Iceland - Reykjavik
Intro
Reykjavik is the capital and largest city of Iceland - about 60% of the country’s 370,000 inhabitants live in or around the city. Despite this, it is a very accessible city with a very concentrated and walkable downtown with shops, restaurants and plenty of public art.
Getting Around
Walking around the city by foot - especially the central city and adjacent neighborhoods - is fairly easy. But for most other things you will need a car.
Keflavik Airport, the airport serving Reykjavik, is about 45 minutes away from the city. There are bus shuttles or you can rent a car.
Neighborhoods
Midborg - Midborg contains most of the sites at the top of visitors' to-do lists in Reykjavik. The primary downtown area is centered on the Laugavegur and Skolavordustigur streets, which are lined with shops, bars, cafes and restaurants
Old West Side - A more residential neighborhood west of Midborg, the Old West Side is closer to the harbor and it's attractions, and has its own smaller collection of museums, restaurants and hotels.
Attractions
Hallgrimskirkja - The inescapable cathedral that dominates the city’s skyline and looks down on the peninsula. It is a striking but beautiful building that is worth the visit if only for the views over the city and bay from the hill. You can also pay to go up to the top of its bell tower and look out over the city from there as well.
Sun Voyager sculpture - Steel sculpture on the waterfront that resembles a Viking long-ship.
Aurora Reykjavik - Museum dedicated to the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights.
Settlement Exhibition - An exhibition on the settlement of Reykjavík based on the archaeological excavation of the ruin of one of the first houses in Iceland and findings from other excavations in the city center.
The Blue Lagoon - Iceland is renown for its geothermal baths, and the Blue Lagoon is the most famous one. Located around 45 minutes outside of Reykjavik, you can swim and relax in the warm water year-round. But make sure to make reservations ahead of time.
Food & Drink
Iceland is incredibly expensive, and food and drink are no exception. Dining out for every meal gets pricey very, very quickly, so if you are looking to save some money you might want to get some food from grocery stores to fill in some meals.
Below are a few of the places we did check out:
Skuli Craft bar - craft beer bar
Uppsalir Bar & Cafe
Bryggjan Brugghus - local brewpub
Burger Joint - no frills burger spot
Reykjavik Fish - fish and chips
Baejarins Beztu Pylsur - street stand serving Icelandic style hot-dogs, with onions, brown mustard and ketchup
Rok
