Iceland - Food & Wine Tours
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City Tours • Walking Tours • Beer Tastings & Tours • Food Tours • Wine Tours & Tastings
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About
Our by far most popular tour is our NEW "Max 12 Foodies" Bespoke Reykjavik Food and Wine Walking Tour. Are YOU ready for 4 hours of FOOD & FUN... and DRINKS ;) ? We welcome fellow FOOD & WINE LOVERS that are ADVENTUROUS and CURIOUS. Your LOCAL GUIDE will share his PASSION & WEALTH of experience and knowledge about NIceland in general and of course our local GOURMET CUISINE... We visit LOCAL bars & restaurants and we share secrets. On our tours we talk about the REAL NIceland, the people, the culture, the humour, the food, the fun, the past, the future, the LOVE, the hidden people, the LIFE… We look forward to "meet and feed" you ! - Warm greetings from NIceland, Magical Iceland Gourmet Guide family
Reykjavik, Iceland

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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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5.0
143 reviews
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Sharon H
Reston, VA2 contributions
Sep 2021 • Friends
It was wonderful to see Ýmir and Hebba again after first touring with them in 2014. This time I brought different friends and ten out of ten people were blown away by his Golden Circle tour experience! Ýmir’s friendliness, hospitality, cultural knowledge and his fun stories make you feel as though you are hanging out with a good friend. Everything we did and ate on the tour was first class and Ýmir makes sure all creature comforts are catered to. This is the best way to see Iceland for sure because, in addition to the fun and rich cultural experience Ýmir shares with you, conditions can change rapidly and it was very comforting to be in the company of our knowledgeable and lovable Viking!!!
Written September 28, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

CapabilityBrownTO
Toronto, Canada36 contributions
Jul 2015 • Family
Not only was Ymir a fantastic tour guide, I feel like he became our friend. I started chatting with him via email more than 2 months before our trip. Not only did he go out of his way to make sure he could do this tour on the day we wanted, he also did all of our restaurant reservations for the days before and after his tour. This was beyond the call of duty, but that just seems to be his way.
By the time we finally met him on the morning of our tour, I felt like I already knew him. He arrived to pick us up at the arranged time. In fact, he was a little early, and I noticed that instead of waiting for us in his car, or coming into the hotel foyer, he was picking up garbage he'd noticed on the ground near the hotel! This attention to detail and to the betterment of Iceland seems to be in his DNA.
The food throughout the whole day was absolutely delicious. His own creations and those provided by the 3 different restaurants we visited were all wonderful.
The information he provided was interesting, detailed, entertaining and fun. We learned about Icelandic history, culture, cuisine, geography, as well as many tidbits about Ymir himself. He truly seems to enjoy imparting his love of life to those around him.
After the tour, he contacted me again to send us photos and told us to contact him if we needed any other help during our time in Iceland. The photos are excellent, and although we didn't need to contact him, I'm sure he would have helped in a heartbeat.
This is rather a costly tour, but Iceland is expensive in general. It truly was one of the greatest days of traveling we have ever had.
Written August 11, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
TAKK TAKK TAKK <3 - I am humble and sooo happy to read those words and to hear that this "was one of the greatest day of travelling you ever had" is overwhelming ! - I will do my very best to live up to expectations now (nooooo pressure at all ;) !!!) - LUV Ýmir
Written August 14, 2015
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

upscale-travel
Indiana64 contributions
Jun 2015 • Family
Our family (2 adults, 2 kids- 9yrs and 13yrs) had a day with Ymir in June that was fantastic. It was our first full day in Iceland and this private tour combined fantastic gourmet treats (especially when we dined in the secret lagoon) and sight seeing. Ymir is so friendly, great with adults and kids, informative (in a fun way) and just downright great at what he does. You can see he is really respected by everyone wherever we went and it was one of our best days in Iceland. We started at a farm for Icelandic pancakes and coffee, went to a fabulous secret lagoon for gourmet nibbles, and the day just got better and better. We even enjoyed trying local specialties like horse, whale and shark. Private tours are a bit costly BUT it is absolutely worth it - you will be so glad you went!
Written July 30, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
TAKK for the wonderful review ! - I truly loved our time together not to mention the happiness you allowed me to spread while giving the 3 little restaurants / farm houses a sparkling gift from you afterwards - That was truly nice of you and they LOVED it :) Luv from NIceland, Ýmir
Written August 4, 2015
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

zia8
New Jersey6 contributions
Feb 2019 • Friends
Looking for the best way to experience Reykjavik, Iceland? It’s by booking a Magical Iceland Food and Drink Tour with Ýmir. Back in February my sisters and I were lucky enough to experience this tour and after every stop on the tour, we found ourselves saying ‘it can’t get better than this’ but in true Ýmir fashion, it did. It was the most memorable experience that we are still talking about to this day. Ýmir’s attention to detail is spot on, the enthusiasm he has for what he does is contagious and he will cater the day to what you want to do. From homemade treats in the car to private swimming in a secret lagoon, followed by the most delicious food at a tomato greenhouse and later at a dairy farm, a stop at an active geyser and the most spectacular views of a waterfall, it was a day none of us will ever forget. You won’t be disappointed if you book this tour; it checks all the boxes and is not to be missed. Ýmir starts the day as your host and ends the day as your friend!
Written July 25, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

