Reykjavik City Card | 72 Hours

Reykjavík is the capital of Iceland and the northernmost capital of any sovereign state in the world.

Despite a small population (approximately 120,000, with just over 200,000 in the Greater Reykjavík area), it is a vibrant city that draws an ever increasing number of visitors every year. It is the financial, cultural and political centre of Iceland, and has a reputation of being one of the cleanest and safest cities in the world.

Geography

The city of Reykjavík is located in southwest Iceland by Faxaflói Bay. Throughout the ages, the landscape has been shaped by glaciers, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions and the area is geothermal; after all, its name translates to ‘Smoky Bay’.

Much of the current city area was subglacial during the Ice Age, with the glacier reaching as far as the Álftanes peninsula, while other areas lay under the sea.  After the end of the Ice Age, the land rose as the glaciers drifted away, and it began to take on its present form.

The coastline of Reykjavík is set with peninsulas, coves, straits and islands, most notably the island of Viðey, and seabirds and whales frequent the shores. The mountain ring as seen from the shore is particularly beautiful.

Mount Esjan is the highest mountain in the vicinity of Reykjavík and the most distinctive feature of the coastline. This majestic summit is also highly popular amongst hikers and climbers. Other notable mountains that can be seen from the seaside are Akrafjall and Skarðsheiði.

On clear days, one may even see as far to the legendary Snæfellsjökull glacier, at the end of the Snæfellsnes peninsula.

The largest river to run through the city is Elliðaá in Elliðaárdalur valley, which is also one of Iceland’s best rivers for salmon fishing.

Transportation

There are no trains or trams in Iceland, but most people travel by car. The city also operates a bus system. There are two major harbours in town, the old harbour in the centre and Sundahöfn in the east.

The domestic Reykjavík Airport is located at Vatnsmýrin, not far from the city centre and close to the hill Öskjuhlíð and the restaurant, vantage point and exhibition centre Perlan. The international Keflavík Airport at Miðnesheiði heath then lies around 50 kilometres (31 miles) from the city.

Cars, jeeps and bicycles can be readily rented in the city and many organized tours are also being offered. It is, however, quite easy to walk between the major sites.

What to See & Do in Reykjavik

The local arts scene is strong in Iceland, with annual events and festivals, many of artists from which have hit the international stage.

Major events taking place in Reykjavík include Iceland Airwaves, Reykjavík Pride, RIFF (The Reykjavík International Film Festival), The Reykjavík Literature Festival, Culture Night, the Reykjavík Arts Festival, Food & Fun, the Reykjavík Fashion Festival and the Sónar music festival.

Amongst the famous people from Reykjavík are musicians like Björk Guðmundsdóttir and Sigur Rós, and writers Halldór Laxness (born on the main street, Laugavegur) and Arnaldur Indriðason.

Those eager to soak up the local culture should visit the city’s many museums, exhibitions and galleries, and check out live music at the cafés, bars, and concert venues dotted around. You could look at the programmes of what’s on at the Harpa music hall or the theatres, or else plan a few hours at the lighthouse at Grótta, the shopping street of Laugavegur, or the old harbour and the flea market.

You could even book a bird- and whale watching tour or a visit to Viðey island. There are a lot of things to do and the possibilities are endless.

Make sure to visit the public square of Austurvöllur, one of the city’s most popular gathering places, where you’ll also find the national parliament, the Alþingi, as well as the state church, a statue of independence hero Jón Sigurðsson, cafés, bars and restaurants.

Austurvöllur was central in the protests following the banking collapse of 2008, along with Lækjargata, home to the House of Government. You are also not likely to miss the great church of Hallgrímskirkja that towers over the city from the hill of Skólavörðuholt, from which you’ll get a great view of the city.

Try a walk by the city pond, Tjörnin, to greet the many birds that frequent the area and to visit the city hall, stationed by its banks. A beautiful park lies by the pond, ideal for a nice walk, and sometimes concerts get held there.

Further off is the campus of the University of Iceland, the Nordic house and the Vatnsmýrin wetland, a particularly pleasant place, but be mindful to not disturb the wildlife there by keeping to the pathways.

For a nice swim on a warm day, we particularly recommend Nauthólsvík beach, which is heated with geothermal water. Those who love a dip should also visit the Laugardalur valley, home to one of the city’s best swimming pools, which sits a short walk away from Ásmundarsafn gallery, a beautiful botanical garden and a domestic zoo.

A walk by the Ægissíða beach, with its old fishing sheds, in the west part of Reykjavík also holds a particular charm. From there, you can see all the way to president’s house at Bessastaðir, which is also a historical site in its own right, having been the educational centre of Iceland for centuries. 

