The Heart of Reykjav�k A walk through midtown Reykjav�k then and now - visiting great stores and cozy coffeehouses. The heart of every city is midtown - sometimes call old town - where everything began. In many of today�s world cities it really isn�t possible to speak about one �midtown;� instead, there are several core areas as the old city center has disappeared, torn down to make way for the new. This is not true of Reykjav�k as midtown is comprised of many well-preserved houses that still contain their historical souls, along with new buildings. It is easy to stroll in midtown Reykjav�k and breathe in the past, and feel the strong connection between past and present. Diversity and peacefulness When walking through midtown Reykjav�k guests first notice the peacefulness of the atmosphere - like being in a small village. Tj�rnin lake teems with life: people feeding the ducks and swans and just enjoying being close to water. There is always something going on at the old harbor, and during summer children are usually found fishing off the dock. Along the narrow streets are colorful houses, many with well-tended gardens. Midtown is also home to the Al�ingi (Parliament), ministries, public offices and financial institutions. At noon people crowd the streets adding a new dimension to outdoor life. People on the move One of the characteristics of midtown Reykjav�k is the variety of restaurants and coffeehouses. The coffeehouses are meeting places for friends and lovers, places where those in a hurry can feed their hunger, places where poets sit and think, where foreign travelers speculate about life, where people just sit down and relax for a while. One of the things that has drawn the attention of foreign journalists are the restaurants in Reykjav�k, many of which are among the best in Europe in their area of specialty. The fish is fantastic: freshly caught for the pristine sea surrounding the island. Lamb meat is organically raised: flavorful and succulent. Another aspect of restaurants in Reykjav�k is the diversity: Italian, vegetarian, Danish, Chinese, Japanese, Thai and of course traditional and not so traditional Icelandic. One American TV presenter commented that going to restaurants in Reykjav�k was reason enough to visit the country. Culture Art is everywhere in midtown Reykjav�k, including the National Gallery of Iceland, Reykjav�k Municipal Museum - Kjarvalssta�ir, National Theater, Culture House, I�no Theater and the Reykjav�k Municipal Photo Collection. Then there are numerous galleries, book stores and goldsmiths creating designs in gold and silver that are uniquely Icelandic. Culture is in the air. In the evening people flock to coffeehouses and restaurants and pubs to discuss the latest films, plays, operas, musical compositions and books, along with politics and daily life in general. The art of conversation is alive and well in midtown Reykjav�k. Parties and stores There are about 335 stores in midtown with all kinds of merchandise. It�s quite enjoyable strolling between shops, window shopping, and talking to salespeople who all speak English. On December 23, �orl�ksmessa, midtown is full of people finishing their Christmas shopping until late evening, and looking to see others and be seen. Christmas time in Reykjav�k is truly a season of light, though it is the time of short days and long nights. Midtown is beautifully decorated and colorfully lit-up, and then there are the Northern Lights that dance across the sky in a variety of colors. On New Year�s Eve there are great numbers of foreign tourists who come to see with their own eyes the sky light up with fireworks as most everyone in Reykjav�k shoots up rockets to welcome in the new year. Reykjav�kurs do like to enjoy themselves. Independence Day is on June 17, a day characterized by a carnival atmosphere. And then there is the Night of Culture held every summer, and the annual Reykjav�k Marathon, held the same day. An interesting tradition in Reykjav�k is Long Saturday, the first Saturday of the month, when stores in midtown are open longer than usual. Well reader, remember that when you visit Iceland give yourself enough time to enjoy midtown Reykjav�k, for it�s there that you find the heartthrob of the Icelandic nation.