hamrickpa
Tampa, FL339 contributions
Mar 2019 • Friends
I have taken food tours literally all over the world. The competition to this tour is half the price so I was tempted to not spend the money but once you read some of the reviews you see this tour seems superior. Based on those reviews I decided to splurge and book with Ýmir. I cannot express enough how amazing our experience was! I don't enjoy sushi and my friend is a modified vegetarian - eating only select meat protein. Even with our unique culinary needs Ýmir made sure we had more than enough amazingly delicious food to eat and even better drinks to drink! His stories and understanding of the area was outstanding and added so much flavor to the tour. He even took us to some highly exclusive and secret spots around Reykjavik 🤫! This was a highlight of our trip and completely and utterly worth every single penny. You will certainlyq not regret this tour. It was over the top amazing! Thank you Ýmir! You have two new friends in Florida.
Written March 16, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
MY beautiful new friends from Florida TAKK for the words - they mean the world to me / us <3 ... It was such a blast hanging out with the two of you :) - Keep up the fun loving, curious, happy spirit my fellow foodies and friends ! LUV from your NIceland friend - Ýmir
Written July 15, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Rattlehead74
Vancouver, Canada76 contributions
Jun 2018 • Couples
Ýmir invited us for a rough preview of his upcoming gourmet walking tour in June that may as of this writing already be offered. We were very honoured to be part of this preview of his work in progress. To keep things under wraps as it was still in the experimental stage, I will post a few photos of what to expect (and there’s a lot more that was not unveiled to us so you’ll have to ask or better yet take his tour!) I won’t add any locations or names of the places we went but they are in the heart of Reykjavik and they are local and well established restaurants. I’m sure some will probably recognize the places and dishes anyway.

We started at a brewery along the harbour where we Icelandic shrimp as finger food and a serving of salad with smoked goose along with a flight of beer with 3 selections. Then to a restaurant a few blocks away for what is probably one of the best soups I’ve ever tasted and I’m not a soup person. Rock crab soup with a lot of shrimp and crab meat and probably one of the best tasting broths I’ve ever encountered. Then it was on to a sushi restaurant that opened in a new locationrecently to sample Iceland’s take on sushi. First was Icelandic scallop (hotate) sashimi. Sweet and clean tasting and definitely underrated. Added a Spanish white wine to go with that and it went very well with the scallop. Next came salmon tartare using probably the best tasting salmon out there and mixed with a little sesame oil, then it was followed by a sesame crusted tuna tataki with a sesame sauce. The sesame sauce is great but may kill the taste of the tuna so perhaps an acidic sauce like ponzu would work. Then finally a local favourite which is an inside-out roll with surimi (yes imitation crab), spring onions, then deep fried briefly and topped with kewpie mayo, a spicy sriracha sauce and a hoisin style sauce on top. Gourmet? Maybe, as this is a take on the ubiquitous California roll - which isn’t authentic Japanese to start with, but keep in mind it’s what locals order, like and love and knowing Ýmir and his reputation, he wants to share what Icelandic food is about. Coming from myself, a Japanese Canadian living in Vancouver where sushi is king, one can be critical of this one, but if this is what the locals want to eat and makes them happy, then it should be embraced.

We were getting full at this point and we had to cut it short and end due to the Iceland vs Nigeria World Cup match which we all wanted to watch, but Ýmir had more things to come that we couldn’t get to but all in all whatever he does you know he has the passion and drive to make it memorable. If this is what is being tested so far, I can’t wait to see or even taste the finished product. Keep up the good work Ýmir!

