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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.

The Sun Voyager (Sólfarið) is a large steel sculpture of a ship, located at Sæbraut by the seaside of central Reykjavík. The work is one of the most visited sights in the capital, where people gather daily to gaze at the sun reflecting in the stainless steel of this remarkable monument.

Concept 

The sculpture serves as an ode to the sun where it gracefully faces north across Faxaflói Bay. A popular misconception is that the Sun Voyager represents a Viking Ship. However, that is not quite the case. According to the sculptor’s vision, the piece rather accounts for a vessel of dreams; a premonition of the promise land, a plight for hope, pursuit, progress and freedom. 

The sculptor is Jón Gunnar Árnason, who described his vision as one of the possible origins of the Icelandic people. When Jón visited the island of Bockholm in Finland, he claimed to have experienced an uncanny feeling that he’d been there before, many centuries ago. 

The story goes that as ancient explorers from the centre of the known world set out to the four different cardinal directions, some set out towards the rising sun and made port at Mongolia. There, they settled down, until discovering the scribes of the explorers from the original journey who had ventured out west. With the discovery of another fatherland, the people yet again set sail, but this time they headed back towards the setting sun. After having followed the sun for years, they eventually ended up on an island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. 

When Jón was looking out to sea from Bockholm, he envisioned a vessel of dreams that would take him the rest of the way home; to the newfound promise land of the setting sun. He carved his vision into a granite rock by the sea, and thus the sun ship was born in his mind. 

• Learn more about the origins of the Icelandic people here: Where did Icelanders come from? 
• Get acquainted with the whales of Faxafló Bay on this Whale Watching Tour from Reykjavík. 

History

As the city of Reykjavík celebrated its 200-year anniversary in 1986, the town council of Vesturbær held a competition for works of exterior art. The Sun Voyager was deemed as the winner, and an aluminium prototype was donated to the city of Reykjavík. In August 1990, shortly after the death of Jón Gunnar, the final piece was revealed at its current location by Sæbraut. 

The site of the sculpture was considerably disputed. Many have pointed out the fallacy in the ship’s mast facing north, as opposed to west; to adhere to the original concept behind the artist’s vision. Jón originally wanted the ship to be situated in the western part of Reykjavík, or by the coastline of Ánanaust. Eventually, and with the artist’s consent, the small headland on Sæbraut got chosen. Although the headland has no name, the artist comically referred to it as Jónsnes—or Jón’s Peninsula. 

• Visit the Sun Voyager and other Reykjavík Landmarks on this walking tour with a local guide.
• See a full list of Reykjavík Tours here, for exciting adventures that set out from the capital.

Below, you can see a time-lapse video of a day in the life of the Sun Voyager sculpture. 

Reykjavík Harbour is located close to the centre of the city and is the main port of departure for whale and puffin watching tours, as well as Northern Lights cruises.

Usually referred to as ‘the Old Harbour’, the original purpose of the area, for fisheries and trade, has given way to tourism in recent years. Not only do many tours leave from here, but it is close to museums such as the Viking Maritime Museum and the Whales of Iceland exhibition. You can also go fishing recreationally from the pier.

The views here are some of the best in Reykjavík; you will be able to see natural landscapes across Faxaflói Bay, such as Mount Esja and the Snæfellsnes Peninsula in clear weather, and city sites, such as the Harpa Concert Hall.

Harpa is Rekjavík’s premier concert hall and conference centre. Opened in 2011, it was designed by a collaboration between Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson, and the Danish firm Henning Larsen Architects.

History

The idea for a purpose-built concert hall in Reykjavík had been tossed around since the 1880s, but it wasn't until this millennium that it began to gain traction. Construction finally began in 2007.

It’s future, however, was left uncertain in the wake of the financial crash of 2008, when it was left partially constructed and the funds to finish it were lacking. The Icelandic populace was divided between having a half-finished construction site facing their downtown or spending money no-one was sure they had. 

The Icelandic government, however, decided that it was the only building in the country that warranted being raised, in spite of the dubious future of the economy, and fully financed its completion. 

• Find out more with Nanna's blog on Harpa

Architecture

Harpa won the prestigious Mies van de Rohe award in 2013, otherwise known as the European Prize for Contemporary Architecture, and is featured heavily in any tour of the city. Its structure is beautiful and unique; it has a facade of 714 glass panels, all of which are a different shape and built with an LED light that allows for shows whenever the sky is dark. 

Olafur Eliasson is world-renowned for his large-scale installation art, and for the influences he takes from the natural world. This is clearly exhibited in Harpa; it reflects the basalt landscapes of Iceland and the dark coloured glass creates beautiful effects with the natural light. 

Studio Olafur Eliasson employs 90 people, from architects to graphic designers, craftsmen to art historians. Based in Berlin, they work across the world, and are well-known for works such as London's 2007 Serpentine Gallery Pavillion and the annual event Life is Space.

Henning Larsen Architects are similarly successful. They have collaborated on the construction of dozens of buildings in over twenty countries, such as the Copenhagen Opera House and Uppsala Concert Hall in Sweden. They are currently working on the creation of thirteen buildings around the world, many of which they scored the opportunity to work on due to their competition-winning designs.

Harpa Today

Today, Harpa is one of the jewels in Reykjavík’s crown. The hall hosts exhibitions, concerts, cultural events, meetings, and festivals such as Airwaves, Sónar and the Reykjavík Fashion Festival. Home of the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra and the offices of the Icelandic Opera, it is a centre of culture in Iceland’s capital.

Many internationally known artists from around the world have performed here, including people such as Eddie Izzard and Cyndi Lauper. It also regularly showcases native talent, such as Björk and Of Monsters and Men. 

• Find out more about the Music of Iceland

Below, you can see a video showing Harpa's construction.