Reykjavik
the Capital of Cool
— Cosmopolitan Culture with Village Roots

THROBBING WITH LIFE by day and by night, all year round, Reykjavik is just as much a part of the Icelandic experience as the midnight sun or the magical landscapes forged by ice and fire. Reykjavik, with its neighboring communities, has a population
of around 170,000 and offers an interesting mix of cosmopolitan culture and local village roots.


Old accounts say the ancient gods themselves guided Iceland’s first settler, Ingolfur Arnarson, to make his home in Reykjavik. He named the place Reykjavik (“Steamy Bay”) after the geothermal steam he saw, which today heats homes and outdoor swimming pools throughout the city — a pollutionfree energy source that leaves the air outstandingly fresh, clean and clear.

A beautiful salmon river runs through the city limits, and so do fine parks and even wild outdoor areas. In the outskirts are places for horse trekking and golf.

But against this backdrop of nature, Reykjavik has a packed program of familiar city joys too: art museums, several theaters, an opera house, a symphony orchestra — and concerts/live music spanning the whole spectrum of age and taste.

One must for all visitors is dining out on Icelandic specialties, including delicious seafood — ocean-fresh from the morning’s catch — highland lamb and unusual varieties of game. It’s purely natural food imaginatively served to delight the most discerning of diners. Reykjavik is also renowned as one of Europe’s hottest nightspots, where the action on the friendly pub and nightlife scene lasts right through the night.

Walking distances are short downtown, and everything worth seeing outside the city center can be quickly and conveniently reached by bus. With its long, easy-going main street and large Kringlan mall, Iceland’s capital is a great place to shop too — with a bonus of tax-free shopping for visitors! Be on the lookout not just for souvenirs (especially woolens and handicrafts) but also for stylish consumer goods and designer labels at competitive prices.

A full range of accommodations is available in Reykjavik, from international-standard hotels with good conference facilities, through smaller hotels and cozy guesthouses, to a campsite in the city’s biggest park.

But the capital area is more than just Reykjavik. Adjoining it is the town of Kopavogur, with its new concert hall, art museum, Smaralind Mall and splendid sport and leisure facilities. A little farther down the road, the town of Hafnarfjordur nestles in a lava field and offers tourists both traditional and offbeat attractions — including Viking feasts, elfspotting tours, whale watching and horseback riding.