Mark and Vicky
Written July 29, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
MY favourite fellow FOODIE experts ! TAKK for the review and the beautiful words <3 - As you truly count as professional food - travellers I am so honoured that you liked my trial tour ! ... I am happy to tell you that next time you come to NIceland I have more gourmet findings to share with you on my Reykjavik Gourmet Tour - including and amongst others : Langoustine tasting covered in butter and garlic + selected street food tasting + Gin & Tonic tasting + Red wine tasting with a local cheese plate and truffle chocolate.... and the list goes on ... ;) LUV to my Canadian foodie friends and look forward to our next "gourmet gathering" ! :) Ýmir
Written August 7, 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Caplansky
Tofino, Canada35 contributions
Jun 2018 • Friends
Ymir and Hebba are exactly the kinds of people you want to connect with when visiting Iceland. Knowledgeable, passionate, charming and generous in sharing all those things, time spent with them is time well spent. Can’t wait to return.
Written June 22, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Takk for the beautiful words :) <3 Easy to be good hosts when you get only GREAT guests ! We enjoyed the time with you and really look forward to meet & EAT again ;) LUV from NIceland, Ýmir & Hebba
Written June 26, 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Maps369757
2 contributions
Jul 2016 • Couples
All we can say is wow. Absolutely wow. This is a tour you must experience while in Iceland. Ýmir is not only Icelandic, he's a Viking! Embodies the true spirit and excitement of Iceland in his tour. It's absolutely private, it's absolutely unique. The farms you go to, love this man, so you are equally treated like a Viking God. If you like to eat and drink, the entire trip, book it now. If you like to have fun, book it now. If you like to experience a truly unique once in a lifetime tour, book it now. We don't want to reveal too much of his secrets here, so all we can say is book it. We've been to 21 counties, in our early 30's, and have experienced many different tours. If you're reading this, email Ýmir and set up your magical Iceland getaway! Also, instead of booking your own transport, his friend Kiddie has a nice Mercedes for transfer to airport and Reykjavik. Safe travels. Did we say to go ahead and book this?
Written July 11, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- TAKK !!! - <3 Well I´d book the two of you every day as my travelling partners if I could ! ;) The Viking party goes on in NIceland and we can´t wait to enjoy the new up´n coming gourmet adventure with you next year !!! Wishing you nothing but LUCK & LOVE until we meet ... soon ! ;) LUV Ýmir
Written July 14, 2016
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

TripGuido
Berlin, Germany114 contributions
Sep 2015 • Business
How much better can a business trip to Iceland get? You come there to present your work to a nifty audience of nearly a thousand people (which is a treat in itself) - and in return get rewarded with an invitation to Ymir's and Hebba's fantastic tour so that even after only three short days on the island you develop a sense of belonging - and certainly a sense of longing to return here as quickly as possible to explore more, to experience more, to indulge more.

We met in the morning in dreadful weather, but guess what: It was forgotten the minute Ymir arrived. Was it his energizing spirit or the early shot of schnaps that let our inner suns shine? Or perhaps we all just gave in to an instant bond of comradeship from jointly not becoming too queasy after a piece of hákarl.

Obviously the food went uphill from there, but that's not really a compliment. So let me say instead that there was nothing else we were offered during the day that was not absolutely mouthwatering, yummy and downright scrumptious. How more decadent (and decadent, at least on my list, is not a bad thing at all) can it get than to be bathing in a hot pool sipping champagne and snacking niblets that appear out of nowhere from a seemingly inexhaustible source?

You can guess, we all were a very happy crowd by noon. And just in the right spirit to follow Ymir's fantastic stories about Iceland, always told with a personal twist. It was so easy to relate to his love for Iceland and, if it is not presumptuous to say so after just one day, we all felt we started to understand what makes this country and what makes its people.

The sights of the Golden Circle obviously added to the spirit of adventure. Hard to avoid the crowds, but timing is everything. In the evening, where the other tour groups were already back in Reykjavik, we had Thingvellir National Park all to ourselves. To me, this was the perfect ending to a perfect day - and it added to the feeling of having been rewarded with a very special and extremely personal gift: a glimpse of an unspoiled and mystical island! The real Iceland perhaps? I would not know, but certainly how I would like Iceland to be.
Written October 4, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
TAKK !!! :) - We are sooo humble and HAPPY to have the fortune of spending time with great people from all over the world. The essence and the soil for the "magic" is the engagement from our travellers... After all - It takes at least two to Tango and we intend to Tango as long as there is music and dancing partners !!! :) LUV Ýmir & Hebba
Written October 12, 2015
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

David S
Richmond, VA1 contribution
Jun 2015 • Family
The Gourmet Golden Circle Tour with Ymir was the best private tour we have ever had ... anywhere! Just minutes into our trip, Ymir seemed like a friend we had for many years. This is not a standard tour with a guide reading from a script. Ymir gets to know his guests, interacts with them. He is personable, funny, smart, and informative. His love for Iceland is obvious, yet never seems forced or formulaic. We were having so much fun we didn't realize at the time how much we learned about Iceland ... it's culture, it's people, it's history, geology, mythology, etc. The Icelandic government should pay him - he is the perfect ambassador for his country.

And the food! He and Heppa (I hope I spelled her name right) are incredible cooks. They put together some of the most amazing food we have ever had! And the meal stops were equally incredible. Excellent local food, and off "the beaten path."

Ymir also makes this tour special by adding "extras" while still hitting the highlights tourists want to see. The stops to visit locals, real Icelanders, was not only fun but informative by introducing us to real people. This is so much better than just hitting the standard tourist spots.

This tour was an excellent way to get to know Iceland ... and what a wonderful country it is! If you really want to immerse yourself into this country, you MUST do this tour. You will not regret it!

David and Lynn
Richmond, VA, USA
Written July 9, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- TAKK - :) - Like I said - you happy people brought the best of out me ;) - Thank you for a wonderful day and for keeping rule #1 up at all times ! LUV Ýmir & Hebba ps I will start working on having the government paying me some for doing a little "future correction and focus" in tourism in NIceland ... Wish me luck ! ;)
Written July 19, 2015
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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Magical Iceland - Food & Wine Tours (Reykjavik) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go