Another place that offers one of the city’s best views is Perlan, up on Öskjuhlíð hill. The hill itself is a popular place to spend a few hours, with over 176,000 trees and great opportunities for walking and cycling. Perlan also has and observation deck with great views, a café and an exhibition centre.

Furthermore, the city is a short drive from many of Iceland’s major attractions, most famously the Golden Circle and the Blue Lagoon. In close vicinity you’ll also find the Heiðmörk preservation area, a favourite local site of the people of Reykjavík, as well as the Blue Mountains, one of Iceland’s best skiing venues.

Finally, we’d like to stress that these are only some suggestions of the many things you might check out in Reykjavík. Whatever you choose to do, we hope you’ll be able to make the most of your visit and we wish you a pleasant stay in our capital.

Faxafloi is a large bay in the southwest of Iceland, located between the peninsulas Snaefellsnes (to the north) peninsula and Reykjanes (to the south). 

The main fjords of the bay are Borgarfjordur, Hvalfjordur, Kollafjordur and Hafnarfjordur. Some of Iceland's largest towns are located by the bay and Iceland's capital, Reykjavik, lies on its southeastern shore. 

Faxafloi bay is popular for whale- and birdwatching, sea angling and has great fishing grounds. In Kollafjordur is Videy Island, featuring the Lennon/One Peacetower, Richard Scerra's 'Milestones' and other attractions, along with great birdlife. The mountain ring seen from the bay, among which Snaefellsjokull glacier may be spotted on clear days, is particularly beautiful.

Laugardalur valley is an area  in Reykjavik. Among its attractions are the remains of the old washing pools - from which the valley derives its name.

In Laugardalur there is a botanical garden, and the small but charming domestic animal zoo. The main sporting arena is located in Laugardalur, and is sometimes also used for concerts. The Laugardalslaug swimming pool is the largest swimming pool in Iceland, and definitely the most popular one. The art museums Asmundarsafn and Listasafn Sigurjons Olafssonar are close by.

We recommend you enjoy a walk around the area, jump in the swimming pool for some local culture and afterwards enjoy a rewarding hot dog in the famous stand in front of the pool entrance.

From the Skarfabakki pier at Sundahofn harbour in Reykjavik (around 5 km from the center) you can take a ferry to Videy island in Kollafjordur bay.

Videy is best known internationally as the location for the Imagine Peace Tower, envisioned and built by Yoko Ono, widow of musician and ex-Beatle John Lennon. Videy had a monastery in the Middle Ages and Skuli Magnusson, often called 'the father of Reykjavik' resided here. His house, Videyjarstofa, now displays paintings by renowned Icelandic artists. 

A great sculpture by one of the world's most renowned sculptors can be found on the west side of the island, Richard Serra's Milestones.

Videy is an important historical site and has beautiful nature, with spectacular rock formations along its coast. Over 30 bird species breed on the island.

Many well-known Icelanders rest in the island's graveyard, among them the great author Gunnar Gunnarsson, who wrote such masterworks as Fjallkirkjan ('The Church on the Mountain'), Svartfugl (The Black Cliffs) and Adventa ( The Good Shepherd).

Wikimedia. Creative Commons. Credit: Ymblanter.

Árbæjarsafn is an open-air museum in Reykjavík dedicated to providing guests with an insight into the daily lives of the capital's earliest settlers. 

The museum was founded in 1957 after local concerns grew that 'Old Reykjavik' was beginning to disappear amidst modern development.  Prior efforts had been made to establish the museum as far back as 1942, and yet, despite positive reaction to the proposal, such efforts long proved futile. The historical, yet recently abandoned farmstead, Árbær, was finally chosen the designated location as it had served for generations as a popular inn. 

The museum resembles a historical village, with over twenty different authentic buildings in which to explore. Visitors will have the opportunity to observe traditional turf houses, a historic church and numerous pre-century that have been moved to the open air museum following renovation. 

Upon the museum's founding, the original location was a little way out of city limits. Today, however, Reykjavik has outgrown its original borders, meaning that the museum is easily accessible for all those staying in the centre. 

Tjörnin is the historic, picturesque pond that can be found in downtown Reykjavík.

This popular spot in the capital city is bordered by cultural sites such as the National Gallery of Iceland, the theatre Tjarnabío, and Reykjavík City Hall, where the Guide to Iceland visitor centre is located. 

Tjörnin has a year-round duck population, due to the fact that one corner of the lake is geothermally heated so that it never freezes over. It is encouraged to feed the birds with treats like oats and frozen peas, which they digest much better than bread.

The pond borders a beautiful inner city park, Hljómskálagarðurinn, which includes play equipment for children and several fascinating statues.