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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.

Faxaflói is a large bay in west Iceland, between the Reykjanes and Snӕfellsnes Peninsula. It faces Reykjavík, and is a hot spot for puffin and whale watching.

Activities in Faxaflói Bay

Whale watching tours head into Faxaflói from Reykjavík throughout the year. Throughout the summer, the most commonly seen species are Minke and Humpback whales, while Harbour Porpoises and White-Beaked Dolphins are seen year-round. Other species are seen on occasion, including Orcas and Blue Whales.

From May to September, some of these tours include a puffin-watching segment to the islands of Lundey and Akurey, where visitors can see them nesting on the rocks and bobbing in the water.

Another island, Viðey, can easily be visited throughout the year by boat, with tickets included on the Reykjavík City Card. It is home to the Yoko Ono Peace Tower.

Sea-angling is also popular in Faxaflói, and it is possible to rent a rod and fish from Reykjavík Harbour.

Faxaflói Bay from Reykjavík

Faxaflói Bay is a beautiful feature of Iceland’s capital, visible from much of the city. Many of Reykjavík’s greatest landmarks have it as their backdrop, as they hug the coastline.

Harpa Concert Hall, for example, is an incredible feat of modern architecture that juts out into the water. The Sun Voyager is a popular statue that also looks out to the sea.

In decent weather, visitors can see some of Iceland’s most beautiful nature across Faxaflói. Mount Esjan is the most dominant feature, but when it is especially clear, it is possible to see the Reykjanes and Snӕfellsnes Peninsulas.

The flat-topped mountain Esja, often called Esjan, is Iceland’s most popular destination for day hiking. It is situated in Kjalarnes in the south-west corner of Iceland.

Only 10 kilometres (6 miles) from the city of Reykjavík across Faxaflói Bay, the mountain is a dominant feature of the capital’s skyline. In reality, Esja is not a true mountain in itself, but a volcanic range, the highest peak of which reaches 914 metres (2,999 feet) tall.

Geology and History

Esja's formation dates back to the beginning of the last Ice Age. Magma rising from eruptions formed layers of lava beneath a glacier, and when the ice retreated, it ground much of it away and left the mountain in its current form.

The volcano is no longer active, so it has little changed since.

Since Iceland is situated on the boundary between two tectonic plates, Eurasia and North America, the continuous tension pushes the sedimentary soil to the west. This makes the western part of the range the oldest (at about 3.2 million years) and the eastern part the youngest (at about 1.8 million years).

Esja is composed of basalt and tuff rock. It has quite a lot of vegetation for an Icelandic peak, with many lupin and wildflower fields across it in summer.

Recently, Esja has been the site of several concerts, with helicopters taking music-lovers up to the peak for a great show beneath the midnight sun.

Hiking and precautionary measures

Because of the mountain's proximity to the capital city (less than an hour by car, or accessible by taking two regular buses), Esja is an extremely popular hiking destination for locals and visitors alike. The path up the mountain is divided into different sections, with signs indicating the difficulty of each route.

The most well-known paths lead to the separate summits of Þverfellshorn (780 metres or 2,560 feet) and Kerhólakambur (851 metres or 2,790 feet).

The highest point is called Hábunga and requires an additional three-kilometre trek northeast from Þverfellshorn. Approximately 200 metres (656 ft) from the top, hikers find themselves at a large rock named Steinn where they are faced with three options: continuing on the marked trail, climbing directly to the peak, or simply enjoying the great views before descending.

When hiking Esja, it is important to be equipped with proper hiking gear, with a good knowledge of your capabilities. Amateur hikers should only take a simple route, and only expert climbers should try to scale Steinn.

It is also imperative that you get the weather forecast ahead of arrival, so you know what precautions to take.

Avalanches and accidents can and do claim lives; in fact, according to the Iceland Touring Association, Esja holds the record for the most accidents in Icelandic nature. There are several incidents here a year, especially through winter with ice, rain and heavy fog, several of which have resulted in death.

This is largely due to its popularity, as if you take necessary precautions and do not push your limits, however, you minimise the risk to yourself dramatically.

If you take a path you know you can do in clear weather, at your own pace and in appropriate clothing, then you can hike confidently

The Capital Region refers to Reykjavík and its bordering towns. It holds well over half of the country’s population, in spite of taking up less than 1% of the country’s landmass.

The towns surrounding the capital are Kópavogur, Hafnafjörður, Garðabær, Mosfellsbær, Seltjarnarnes and Kjósarhreppur. Combined with Reykjavík city itself, these municipalities account for around 220,000 people, with the capital itself containing around 124,000 people.

Although each area is its own municipality, they cooperate on issues like transport, and by doing so, keep the region well connected. Buses, for example, run between them several times a day.

Each area has its own appeal. Hafnafjörður, for example, is a hotbed of folklore and superstition, with a beautiful harbour; Seltjarnarnes, meanwhile, is best known for its abundant birdlife and lighthouse, and Mosfellsbær has beautiful nature and a fascinating literary history.

All have excellent services, places for leisure such as swimming pools and museums, and a wealth of accommodation options.

Harpa is Rekjavík’s premier concert hall and conference centre. Opened in 2011, its design was a collaboration between Danish-Icelandic artist Ólafur Elíasson, and the Danish firm Henning Larsen Architects. Today, it is a cultural centre of Reykjavík and one of the city’s most iconic landmarks.

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, with Icelanders as blissfully unaware as the rest of us as to the problems that year would bring.

The wake of the financial crash of 2008 hit Iceland far harder than most other countries; its banks far overstretched themselves across Europe and ended up heavily indebting the people when they collapsed.

The future of Iceland’s economy was uncertain, especially when the government declared they would not bail out the banks nor pay off their debts, much to the chagrin of countries like the Netherlands and the UK.

In this tumultuous period, Harpa was left partially constructed, with no funds to finish it. The Icelandic populace was divided between having a half-finished construction site facing their downtown—a humiliating reminder of their country’s financial state—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.

When the European Court of Justice ruled that Iceland did not have to bend to the will of its debtors, the country was united in supporting it.

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.

Ólafur Elíasson is world-renowned for his large-scale installation art, and for the influences he draws from the natural world. This is clearly exhibited in Harpa. The building reflects the basalt landscapes of Iceland and the dark-coloured glass creates beautiful effects with the natural light. Considering the midnight sun and aurora borealis, this can be quite spectacular.

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.

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