About Reykjavik, Iceland
Reykjavik, on the coast of Iceland, is the country’s capital and
largest city. It’s home to the National and Saga museums, tracing
Iceland’s Viking history. The striking concrete Hallgrimskirkja
church and rotating Perlan glass dome offer sweeping views of the sea
and nearby hills. Exemplifying the island’s volcanic activity is
the geothermal Blue Lagoon spa, near the village of Grindavik.
Reykjavik and surrounding area is great for seeing the northern lights.
The lights show up in the winter time and are most likely to be seen in
Sept-Oct and Feb-March. After 8pm to maybe 2-3am in the morning is the
time period they most likely show up but it all depends on things like
clouds, how dark, if there is solar storm hitting earth etc.
Outdoor geothermal swimming pools are an important part of Icelandic
culture and a visit to them is a great way to relax with Icelanders. In
fact it is not stretching the truth too far to suggest that because
drinking is so expensive the hot-pots at these pools serve the same
role that pubs and bars do in the rest of Europe.
Plan and Book:
Overview
Europe’s northernmost and westernmost capital is a delightful
destination, part old Norse, part modern city, with a quirky
personality of its own. The puffin, troll and elf souvenirs found in
gift stores are apt mascots for a city with a decidedly playful streak.
More than half of Iceland’s population lives in Reykjavik (or nearby),
in one of the world’s smallest capital cities — some 190,000 people.
Cruise ships are increasingly paying calls on Reykjavik from late May
to early October, especially during the summer months, when the
daylight literally lasts ’round the clock. Visitors and residents alike
seem to stay awake, golfing, strolling the compact town’s picturesque
streets, drinking Gull beer at sidewalk cafes and cycling along the
seafront promenade.
Many believe that Reykjavik’s character is more defined in winter, when
daunting weather and 20-hour nights are defied by rollicking pubs and a
sense of humor. But, locals laugh at the climate, whether calm or
tempestuous. They keep warm in the iconic handsome sweaters for which
Iceland is well known; the long hours indoors and out inspire artisans,
evidenced by many shops that display lovely local art and clothing.
This is a city that has learned to make the best of things. The Iceland
landscape is bare and covered with volcanic rock. With no trees for
building houses, 18th-century settlers used driftwood that floated in
from the sea, covering the wood in sheets of corrugated tin and
painting walls and roofs in vivid colors to brighten the scene. The
rock that abounds was turned into material for a fine stone Parliament
building, erected in 1881. Citizens have planted and nurtured welcome
oases of green. The geothermal springs that bubble underground have
been put to work to provide hot water for residents.
Reykjavik has experienced much advancement in the past few years.
Progress is plain to see in the sleek, contemporary buildings that are
changing the cityscape. Several worthwhile museums salute local history
and art, and whimsical street murals dot the city center. With fishing
still a dominant occupation, restaurants serve up delectable seafood,
and gourmet dining of all kinds is plentiful and popular. But, if you
ask natives for their favorite eating place, the answer most often will
be a simple hot dog stand near the harbor.
Reykjavik is a safe city, compact and easy to navigate on foot. As
charming as it is, no visit to Iceland is complete without getting out
into the vast interior, which lies at the city’s doorstep. Seriously,
how can you not love a place where sheep have the right of way?
Cruise lines often assign ships to overnight in Reykjavik, offering
passengers more than the typical eight-hour port experience, but my
greatest regret is that visitors don’t have even more time to explore
this charming land, where the balance of urban sophistication and
nature at its most rugged is unique. If you regard cruise travel as a
chance to sample places you might want to return to later for longer
stays, I can’t think of a better recommendation than Reykjavik.
Attractions and Activities
There is a lot to do in Reykjavik, despite being a small city. There
is a vibrant music scene with concerts most evenings in the centre of
the city. For theatre enthusiasts the city boasts two main theatres
staging around 10 plays a year each, both domestic and foreign, as well
as a number of smaller theatre groups specialising in different kinds
of modern theatre.
There are a number of opportunities to experience at least a bit of
Icelandic nature without leaving the city itself, and outdoors
activities in the immediate vicinity of the city are easy to find. And
no visit to Reykjavik would be complete without going to at least one
of the geothermal pools.
The “Culture House” was opened in 1909 and has a number of important
exhibits. Originally built to house the National Library and National
Archives and also previously the location of the National Museum and
Natural History Museum, in 2000 it was re-modeled to promote the
Icelandic national heritage. Many of Iceland’s national treasures are
on display, such as the Poetic Edda, and the Sagas in their original
manuscripts. There are also changing exhibitions of various topics.
Volcano House offers a free museum with library, rock and photos
exhibitions, Wi-Fi, a café and gift shop, tourist information,
and a booking service. It shows two documentary movies every hour that
cover two of the most powerful eruptions to rock Iceland in the last 40
years: the 1973 eruption on the Westman Islands, and the 2010 eruption
of Eyjafjallajöokull in South Iceland. Museum/cafe is free,
Reykjavik is famous for its weekend nightlife. Icelanders tend to go
out late, so bars that look rather quiet can fill up
suddenly—usually after midnight on a weekend. There are over 100
different bars and clubs in Reykjavik; most of them are located on
Laugavegur and its side streets. It is very common for an establishment
that is a cafe before dinner to turn into a bar in the evening. Closing
time is usually around 4:30 am at weekends and 1 am during the week.
The Iceland Airwaves music festival is annually staged in November. Be
aware that alcohol is expensive at bars. People tend to drink at home
before going out. Beer was banned in Iceland until 1 March 1989, but
has since become popular among many Icelanders as their alcoholic drink
of choice.
Walking in Reykjavik is highly recommended, as many attractions are
within walking distance from the hotel area. The city is very
beautiful, and the sidewalk and pathway system is first-rate. Reykjavik
drivers are in general very friendly, and will sometimes stop for you
even when there is no crossing facility. Unknown to many tourists a
very long and scenic pathway for walking and cycling circles almost the
whole city. A good starting point is anywhere where the city touches
the sea. The path leads by an outdoor swimming pool, a sandy beach, a
golf course, and a salmon river.
Reykjavik’s old town is small and easy to walk around. The houses have
some very distinct features, most notably their brightly colored
corrugated metal siding. Plan to spend at least a couple hours just
wandering around, taking in the city. And for further feasts of the
eyes, there are several museums and art galleries in the city, most of
them within easy reach of the downtown area.
At the far western end of the peninsula on which Reykjavik sits there
is a small island. This island, called Grotta, is connected to the
mainland on low tides and open to the public most of the year. Just
make sure you don’t get stuck on the island when the tide comes in! The
island is actually located in the municipality of Seltjarnarnes.
Imagine Peace Tower, Vioey Island: Yoko Ono’s memorial to John Lennon,
projecting a “tower of light” into the air that can be seen from around
Reykjavik. The tower is turned on October 9th-December 8th, December
21st-28th, December 31st and March 21st-28th.
With the exception of Husavik in the north, Reykjavik is actually one
of the very best places to go whale watching in Iceland. Whales
frequently come into Faxafloi, the large bay which Reykjavik sits by
and on a typical trip of around 3 hours you can almost be guaranteed to
see at least some minke whales and possibly even a humpback. The
companies offering whale watching mostly occupy a small area in the old
harbour close to the whaling ships. All sail out to the same bay but
since conditions there change make sure you are on a good ship.
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